A while back, we did a few posts about some charity auctions organized by a mama with a huge heart – to benefit a member of the diapering community who lost her husband during a military deployment. The HC shop raised a good sum of money to establish a trust fund, etc. for the surviving family and everyone involved was able to bask in the warm glow of satisfaction that comes from doing a truly good thing…
But, it’s come to our attention that one of the vendors participating in those auctions, Pot of Gold, has been a bit less than prompt at dispatching items owed to bidders and lotto participants. Which is a shame, especially since the person in question has gone on to stock multiple items on her new HC, and all the time she spends not answering emails and relatively pointed questions on forums she frequents is starting to damage her overall reputation as a WAHM, trustworthy forum user and HC merchant.
What's at the end of YOUR rainbow?
Now we know life happens, and we know things take time… but seeing as some of the items in question were Christmas cards that are now worthless and need to be remade, and it’s been months since the listings ended, there’s little recourse for people who bid on items and entered lottos in good faith – fair enough, some of these are truly minimal purchases that were only made to help a friend, and some of the people who did this truly could not care less about getting their stitch marker or whatever trinket was promised. But for others, there are pointless presents awaiting delivery, ignored emails, broken promises of dispatch and ultimately will be at least a week-long wait even if items are shipped this very moment – because they’re coming from the UK!
So Susie, here’s your chance to stop by and assure the good people of diaperland that you’re on the up and up with all of this and weren’t just using the great PR that comes from participating in charitable causes to build a name for yourself… And, if you’re a “winner” who isn’t getting anywhere waiting for or asking about your items from Pot of Gold, please do let us know what you were expecting to receive by now so we can keep track of what is still outstanding.
It is our understanding that people who had delayed orders are being offered a discount on items purchased from her HC, but we’re not sure who would buy more stuff from someone who hadn’t shipped the first batch yet…
We do want to make it clear that to our knowledge, and that of the organizers, all money paid for the items in question was appropriately passed on to the beneficiary of the sales – we are in no way accusing anyone of defrauding bidders to steal money.
ETA: We received this email from Susie of Pot of Gold within two hours of this post going live:
Hiya, want to keep you up to date with my side of things.
Firstly I am SO sorry about all the delays, when I couldn’t get everything out for Christmas I realised I had to redo all the cards, and we’re talking a lot of orders in total.
Please let everyone know I’m sorry about the delay and things are going out still, I’ve spoken to people on forums about it so I thought everyone knew I’d screwed up my time managment, I should be finished sending this week I hope. My main problems have been the time and money involved, sending so many packages out has amounted to hundreds of pounds in postage costs (none of that was included in the costs of the raffle tickets, that ALL went to Erin), then on top I’ve had packaging costs, as well as having to buy more supplies for making things too. It did add up to a lot more than I’d anticipated. All Christmas cards have now been replaced by birthday or general greetings cards, stitch markers are as normal, the few people who bought knits will still have Christmas decorations for next year as I didn’t have time to reknit anything else. All of the raffle entries are getting individual discount codes for the HC store if they wish to purchase anything else later, I did consider an extra item per person but that would just have delayed things more. The people who paid for yarn & jewellery are getting the code as well as an extra “free gift” to say sorry for the delay. Maybe people won’t want to buy from me again but I am truly sorry and I will be more organised with the HC store.
Yes, I probably did bite off more than I could chew but at the time I was most focused on helping Erin and Harrison and underestimated the time and money I’d need for everything, I didn’t start making things until after everything finished, which was maybe the first mistake as I could have got things out more promply if I had premade some things.
As for the HC store, I only launched this week and apart from a couple of things I had leftover from being in Dancing Llama before it’s all preorders or customs. I did it that way on purpose to get the last of the BFTB things sent out before I have more things to send. I am also going to be changing my way of sending packages for the HC store so I don’t have delays (my local PO is basically a PITA to use, it’s so small they’re not happy if you have a lot of things to send at once so that has been yet another delay. All but one of the packages have needed customs labels so I’ve had to use the PO for everything.)
And as for not answering emails that is totally false. I have answered every email I’ve received. Which were 2. If anyone else tried to contact me then I just didn’t get it so obviously wouldn’t be able to reply.
Susie
Wasn’t everyone who entered the lottos supposed to get a card? I thought that was the case…I definately bought some lotto entries, and I totally forgot about the cards. That is LAME on Susie’s part.
Shame shame on you Susie.
wow really guys… she was trying to do something for Erin and Harrison, and just didn’t realize the magnitude of orders, and time that it would take to get everything out. Give her some slack. Jeezus… SHE did not steal any money, all of that money went to Erin and Harrison, the reason they were giving trinkets instead of just entering lottos and raffles were because Paypal has cracked down and called those illegal and WILL STEAL the money even if its for a charity so they had to do something and made it a purchase event instead of a lotto. all of that was for CHARITY. if you donated or entered a lotto JUST for the gimmick then shame on YOU… it wasn’t for the gimmick, it was for ERIN AND HARRISON…
I don’t think anyone cares about the trinkets. Its more her email doesn’t seem like she is sorry. What about the people who bid/won her stuff. Who are still waiting thinking it got lost in the mail. Susie hadn’t sent them a email to say she is running behind that is poor Customer service.
I’m Glad everyone bid for Erin and Harrison.
I think that Susie’s email sounded like she was explaining what happened in a matter of fact way. When I read it, she sounded sorry to me. I do not think that there was any ill intent on her part.
Maybe no ill intent but she could have let people know. I think she bit off way more then she could chew.
All I want to say is Susie is awesome.
I love the cloth diapering community. I have a vision now of so many mamas running to their post box each day and throwing up their hands in despair when their silhouette (assuming, here) handmade holiday card wasn’t there so they could give it to Aunt Gemmy. lmao
I don’t think anyone cares about the trinkets for the raffles….But I agree with ‘Just me’ What about the stuff people bid on and purchased. Those were actual items, not just stuff that came with a raffle ticket. There was no e-mail sent saying, ‘I’m running behind, sorry’ Here we are thinking our items are lost in the mail. If this wasn’t for a charity I think there would be a lot of paypal claims happening here. I understand life happens, but 3 months behind?!
Hey Boo? Congratulations on posting Poop on Cloth’s 3000th comment! So tell us, what’re you going to do now?
Yay!! Go me! Do I win a prize?!
Unfortunately, the Poop on Cloth collective has no tangible prize to offer… when we are millionairesses, we’ll be making deliveries of champagne and balloons to all our prize-winning readers!
just because someone does something nice for charity, it doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to call them out on it when they fuck it up.
3 months for this stuff is absurd. And I betcha i don’t ever see a card. I think someone should JAR susie, and let’s hope she’s not involved in any other “charity.” I know I’d think twice about involving myself with her. I just hope Chelsea doesn’t get dragged down too..
Hey, WAHMS out there, don’t promise what you can’t deliver! (also, to oleflute Don’t Steal!!)
I totally forgot about those cards. I didn’t enter any lotto just because i wanted a card, but i did think it was pretty cool. wonder if they’ll arrive – I entered 2 lottos.
Does anyone know what happened to DoDS?
I can’t get on DoDS either. I’m going thru withdrawl!
I’m worried that something bad happened with all the Felisha drama.
Yeah, I need my drama fix
Wow. Um, I thought the “Firstly I am SO sorry about all the delays” implied that she was sorry.
Susie is one of the greatest moms I’ve met in the CDing world and I look forward to her store being a huge success.
Sure, she bit off more than she could chew because she was so eager to help her friend. She gets that. She understands. She’s sorry.
She thought she’d made appropriate contact.
Sheesh, people.
Agreed.
Wow. I purchased some yarn from this charity auction, expecting to receive it fairly quickly as I am located in Germany. I was surprised and disheartened when it hadn’t come (I was planning on using it to knit Christmas presents for my family back in the States). I emailed Susie and she explained her situation and got the yarn out promptly. While I was disappointed that I had to contact her, I found her professional in her dealings and her yarn knit up quite nicely. She offered me a discount code – but like others, I will probably not be buying from her in the future.
LOL Here it is a week later and I still don’t have my card or my recipes for that matter. Susie might be a nice Mama but I’m still w/o what I was promised. And now it’s the principle of the matter.
Did anyone get a card?
not to split hairs here but she did say she’d send within a week, yeah? Not that you’d get it by then. She fucked up the timeline the first time and got called out. Let’s give her time before calling her out on the second timeline. Who you going to send the card to, Schmoopie?
It was going to be your Valentine, betterthanslicedbread. Now you’re gonna dump me and I’m sad
the recipes were included in the link you were sent from HC when you made the purchase. as for the cards, keep in mind that shipping from the UK is going to take more time regardless of when she sent it. give her a break.
Yes, yes, *I’m* the unreasonable one. I’m calling it right now, people. These cards aren’t all coming.
And really “give her a break?”
She had November, December, January, Feb….
I think we have already given her a break. She has had months to get this stuff out. Nice mama or not she has poor customer service.
Schmoopie – how much did you spend on these cards? Which by the way, the second round of auction was November 22, the purchase was later than that. So how do you think she had all of November?
Anyway, please tell me how much you spent on the cards. I’LL paypal it to you just to get you to shut up. Seriously.
You’re a fool if you think it’s about the money. People who do things for charity and then don’t follow through/lie make the charity itself look suspect, and I feel terrible for Chelsea that she hitched her wagon to Shady Susie.
I hope no one buys/does business with Pot O’ Gold, and please everyone remember to post if they get their card. Mkay?
I feel bad for Chelsea such a sweet mama. I know someone who has not heard from Susie. You would think since she got called out.One might contact people and get there ducks in a row.
I will not be buying from her store or anything or hers.
I got a card from her today and I had no idea I even had one coming. LOL
Did you buy a Bid for the Berky’s Lotto entry? You were supposed to get a Christmas Card with every entry.
Yes I guess I did. I just forgot about it and didn’t look at it close enough to realize it came with a card.
got my cards today too
none in today’s mail for me :*(
Did she send them all out by now?
will you just stfu schmoopie… your card is in the mail got it… you will get it when you freaking get it, if you REALLY have an issue you can send your pp receipt of purchase to chels, and I’m sure we can get it all taken care of for you… otherwise… STFU… you SERIOUSLY have NO CLUE what you are going on and on about ruining this poor momma’s reputation because you are such a miserable cad, that you have to make her life miserable… (yeah I probably didn’t use cad right, but I’m not brittish…) EITHER WAY STFU ALREADY!!!!
The only person responsible for Susie’s reputation is Susie. She claimed she was sending Christmas cards as a gift for a charitable donation and didn’t. How am *I* a cad for pointing out she lied to those donating to charity? Don’t let friendship cloud the facts. She was in over her head and even Chelsea had to call her out in a thread for some response. Don’t leave that at my doorstep. I just picked it up from there.
I received my cards today. I’m am glad she made good on her promise, but I would never buy from her shop.
Um, yeah right, Schmoopie.
I love how you bandwagon-jump just to be able to participate in drama. You claim that you entered the lotto just to be able to stir the pot. Yet, you didn’t receive your “cards” until other people started getting theirs. You dragged out the drama as long as possible. I doubt you ever entered and I seriously doubt you received anything.
WTF? I totally forgot about this until is was put up on POC, but I bought lotto entries, most people in the GM community did for Erin and Harrison’s sake. I even bought the first round with the recipes…IF she mailed out the cards in a batch, wouldn’t I get my cards at about the same time?
I got some beautiful stuff, but the delivery leaves too much to be desired. Oh and where did I claim I entered the lotto “just to stir the pot?” I entered the lotto in November as a charitable thing. Bid for the Berkys was a great idea. The execution was shit on Susie’s part however.
I think she’s claiming that you only said you entered so that you would be able to stir the pot… like she doesn’t think you ever entered and you’re making it all up.
LOL. I would have love to win the 6 woven GMs. They were the Amy Butler prints, right? Yeah, I definitely entered, and more than once at that.
Well, were the cards you got pretty, at least?
I honestly wasn’t ever a fan of the Amy Butler prints, but free goodmamas are free diapers, you know?
I would have had them dipes on Spots so fast, LOL!