HELP?

[SnarkFactory]

I've just gotten my first unhappy customer! I don't know what to say, just because I don't really feel like I've done anything wrong. I definitely do not want to sound defensive, but I definitely do not want to sound like a doormat either.

I need your fresh eyes and your opinions!

The customer said: "I received my "print" of (omitted to protect privacy) and am disappointed that it is a photograph of the painting and not a proper print. You should disclose on the site that you sell photos and not actual prints. I would not have purchased from you if I knew this."

All is summarized.
What is the difference, if any, between a "photograph of the painting" and a "proper print"? Some background info on my process: I use high resolution photos, archival inks, and thicker cardstock type satin paper. I've never had complaints before, but if I'm truly doing something wrong I need to know.

As far as the transaction, what should I do? Apologize that she didn't like the print and leave it at that? Refund her? (I won't refund without getting the item back, but she's an international customer so shipping will be almost the price of the item) I know that I could probably get bad feedback for this, but I want to do the most reasonable thing here.

[MaryPowDesigns]

It's a good idea to take some time to think about how to respond. It allows you to think about how to answer and be professional in your response.

I think if it were me, I'd actually first thank her for bringing the issue (of an unclear listing) to your attention. Let her know that you always want your listings to be clear and you always want customers to understand what they're receiving. Tell her that you will be updating the text in your listings to be more clear for future customers.

Then, I'd offer her a couple of options. First, she could return the item and she would get a refund upon its arrival. Let her know that you will not be able to reimburse shipping, as your policies state. (Or, if you feel comfortable, refund her the shipping for the return trip.) However, if she chooses to keep the print, perhaps offer her a 10% (or similar) discount or maybe offer a coupon code for a future purchase.

Sometimes it's good ask an unhappy customer what they expected or what you could do differently or better in the future. It's great to put aside your disappointment at having an unhappy customer and actually use it to your benefit in improving your shop. In fact, I think it's always a great idea to actually thank them. Which is why I bring that up first.

[Former_Member]

Hm. It seems like you are fairly clear in your listing. Perhaps she was expecting a certain type of print, like a screenprint or a giclee, and was surprised it was a photo reproduction?

I would apologize that she is unhappy and perhaps point out "I take great pride in producing high-quality, original prints using (re-state your materials and process from the listing here). I also take it very seriously when a buyer is unhappy with my work, as your satisfaction is my highest priority. To that end, I would be happy to offer you the following options (and use @Mary Pow's options here)"

I also agree that you could find a way to ask what she was expecting so that you can improve your business for future buyers, and, hopefully, her in the future.

It's definitely a fine line. Good luck!

[Former_Member]

I second what Mary says above. I recently had my first unhappy customer as well who expected a much larger item and didn't realize that the photos were close ups.

I did pretty much what Mary said (except I didn't offer her the option to keep it as she had already stated she wanted to return). Once I received the item in it's original condition, I refunded her fully the original shipping but she paid for the return shipping (with tracking/insurance).

At first it was a devastating experience, but it ended up being a cordial conversation about what her expectations were and what I could do to improve the listing and I feel like I learned something from that experience as well. I am now trying to be mindful of including language about photos being close up in my listings.

[rhodyart]

You definitely need to establish that it is a photo print and not a screen print. I purchased what I thought was an actual print from someone, based on the description, and received a photo print. It looked cheap. It basically looked like an enlargement.
What you describe doesn't sound like a photo to me, it sounds like a quality print that the print shop I used to make prints of a piece did, using the same process as you did. I think it's probably the same process that places like Staples or Kinkos/Fed Ex are using to make their prints.

I would follow the lead of those who have offered advice and make sure people know exactly what your process is in your listing if you don't already. And give your customer the option of returning it (at their cost for shipping) for a refund or not

[Former_Member]

Mallory, I don't know ANYthing about printing or photographs as in your situation, but I DO feel like here on Etsy folks are at times so scared of 1 bad feedback that they are often too accommodating to customers. Think if this were a brick and mortar storefront. It's fine to offer great customer support, but it's also ok to have an unhappy customer once in a great while. it happens, you just don't want to have it happen very often. 1 bad feedback is not going to sink your shop. I WOULD be sure that my description was 100% accurate.

Just my 2 kronor. Good luck.

[SnarkFactory]

Lin,
Can you describe in greater detail the differences between a photo print and a quality print? What made the photo print look cheap? What is a screen print? I don't want to be selling an inferior product, that's frightening to me! Sorry about my lack of knowledge on this subject, despite the fact that I'm selling prints in my shop.

I am eager to speak with the customer about this. I'm always thankful for feedback that leads to improving my shop. Thank you everyone for the advice!

[SnarkFactory]

Kenneth,
Yeah, I'm not afraid of bad feedback. I worked in customer service for a very prestigious casino chain for 5 years, so I'm aware of the customers who will be negative despite a near perfect experience. If I get bad feedback that I don't deserve I won't worry about it, but if I do deserve it then I'll need to understand what to change. All this print lingo is confusing!

[rhodyart]

A photo print looks like a photo, you know? Like what you would get at CVS if you had an enlargement done The person I was thinking of gets hers done at Costco (I asked)
Screenprint is really not what I meant -- I mean a laser print done on good quality paper like what you're saying. Screenprinting is usually done on tshirts and such and I was wrong in my terminology.
Here's one link that explains the types of prints
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-different-types-of-fine-art-reproductions.htm

http://artprintissues.com/2013/10/art-prints-defined-definition-art-prints.html?utm_source=rss&utm_m...

When I asked around at one point about what people use for prints iprintfromhome.com came up fairly often. They do photo prints but they also do giclee and their photo prints are pretty darn good.
I can't print good prints of my work on my printer so I have to use an outside printer.

[PrairiePrimitives]

Mallory, I don't know anything about printing, but I glanced at a few of your descriptions and saw that you're using the term "limited edition." If I was buying a limited edition, I'd definitely want to know the quantity of that edition. Will you only be making/printing 10 of each item? That could make them considerably more valuable than an edition of 100 or 1,000. I've heard that some art buyers prefer low numbers, such as in the first 10 of an edition, but I'm not sure why. Hope this is helpful information!

[rhodyart]

The earlier number preference goes back to when a print is done from lithography which is the picture carved/engraved onto a stone. The earlier the edition the better the quality of the print

tana, thanks so much for pointing out the limited edition #. THat's something I need to specify myself

[Former_Member]

Customer may have a point.

Maybe look at your descriptions again and see if there is something more detailed to offer. Many customers rarely read the descriptions, but in your case your customer was paying attention.

Truth in advertising, #101 of marketing, I remember that from my college days.