Non-delivery and no reply from the customer

[acompton]

I had an email from a customer saying that the goods hadn't arrived (shipped 15 days earlier), could I please contact her about a refund. So I sent a nice email regretting the non-delivery and offering either a replacement or a refund and could she please choose. I did point out that I would be claiming compensation from the PO and she may be contacted by them to check her address was correct (this has happened recently).

I received no reply.
I sent another email.
I received no reply.
I phoned both her numbers - no answer - I left a message.
Still nothing.

Ok. So what do I do now? Is the customer on holiday?

Alan Compton
www.greenknightgames.co.uk
Great board games and cards games you won't find in the High Street

[george]

I had an email from a customer saying that the goods hadn't arrived (shipped 15 days earlier), could I please contact her about a refund. So I sent a nice email regretting the non-delivery and offering either a replacement or a refund and could she please choose. I did point out that I would be claiming compensation from the PO and she may be contacted by them to check her address was correct (this has happened recently).

I received no reply.
I sent another email.
I received no reply.
I phoned both her numbers - no answer - I left a message.
Still nothing.

Ok. So what do I do now? Is the customer on holiday?

Alan Compton
www.greenknightgames.co.uk
Great board games and cards games you won't find in the High Street

Could be dead.

[Duncan Rounding]

...So what do I do now?...

Nothing.

You've done what you can. Wait till (if) they contact you again.

[pnagames]

I agree with Duncan

you have done everything in your power.

if the customer does not reply or return your calls is their problem (as they are waiting for the refund)

[george]

Also a good tip is to say that `the Royal Mail are looking into it...` that maybe helps for `non-signature` deliveries, although the customer does not know that...

[jont]

If they go quiet for more than 3 weeks this is often a sign they are trying to blag.

Print out all the correspondence into hard copy as proof and sit and wait. You have done enough... plus you are not able to refund without their permission to use the same card.

[acompton]

Thanks for the replies. Its amazing how quick they come in (replies, that is). You've confirmed my thoughts (apart from George). I would be slightly surprised if it was a scam. So far I have enjoyed only honest customers.

Alan

[TraceyHand]

plus you are not able to refund without their permission to use the same card.

so, you effectively can't refund without their prior permission?

But, the customer asked for a refund in the first place..

I'm gonna go against the trend here and say I think you should just refund it and claim back from Royal Mail, even without any further response from the customer..

But that's just me....I have pregnant (and usually hormonal) customers to deal with.. gotta tread carefully around those

[acompton]

But, the customer asked for a refund in the first place..

No, she asked me to contact her with regards to a refund.

Alan (hair-splitting a specialty)

[TraceyHand]

No, she asked me to contact her with regards to a refund.

Alan (hair-splitting a specialty)

ok..but in English, that translates as "I want a refund"

In my opinion

[acompton]

ok..but in English, that translates as "I want a refund"

Yes, but according to the T's & C's and the DSRs, I have to offer the option of a replacement. I also need her permission to refund the card (as opposed to sending a cheque).

Alan

[TraceyHand]

well, we're going to have to agree to disagree here then because I think that any customer who contact you "with regards to a refund" (as opposed to asking for a replacement to be sent) under the circumstances, could argue that permission is implied and we all know the DSRs etc are written to protect the customers interests (with little regards to the merchant!)

Again, just my opinion..although, as previously mentioned, it could be a "scam" claim..who's to prove otherwise whether you refund now or later.

Ok, I need to drag myself away from the forums now..I've posted more in the last 24 hours than I have in months!
I feel like I've come home

[pinbrook]

I don't think you should refund until you have investigated with Royal Mail.

You need to know where the goods are at the mo, ie on their way back to you, or delivered to the customer.

If RM have a signature it is then up to you to decide if its a blag/refund scenario

[TraceyHand]

I don't think you should refund until you have investigated with Royal Mail.

You need to know where the goods are at the mo, ie on their way back to you, or delivered to the customer.

If RM have a signature it is then up to you to decide if its a blag/refund scenario

OK, this is interesting because clearly I do this different to everyone else!
I'm curious now
So, would you also not send replacement goods until you trace the original package?
If the package is send standard second or first class mail (ie, not signed for) then, in my experience, they are rarely found..they just *poof* into thin air (or, more likely, some Royal Mail employees pockets )
So, having waited the obligatory 10 working days (or whatever it is) before you can even begin to trace it..followed by however long it takes RM to bother to follow up your "lost mail" enquiry..the customer could be waiting upwards of 3-4 weeks or more for either refund or replacement goods.

Is that what everyone else does then?

I'm just wondering..maybe I've been going about it all wrong

[acompton]

@Tracey

I don't disagree with you, I'm actually in two minds on this one (compulsive Libran). I just think its bit odd that the customer hasn't bothered to reply to my attempts to contact them, especially when I mentioned RM might get involved. Normally I would send a replacement/issue a refund without question.

Out of interest, out of over 1100 orders shipped so far, only 2 have been completely 'lost' and one of those was in France (no singing please). I've had several late deliveries and one other got delivered to the wrong address. On that occasion I sent a replacement and made a compo claim. When the replacement arrived, the customer 'found' the original (and returned it). RM investigated the claim and found that this was a common problem for that particular address. I withdrew the claim.

Alan