How do you deal with procrastinating buyers?

[Former_Member]

I have a potential buyer for a personalized custom order that has been postponing her purchase, and I'm afraid she is going to wait until it's too late for me to get it done in time to meet her deadline.

We have been communicating through Facebook & I have tried to get her to move the conversation over to Etsy, so that I will have all the information I need in one place when she does place her order. So that's my first quandry, since I can't contact her through Etsy - she has to contact me.

When she first contacted me (July 28) and asked if I could have this order ready by Oct 4th, I said that we had plenty of time. We continued to communicate back and forth. I sent a sample & she said she loved it and was going to place her order. We had a few more conversations, then when I didn't hear anything else, I just assumed she had changed her mind. I hate a pushy salesman, so I try not to be one, and I left it alone.

She contacted me again last Sunday (Aug. 11) to say that she was still interested. I tried to tactfully tell her that I would really need her to make her purchase within the next 2 weeks to ensure I could get her order done in time & she said she would try to order that day - she didn't.

I don't really want to go to the expense or time of starting on the order until she makes the purchase. At this point, it really doesn't matter if she buys or not, I just want make sure I have plenty of time to produce the order if she does, since I told her that I could do it by her deadline.

Do any of you have experience in a situation like this & what did you do?

I'm wondering if I should contact her again if the 2 weeks go by and she still hasn't ordered -- not to be pushy, but as a courtesy??

Thanks!

[LamplighterJewelry]

I'd probably send her a friendly reminder and mention you need x amount of lead time to complete the order by her due date.

[LoveJewelryByJ]

yes i would remind her that if she doesn't purchase by August xx (i would give her a solid date) then you won't be able to do it in time and to remind her that stuff does happen with shipping (like get lost, etc).

[WaterStreetDesign]

One more gentle reminder sounds like a great idea. She seems interested..
Good luck!

[HmacdoPaperCo]

Yes, this happens to me a lot with personalized custom orders and I follow up with a friendly reminder, "to ensure appropriate production time and shipping, please place your order by August XX to receive by the requested date of October 4th". Then you have done everything you can!

[MountainGoth]

She maybe waiting for a paycheck to order. I see that alot with customs.

[Former_Member]

I would also mention the date in your custom listing so if she does purchase after then you can still do the order but let her know you cant promise guaranteed delivery since it was purchased late.

[rusticcraftdesign]

At a certain point.....it may become necessary to charge a rush fee.

[Former_Member]

Depends how long it takes you to make the custom order but definitely send a friendly reminder that if she is still interested she would need to purchase it by No later than XX Date so you can complete it by Oct.

If she doesn't respond I wouldn't bother.

[Former_Member]

I followed up with a more stringent deadline, since I'm going on vacation soon & didn't want unfinished orders looming overhead.

Through many more back and forth convos, she finally made the purchase & this custom order ships out today!!!

Patience and persistence paid off in the end. Very happy ending!

[heathercashart]

I would send a reminder a couple days before, and then if she never writes back and never orders, I'd just let it go.

I get SO many people who say they are going to order from me but don't. I don't even expect them to follow through anymore. If they DO follow through, I'm always pleasantly surprised :)

[HeritageCurrentCo]

I've had people who do this - some even go so far as to request a custom listing and then never purchase it. At some point, I tell them the listing should be purchased by x date, or I won't have time to complete it.

You either hear from them asap and they purchase, or you don't and you just move on.

[Former_Member]

Congrats! That must be a huge relief!