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According to Persephone Books, Miss Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day three years
Pettigrew Lives for a Day is its best- before...”; “Like Miss Pettigrew, [Lady Rose
selling title. So it wouldn’t be surprising and Mrs Memmary] is a fairy tale for grown-
for the company to mention the book ups...”.
periodically throughout its catalogue. Persephone seems to think that its entire
But Persephone Books doesn’t target market loved Miss Pettigrew. But by
refer to Miss Pettigrew periodically. It identifying its brand so closely with that one
cites the novel repeatedly, redundantly, book, Persephone risks alienating prospective
in descriptions for its other titles. customers who might have disliked Miss
The Making of a Marchioness “is in Pettigrew, or who dislike even the description
the Cinderella (and Miss Pettigrew) of the book, but who would nonetheless be
tradition...”; “The Casino, like interested in some of its other offerings.
“Do we look good naked?” retail supplies
cataloguer Morplan asked on the inside
front cover of its October issue. It had
mailed the catalogue without a plastic
wrap, you see. “Did your copy arrive in
good condition or should we stay covered
up?” the note continued. “Please let us
know at naked@morplan.com.” We like
this for two reasons: 1) Mailing without a
polybag is more environmentally friendly,
and 2) Morplan is asking for customers’
feedback on the move. Much as we
loathe when catalogues come entombed
in plastic (it’s just more fl otsam to
rip open and discard), we understand
that not everyone agrees with us. By
asking its clients for feedback, Morplan
shows that it values their input and, by
extension, their custom.
A recent marketing email from Big Man’s Shop so hurry today for the best selection”.
made us wonder whether it was trying to win And below that copy block appeared this
our business or warn us off. customer service nugget: “To return goods
“Fantastic Half Price Sale” read the to us please enclose the returns form with
headline, below which were pictures and your instructions. Return goods by Royal Mail
descriptions of some of the items on sale. So obtaining a certifi cate of posting. Return
far so good. postage costs are the responsibility of the
Then, in the left-hand column, just below customer.”
the company contact info, was a caveat: First off, should this information even be on
“Some of the special offers promoted via the email? Here you are, talking to people who
this newsletter are very limited stock end of haven’t yet bought anything, and you’re already
line ranges. As such we cannot guarantee telling them what they need to do should they
fulfi lment of all size/colour options. We do be dissatisfi ed with their purchase. Second,
apologise for any inconvenience.” Instead of the returns process sounds onerous and even
apologising and setting up the expectation of punitive: “Because you were naughty, the return
disappointment, Big Man’s Shop might have postage is your responsibility. That’ll teach
been better off positioning the limited stock you.” Yup, that’ll teach ’em, all right—teach ’em
as a reason to rush to the website, with copy to think twice about clicking through to the site
along the lines of “Stock is extremely limited, and ordering from Big Man’s Shop.
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