What to do with "damages"??

I started this post yesterday afternoon - where did my "workday Wednesday" go? Actually, the post began on Tuesday after reading Lynn's. Which means where did Tuesday go, too??

At least I'm back in action, so I'll combine a few thoughts into one and hope I get thru it without interruption! Sometimes working at home means a lot of interruptions - the last couple days I wouldn't call myself a "superWAHM".

It all began as I was creating a newsletter for my customers about a special offer (40-50% OFF!) on a group of our travel pillows. When pulling a LOVE pillowcase out, I discovered that it didn't glow in the dark like it should:( The glow wasn't up to Comfy Cozy standards. That lead me to check on the HOPE, DREAM & BELIEVE pillowcases too. This batch of inventory was all printed at the same time by the same printer. UGH! None of them glow bright enough! I pride myself in the consistent quality of Comfy Cozy products and the only thing I can think happened is that someone accidentally looked at a sample from the old inventory and didn't catch the problem.

So, what is a wahm to do with inventory that isn't up to snuff? Most folks wouldn't even catch what I call is "damaged". That makes me proud of the high standards I've set. I could sell them, honestly - you'd never find the mistake! In the past I've donated products to CHOP (the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) and other charitable organizations. Even they have commented that "there is nothing wrong with these".

In this case, since the product also includes a travel pillow, donating them is a little trickier due to the size of the product. Shipping (see Lynn's post) would be expensive and the organizations don't have storage for even a few of them. I've always resisted selling "seconds" on my web site or taking them to a re-sale shop. This "opportunity" gives me a chance to re-think that and at the same time offer my customers a great deal!

These little pillows make great gifts for college students to toss around on their beds or cozy up w/ on the floor of the dorm. Teens and tweens love a pile of pillows in their beds - especially to share w/ friends when having sleepovers.