How Not To Do Your Business

The question sometimes comes to my mind why people in Russia live so unhappy. Is there any enemy above us who makes all our plans ruined?

I don’t want to be unpatriotic but I have to admit our national peculiarity is guilty of luck of democracy, low level of industry growth and so on.

It may take decades to put everything in order in Russia. East European businessman doesn’t think about the future, he tries to get money right now while he has his own business.

Let’s look on typical Russian man’s behavior when he’s a small seller in UK.

Recently listing Ebay items my daughter, 17, came upon a lycra gymnastic catsuit which would be very useful for her shaping. She doesn’t have an account thus she asked me to make a bid.

I bought the catsuit and got a message from the Ebay seller that he always does his best for customers and he need about 28 days to make wear really perfect according personal measures and dispatch the item to Moscow. The seller was located in London, by the way. At that time
I thought his nickname sounded like to something from Russian, but I didn’t attach great importance to that.

More than 35 days passed. I received the email from London with apologies and explaining about collapse in computer that was the cause of their problems.

“We are so sorry but we lost your measuring table. Could you send your data again? We’ll carry out your order within a week.”-said the seller.

“That’s OK. It sometimes happens. Please don’t worry. Here’re our measures again. But please note that I can’t leave a nice feedback for you after 60 days after auction ended. Good luck!”- I answered to UK seller.

“Oh, thank your! Your catsuit will be done within 10-12 days. By the way, we’re actually Russians, from Moscow”

Oh, my God! I suspected that. I was nearly sure I would get my item at all.

One month later, I sent an e-mail politely asking about the catsuit and feedbacks to each other. I wanted to change positive ones despite all of delays. Casually I said them I’m on business trip here; I’m from EU and soon have to be back.
It's interesting but we used only English in our conversations.

“OK, OK, I’ll dispatch your pack right now I hope you’ll like it”-wrote the apology for a seller.

Only three months later I received the pack from London. The catsuit quality was good enough, but it was too for our feedbacks on Ebay. As for my daughter, her interest in shaping has cooled down. Moreover, I can’t understand why they asked the measures. The wear was a bit
bigger than it has been ordered.

I don’t want to name the English seller, but I hope no one will suffer from his thoroughly poor trading.

It happens that I am really ashamed for some of my compatriots.