What to do???

[jBunae]

Have been working with a customer on some party invites - made them as she wanted them - she proofed and okayed the design and invite info - I made them and purchased postage and was packaging them and discovered that the dates couldn't be right - the RSVP date was AFTER the party date. Tried to contact her for 36 hours - ended up canceling the order. We finally talked it through and she really wanted the cards so I set up another listing - she purchased - she changed the dates to the next month. After about 5 or 6 convos we finally agreed the dates were correct - I printed and mailed them out Wednesday. She just contacted me again saying the original dates were correct and to please make them again and send them overnight to her because they needed to get out immediately! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!

She now wants to change the design and everything. I am so fed up right now. I told her I have done everything I could do to make the invites the way she wanted - that I could do no more for her. She sent a new convo like she never read the last one I sent her explaining how she wants the new ones made!

All this for $20!!!! I know she will end up writing a negative comment - it will be my first one and it makes me furious. What would you do in this situation?

[LivAndCompanyShop]

I've dealt with a very difficult customer as well. Long story short, I measure my items from armpit to armpit by the seams & make them very straight. I also measure them when I'm finished. She got her CUSTOMIZED order for her kids complete with 4 hours of my work and lots of convo'ing back and forth to her for $36. She sent me a picture WITH A RULER TO THE SHIRT and the ruler was CROOKED and I should post it for you to see that she sent the picture with the ruler at an angle on the shirt and told me the design was a little off and it was crooked and she wanted a new shirt. I kindly emailed her, knowing from our prior convo's that she was very difficult as I was trying to nail the design down with her, and let her know that I'd gladly refund her money as I did not want to disappoint her & maybe she could find someone else to do it for her. She requested another shirt still & I did send her another one as it was cheaper to make a new shirt than it was to refund her the money (as there were 2 shirts involved for the $36). She probably got the new shirt by yesterday. I am NOT leaving feedback until she does as I was very nice & very giving. I just didn't want negative feedback and I'm trying to build a store with a good reputation. If I were you- i'd offer the money back and let her know that you do not want to disappoint her any further. Seriously, some of the situations that occur here aren't worth the headache for the money and aren't worth having negative feedback. I know I provide a quality product and I put a lot into each design and into pressing each one. I am very detailed and if I had truly messed it up, I would've replaced it BEFORE I sent it out. We are also a handmade group, not an assembly line and I think that slips the mind at times. Anyway, good luck. I understand the stress that you are probably under to not receive any negative feedback. All of my customers have raved about their items from me until her. Some people are very difficult and some people you absolutely cannot please. The stress isn't worth the $20. Maybe suggest she find someone local that can do a rush order for her? Sorry for you and these situations. They get made into such a bigger deal than they need to and make it harder on the small business.

[jBunae]

Thanks for responding. I think I just needed to vent to someone. I'm going to wait and see what response she sends when she reads my last convo. As of right now I just want her out of my life. I hope Etsy makes some changes with the feedback system soon. Sounds like you know exactly how I'm feeling. I did refund her money the first time because I cancelled it myself. At this point I would refund her again when she mails my cards back. I don't think she even knows the correct party date???

[ShadyLaneDesignz]

Wow Vicki, that's a difficult situation. I really don't have any advice for you, but hope it gets resolved.

[jBunae]

I've heard about sellers having difficult customers before and ended up almost giving their products away to keep from getting bad feedback. I totally understand how they feel now. There should be a place to go on Etsy when things like this happen for admin to review the whole situation, what the seller requested, what the seller got, and all the convos between the buyer and seller and then weigh the info before letting bad feedback get posted against a shop. Who knows when this party is? I'm not sure the buyer knows!

[Former_Member]

After dealing with one terribly difficult customer who insisted the color yarn she wanted was the different shade after 5 tries I finally put in the listing that once the colors in a custom order are approved they cannot be changed. I have not had very many problems since. I have turned away a couple customers that were showing way too much maintenance from the pre-order convos. It is not worth the headaches to sell a $10 item.

[Former_Member]

It's an item you cannot sell on so what I'd probably do is either make her purchase the new set and make her take the second ones you made a swell or charge her your basic costs, expenses labour and throw the olds one out and make the new ones and have her pay the full price for those and post them

[FrenchLaundryMuse]

Wow. Your customer is extremely high maintenance. I would make this order right and then put something in your listings that specifies "order agreed upon and received is the final order.."

[Mollymoojewels]

Nightmare! Feel your pain and frustration. Hope it all turns out ok for you.

[jBunae]

I ended up refunded her money completely and told her to keep the cards! Funny but sad. I knew from the first convo that I should not attempt to do her custom order - I should always go with my gut but wanted to please so bad. Boy, will I listen to my gut next time.

Thanks for all the sympathy - I needed to know I wasn't the only one that has gone through this kind of a thing.

[Former_Member]

I rarely do special orders online, via my etsy.
It's just NOT the same as in person. People get details twisted, you think they want one thing and they actually want something entirely different.

It's just never a good situation.
YOUR rules, guidelines and spec's should be in place FIRST. And never divert from that.....make them come within your steadfast set of circumstances to complete a transaction.

The headache isn't worth the aggravation.......or the money ........or the possible negative fb.

[jBunae]

crudeco you certainly are correct. It's making me rethink custom orders for sure. I have had so many custom wedding orders over the past couple of years and never a problem one - those were high-dollar orders. This little $20 order has just beat me up. I'm definitely changing some things in my policies. Thanks.

[elsielight]

I think you did just the right thing. Resolution for something so frustrating is worth what it might cost in most cases.

[PICFiberArts]

Vicki, you did the right thing but always listen to your gut! Here is hoping for a sale for you with less trouble.