do you confirm an order?

[#1]

After someone posted a question asking if people say thank you after receiving feedback, it got me thinking. Do you send a message/convo after you have received an order? I do. I send something like "Thank you for your purchase. I'll be working on your ___________ this week and will let you know when it has shipped. Please let me know if you have any questions." Considering how so many people thought excessive emails thanking customers was Spamming, I'm wondering if sending a confirmation email is too much. What are your thoughts? I guess I just wanted to reassure people that I got their purchase request and am working on it. ?????

[Former_Member]

Unless I'm extremely busy, I always try to send a separate contact note letting them know I personally received their order and when it's shipping I'll include their tracking number so they can follow it's journey.

I always want an acknowledgment fro sellers I order from. I need that assurance that my order was rec'd. You never know if the system went down, would they really get the order? I like to take the worry out of online ordering.

[Sapucha]

Always! I'm a small fish in this big sea and I like to have my shop name out in front of the customer as much as possible in a polite (not spammy) way. I've never received a complaint about sending a message thanking someone for an order. Also if you are a "newbie" to etsy and have never used the site before and you buy something I think this is a good way to give the customer a little relief that this shop is legit!

[Former_Member]

I also thank the customer and give eta.

[Former_Member]

I didn't until recently, I read it somewhere and thought I'd give it a try. I say thank you and give them an estimate on how long it'll take for me to make the item/when it will ship. I also let them know about my Facebook page and blog. I think its a nice way to interact and show people the person behind the business. I've gotten quite a few people reply back and say thank you. I think I'll continue to do it.

[Former_Member]

Those auto emails with the personalized TY are not always seen by customers. The note is way at the bottom of the "Transaction confirmation" email and I know for a fact when I purchase something from Etsy I do not read it all the way to bottom.
I will still send out a seperate TY email with my orders. It's short and sweet.

"Thank you for ordering ____________item from my shop. I am looking forward to sending or creating(whichever applies) this for you. I will send you another email with your Tracking number(the one that etsy sends) when your item ships. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me."

[Former_Member]

I, too, send an acknowledgement of an order with thanks and estimated shipping.
However, I send it in a convo rather than use their email address. Using their email feels invasive somehow.
I always send handwritten thank you cards with lots of little extras with the order to show how much their purchase means.
This is the way most of us did it when I started on Etsy in 2008. It was very personal.

[Former_Member]

Most of my items require some personalization - be it color, font, event details, etc. So I always msg buyers thanking them for their purchase and provide a low-res proof or requesting clarification on the item's customization. I do find that it helps keep them engaged as I've received positive feedback because of it!

[Former_Member]

I send a personal message also. I think it is a personal touch.

[ZamarutJewel]

I usually do not-unless there is a special request in the notes.
i have created personalized message that goes out with Etsy order confirmation to the buyer and I think that is a wonderful feature.
A handwritten Thankyou note is a must for me!

[Former_Member]

i don´t unless it´s a personalized thing but in these cases the customers are the first ones to convo me
yesterday a one of the days when i got in touch with my customer because it was a new one and got something wrong with the order but if everything goes smooth i only contact them after i shipped their items

[SiameseDreamDesign]

We try to take our cue from our customers. Many do not want extra emails, some are very communicative through out the ordering process and would like the extra message.

[Former_Member]

Re: thank you's and communication generally, I always worry if I'm going overboard, but I guess I tailor it to how much a customer tailors theirs. Pet portraits, particularly memorial pet portraits, can get kind of personal and I like to honor that. And I do feel inspired to write them post-positive feedback and tell them I'm really pleased they're happy. But I have time lol, I don't get many orders so I focus big time on the ones I do get. ;)

[Former_Member]

Not to be redundant, but I do always confirm the order. I, too like the personal touch it gives to the transaction. It confirms to my customers that there is a "real" person who is handcrafting their purchase not a conveyor bringing a box to the shipping dock :) Plus it confirms to them that the line of communication is open and I would be glad to speak with them!

[bepoppy]

Yes, I absolutely do convo after each order.
My tutu skirts are custom made with some options to be chosen and it is always useful to summarize that we understand ourselves well and having read the same thing. And then, I think it is a mere decency to answer after being chosen between all the great etsy sellers!
A sincerely “thank you” is never too much! :-)

[Former_Member]

It is all about building a loyal customer base and personal thank you for a person taking time to shop in your store is a very good think.
How are we going to all feel when stores in the malls become fully self serve and all we get is an electronic thank you for shopping here on the way out?
Is it not much more enjoyable when you go eat at Moe's and everyone is shouting, "Welcome to Moe's:)
Just sayin:)

[ValeriaKondor]

I also send a short confirmation that the item is being packed and when I would ship out, mostly if the buyer also sent some convo.
When I buy, i really appreciate the same, though i dont expect it, specially from busy sellers.

[ASHWoodshops]

It seems a bit too much to me. Etsy sends our a confirmation. Your item listing contains the process shipping time already, and that is included in the confirmation that the customer receives. If the customer uses PayPal, they receive another confirmation from PayPal too. When the item ships, the customer receives a minimum of two more, one from PayPal, one from Etsy and another one from the carrier (USPS, UPS or FedEx). Each of these generates at least an email, and in some cases an email AND a convo. So for me, one who is in the midst just this morning of deleting over 175 unnecessary emails that came to my inbox overnight, I want to respect other folks inbox and their time.
I do communicate if there is an issue with the order, change in ship date or other issues and certainly with custom orders there is lots more communication, but usually it is while the order is being formulated. I too have been complimented in my feedback for great communication even though I don't go overboard with it.
I realize that while reading this thread that I am in the minority.
Best of luck to you all.

[CharlenesEmbroidery]

Usually, I only send a message if it is a custom order or it is something that will take a little longer than promised in the shipping info. Perhaps, I should consider a note regardless of those special times. I do think people appreciate the special touch.

[CharlenesEmbroidery]

I had one customer who did not see my announcement for free shipping on Black Friday through Cyber Monday. I sent her a refund for the shipping so she purchased another embroidered towel.

[Former_Member]

I have an automatic message on PayPal. But, not on DC. Is that even an option?

[Former_Member]

They dont receive one with DC just paypal. I thing the shop owners that depend on customers reading that little note at the bottom of their confirmation email would be very surprised to know most customers dont read it.

If I dont receive good communication from a shop I wont order from them again. That said I order at least 3-4 times a week for patterns, supplies and gifts.

[Former_Member]

That's a really good point, Natasha. I read the little notes with the auto-confirm email Etsy sends, but sometimes that gets cut off if the shopping list is long. Never thought about the customers that wouldn't scroll all the way down if they didn't know about it.

I guess it depends on the customer and their preferences. Makes it hard to have a consistent shop "standard".. I guess it's about doing what you think is best and accepting that you can't please everyone all the time.

For me, everyone always gets a little handwritten note with their order. They also get a shipping notification, either from PayPal or Etsy (if they use DC) and I haven't had any complaints so far (fingers crossed).

(Thanks for your kind words, Lydia! Your communication with your buyers is similar to mine!)

[Former_Member]

I always fill out the auto confirmation email with my orders. Then include a hand written thank you note in the box.

[CatalinaInspired]

I have to agree with Alan on this one. When a customer places an order they receive an email with all the info they need. Don't forget, that the auto confirm includes a message from you. I hate being bombarded with emails when I buy something online. When I buy from Etsy (which I do frequently) I'm actually annoyed when I get two conf emails. I delete them without even reading them as I receive about 100 emails per day. Of course, if someone places a custom order or something, a personalized email with delivery times is important but if you plan to ship within the time stated, it's redundant to send a second conf email. Just my two cents.

[Former_Member]

Personally, I like the added personal touch. It show the seller cares and appreciates my purchase. Maybe it's just me, but that personal note immediately after a purchase takes about 30 seconds and puts the finishing touch as if you are across the counter from the customer. It's just special.