Challenging customer for a custom item.

[#1]

Hi
Have any of you had a customer ask for a custom item and become quite challenging in all aspects? I make custom letters, a customer aksed me to make a letter like one I had but using another font and letter. With all my custom work I send photos along the way to make sure they are happy.

After creating the letter to look like the one referenced they decided they wanted to completely change the paper and color. I happily went through 2 days of sending them exapmle of papers and colors from what they were now describing what they wanted and they picked out a whole nes look. I completed this look and they said it didnt look like what they 'imagined'. So they showed me a letter they already owned and wanted me to 'copy it' (a whole different direction from the first two attempts-I was unsure why we didnt just do this first?) and they again approved papers and photos until it was complete.

I sent it off, then they didnt recieve it, (I always track my parcels and it had been delivered) then they just contacted me telling me its completely the wrong color and they are extremely unhappy.

I graciously apologized and immediately refunded the money.

Somehow lookig back at this process I feel 'played' somehow. The item actually cost me more than the orginal cost after so many changes and I never even charged them. I dont feel they even understood what they wanted.

Has anyone else come across this kind of issue?

I guess I just needed to vent and hope I was not a fool. I did learn something from it. I did learn to be less inclined to continue a custom order if they make too many changes-just stop at the first politely and refund the money-but how do you know?

Thanks for listening and any feedback.

[Former_Member]

I guess there are free loader out there. Time to re write the return policy.

[Former_Member]

The feedback system do not work. This is my opinion. If I have bad experience with a seller, and I have, I will not leave negative feedback because this will leave me venerable to a negative feedback in return for no reason and then go fight it...
So, bad sellers and bad buyers get away.

[PiecesofMeCardsnMore]

If the buyer is bothering you through the Etsy convo system you can report it as harrassment. If it's through email I'd just click the handy delete button.

[EvesLittleEarthlings]

Your situation sounds like a nightmare.
I had a similar situation off etsy last year. I spent a long time on a customer's order, she questioned me with emails daily and when she finally received all her items, she did not pay for an excessive amount of time. I actually felt like I was in a bullying situation, where she kept asking for things that I did not even make.
She had paid a deposit and I think she had the mindset that since she had made a deposit, she was the boss and I had to do as she ordered, instead of it being a collaborative effort with a certain amount of trust in the artist.

Although customs often result in new ideas, I am extremely leery of taking them and feel opressed by them even when they are easy. I don't take deposits anymore so that I can bail at any time and I won't take a custom for anything that I think won't sell in my etsy shop if it doesn't please the customer.
At a certain point, I would have paid to release myself from the commitment I had made to this unreasonable person.

[heartsabustin]

There comes a point when "I'm sorry, I feel like I'm not going to be able to help you with this order. Thank you so much for your business" and then a refund are TOTALLY worth losing a sale over.

I did it a couple of summers ago with a bride that made an absolutely impossible request - she had not paid me yet, but the minute I said "no", I felt SO much better about the whole thing.

[Former_Member]

Yes I am in process of rewriting my shop policy. Yes the emails are through Etsy and I did learn I can report them. I will if this continues.

I did learn from one other ify customer not to ship my orders until fully paid.

I dont want to leave negative feedback for the buyer because its public and I dont want to feed the negativity that is still happening. I am no longer responding and archiving the emails in case I need to report if it continues.

But thank you everyone for your wise words. I have learned much and must admit in my several years here I have only had two difficult customers. May we all have no more ever!

[embroideredheirlooms]

After receiving years of custom orders, I have (finally) learned to gauge the customer and decline the order when I have "that feeling". You'll begin to know when the customer is just too much trouble (time IS money) and you politely say, "Sorry, I can't accommodate your request". It is a liberating feeling. (I have been in your shoes a couple of times).

Good luck!