Soap thieves

[CatahoulaBubble]

So I have some neighbors that love my soap and they order a whole batch of 20 bars just for themselves about twice a year. Some they give as gifts but most of the soap they use. The male half of the marriage actually stores the soap in his dresser so the scent permeates his clothes. Anyway he called me up and requested that I
make him a new batch. I have them on a schedule so I know when to make soap for them and this was about 3 months early for him. So I said no problem but did ask why he was ahead of the normal schedule. Apparently people have been stealing the soap from his guest bathroom! He's had an A/C repair man come to fix their AC and when he left my neighbor noticed later that the fresh bar of soap he had put in there was gone. And then a friend of his wife visited and again, she took the whole bar of soap when she left. And the third person was another repair person that was actually in the guest bathroom working on their washing machine and again the whole bar of soap was taken. His son and daughter also took some soap but they at least told him "hey dad, I'm stealing a bar of soap." I told him I'm going to put a card in his bathroom so people know where to go to order my soap and maybe they will stop stealing from his bathroom.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Oh dear, what a weird story! People are really strange at times. And oh well, it's somewhat sympathic that you can't really enjoy the flattering (and the extra sales), knowing where that “extra demand” is coming from.

At least for him and his dresser, it is not necessary for the smell to come from a soap. A little of your fragrance blend itself into a diffuser would do the trick just as well. But maybe he likes to know to have an emergency reserve of your soap?

 

[earlene]

We used to own a restaurant, and a customer once stole a fingernail brush from the men's room. It was an adorable painted pig fingernail brush, that I had purchased (while traveling) as a matched set- one for the lady's room & one for the men's. I even knew who had stolen it, because I had been inside cleaning just before that customer entered and right after he left (to replace TP or empty the trash or whatever - I don't recall the reason why I had been in immediately before & after, but I was.) I was livid, I will have to admit.

If repair-people were stealing from my home, I'd be reporting it to the business owner. Even if it was 'only soap', repair people who steal anything, be it soap or something more valuable, are not trustworthy employees and the owners or at least management should be advised.

 

[Megan]

If repair-people were stealing from my home, I'd be reporting it to the business owner. Even if it was 'only soap', repair people who steal anything, be it soap or something more valuable, are not trustworthy employees and the owners or at least management should be advised.

I agree, it's the principal of the thing. Who knows what else could be next...maybe something else was missing that they didn't notice.

Heck though, if someone coming to my house mentioned to me about my soaps, complimenting them or whatever, I'd be loading them up with free product. It's the fact that they stole that rubs me the wrong way.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I told him I'm going to put a card in his bathroom so people know where to go to order my soap and maybe they will stop stealing from his bathroom.

You could also send a bill after the fact, explaining that while you're delighted he/she liked the soap well enough to take it, this is your livelihood for which you expect compensation.

 

[earlene]

Just to clarify, the soap was not stolen from the soapmaker's home, but from the buyer's home (a neighbor, but still a customer.)

 

[TheGecko]

If repair-people were stealing from my home, I'd be reporting it to the business owner. Even if it was 'only soap', repair people who steal anything, be it soap or something more valuable, are not trustworthy employees and the owners or at least management should be advised.

Absolutely. If they are willing to steal soap, what else are the stealing?

 

[Tinkerbelle]

May I ask what kind of scent is so attractive to both scent clothing in a dresser and to steal? I’m so curious…

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

The ones that were stolen were lavender and Clean Laundry.
He keeps the Lavender ones in his dresser.

 

[Mistrael]

Oooh, marketing thought! Stickers with your logo & contact info and a cheeky "please don't steal the soap" sign. You could have them available for customers who have had their soap snatched!