Back to Normal and Competition Reminder

This is what our backlog looks like after a few days' illness meant I had to miss a couple of post-runs.  It's all now sorted.

A lot of small businesses can get into difficulties with orders during cold/flu seasons (especially if they have to make the stuff!).  I've known some to get into really serious difficulties because they didn't know when to stop taking new orders, take a cash-flow hit, and concentrate on fulfilling the orders they already have.

It's great to support a specialist supplier.  A lot of them are (like us) one-person-shops who just bob along more-or-less solvent.  Please have some patience with them.

Midnight tonight (GMT) is the closing date for our competition.  It looks as if it will come down to a straight draw between public followers of this blog.  So you have just under 11 hours to sign up!  News of the winners tomorrow...

Competition Reminder

As it's a week since I announced the New Year Competition and a week until the close for entries, it's time for a reminder and a clue.

The Reminder

Details of the competition are here.

The Clue

Since setting the questions last Monday, we have sent books to the Netherlands, Norway and Spain.  None of these countries is the answer to Question 2, and sending these books out wouldn't have affected the answer.

And Finally...

Remember, that if no-one answers the questions correctly the prize will be awarded to a random follower of the blog.  It's time to become a follower now!

New Year Competition!

The above picture is of 2018's first post-run.  Yes, we're back on track!

Now, my dodgy performance indicators suggest that the pile includes the 1,000th book we've sent out within the UK.  In honour of this, and because it's New Year I've decided to run a competition.

The winner will receive a Diplomatist Books Membership Discount (B) - 10% off all orders during 2018.  The usual cost of this membership is £20,00, but astute readers will realise that the value could run into thousands...

To enter, simply answer these two questions by sending an e-mail to diplomatist2@gmail.com before the closing date of 16 Jan 2018.  I have disabled the comments on the blog until then.

1. Our spreadsheet tells us we have sold 1004 books in the UK.  What is the total number including overseas sales (to the nearest 20)?
2. To which non-English-speaking country have we sent most books?  Clue: it isn't Denmark, which is where the above parcel is going.

However, if this proves too difficult and no-one gets both answers right, then the competition will turn into a straight draw and a random follower of the blog will be chosen (you have to be a public follower for this).

Good luck!