How exactly do Green Beanery's customers lower costs and improve service?

Example: Some customers love to bargain. Ours don't. Our customers respect the fact that we don't change our prices or our policies to make a sale, partly because we don't want any customers to resent us for having given someone else a better price, partly because negotiating has hidden costs that ultimately raise prices for everyone else.

Another example: Our customers accept that we don't allow the return of a properly functioning product after it has been used, even lightly used, merely because the customers have changed their mind. If we did, we would be faced with two unacceptable choices: discount the used merchandise, and take the loss, or re-sell the used merchandise as new. The first choice would raise our costs and ultimately our prices; the second would be dishonest. We encourage customers who would like to "try before they buy" to shop elsewhere, so that we can focus on customers who will take the time to consult our staff about the products that are right for them prior to making their purchase.

Our customers also help us keep our costs down by providing us with great suggestions. Our website, for example, has won plaudits for features that you won't see elsewhere, typically because astute customers have made suggestions that we've been able to incorporate. Our quick menus are one example, our padded envelope deliveries are another, our many payment and shipping options are a third and fourth. Customers also do our market research for us, by recommending new products that we should carry. Because we often are able to oblige, we now carry more than 90 types of green coffees in eight weights -- the largest selection in the world -- and some 5500 products, not quite as many as Amazon but far more than any other coffee company.

We thought you'd want to know about your contribution to our success, and we hope you appreciate us as much as we appreciate you.