I'm a little upset with the communication from these sellers

[Former_Member]

The reason why I say this is because I have been trying to get in contact with NUMEROUS amount of sellers for questions about items I am interested in purchasing. Whenever I send a message to them, they tend to respond in a few days later then when I respond to that message, I have to wait a few more days again.
That makes me feel like not giving them my business since I cant get a proper "back to back" message from them in good timing. Now I understand some shops are busy or have a lot of sales going on but some of these shops dont even seem busy in the sales department.
My point is..if your going to have an online business, take responsibility and respond to your messages or at least keep up with them. If your going to be away for a while put your shop on vacation or if you have no internet at home, find ways to get to one like the library.
As a seller and a buyer, I value communication. It tells me and/or lets someone know that you care about your business and the customer...Thats makes me want to come back for more.

Anyone feels the same??

[Former_Member]

I totally feel the same. I shop here all the time. I actually didn't buy an item because the seller took so long communicating. it was a $400 item. I have a current situation going on where I feel like it takes too long to reply. it does make it difficult, especially when all the questions I asked don't get answered. then I have to re-ask the same questions.

[WalterSilva]

This is a good point! I try to get back ASAP or Min 24 hours.
Sometimes theses convos lead to nothing and other times to big sales.
I always try to be very professional and thank them for getting in touch.

[Former_Member]

I have things set up so that I get a text message on my phone every time I get a post on my message board - I try to answer everything within four hours.

[TheRogueBaby]

I always try to respond ASAP to inquiries regarding my shop. So far I've had all good experiences with my Etsy purchases. I think some folks might have Etsy as a "side project" and don't take it seriously, so they don't check for messages often? But in that case, I'd rather buy from someone who is really trying to grow their business.

[Former_Member]

I try and get back as soon as I can. Even if someone is asking something I can't answer, I'll still respond to say that I'll check it when I get home, and get back to them later.

[birdmom9726]

You'll love this! I bought some beads from a shop that were supposed to be bubblegum pink and amethyst purple. I got bubblegum pink and light blue - and this was no "different monitors show different colors" type mistake - it was the wrong color, period. I convo'ed the owner four separate times, being exquisitely polite each time, and then left neutral feedback because "half" the order was the right color. The next day I look at my shop and the owner has left neutral feedback for me because I "didn't read their rules that say once feedback has been left the sale is final" and so, while they "would have been happy" to replace my beads with the correct ones, my leaving neutral feedback kept them from doing so. What the --- ??? That was the first communication they had sent me since my initial purchase, which had been three months before!!!! So don't feel like the Lone Ranger when it comes to owners not getting back to you. Some are truly too busy, and some just plain don't care. However, I will have to say that one transaction was the only one I have had a problem with in dozens of other transactions. I just picked the wrong place to buy from. Let them know how you feel with your wallet - when they don't get back to you, don't buy there. Chances are there are at least a dozen other shops selling either the same thing or something close to it.

* Edited to say that, whenever I get ANY message or convo that has something to do with my shop, I get back to that person immediately - to me that's not only good manners, it's good business practice. Even if I am busy - if I'm too busy to answer questions, comments, or orders, that's being too busy. Never take a customer for granted.

[Former_Member]

I agree with you. I have had a few sellers who have lost my interest because they don't get back to me within a timely manner. I am a seller, I have a busy family and a job, but it doesn't take a lot of time to answer a quick email. Sometimes a buyer has a question that means I neen to be back in my studio to measure something or get back to a buyer with a question that requires some research. But it's my shop and my priority to take care of business in a timely manner.

[Former_Member]

Give yourself a deadline of when you want a response by and if you don't get one move on. There can be a huge amount of reasons for a delay in responses (getting taken to A&E in an ambulance is one of my better ones!) but if you don't want to wait you don't need to. Don't go into detail of course or answer if you don't want to, and this is just me being curious, but are you asking questions because the listings don't answer your questions or because you want something different to what they have listed?

[Former_Member]

I find that it is not just good manner but also good business to respond to convos promptly! People who ask questions about items have, in my case, turned out to be buyers. I am never annoyed by someone asking questions, and I feel we owe it to ourselves and others to be responsive.
NOBODY is too busy to attend to attend to inquiries...

[Former_Member]

I agree with the op here. And as a seller I try to respond within hours of any convo and for sure within 24 hrs. Customer service is what I look at it as. Sorry you have had such bad luck with responses here!

[Former_Member]

I tend to like to be answered in a timely manner also, however, I agree with Claire, there sometimes are unforeseen things. If it is something that I really like I will e-mail them again after a couple days, giving them the benefit of the doubt. This is another for instance, in December I took care of my mother at my home for a week and a half in hospice. Slept a few hours a night, my every thought was her and if someone would have had a problem with that, that is what it would have been Their problem, as in that situation she was the only thing I could think about until she passed.

[Former_Member]

Lol @ Becky ty for the laugh.

I am glad to see that I am not the only one that feels this way. Communication is the key. If you can't communicate properly then how do you expect your business to grow? Problems, family, an active life, truly busy or not... make time.

I have a buyer now who I talked to the same day and made her a custom order, finished within the same day. Now she purchased 5 more earrings just because she loved the communication and how fast I was about getting it done.

Sorry for your loss Lauren <3

[Former_Member]

I agree that owners should return messages asap, but I just imagine that, especially in shops that seem smaller, the person may have other things going on that don't allow them the access to their shop and email that I have.

I try to answer my emails as soon as I notice them (I'm on and off line all day) but sometimes, I chose to gather my info before responding. Even then, however, it is usually only a few hours difference (like if I get the message when I'm out and the potential customer is asking if I have something in stock. I like to check before responding, instead of respond saying I'll check when I get home).
If I wait and wait and wait for responses (and sometimes incomplete responses) from sellers, then I almost feel like I'm more interested in buying the item than the seller is in selling it.

[Former_Member]

I don't know if this is the right way or wrong way to do this, but I wait to give feedback after I have an item in my hands and visa versa for my customer. And I do have a life outside Etsy, but I check my messages every day, several times a day.

I had a really nice sale earlier this year and it was my first custom wedding sale as well. I was just thrilled! It started out with a gal just asking a few questions at a time. I just kept getting back to her, and before I know it, I made an awesome wedding party sale! And my bride was as sweet as can be. I was very happy everything turned out well!

[wildwomanbeads]

I'm another one of the folks who checks repeatedly through the day for messages and generally answers them promptly. And I absolutely agree that's good business practice for anyone whose intention is to be successful at what they're selling.

I also echo Claire that there are circumstances where that expectation must be relaxed and room made for events people can't always control. Many sellers on Etsy are SAHM's, and their primary responsibility is to their children, who could very well be passing a stomach bug around the family (as just happened with my son and DIL, so that everyone was down for days).

I think one of life's most difficult-to-learn lessons is that we are NOT in control of everything, and not everyone lives their lives the way we do. I just made a major sale to a woman who's a seller on Etsy and only checks her messages every few days. The way I would have liked it to transact? No. But I came to really like her and certainly appreciated her business.

Here's what I'd suggest you consider. You don't know whose taking care of an elderly family member with dementia, and can't get to the library. Nor do you know what other burdens another person carries. So treat them with compassion and respect, whether they respond in your timing or not, and I imagine they'll be grateful enough to do the same toward you.

If, for some reason, you absolutely have to have an answer in 24 hours, just say so, politely. For example, I'm buying a bunch of supplies right now to tide me over the summer, and they have to get here before I leave to drive north...or be sent north to my daughter's house. I just tell people the dilemma, and if they can send it in time for me to get it here, they let me know. And if they can't ship for 3 days, we work it out to send things north.

I'm old enough now to understand that life happens, and most people (not all) are doing their very best. If I feel a time crunch and they don't, it's not their responsibility to read my mind. It's mine to tell them.

If I tell them, and they still don't respond respectfully (which is true of very few sellers on Etsy, I've found), then there's the answer to your dilemma. They aren't someone you want to do business with.

A little flexibility in both directions could be a good idea.

[Former_Member]

Awww, I'm so sorry to hear about your mother, Lauren. In a situation like that, I would've put my shop on vacation just b/c. like yourself, it would've had my full attention. Sometimes I do it just to get a breather.

But there is a difference in having a difficult situation going on and just being plain rude. I think most people would have the courtesy to not respond rudely if they realize your experiencing difficulty in your life. And if they want something bad enough, they can go somewhere else as was mentioned. Sure, you may lose a sale, but recognizing what's truly important in life is key, isn't it? And a lot of us are small time shops, NOT big box stores. That's why people shop on Etsy. They get personal attention here, as most of us strive to show.

[Former_Member]

As there are apparently over 875K active shops on Etsy there is in most cases always going to be somewhere else to go to purchase from.

[Former_Member]

Very nicely put, Meredith. :)

[Former_Member]

I made this mistake. I bought a new phone and for some reason, etsy didnt show a notification when I accessed from this "smart" phone. I felt horrible when i saw a message from my pc from days before! Lesson learned. I check often now without a prompt!

[SPUNKbyCM]

I totally agree with you. I hate letting messages sit and wait. I usually give people 24 hours because of the time differences involved in online selling. But otherwise, I love quick messages that are detailed and accurate. It gets the job done faster.

[GirlpowerKnits]

I do my best! I try to check every 2 to 3 hours for messages.

[seemomster]

I check into my shop at least twice a day--even when I'm traveling. So...shop with me? ;^)

[GatheringStars]

I have had some wonderful communication with my customers. They expect professionalism, and they should get it.

[TwoLittleAngels1]

When someone send me a message it goes to my cell phone and I can answer back within 5 minutes.