I don't like change!

I don't like change! Last Saturday as planned my lovely website guy switched over the old tarantula format on my website to a new 'improved' version. Yes, I admit it now, it appears to be working a treat from the customers point of view and certainly from the sales point of view but I am having a nightmare trying to work out how to use it from 'behind the scenes' as it were. The workings of this system are nothing like they were and I'm so freaked out that I cannot concentrate and understand it (however many times my husband tries to show me). It is mathematical, you have to set a base price and then add extra for each size of spider of that species. There are plus signs and minus signs and different 'options' to check and change and I just don't get it. I'm sure I will get there in the end but last weekend I was all for changing it back. I got as far as calling my web guy but he pointed out that it wouldn't be that easy. There are definite problems with the tarantula special offers as there is no way of linking them with the full price page. At the moment there is no way around this so please check the offers page before ordering a spider as it may be considerably cheaper on the offers page. Please be patient, I'm doing my best.

It is only just over a week until we go on our winning cruise around the Aegean and I can't wait. I will be taking my iPad and expect that hubby will still be trying to teach me how to manage the new tarantula system, at least it will be in a more relaxed atmosphere. Life is never relaxed or indeed dull in this house. We have our nephew's cat while the family are away (can't leave any doors or windows open) and it looks like our daughter's boyfriend may be moving in this weekend (problems in his current accommodation but what on earth am I going to do with everything currently in the spare bedroom, his belongings certainly won't fit in our daughter's room). No wonder I go to the gym most days, it is my escape!

I think I am better prepared to go away this time and it is only for a week. I have been running many offers and cleared a lot of stock over the last few weeks. There was a big reptile show at Kempton park last weekend, I would normally go along but I knew if I did that I would not be able to resist buying things. Although it is mainly reptiles there are usually bugs as well but I have been told that this year there were practically no bugs? Anyway in the end I was way too busy with the website changes to go anywhere.

My hubby did set up the new printer a few days ago and it is brilliant. It is really simple and so much quicker than my old one. I love the fact that it prints the plastic Dymo labels as well as paper ones. I use these for all my cages and boxes. It is so much easier to key in the details rather than print them on the hand held device. I can also cut and paste information which makes it even easier. When the girls (nephew's daughters)get back from their holiday I am going to get them to help me put a face on the printer. It looks like a head and the plastic labels look like they are being literally spat out of the mouth as it cuts them to length.

Other things this week, I finally got to do the 'photo shoot' for my new bug birthday cards and they arrived today. I'm really pleased with them, the background is a bit overwhelming but it features Lily, my new Mexican Red Knee. She can never replace Stephanie (daughter's pet who died recently at the age of 19). The Mexican Red Knee is the original pet tarantula but in my opinion it is still by far the best. Lily has just moulted so she looks stunning, I think she probably has another couple of moults to go until she is fully adult. I say she, I hope 'she', I was told she was female but how many times have we heard that before? I can't sex tarantulas so only time will tell for sure. Most of you will know by now it is my biggest bug bear that everyone wants females. I lose lots of sales by saying that I don't know the sex while other people simply guess and cross their fingers as they have a 50/50 chance of being right (of course some people really are sexing their tarantulas but not many pet shops?). I don't want to know how to sex spiders because then I would be stuck with all the males!

Big apologies, it isn't a conspiracy after all, my customers are not deliberately withholding their phone numbers from me, it is a PayPal problem! I noticed that the row of zeros was always uniform so my husband did some investigating and then after speaking to my web guy we realised that it is something to do with how these customers have placed their orders (if you don't know what I'm talking about see last week's blog, no time to go into it again now). The Worldpay option is underway so this should help when it is set up. I am yet again writing this blog a day early as I will be out all day tomorrow . This will be my last blog before I go away as next Friday I need to feed all my little friends before leaving them to survive without me for a week (daughter will be here - and boyfriend too). I also have 'help' in the form of my nephew's three kids for the day.

Have a good Bank Holiday weekend and thanks to everyone who has sent me such nice emails recently (I've had loads and I really appreciate them). Any feedback on the new look tarantula section would be most welcome (good or bad). Thanks x