Wow, as the owner of an online t-shirt store myself, with a name called “Weirdo”, even for us this is pushing the limits! I would expect that this strategy is hit and miss in terms of its successfulness. I also think that a lot of the time the comment may not even get read, it is only on a packing slip there (something I don’t normally read), you don’t mention if it made its way to the invoice…?

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‘i’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’.

‘…or has the company [Anthill] acquired a rogue ‘Editor’ hell bent on offending anyone of antipodean descent [who can spell]? (Insert maniacal laughter here.)’

The Editor should be playing for Hawthorn after the poor performance on the ‘reciept-dispatcher’ [sic] gaff.

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James Tuckerman Reply:
July 6th, 2009 at 7:31 pm

Nice catch Rob. Thanks for keeping me on my toes.

My English-teacher mother will be very disappointed.

‘i’ before ‘e’, except after ‘c’.

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David Kellam Reply:
July 6th, 2009 at 11:09 pm

Even then, not necessarily, e.g.
http://www.usingenglish.com/weblog/archives/000021.html

Therein lies the problem with approximations, particularly for teaching/learning English. When you start with incorrect (Latinate) approximations of grammar then devise approximations thereof, you’re always going to have too many exceptions to the rule. Unfortunately, teaching X-Bar syntax at pre-school level might be overkill…

Might as well just accept it, we have a mongrel of a language!

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Chris H Reply:
July 7th, 2009 at 10:53 am

come on guys…. “i before e, except after c; or when it says A, as in neighbor or weigh”.

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James

Thank you for feeding our pedantry.

David, a great link. I’ve bookmarked it. You’ve also inspired me to dust off my copy of “The Turing Omnibus”.

Thanks

Rob

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This is Ross from over at Threadless. That note is from the Gift Note field. We(threadless employees) don’t have any access to it. So I’m pretty sure the person that placed the order had to have written the note during checkout.

We can be pretty maverick and low key but we don’t like offending people, especially our new customers.

We’re looking into it just to be sure though.

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James Tuckerman Reply:
July 7th, 2009 at 10:22 am

That dratted Trent! He likes a Scotch of an evening.

I’ll dress down the drunken souse next time I see him.

Judging by the positive feedback toward Threadless that this post generated (largely via my twitter account but also on our Facebook page), you might want to consider insulting customers as part of your ‘next’ marketing strategy. It seems to have worked!

Now…

I must go forth and brush up on my English grammar skills. And discern whether ‘dratted’ and ‘souse’ are real words or merely bastardised fabrications of Jabberwockian proportions. (Either way, I think I’ll keep them. They sound rad.)

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Paul Ryan Reply:
July 7th, 2009 at 10:40 am

I have to admit that I’m a tad disappointed by this development.

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I must admit I’ve almost done something similar by accident. In my quoting system there is a notes section that is intended for us internally.

“… client seems unsure about what he wants, make sure we get more details before we start the project. He is very new to business and seems nervous about making decisions.”

When I converted the quote to invoice these comments were added to the bottom of the invoice. Lucky I noticed just before emailing. I wonder if this was a similar situation.

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James

I am waiting to see the follow-up piece by Trent.

That will make interesting reading.

‘Ne laissez jamais la vérité entraver une belle histoire.’

Besides, as you say, it’s been great publicity for Threadless. The distraction from Michael Jackson is very much appreciated.

Cheers!

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howdy gang, i feel i should elaborate!

you know how they say you should never shop online when you’re drunk? well, i thought that meant you would end up with a whole buncha bullshit you never dreamed you’d want.

oh how wrong i was!

after much detective work it turns out i was the culprit for the said phrase. i was just so drunk at the time of purchase that i forgot the whole “checkout” process.
it appears i wrote the comment and completely forgot doing so!!

i would like to wear my tail between my legs as i say (honestly) that the service and products i recieved from threadless t’s was beyond expectation!

my only gripe is that they didn’t write the hilarious note on my invoice! (yes, i’m ever so the egotist!)

threadless t’s, use many, buy lots!!

trent
(drunken convict from down under!)

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OK. I’m tempted to leave Trent’s confession as the last word. But when it comes to sharing blame, it seems to me that we all must take responsibility.

James, it started with your typo. How your mum must be suffering so!

There were the inevitable pedants, of which I admit to being the ringleader.

Of course, there is Ross: You are the beneficiary of this heinous crime! But I expect that we don’t extradite people for failing to check for expletives on delivery dockets. I expect you will sell your story to 60 Minutes and retire on the proceeds.

And finally, sadly, there is Trent. The victim: For associating with a journalist who has forgotten that most important of all life’s lessons:

Yep!

‘i’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’. And those other exceptions that make English the colourful and interesting language that it is!

And that’s my last word on the matter. Promise!

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I also think that a lot of the time the comment may not even get read.

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