Customer unhappy with item - help

[janettenn]

Hello
I've just had an unhappy customer on the phone - she ordered an album with presentation box (product code AS02 here http://www.nattynetty.co.uk/acatalog...crapbooks.html ). She says it wasn't what she was expecting as it is textured and the picture on the website doesn't show this (I think it does). She then said that she thinks I sent her the wrong one as the one she wanted didn't mention a presentation box. I have double-checked her order and she definitely ordered this one which I sent her. She insists I must've sent the wrong one and that my website isn't clear.

Anyway, she wants to return it and recieve a refund for it plus for her postage costs (it'll cost her about £8 to send back). I have said that I'll be happy to refund the cost of the album but she'll have to pay to return it. She got stroppy and I said I'd call her back after I'd discussed it with another member of staff.

Where do I stand? I'm under the impression she has to pay the cost to return it as it's not been sent in error by me and it's not faulty.

Please help

[Rich Brady]

The textured comment, may be valid. It's difficult to tell from the photo, so it might be worth mentioning in the listing.

You state clearly in you Ts and Cs that you will not refund the return postage, which I would mention to her.

When ever I deal with returns and refunds I treat each case as it comes in. Sometimes I may issue a full refund if I think it's just or there is potention future business, but if she's been stroppy, stick to your guns.

[parklifeclothes]

The first line of your product description states:

'Handmade plain mulberry photo album with presentation box'

so she could be confused that what she received isn't quite what she wanted however the picture does show texturing. She sounds like she doesn't want it and has found a reason to claim a full refund.

From experience it is sometimes best to do the refund and postage otherwise her next move will be it's 'damaged' or something else, its a bugbear but just one of the traits of selling online. Because of the way it is described it could possibly be seen to have been sent in error, therefore within the terms and conditions.

[grantglendinnin]

I'll warn you now:

Never issue a partial or full refund of an item until it's physically back in your hands.

Never issue a partial or full refund of an item until you've checked it's still in perfect (working?) order.

I'll tell you now that these £&%*^&$ are all over the internet, such a shame. They expect to be able to send an item back to you in an unsellable condition, therefore not only do you lose their sale, you have to give all their money back, plus (in your case) £8 loss to cover her postage costs, and then ultimately, the X rate you've paid for the item itself. Selling on the internet can - and is - a tough business, which is why you need to crack down on returns (staying within DSR/SoG Act) - which in this particular case, she is liable for the return postage cost if the item is being returned for any other reason than damaged or an incoherent fault.

As Rich said, stick to your guns

[janettenn]

Thanks for your advice...

Well being the soft touch I am I phoned her back, stated the T&C's and then said as a compromise I'd also refund her for the other item she bought but wants to keep. OK it only comes to an extra £3.50 refund but it'd go part way to the £6.85 it'd cost to send the album back by parcel post. She said she only wanted to send it back registered delivery in case it got lost (she was not interested when I tried to explain proof of postage) and that I hadn't done her any favours and £3.50 was nothing compared to the business I could've had with her!

To be perfectly honest I really don't care, I can do without customers like her the stroppy little mare

Oh and yes I'll definitely wait until it arrives back in stock before any refund is issued. And I've just changed the description of the albums to avoid any other confusion - although how she missed the presentation box in the picture/description will remain a mystery.

[jont]

I hadn't done her any favours and £3.50 was nothing compared to the business I could've had with her!

Genuine bulk buyers NEVER use that phrase. It is always the idiots that try and pull that one, always.

Not that I advocate such things and would never do it myself (obviously) but I have heard of similar situations and the company receiving the parcel signed for the return using a false name. The returning sender contacts asking why no refund has been given and they claim not received.... when they check the POD the signing person has never worked at that company and they need to claim via RoyalMail. Shocking tactics to press onto customers who think you are stupid.

[Froogle]

I've had a few crackers this week.

I had this customer who placed an order for 3 items. One of the items was out of stock so I had it shipped from my supplier to him on the day he placed the order. He'd ordered 6 of the item but there was only 4 left (stock showing 6 so not sure what happened to the other 4). Anyway the order didn't go out so only one item was delivered.

He emailed about it and I emailed him apologising for the delay and that the remainder of the order would be sent shortly.

He replied:

"i mailed you yesterday and i was confirmed by you that my partial order is going to be dispatched yesterday, and by next day service it should be arrive today, via citilink service. and if i don't get my items today, i will not willing to get you rubbish and s**t services any more. and i will go for claim including my time and my lost which i will have after today. If u cant process order clearly don't take any order. You have time till end of today , after that consider my order as cancelled and i want my money back with at least 30% as sue to you, if u did it, than it will ok other wise i will go through the legal process. waiting my time and not processing the order and not able to deliver the order in time, as well as i will start a net campaign for net buyers to inform them about your shit service.
I hope u will understand my frustration."

I replied saying I was sorry there was a shortage on the item.

He replied

"Hi there,
How many do u have in stock at the moment, and also do u have the other item as well.?
i will tell u after ur reply what to do next.
Waiting for your response."

I explained there was 4 in stock and the other item was in stock and he asked me to ship the order and email him the tracking number.

Before I'd had a chance to send the tracking number at just after 6pm (I normally send tracking numbers about 8pm) he replied with:

"Hey,
I waited for you reply, but you didn't replied in time, and i am sick of your f**ing s**t customers service. I don't need any thing now and want my money back straight away with a minute waiting.

Absolutely f**ing rubbish and s**t Customers Service."

As you can see the guy's English isn't too good, but I don't think this is any reason for him to express himself in the manner he has. I was hard dealing with this customer as I really did want to tell him where to go.

[Duncan Rounding]

Sounds like he's trying to wind you up.
I would have cancelled the balance of his order after the first email.

[Darren B]

So would I, i have emails like this, a recent one was with a paypal customer - funny when i think of it all my problem orders seem to be from paypal customers?

Basically i shipped an item by the usual royalmail standard parcel service, it normally takes a few days but can take longer. Within a week of sending the order the guy was giving me grief as it had not arrived.

far enough but a simple enquiry would have done, i replied asking him if he had check with his neighbours as they sometimes get left with them, i also explained it could be at his sorting office as no one was in for delivery, they would have posted a card. But promised him i would see if i could find anything out - I usual track the local delivery office and pretend to be the customer and one mor ethan one occasion they tell me the parcel is there waiting for the customer to arrange redelivery or collection.

Within a day i got a stroppy email back telling me he did not care it was my responsibilty blah blah blah.

next i get an email from paypal telling me he had registered a claim for non delivery. And then sends me another email demanding a full refund. I replied declining the refund and explained to him that as far as i was concerned it was now in the hands of paypal and i would await there decision and would not respond to any further emails.

the order value including delivery £11.43

One of those customers i really dont need the money from. In reality this is rare and the high value orders are always the ones that come back and order again, they never seems to give you grief, even if an item is delayed by a few days for various reasons, they always seem to be happy.

I have heard of similar situations and the company receiving the parcel signed for the return using a false name

Class - makes a note in his little book of excuses

D

[Duncan Rounding]

I think it's sometimes better to wait 24 hours before replying to such customers, as a fast response only seems to add fuel to the fire.

[bentleybloke]

Regarding your legal obligations... A basic summary of the Consumer Protection Act, as I understand it. Feel free to correct me.

1. Customer buys something mail order
2. Customer receives item, unpacks it decides they don't really like it
3. Customer has to inform you in writing (email/letter/fax) that they intend to return item. If you have informed the customer of their right to cancel, they have 7 working days to do this. If you have not informed them of their right to cancel, they have 3 calendar months.
4. Customer returns item at their own expense
5. You recieve item in unused, resaleable condition
6. If they have returned everything, you issue full refund including delivery costs to customer. If they have only returned part of the order, you just refund those items and they pay the delivery costs.

PS. Your product looks textured to me. Costomer (that's what I call these people) must have a crap monitor.

[pinbrook]

I think it's sometimes better to wait 24 hours before replying to such customers, as a fast response only seems to add fuel to the fire.

Totally agree, its amazing how people calm down after a nights sleep

[Cheapprices4u]

customers are alway quick to moan

i had one the other week think he had bought some thigh high boots for his missus without her knowing

he called on the monday after he placed order over weekend, asking if he coudl cancel
i informed him they had been despatched and if he wanted to return he could
but he would have to inform me and then upon returning to the warehouse we would offer a full refund

he seemed happy

but ive had no email no boots, so maybe she was happy with them after all


my guess is it will blow over

[Duncan Rounding]

Or he decided to keep them for himself!

[pnagames]

customer like these exist everywhere

we get the odd here and there

majority however are fine.

the more annoying customers are those that do not contact you about a potential problem.

just raise a paypal dispute straight away