Customer hassle

[guccij]

• 26th November - Customer orders item
• 27th November - We send it
• 6th January - Customers claims non-delivery
• 6th January - We apologise, blame Royal Mail, supply certificate of posting but say past 30 days and you're out of luck according to our terms and conditions
• 6th January - Customer persists, we give in and send a second set, signed for delivery
• 15th January - Customer emails to say second set arrived a few days ago AND SO DID FIRST SET. How should he return one of them.
• 15th Jan - We tell him to send one back to our returns address.
• 15th Jan - Customer demands we pay postage for return.

I don't think we should. He has two sets of goods, has paid for only one. We paid the postage on the second one.

What do you all think?

[jont]

I think technically he would have to pay the postage but from a grief point of view is probably not worth the hassle of getting involved depending on how much it is for both the postage and the product.

As a third option is it worth offering a deal for the customer to keep the second lot for a reduced reduced price. Not sure if feasible with the product but may be a solution to keep both sides happy

[guccij]

If we hadn't had so much grief from him, I'd have been more conciliatory. He doesn't want both items.
He has opened both packages and discarded the packaging (why??).
Item worth £30 or thereabouts.
Basically he's a tosser.

[Jo@apartyshop]

Let him keep both and write it off.
I'm guessing it'll only be a small overall loss.

Appreciate the fact that he's been awkward to say the least and is more than likely trying it on but this way you have at least maintained a small amount of satisfaction remaining in control of the overall situation.

[jont]

The Which? website states the following about returning goods:

The original cost of the outbound postage to you should always be refunded by the seller. 

The seller's terms and conditions or returns policy should state who pays the cost of returning the item. 
If they don't state this, then the seller has to cover the cost. 

In this case, you're entitled to a refund of the total amount you paid, including costs to ship the item to you, and the fee to return the item. No admin or restocking fees should be charged.

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-righ...lations#link-6

Assuming you have the returns at buyers cost detailed you can hold your ground if you wish to go that route. Combined with the fact he has to return in a saleable condition which he clearly can not do without the original packaging. Also point out he knew a replacement was sent so no need to open the second parcel.

All this is offset against negative publicity - genuine negative publicity and not the usual open-handed threat of telling the European Court and emailing Barrack Obama that you have stolen their £30.00.

[jont]

Of course if he refuses to return that can be classed as possible theft - best get legal advice though on that as only my understanding.

[Buzby]

We have this situation frequently.

If a parcel doesn't arrive and the customer is chasing we ask them to return 1 item back to us at their own additional cost should 2 arrive.

We also advise them that if a 2nd arrives at the door (they are all signed for) to refuse to accept it and it will come back to us with no cost to themselves.

If they agree we will then post a 2nd.

If they don't agree... I don't know as they always agree.

[guccij]

Thanks all. Very helpful. I'd read that Which stuff and am pretty sure we're covered as we do state that returns are at the customer's expense unless faulty.

He's now not replying to emails. I had asked him to confirm which date the original package turned up. At least if I know when the first one came I could claim for late delivery from Royal Mail, who would send a book of stamps at some point as compensation.

I suspect he's gone quiet because we can see from the tracking on the replacement set that it arrived before he said it did. So we can't really trust him to tell the truth about anything.

[Mike Hughes]

I don't know what the customers attitude was like but aside from that I'm probably on the customers side here.

1. He was entitled to have a second item sent out as you hadn't delivered the first one. The distance selling regulations are pretty clear. You either have to deliver the items or give the customer a refund. I don't thin there is any third, oh you're too late to complain, option.

2. He did actually tell you that both deliveries had now arrived. I've only ever had 1 customer do this. so Kudos to him for being straight on this too.

3. When you say he's discarded the packaging, is the product packaging or the postal packaging. If it's the product packaging then he's blown it because there was no need to do that he can't return the goods in resellable condition. If it's just the postal packaging then it's not really a major problem.

tbh, I think you blew it by telling him 'tough luck' about the first one which would have driven me nuts as well. It sounds to me like the two of you have been at loggerheads ever since. Why not be the better person and diffuse the situation?

Mike

[guccij]

Well I didn't quite use the words "tough luck" - I pointed him to our terms and conditions. But thanks for the input.

[jont]

Jules - out of interest what was the outcome of this?

[guccij]

I emailed him again yesterday, asking him please to answer the question I sent last week, which was when did the first package arrive and has he opened both. He hasn't replied yet.

I should add that we offered a refund initially, which he refused. He insisted we send out the second one.

[mje]

Refused a refund ? I would of just refunded the money, there ain't any law in this land that says you have to deal with anyone if you choose not to - and then put a claim in for loss in the post.

I have found mentioning "our terms and conditions" in a dispute is the quickest way to get a customers back up - lets be honest, nobody reads them in full, do they? - Well actually I just did read yours and got the impression you have had issues with Royal Mail many times... "It's not our fault" and "because some people are dishonest" are in there...maybe too much information?

Presumably the Royal Mail would then contact the customer to ascertain if delivery was made, it would then be up to the guy to decide how honest to be.

You refund him - Royal Mail compensate you - customer keeps goods

It does read however that the goods genuinely didn't arrive initially - unfortunate but the distance selling regs are heavily weighted in the consumers favor and sellers have to be able to prove delivery, not prove item was sent.

[guccij]

Whatever. I'm sure you're all beacons of probity. That'll teach me to ask for support.

[mje]

Whatever. I'm sure you're all beacons of probity. That'll teach me to ask for support.

You asked for "thoughts" - not support.