Honesty Boxes

[pig whisperer]

We have an honesty box at the top of our drive, 99.9% of our customers put the correct money in the tin, occaisionaly people take stuff & dont pay, does anyone else who has an honesty box have this problem

[Rheghead]

99.9% is a very good rate of return on your goods. Actually if the trade was manned 24/7 then you'd see a lot less efficiency so it seems you are better off having an honesty box.

[only me]

thats not a very nice think to do,i go out to puffin croft they have a honest box ,buy what i want put the money in the box ,happy customer with a clear mind so low for someone to do this ,if you dont mind me asking what do you sell thanks

[Gronnuck]

As Rheghead says 99.9% is a very good return. In some areas not a million miles south of here your goods and your honesty box would have gone on the first evening. It's unfortunate that a tiny tiny minority take advantage of your goodwill but the vast majority of people hereabouts are honest and trustworthy. This is what helps make living in the far north such a joy.

[Alrock]

99.9% is a very good rate of return on your goods....

I think the 99.9% is probably just a number picked out of the ether to demonstrate the point, to get that percentage you would need 1000 customers with just one being dishonest out of that 1000. Plus the term "occasionally" implies that it has happened on more than the one occasion so therefore it would have to be at least a good few thousand customers. Given the location of most (if not all) honesty boxes being remote I find it hard to believe there has been such a large number of customers unless it has been there for a number of years.

[starfish]

we sold christmas trees only once did some one not pay, but the next year we had a envelope put in the box and a lovely letter with double the money in they had not had change with them the previous year and forgot to come back so they paid for 2 the next year

[pig whisperer]

O.K yes 99.9% was a random number so i will say that the majority of people pay, we sell eggs, veg plants & tablet, yesterday £10.00s worth of stuff was taken, so I was a little bit cross to say the least.

[Dadie]

Maybe the person "forgot" to take their purse....
And hopefully you will have a nice experience like starfish!

But it might be worth watching the box/cars etc to try and find out who the non payer is.
That way if its someone who doesnt pay quite often you can remind them to pay up or put the stuff back...its stealing.

[donnick]

yeh i have had my honesty box out now for over 4 weeks now and luckly i have allways had the right money or even more left ,we are very lucky to have a house opposite the box so maybe people think it belongs to them and maybe are being watched or they are just honest people .

[pig whisperer]

Fair enuff, but a txt to let me know the situation would help, or even a note in the box. Any way Ive had my say so will close the thread.