Thanks everyone for the feedback in the previous post.
The item arrived in the end and the customer was super happy so that was that. However, it doesn't change the basic question. Regardless of the size of the item, shouldn't we make our policies stand and be followed. Isn't that why we have them? It is also a way of respecting our own work as artisans, I think.
I believe most of the buyers and sellers on these e-commerce platforms are nice people, honest. However, I have actually had two clients that placed an order and then didn't pay. You wait, ask them if they need more time, if everything is ok... and in the meantime your item is out of the shop, losing the chance maybe of others to buy it.
I had a client from India wanting to pay with a Bank transfer. Good enough, when the money is in, the item is out (part of those policies). A month went by and no money was in. Ok, money is being transfered here on elephant's bank. Don't know. All of a sudden communication stopped... "do you know how much longer? have you talked to the bank...etc". Nothing. But all along she has a shop on Dawanda and she kept adding stuff to her shop and being active there. She just ignored me. Never payed, obviously. I guess she was expecting me to send the stuff before the money got in. And in which case I would have lost the items and the shipping costs money.
So, that experienced taught me to be a bit more weary and not be so trusty all the time.
Policies are there and when you choose to buy something from another shop it is understood you read them. It's like reading before signing a piece of paper. It's part of the contract established momentarily when one buys something and one sells. One can naturally choose to be flexible, but if the rules were established before hand... why should you be the one to lose?
This is very personal I suppose. I probably sound like I'm an evil seller hahah when in fact I always take the utmost care with packages and add gifts to every order.
I got a couple new orders yesterday and I will ask about the insured packages. And I guess I will add on the page of each item "READ THE POLICIES OF THE SHOP" like I've seen many shops have... now I know why!
Thanks everyone!
This is something like commercial philosophy! LOL
Friday, 16 January 2009
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4 comments:
I totally understand what you mean. I sell on an Australian site as well madeit.com.au and before Christmas someone bought an item from my shop, after two weeks she never paid for it even though I had emailed her a couple of times, she never even replied to me. In the end I just asked the site administrators what I should do and they relisted the item for me free of charge which was great but I still lost the two weeks when it was sitting in the orders section and not in my shop. It's incredibly frustrating and time consuming. If people change their mind they should at least have the decency to contact the seller and let them know they don't want the item. I think a policy about when payment is due would be a good idea but whether or not people follow it is another thing.
I'm totally with you on this Flo, what on Earth are we supposed to do??? Like yourself I have clear policies in my shop, which say in 3 languages that I am not responsible for lost items, for insurance and full tracking service quote, contact me etc...I'm going through a non-receipt of package as we speak, emailed the lady asking her to wait for a couple of more weeks. This is a first for me too. So I'm crossing my fingers, hoping that the package will arrive! I don't want bad feedback and I want my customer to be happy, but I can't offer a full refund, because like you said: I've done nothing wrong and I don't know if it's a genuine enquiry!!! At least it sorted itself out for you and that's great! I'll carry on praying for mine... :)
Gosh, I know exactly how you feel. Even if the reason is not your fault, you still end up feeling totally guilty. I had one customer who bought a cup and saucer set, and after carefully packaging it up, it broke after the mailman jammed it inbetween the wall and garbage bin when the recipient wasn't home. It aggravates me.
I'm glad everything worked out in the end for you. The only thing I can suggest is asking the customer if they'd like the package to be insured, because even though you do you best on your part, after it leaves it's not in your hands. You depend the postal company and sometimes (especially around the holidays) it can go wrong.
I enjoyed reading your postt
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