PLEASE HELP!

[Former_Member]

I sent out a bracelet and the customer had selected a different clasp and I accidentally sent it without the clasp she asked for.

I offered her that I would pay for return shipping, put the correct clasp on and send it back immediately at no cost.

She said she wants a full refund of the bracelet, shipping to her, and the amount she paid to ship it back to me. I told her that according to my policies, any custom made bracelets cannot be returned since they are custom sized/colored, etc. My policies also state that shipping is non refundable, but I offered her that since I made a mistake. She replied saying that I never told her that there were no refunds.

Are Etsy shops not considered real stores? When do you ever place an order and someone emails you saying, " by the way, no refunds". Isn't it up to the customer to read the policies about returns and exchanges?

Please give me some advice. Thank you in advance!

[FlutteringWings]

In my honest opinion some times you got to eat the loss. As per your own admission the clasp is not what was ordered so you would have had to pay shipping back to you and then back to the buyer.

At the risk of getting negative feedback I would just tell her to mail it back. Make sure that you have her request mailing confirmation it only cost $0.90. That way she will know that you got the bracelet back. When you get it then pay her back for the shipping and item plus shipping. It sucks but the buyer did not get what she paid for and it's not worth getting a negative feedback.

Don't send any money back till you get the piece in your hands though.

I'm sorry.

I'm just a small fry though so this is just my opinion take it for what it is because just like noses everyone has one.

Pam

[JudyStalus]

I think if I received the wrong product I would expect to be able to return the product and get a full return plus the cost of sending it back. Most on line retailers reimburse for returns when it is their error.
A no return policy on custom orders shouldn't apply when the seller does not send the correct order.

[elainesgems]

I would give her a refund after the bracelet is returned. You can list as a ready made item.

[Former_Member]

This recently happened with me though from a company. I ordered a swimsuit, they sent the wrong size and color. I had to pay to send it back to them and they sent me the correct one on their dime. This is how it is for every company that allows returns and exchanges. I allow exchanges but not returns on custom items. These are $50 items, not $5 or $10.

In addition, she already said she mailed it back when my policies state to please email me before sending it back because I do require them to send it with tracking information and insurance in case it is lost in the mail because items have been lost when they have been sent back to me.

[FlutteringWings]

When I do custom I always take a picture and show them what the final product is for approval before I ship. It they approve then it's theirs.

Good luck

[Former_Member]

Leandra, everyone makes mistakes.

"I offered her that I would pay for return shipping, put the correct clasp on and send it back immediately at no cost."

-This is exactly what I would do for custom orders. plus I'd include a small gift.

[Former_Member]

As small business owners here on Etsy it seems we live in fear of that negative feedback. unfortunately for us a lot of people buying know this and tend to use it to there advantage.
Another disadvantage for us is were not able to respond, to explain our side of the story. That makes it very one sided.
Forget that we work our butts off and were lucky if we make a dollar an hour or a lot of times we give our products away. all I can say is cover your butt in every way possible its hard enough to sell on Etsy because... well.. there's 25 million of us and then we have to put up with the crap your going through with this buyer. All I can say I wish you the best and I hope everything works out for you.....

[PiecesofMeCardsnMore]

I'd let her know that you can't process a refund until you receive the item back. Since she sent it without tracking & insurance, if it doesn't reach you it's her fault. Most likely you will get it back considering the majority of packages sent through the mail do reach their destination. Once you received it I'd refund in full, including all shipping charges, and be done with it. It's not her fault that the item she received was made incorrectly. You can relist the bracelet as a ready to ship item.

[Former_Member]

I just feel like a policy is a policy. And if I do not abide by my own policies then what is the point of having them in the first place?

She also mailed my item back to an address where my packages consistently get lost. My address is 6136 Paseo Picador (where she mailed it to) but for some reason my packages always get sent to 6136 Paseo Acampo and I do not always get them. I was going to have her mail it to the correct address but she shipped it back without notifying me, without tracking, and without a delivery confirmation.

[Former_Member]

From what I'm reading here it looks like you screwed up, and you admit it.

So you can either A) suck it up, do what it takes to make this customer happy/get off your back (aka pay the shipping, refund original shipping, refund price)

or B) Stick by your policies and get a negative feedback for a mistake that you willingly admit to making.

Your shop, you're the only one who has to deal with the consequences.
Why bother asking for advice if you're just going to push your original agenda?

[Former_Member]

I just feel like a policy is a policy. And if I do not abide by my own policies then what is the point of having them in the first place?

Your policies are there to protect you, but you can also break them. That's called customer service. And there are times when you are going to need to take a loss, to keep a customer happy, and to make up for a mistake you made. Just like you would pay for advertising and marketing, you pay for customer service.

Judy's advice was the best: wait for the item to come back, then return in full including all shipping. She wouldn't need to send it back to you if you hadn't made the mistake.

[Mollymoojewels]

I too think you will have to suck this up if you don't want negative feedback. By your own admission it was your error and not the customers. Mistakes happen and sometimes customers will understand and give you some latitude but obviously not in this case. I would waive your policy and refund the lady (only when you have received your goods back however) and chalk it up to experience.When doing a custom order it is a good idea to take a photo and get confirmation from the customer that they are happy with what you have done, and a good double check for you to make sure everything is as it should be. I suspect this will never happen again, but still for your piece of mind it's a good idea. Best of luck.

[SpangGangDesigns]

If I received the wrong product, as many others have said, regardless of shop policies, I would want a refund and a refund of all shipping policies. She may have needed something sooner and has already ordered elsewhere?

I understand your shop policies, however, not to be mean, but you screwed up first (and there's no policy re: this). In this case, I'd personally accept the return and refund her money.

[Former_Member]

I think that if it was me and I had made a mistake with the order, I would refund any costs to the customer and probably redo the order as a goodwill gesture. After all, without customers, we are nothing

[JudyStalus]

So do you state in your policies that in case I screw up and make the wrong item, too bad for you - you take the loss?
Better be clear on that, since it is not how a good business operates.

[paintingwhimsy]

When did she mail it back to you?
Has it gone by a reasonable time?
Perhaps it will make it to you just fine.
She probably used the return address on the package you sent her.
I would just try to breathe deep, keep calm and when it gets there
refund her money and all shipping costs, as it was the seller's error and not the buyer's.
I would suggest ALWAYS sending a picture of the finished item and especially a close up of something like a special request clasp.
Just smile and move on...almost done with this transaction gone sour.
Have a better day!!

[paintingwhimsy]

I totally agree with Verionica of BlackStarProducts

I think she summed it up quite well !!

[Former_Member]

Thanks everyone. Fortunately the customer actually decided to have me fix the bracelet the correct way and send it back to her. She even apologized for how she discussed the issue with me.

And Veronica, you did not have to ask that last question about why would I even ask for advice in the first place if I am just going to do what I want to do anyways. I'm asking for advice to learn, and to possibly change my possibilities especially if it was my mistake which I did admit to. We are all here to support one another, not to ask such a question like that.

Thanks everyone for you advice!

[FlutteringWings]

Leandra,

I'm glad it worked out for you. I hope it continues to go well.

Pam