A little help please! Customer Service / Returns

[Former_Member]

Hey Everyone,

I'm working on my first request for a return and was looking for some assistance. The item was shipped out and received a month prior to us receiving a request to return the item. The request was made advising the bouquet wasn't what she was expecting. The exact bouquet was used for all the photo's on the listing. Our policies state that we need to have a return request made within 2 days of receiving the item. On day 3, I even reached out to the buyer asking how everything was and did not receive a response until yesterday which was 26 days later. We have no feedback in our shop and am concerned how this will effect us.

What suggestions do you have?

[HausofAriella]

That's difficult. I feel like the woman probably used the bouquet and now wants to return it because she doesn't need it anymore. Also, your policies clearly state that the buyer has 48 hours to contact you about a return. I think you'd be perfectly fine to refuse the refund. However, since that's your only sale so far and you don't have any feedback, if the customer decides to leave you a negative because you won't give her the refund. Perhaps you could tell her you'd be happy to give her a partial refund once she returns the bouquet, even though your policies state that refund requests must be made within 48 hours of receiving the item.

[HausofAriella]

I just read your return policy and honestly, I think that this bit is kind of harsh:
"For our pre-designed orders, we offer a 50% refund less the shipping costs upon receipt of returned order in its original condition."\

I could understand that for custom orders, but for your regular items maybe you should just refund the full amount minus shipping if they request the refund and return the item within a certain time frame.

[QuirkyUniverse]

Wow, that bouquet is really pretty. That's tough, with what you sell there might be an inclination for some people to use it and then return it which is why, I'm assuming, you have the return policy you do.

I prefer to think most people are honest, but having worked in retail for about 15 years I know that's not always true. Normally I would say stick to your return policy but with your lack of feedback a bad one would be really bad. So not fair.

[Former_Member]

Hi Kala- Just went to your shop and it is very beautiful. A little off topic but since you are here thought i would mention it. I read through a few of your listings and they are very good. However, you say if this item is not perfect please check our --page ( can't remember word for word) That is the perfect place to link back to that page and not give them a reason to leave your shop. Just my 2 cents here. So sorry you are dealing with the situation at hand.

[Former_Member]

Thank you everyone for your feedback. I agree that I believe she used the bouquet and then returned it. :( Unfortunately I think I will have to lose the sale. Hopefully it all has a happy ending and no negative feedback. I know that we have quality beautiful products but it is so discouraging to have something like this happen on our first sale!

Stephanie - what a great idea! Thank you for that tip!

[Former_Member]

Kala- Definitely stick to your guns on this one (at least, I would try to do that). It states in your policies the procedure for returns and enough time has gone by that I would absolutely not accept a return. Perhaps exchange or store credit? If she has used the flowers and just wants to get her money back, she wouldn't accept an exchange. If she actually IS upset with the way the flowers look (unlikely, in my opinion since she waited so long), then you might pacify her with a different arrangement. Of course, I would only offer an exchange if (1)she pays return shipping and (2) the original item arrives in the same condition as when you shipped it.

Bad feedback is scary but most buyers can see right through it. I try to adopt that old "the customer's always right" philosophy but this situation makes that difficult!

[Former_Member]

Thanks Nicole! So bummed! I'm a really honest person and take things to heart so this is such a hard decision for me.

[Former_Member]

Kala- I know. I had a terrible situation where USPS was at fault and the customer started getting upset with ME. It's hard not to take it personally but some people just aren't nice and nobody ever told them to, "treat others the way you would like to be treated."

[Former_Member]

I completely agree with Nicole. There is no reason why it should have taken them a month to decide they don't like the bouquet. I think all too often shop owners (especially us little guys) get run over with a steam roller because "the customer is always right."

I got news for you: The customer is not always right. Sometimes the customer is lying through their teeth or doesn't want to get stuck with something they no longer need, even if it's been a year or two since the purchase and the expired ink is no longer needed because the printer broke two days ago (actually happened!).

Offer an exchange. If they like your work, they'll order something else. If they no longer need it (who knows, the wedding may have been last week) they'll just have to suck it up. You may get negative feedback from this, which sucks completely, but at least you would be being honest with yourself.

[Former_Member]

It seems to me that aside from this being a bummer and a clear case(at least it seems clear from the facts)that the customer is not playing fare.....it is also a good learning curve.

Perhaps on future orders you have a follow-up email two days after a signed receipt of delivery and see how the customer likes the product?
Also a shop policy could be, shop exchange only on non custom orders. In my world there are no returns of custom orders.
I do not know this, but I suspect that there is never a return in he weding industry...?
i am with everyone else... it was used and you have no way of telling until you get it back!...you could be a bit devious and google the wedding announcements for her area and see if she is holding the bouquet in the photo...
Over the years of being in business I have had some hystarical returns. No accounting what the customer will do but best to have your terms really clear and stick by them. You will never get a bad reputation for doing what you say.
Your product is beautiful.

[GoTo]

That really rots--especially since you even inquired after they received it. You'll risk a negative feedback by sticking to your policies, but transactions like this are why we set up policies....

It's easier to tell you to not refund when there is a decent number of positive feedbacks to show that this was a problem transaction, so I think it really is a personal choice at this point. I feel for you--I wouldn't want to refund after a month unless they could prove it had arrived damaged, and that doesn't seem to be the case.

I think 48 hours, as a policy, is a bit short (I'd give a week). If you are thinking of going the refund route, I'd probably point out the return policy and offer them store credit for the item price since they didn't let you know there was an issue until now.

On a side note--never refund anything until the goods are back in your hands in the same condition you sent them. (Unless the buyer claimed damage upon arrival, in which case at least request an image of the packaging and the damage before going any further.)

[tkiDesigns]

from experience- brides are stressed & if it arrived & wasn't what she was expecting- she woulda contacted you IMMEDIATELY telling you how wrong it was. I agree with the rest- she used it & doesn't need it anymore. As far as what to do- if you had feedback to back you up- I'd say forget a refund. Is it something you can resell for a discount if you excepted a return?

[MelsCreativeWishes]

It sounds really unreasonable of the buyer to be asking for a refund after that amount of time. It sounds suspicious to me. I would point out your policies to them and stick to your guns.
maybe offer them another one of your items if they want to go ahead and post the original back to you.
I really hope you not get negative feedback over this, that wouldnt look good at all.

[GoTo]

TKIDesigns--I admit I was more the kind of bride who puts it in a drawer and doesn't look at it for a few days, but I also wasn't buying handmade online. It was back when folks bought everything in person, lol.

I would be likely to not deal with something that wasn't quite right for me until after the big day had passed or until I found what I liked better. (I would never have used & returned.)

[SomsStudio]

Pls stick to your stop policies; she agreed to your terms and conditions when she bought the item. In addition, you are running a shop and not a rental service, so I dont understand why you should take back an item this late into the sale.

[kikiverde]

If I were you I would Google her name and see if there is a registry listing or anything (online wedding photos) that will indicate that the wedding date has passed. You may come across something that might help you make a decision to accept/not accept a return.

[rusticcraftdesign]

I say no refund but offer a replacement! =)

[Former_Member]

I agree with what everyone else has said. Stick to your policies. That's what they are there for.

[Former_Member]

Hi Kala,
How unfortunate to be dealing with an issue like this on your first sale!
From what I understand, the customer's interaction with you does look suspicious. If there is no way to resolve the issue with an exchange or only a partial refund and if you are afraid of negative feedback, then what if you were to try to delay the matter by engaging with the customer in further negotiations, so that the feedback option expires. The item was sold on May 24, in August 24 the option to leave feedback will expire. Not my personal prefernce, but still an option...

If you cannot delay it or if you do get unreasonable negative feedback while you are negotiating, then do know that you can always approach Etsy Support and ask them to remove feedback. To do that, however, you will have to have all of your fact supported by relevant documentation, such as convos saved that indicate your attempts at resolving the matter in a reasonable way, screenshot of the policies that shows the date they were posted and exactly what they say (hopefully, you didn't update your policies after that sale and so you can show the policies you had in place at the time of the purchase), etc. Do all of your interactions with this customer in a way that you would to prove to Etsy you are trying to be fair.
By the way, what is this customer's standing? What has her feedback been like?
Hope it will get resolved!

[Former_Member]

That was really great info thanks! She only has one feedback which is positive from me.

I'm still so torn but will email her back today. I think I may offer an exchange for store credit first. Although Im probably delaying the outcome that will ultimately end in me giving in :( .

[Former_Member]

If she is unwilling to collaborate with you, especially since you are not only following your policies but are also going above and beyond, then her feedback will be also affected by your feedback, which you will be able to edit, if things go sour (which I really hope they won't!).

I would say make it clear to her (once again) what your policies are, and what you are willing to do beyond that, as well as that you wish to resolve this in the best interest of both. I think, it is also important that you know ahead of time how far you are willing to go and then stand by your decision. In this indirect way you will let her know that unreasonable accommodations should not be expected and hold you or any seller hostage of the feedback is not going to work in her favor. Though not often, unfortunately there are fraudulent buyers out there as well.

Document your communication with your buyer and keep it professional: it is not about her, it is about your business and your policies, of which you have informed the buyers ahead of time, and to which you have the buyers agreement at the time of purchase. In other words, by purchasing something from you, they are indirectly agreeing with your business' policies.

[GoTo]

(Must admit I'm dying to know if googling the customer brought up any pertinent info....)

[GoTo]

Oh--and JPJbeaded is on the money:

"...keep it professional: it is not about her, it is about your business and your policies..."

[TheDarkFen]

def. offer the exchange. you never know. maybe she legitimately thought she was getting something else? people are weird like that. they fall in love with the "idea" of a staged picture. So when they see an item outside of that imagery their perceived idea holds more weight than the actual item. definitely ask her to look through your current items. or even offer to work on a bouquet that is custom. ask her what she DOESN'T like about the bouquet? and ask her what she DID and see if you can create something specially designed for her and send her photos that are not staged to set a mood. :D good luck!