Help please!

[Former_Member]

I have a customer who emailed me about their bracelet not arriving. In my shop policies, it clearly states that customers must ask for tracking and/or insurance and that I am not responsible for lost packages.

He is demanding a refund and seems very mad at me. I have proof that I shipped the item and I don't know what to do. The bracelet is expensive for me to make and send another one. I feel I should stand by my policies but I am afraid of getting negative feedback. I have never lost a package before.

Please tell me what you think I should do! Thank you

[Former_Member]

Now he sent me this email and I don't know what to do.

"My mother and my brother's lawyers I will make them read your policy. But know that I am obliged to make a dispute against you knowing that I never received anything. Paypal will close the account, this is unfortunately the result of the litigation."

[Former_Member]

How long has it been?

[Former_Member]

From personal experience, the best and only way to proceed is to create a new bracelet and send it to your very frustrated customer. Or give him the refund - whichever makes more sense in your accounting. It's just not worth having a negative feedback or disappointed customer on your hands. I've had many of an altercation with nasty customers. I would stand by my policies but at the end of the day the old adage is true "the customer is alwasy right-ish." lol!

These are the perils with online sales - we have to rely on our postal system which in your case was not very reliable. Personally, I always send my packages with a tracking number even if they don't ask for it. I sleep better at night and they always receive their package.

As long as you stand by your decision and know that it was the right thing to do for your business. Good luck!

[Former_Member]

Thank you so much. From this point on I think I am just going to pay for tracking. It is far more worth it than feeling this awful.

@Kerri it has been two weeks. I live in the United States in California and he lives in France.

[Former_Member]

Now, what if I give him a refund but he still gives negative feedback?

[RosesForClementine]

That negative feedback thing can really hang over us...I had a recent frustrating experience, not exactly like yours, but a bummer nevertheless, resulting in lost money, time and a garment I prob. cannot resell.
Sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and move on asap. Maybe easier just to refund the $.
Good luck, and know you're not alone in these sorts of issues. : )

[Former_Member]

Yeah I definately think its too soon to deem it missing...

[Former_Member]

OMG!! Seriously - he's just trying to intimidate you. He's not going to a lawyer, blah, blah! Not for a bracelet - this is ridiculous. Send him a refund. You don't need this bad energy in your life and business. Then report him to ETSY as an aggressive seller. Step away from this situation as easily and quickly as you can - it's just not worth your time and stress!!!

[Former_Member]

I am not sure how the postal service works in the US but in the UK if i have proof of postage for any item i can claim through the postal service for lost item upto a certain value.

[Former_Member]

I agree. Just pay for tracking :) maybe include it in your shipping and state all packages will have tracking

[Former_Member]

Two weeks is not long enough! I suggest asking him to wait a bit longer before involving his lawyers (really, an international case involving an Etsy dispute?). I've had horrible experience with La Poste (they used to eat the treats my mom mailed me when I lived in France), so I suggest always using tracking and insurance if the item can't be cheaply remade.

[Former_Member]

It has actually been 3 weeks, I just checked. Maybe that is long enough but I just feel really torn here. I clearly state this in my policies so that I don't have to end up paying someone back and lose money.

I offered him either a refund or to make him another bracelet. From now on I will pay more for tracking and insurance if it is international.

I think I'll try going to the post office to see what they can do as well.

[Former_Member]

I am just worried that I will give him a refund and he will still give me negative feedback.

[Former_Member]

I'm in California too and it took 4.5 weeks for a package to reach a buyer just in Canada.
I have never shipped overseas so I am no expert but I really think that even three weeks is too soon.

[ArtifactsEtCetera]

International shipping can take 4 weeks or more. It is *usually* faster than that, but I would beg him to be patient and wait a couple more weeks. Remind him (and yourself) that it could have gotten caught up in customs. These things happen.

Most of my international sales reach their destination within 5-10 days, but I've heard of it taking up to 2 months. If he wanted it faster, he should have asked for a shipping upgrade.

However, if a couple more weeks pass and it doesn't arrive, I would offer him a replacement or refund to avoid negative feedback (and legal issues... yikes!)

[Former_Member]

the longer you wait, the more frustrated the customer will get. If you are worried about a NEGATIVE feedback - now is the time to grovel. Yes, we sellers hate that word. But, it needs to be done. Come up with a really good white lie to make him happy and give him the refund!! The FOLLOW UP is just as important, if not more, as the actual SALE. Tell him that you have been tirelessly searching for the package with US Postal Service and have now concluded that it is lost or something like that and issue the refund.

@SaraSchroeder is right. The French postal system sucks. A very lucky parisian girl is wearing your bracelet! (I don't want to preach but sending a package internationally always requires a tracking number - since some postal systems are not as efficient as others!).

[Untwistedsister]

a) 2 weeks from USA to France is not enough time to file for non-delivery. Send the proof of mailing and ask the customer to be a little more patient and then if the time is running out (45 days) you can refund at that time.

b) If something I send overseas is too valuable for me to refund & lose, I use a 3rd party insurer - especially for international packages. I use Insurepost.com

c) international tracking is only available with medium priority flat rate which is like $47.

Customer sounds a bit like a bully from your description. I don't like bullies.

[Former_Member]

Hi! If your bracelets are expensive to make then tracking probably should be included in the price, or in the shipping cost. I would send another bracelet after waiting a few weeks. Tell your customer you need to wait about 4 weeks for international shipments.

The thing is not only can he put negative feedback on your account, if he paid with PayPal he can file a claim regardless of whether your policies say you don't replace lost items. According to PayPal it is the seller's responsibility to get the item to the customer.

[Former_Member]

Do you list in your policy how long a package will take in terms of an international order? If not, perhaps include an estimate time frame so this won't happen again in the future! :)

[RunkPockDesigns]

I agree with every one here so far, that is NOT long enough to wait for an international order especially if you shipped it first class. I once had a package that was mailed priority even take a month and a half to get to Australia from the US. Kindly explain to him that first class shipping internationally can take 4-6 weeks, and this also depends on how long the items is spent in customs. He may even want to call his countries customs if he can to see if he can track it down if he's that concerned about it. I've found that's where most shipments spend most of their time getting through.

[Former_Member]

Thank you everyone. I feel like he will still leave negative feedback even if I give him a refund...

[Former_Member]

try to resolve the issue as best as possible. i would offer a refund or another bracelet. The position you are in is a stressful one. sadly people do not read policies. People will buy from my shop and then 2 days later ask me where's their product when i specifically say it takes 2 to 3 days for my items to be made before shipping. But this is what we have to deal with as business owners. bottom line is he paid money for your product and didn't get it. you must put yourself in the buyers shoes. resolve it so that your customer is always happy and satisfied in the end. sticking to your policy isn't going to help you or your business. you don't want this type of problem i'm sure. and just like you i took am going to start paying for tracking. i hate that it cost extra but people harassing me for their item is worse to me so i'm just going to bite the bullet and pay for it from now on. good luck

[kidsstore]

Leandra, if you shipped your bracelet regular 1st class international mail, there will be a customs number on your receipt. You can send him that number so he can check with his customs department or post office to see if they can locate the package. It usually takes 1-3 weeks for international packages to arrive at their destinations, but it can take as long as 3 months. France is known to have some postal problems, and most people in France know it and work with you.

This particular customer sounds like a bully and will probably be a jerk no matter what you do. Make sure you are very polite and professional in your responses to him. I would let him know that you need to allow sufficient time for the package to arrive, and if it does not you are willing to issue a refund or work out the problem in a way that is fair to both of you. Be sure to keep copies of your messages so you can forward them to Etsy Admin or PayPal if there is a problem.

By the way, regular tracking is only good in the U.S. and will show you the last time a package was at a U.S. post office. You need to ship International Express Mail or Priority Mail to have an international package insured or have a tracking number. I just sent a package to Norway that a customer had purchased as a gift for friends in South Africa. The customer needed it in a hurry and was trying to decide if I should send it to him in Norway or to his friends in South Africa. Regular 1st class international mail to Norway was about $12, to South Africa was also about $12. International Express Mail to Norway was $39.50 and to South Africa was about $45.75. He opted to have it sent Express Mail to Norway. The Express Mail price also included insurance for up to $100 in value.

It is your call on what you decide to do. Right now the guy doesn't have a legal leg to stand on because he hasn't allowed enough time for the package to arrive. Even if it doesn't, unless it is returned to you, you will never know for sure. As someone else mentioned, another person could have your bracelet or the cutomer could finally get it and never let you know. Most international sales are great, but there are always the few that aren't. It is the same for sales in the U.S., and an unhappy part of doing business on the internet.

You should put a note in your policies stating a time limit before considering refunds on international sales. Good luck in whatever you decide.

[Former_Member]

I have responded to all of his emails very respectfully and professionally. I asked him if he didn't mind waiting a little longer to see if it arrives. He seemed really mad when I asked him and insisted on me giving him a refund. I feel like whether I give him a refund or not, he will definitely give me some negative feedback. He joined Etsy only 5 days before purchasing the bracelet from me so maybe he didn't read the policies. He has been so rude to me that now I don't feel like I should refund him. I feel so stuck. I know most people are saying to refund him but I think I would rather go to the post office and see if with the customs number they could see where its at or if its lost.