Going the Extra Mile

   I love going the extra mile for my customers. Not always, granted, sometimes the extra mile would mean spending money I don't have or using the last of my resources on something no one asked for, but when I can do it, I love it. I recently got an order for a fox jar necklace - nothing unusual about that. No requests or anything, but it was what the customer wrote in the message to seller box that mattered. They said that they'd met a very special girl who was interning in Ireland over the summer, and they had spotted red foxes on a number of occasions. These foxes are uncommon for the most part, but in some locations they do make themselves at home in an urban environment. The foxes, because they'd seen them so many times, became a sort of theme on her trip, like an inside joke, except not a joke at all.

   Well, I decided that, since the story was so sweet, and he had bought the fox necklace for her, I would make something a little extra. I had blank cards lying around, have had them for a while, so I took one of them and grabbed my watercolours. I don't expect them to use the card, but as far as I'm concerned, it's the thought that counts. I enjoyed painting the card, and while I hope they don't just throw it out, I hope at the least it brings a smile to their faces.

   I like to go the extra mile because I like to make their shopping experience - both with me and Etsy - something more special than that of Amazon, for example. I always package things carefully, and I decorate my envelopes with washi tape. When a parcel arrives from me, you know it's not just an ethernet cable! I found out after shipping the item, however, that, like a surprising number of my customers, he had signed up specifically to buy from me - or atleast the same day he placed the order. I'm especially pleased I made the card now, because hopefully it'll give a glowing first impression of Etsy.

   Have you ever gone the extra mile? Or has someone done so for you?