Selling eggs- people not paying for eggs

[AGeese]

Or hang a sign "These eggs are under attack drone surveillance, thank you for your donation."

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

give out my mobile cell number. When potential customers contact me, I have them come to my front door to get the eggs.

People today are unpredictable and self entitled making it a more dangerous place unfortunately. Consider a phone only for eggs and arrange a time for pick up at the egg stand..?
I hate to say ‘be safe’ but just reading the news shows ppl are getting radical.

 

[Feathyr]

Unfortunately I had the sign right in front of the house and they still didn’t payI can look out my front and side windows to see the stand and sign.

The egg stand is in clear sight of the house, maybe 20 feet away?

If they're willing to steal eggs that close to the house, I wouldn't put it past them to steal something from your house or yard. Definitely consider a camera, but make sure you research local laws / ordinances about surveillance beforehand. I'm being deliberately vague as this is a public forum, but we have lunatic neighbors and in court a camera may come back to bite you.

Do you have a local farmers' market at which you could sell your eggs? That may be a safer option. You could establish a customer base that is more than willing to pay for your products, and have other people present (so that you have backup in case you get a nasty customer.)

 

[sourland]

In today's world, where people enter jewelry stores with hammers and crowbars, CCTV cameras everywhere ... A quick grab and go, for a few dozen eggs .... no camera will scare off the thieves.

Agreed, but it sure might help in identifying them.

 

[countryladyNH]

Was just wondering if anyone was having the same problem I’ve been having selling eggs.

Ive been selling eggs by the side of the road last year and this year. Last year was going great, selling dozens every week. I have a small container for the customers to put the money in. My sign was clearly marked $4 for eggs. One day I go out and see someone has taken the eggs but put no money… I try again the next day, same result. Someone was taking the eggs without paying. I had to stop putting the eggs out by the road.

A new year comes and the chickens are back into laying. I try again to sell by the road. My sign clearly says $5/dozen. I put 4 dozen out to sell… see 2 dozen have sold and I go get the money. There was only $5 instead of $10. I’ve put the eggs out to sell again… I’m not sure what to do at this point if someone keeps taking the eggs without paying for them. If this happens the next few times I put them out to sell I’ll have to stop selling by the road again.

Has anyone come across a problem like this? It’s very discouraging

I know this is several years after your experience, but we just had this happen and your are right---so discouraging. We sell some chicken eggs and duck eggs. We don't have a lot of birds, so usually only one or 2 doz. of each kind at a time. We've done this for at least 7 years and like you have them down at the end of the driveway on a table with a cute oilcloth 'allotment garden' print on it. Hubby is an artist and he painted 2 adorable large wood signs that stand next to the table with paintings of a hen on a nest, a duck, and the names of all our 'girls'. On the table is the basket with the egg cartons. a nice wood sign on the table next to it clearly states $5. for chicken eggs, $10. for duck eggs. We also have cute colored egg cartons, stamp every egg 'laid with love', and they have charming labels we designed ourselves. They are cute and different and always sell. ONE time several years ago we had one doz. hens eggs stolen. We were lucky since then. Like you we have a container to put the money in and it's honor system. The drive is not long and you can clearly see the house and we can see who comes. Yesterday we were out for a bit as we have been many times, but this time someone took the dozen duck eggs and left no money. I wanted to cry. We are 'older', but hubby was laid off and still no job. Life is very difficult for us right now. We literally needed that for gas money. Mainly I feel deflated and disgusted at how uncaring, dishonest, and nasty people can be. I took a piece of paper and a marker and wrote this: 'TO THE PERSON THAT STOLE OUR DUCK EGGS. We had a job loss.' We needed that money. We sell on the honor system. PLEASE return our eggs or pay the $10. We then taped it to the duck eggs for sale sign and left it up at the driveway end. I know this whoever did this will probably not comply, but I felt better just doing something...Well, I know this is a long rant, but yes, we know how discouraged and disappointed you must feel as well. Some people are just plain scum!

 

[Bsmac]

Was just wondering if anyone was having the same problem I’ve been having selling eggs.

Ive been selling eggs by the side of the road last year and this year. Last year was going great, selling dozens every week. I have a small container for the customers to put the money in. My sign was clearly marked $4 for eggs. One day I go out and see someone has taken the eggs but put no money… I try again the next day, same result. Someone was taking the eggs without paying. I had to stop putting the eggs out by the road.

A new year comes and the chickens are back into laying. I try again to sell by the road. My sign clearly says $5/dozen. I put 4 dozen out to sell… see 2 dozen have sold and I go get the money. There was only $5 instead of $10. I’ve put the eggs out to sell again… I’m not sure what to do at this point if someone keeps taking the eggs without paying for them. If this happens the next few times I put them out to sell I’ll have to stop selling by the road again.

Has anyone come across a problem like this? It’s very discouraging

Sorry that just stinks! My take is if someone is that hard up I would just give them some if they would ask, but don`t steal them!

 

[Bsmac]

If you want to spend the time and potential anguish you could put up a game camera or 2. See if it’s the same person(s) or if it is a rotating cast. Do they come by the same time each day, etc. Then decide if you confront the person or call LEO or ?

A few years ago a couple kids were taking eggs from a roadside honesty box and throwing them at cars over a couple weeks. They nailed my window and I chased them into a creek area. Said some things adults probably shouldn’t to kids, but they stopped.

Edit - “kids” were 15-18 year old boys.

If you want to spend the time and potential anguish you could put up a game camera or 2. See if it’s the same person(s) or if it is a rotating cast. Do they come by the same time each day, etc. Then decide if you confront the person or call LEO or ?

A few years ago a couple kids were taking eggs from a roadside honesty box and throwing them at cars over a couple weeks. They nailed my window and I chased them into a creek area. Said some things adults probably shouldn’t to kids, but they stopped.

Edit - “kids” were 15-18 year old boys.

They needed to hear it!

 

[Bsmac]

I know this is several years after your experience, but we just had this happen and your are right---so discouraging. We sell some chicken eggs and duck eggs. We don't have a lot of birds, so usually only one or 2 doz. of each kind at a time. We've done this for at least 7 years and like you have them down at the end of the driveway on a table with a cute oilcloth 'allotment garden' print on it. Hubby is an artist and he painted 2 adorable large wood signs that stand next to the table with paintings of a hen on a nest, a duck, and the names of all our 'girls'. On the table is the basket with the egg cartons. a nice wood sign on the table next to it clearly states $5. for chicken eggs, $10. for duck eggs. We also have cute colored egg cartons, stamp every egg 'laid with love', and they have charming labels we designed ourselves. They are cute and different and always sell. ONE time several years ago we had one doz. hens eggs stolen. We were lucky since then. Like you we have a container to put the money in and it's honor system. The drive is not long and you can clearly see the house and we can see who comes. Yesterday we were out for a bit as we have been many times, but this time someone took the dozen duck eggs and left no money. I wanted to cry. We are 'older', but hubby was laid off and still no job. Life is very difficult for us right now. We literally needed that for gas money. Mainly I feel deflated and disgusted at how uncaring, dishonest, and nasty people can be. I took a piece of paper and a marker and wrote this: 'TO THE PERSON THAT STOLE OUR DUCK EGGS. We had a job loss.' We needed that money. We sell on the honor system. PLEASE return our eggs or pay the $10. We then taped it to the duck eggs for sale sign and left it up at the driveway end. I know this whoever did this will probably not comply, but I felt better just doing something...Well, I know this is a long rant, but yes, we know how discouraged and disappointed you must feel as well. Some people are just pain low!

 

[RoyalChick]

I know this is several years after your experience, but we just had this happen and your are right---so discouraging. We sell some chicken eggs and duck eggs. We don't have a lot of birds, so usually only one or 2 doz. of each kind at a time. We've done this for at least 7 years and like you have them down at the end of the driveway on a table with a cute oilcloth 'allotment garden' print on it. Hubby is an artist and he painted 2 adorable large wood signs that stand next to the table with paintings of a hen on a nest, a duck, and the names of all our 'girls'. On the table is the basket with the egg cartons. a nice wood sign on the table next to it clearly states $5. for chicken eggs, $10. for duck eggs. We also have cute colored egg cartons, stamp every egg 'laid with love', and they have charming labels we designed ourselves. They are cute and different and always sell. ONE time several years ago we had one doz. hens eggs stolen. We were lucky since then. Like you we have a container to put the money in and it's honor system. The drive is not long and you can clearly see the house and we can see who comes. Yesterday we were out for a bit as we have been many times, but this time someone took the dozen duck eggs and left no money. I wanted to cry. We are 'older', but hubby was laid off and still no job. Life is very difficult for us right now. We literally needed that for gas money. Mainly I feel deflated and disgusted at how uncaring, dishonest, and nasty people can be. I took a piece of paper and a marker and wrote this: 'TO THE PERSON THAT STOLE OUR DUCK EGGS. We had a job loss.' We needed that money. We sell on the honor system. PLEASE return our eggs or pay the $10. We then taped it to the duck eggs for sale sign and left it up at the driveway end. I know this whoever did this will probably not comply, but I felt better just doing something...Well, I know this is a long rant, but yes, we know how discouraged and disappointed you must feel as well. Some people are just plain scum!

I am so sorry this happened.
The lady near me who has a farm stand for eggs and produce has moved to a Venmo system. She has an email address (which I think is dedicated to her farm stand) and people send payment from their phones that way.
Of course it doesn’t stop someone walking off with the eggs, but it does stop them taking off with the money.

 

[McChooky]

My advise is get a security camera if a thief's hurting egg sales.The honor system works when all your customers are honest.