If You Can’t Please Anybody, Please Nobody

I work in a store where we sell handmade items from Africa — furniture, decorative items, porcelain, lamps, etc. The owners themselves go to Africa to buy products for the store and see the working conditions and such. It is very poor where they buy from, and they have happily seen how they and others with similar initiatives have been able to create more work for people.

I repeatedly have people complain that the prices are too expensive, and I have to explain that the products are handmade and shipped from southern Africa and that both the store and those making the products need to make a living. Some people want to get extra good prices if they buy two plates, for example, to which I know the answer is no. If they are to make a really big order, we can ask the owners, but that is significantly more than a few plates.

However, sometimes there comes a customer who complains that the prices are too low, that we can’t possibly pay them enough in Africa, and that we are using them, to which I have to explain that the owners themselves go down to see that everything is handled properly and that I have been along for one of those trips myself. It is true they are not paid as much as people are here, but it is a good salary for where they live and they are very happy being able to get a job.

Having these discussions over and over can make the head spin, especially as I try to make it so the customers are all feeling heard and try to take their opinions as valid points, even though I’ve heard them a hundred times over.

At one time, we had these handmade baskets that were made by women who were able to make them while caring for their families at home, which is important in their culture. It gave them the opportunity to get a salary while caring for their children. Together with that, we had a few pictures the owners had taken when visiting them. In a few cases, the children of these women also helped, wanting to do what their moms were doing. This, of course, caused a customer to accuse us of using child labor.

Customer #1: “This is horrible! It is child labor! I will never shop here again!”

Me: “I’m sorry to hear that. It is actually the women who do the work, but sometimes their children want to help, too. The owners visited them themselves and saw no signs of the children being forced to do it.”

Customer #1: “And these prices, they are far too low. Are you even paying them enough?”

I am just about to get into that when another customer interrupts us, showing me a bowl.

Customer #2: “This is really too expensive for a bowl. How can you take such high prices for this?”

Customer #1: “What? No, that is way too low a price. Don’t you care for the people making these things? It should cost a lot more!”

Customer #2: “Are you kidding me? No one can afford this!”

I tried to interrupt, but at this point, they were ignoring me, and since they were still keeping a civil tone, I actually let them have their discussion, excusing myself as customers were waiting to pay for their purchases. They continued for a while before they broke off. I thought for sure they would both leave, but they actually both made purchases in the end.

It was a very weird, yet satisfying day for me.