Turning badwill into goodwill

When a company buys a brand out of administration, it often acquires some debits along with the assets. These liabilities come in the form of customers who never received the goods they'd ordered from the failed company and all manner of badwill.

TKC Direct, the parent company of streetwear cataloguer/retailer Route One, is well aware of this. It recently acquired music-inspired fashion merchant Everything but the Music (EBTM) out of administration, and apparently a number of orders taken under the old management have yet to be fulfilled. In a link from the home page of EBTM.co.uk, the new owners write: "If you ordered from the site’s old owners before 1 April 2009 and haven’t received your delivery, then we are very sorry to say that you are unlikely to do so now." They proceed to explain how customers can lodge a claim with the administrators and/or their credit-card firm, which is very helpful.

But it's not necessarily enough to turn the frowns of the discontented customers into smiles, let alone to persuade them to make additional purchases. "And here's what we're doing to help you..." the copy continues. "Email customercare@ebtm.co.uk and we’ll give you a £15.00 Gift Voucher FREE. We’re sorry you’ve lost out and whilst we aren’t responsible, we value you..." Awww... kinda makes you want to give the guys at the new EBTM a big hug--or at the very least buy from the website once it relaunches later this month.--SC