A Problem We Don't Really Have

We are digging our way slowly out of the chaos that piles up when it's so busy that we don't have time to keep up with anything but helping customers find their gifts and get out the door!  And I do mean slowly; after weeks of rushing around like a crazy person, then slowing down for two glorious days on the 25th and 26th, I'm having trouble returning to a normal state of energy.  Naps beckon . . .  wine instead of coffee .. . . gift books instead of balancing books.  Anyway, I just returned from the UPS store on the corner and they had stacks and stacks and stacks of boxes waiting for pick up.  At first I was confused.  So many people shipping gifts late?  But then I realized - no.  These boxes are customer returns.  And I thought about our returns so far this week.  One woman bought a few too many hippie sticks and traded them in for a book.  One woman returned a snake top because - there was no top in the box.  (our fault - whoops!!)  Maybe another one or two, but we are don't usually have a lot of returns.  There will probably be the odd one in a month or two - someone trying to return some bedraggled piece of holiday merchandise, which even though we have no obligation to take back, we usually do.  And I remember once, years ago, having the bright idea to go clothes shopping the day after Christmas while visiting my parents.  The department store was a zoo - everyone trying to return things, lines of 20 people waiting to do so.  Happy to report that we don't have that problem at Joie !