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Downsizer Forum Index -> Small Business Questions, Ideas and Advice

Do you buy with limited contact info?

Yes

23%

[ 5 ]

76%

[ 16 ]

Total Votes : 21

Author

Message

Green Man

Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5272
Location: Rural Scotland.

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 07 4:24 pm Post subject:

hedgewitch wrote:

I always check out a postal address and details. I don't like just mobile numbers. I have bought off e-bay once - a small-value item - but didn't like e-bay at all. I just don't feel comfortable with it.

I'd be OK buying through an e-bay shop if I knew the seller in some other way, outside e-bay.

I love buying from e-bay. It is usuallyquite safe as people don't want a bad rating. It is a great way to recycle unwanted stuff.

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 07 5:14 pm Post subject:

Cho-ku-ri wrote:

hedgewitch wrote:

I love buying from e-bay. It is usuallyquite safe as people don't want a bad rating. It is a great way to recycle unwanted stuff.

Me too, I love ebay provided common sense is applied. Anyway, you get their full postal address as part of the checkout process, so you do get details there.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 07 10:05 pm Post subject:

wildfoodie wrote:

does anyone think a PO box would get round this issue?

Nope, specifically says a PO box isn't good enough.

Barefoot Andrew
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 22780
Location: In the 17th century

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 7:28 am Post subject:

Interesting comments about the legality of limited contact details. I have no plans to change mine on my Conwy Slate site, but I shall remain mindful of the TS issues.

With regard to the appeal or otherwise to potential new customers, I have chosen to use only a mobile because of being split between two locations (Derbyshire and Conwy). All business stationery features my OH's address as the trading address, but I would never disclose this or my own address on a website.

At some point soon I need to establish a proper website for my software consultancy business. Again I have no plans to disclose either my landline or my postal address - but I shall think on the comments in this thread nonetheless.

A.

PS Hmm, CS Online needs some maintenance - directory a bit out of date. Must get to that soon.

Last edited by Barefoot Andrew on Thu Jun 14, 07 7:32 am; edited 1 time in total

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 7:29 am Post subject:

There's another story I read in a knitting magazine of someone who had their address on their site. One day a whole coach load of old ladies turned up to ask her advice on one of her patterns! The thought of someone turing up at my house uninvited while I'm in my pyjamas or in the shower is unacceptable and TS are being irresponsible if they expect lone female traders to have all their contact details oin the internet.

Bloody hell - this country seems to be intent on making it as hard as possible for small businesses to even try to make a living

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 8:13 am Post subject:

Oh no. Over reaction time. Again.

You don't need to put your home address. You just need a geographic address. As has been stated (but is being ignored, because it's useful), something like a local post office, or a rented address would be fine.

As far as I'm aware (wivf), trading standards aren't making the laws, merely enforcing them.

But, if you're happy breaking the law, and have so much business you can afford to turn away 76% of potential customers, best of luck to you.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 8:18 am Post subject:

Nick Howe wrote:

Over reaction? That's nice of you Nick

A rented address? Rented by who and for how much? I'll ask the local PO but I doubt they'd do it for free.

Yes, I'm 'happy' breaking the law - thnaks for asking.

I keep forgetting you can't disagree with the mighty Downsizer Males

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 8:24 am Post subject:
Careful, you're coming over all Victim again.

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 8:28 am Post subject:

If you are registered at Companies House, either as Ltd Company, LLP or whatever, you do need to put your registered address on your website and on any correspondence. This doesn't have to be where you live, but it must be an address at which HMRC and others can reach you.
You are also supposed to put your incorporated number and VAT number if applicable.
To me, as a buyer, seeing those does inspire some confidence that I'm dealing with a kosher business and not a Del Trotter.

(And, technically, you are also supposed to put a notice at the registered address to the effect that such and such a company is registered there. Haven't got round to doing that yet...

)

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 8:34 am Post subject:

Nick Howe wrote:

Careful, you're coming over all Victim again.

Piss off

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 8:35 am Post subject:

Gervase wrote:

If you are registered at Companies House, either as Ltd Company, LLP or whatever

I'm not.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 8:43 am Post subject:

We have a rented address - moving to Wales has proved a death knell for the careers of a couple of people we know who do the same as us.

We pay £65 pcm for the office address in Liverpool (they have various different levels of service for different numbers of phone calls - ours covers up to 100 pcm) - they answer the phone, they forward on mail to us and there's a meeting room there that we can use for client meetings if we want to.

I love it, it works really well - it means that I don't have to be 'on parade' every morning at 9 to answer the phone, it makes us sounds professional, it gives us a 'centre of town' image and clients assume that we are bigger than we are.

On my 'personal' webspace though, where I have a bit about offering complementary therapies, I *don't* have home-address contact details or even a phone number. I agree with Stacey, I think it's opening oneself up to potential issues, whatever the law says. There's been a recent quite severe hoo-ha in blogland about someone harassing various bloggers which I was peripherally involved with; and some of it spilt over in to real life when the stalker got hold of people's addresses etc.. It's made me think quite hard about how much info I have out there, both personally and professionally.

Being fined by Trading Standards or ending up with some Random Internet Nutter turning up on your doorstep? No choice at all as far as I'm concerned.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 8:51 am Post subject:

Chez wrote:

There's been a recent quite severe hoo-ha in blogland about someone harassing various bloggers which I was peripherally involved with; and some of it spilt over in to real life when the stalker got hold of people's addresses etc.. It's made me think quite hard about how much info I have out there, both personally and professionally.

Being fined by Trading Standards or ending up with some Random Internet Nutter turning up on your doorstep? No choice at all as far as I'm concerned.

Exactly! A woman on another site I use was one of her targets and the abject misery it caused is uneblievebale. I've already had one experience of malicious people finding out where I live - just by a process of deduction - I certainly don't want to make it any easier for people to find out where I live. It may sound like an over reaction but when you're a female in the middle of nowhere who's on her own most of the time it certainly ain't no laughing matter.

Barefoot Andrew
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 22780
Location: In the 17th century

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 8:57 am Post subject:

Nick Howe wrote:

Careful, you're coming over all Victim again.

Stacey wrote:

Piss off

This sort of exchange degrades the value of this thread and the forum in general IMHO. As long standing contributors both of you should set a better example.

A.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 07 9:21 am Post subject:
Sorry Miss Do we have to stay in for break now? pinches Nicks Beef and Onion crisps

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