What is with people?

[TreasuresForAQueen]

What is up with people lately? Over the past 2 weeks or so I've had 4 people convo me about custom orders. I always reply as fast as I can usually within a few hours. In all 4 cases, they were custom items I would have gladly made for them and I told them as much but in every case, I've never heard back. I'm not sure if its them or me, perhaps I'm saying something in my response that is putting them off. I always include a link to my custom orders policies so they know what to expect from me and I from them.

Here is a link to them: https://www.facebook.com/notes/treasures-for-a-queen/custom-orders/458238370904237

Could you guys give them a look over, maybe the way I've worded it or something is making these customers decided not to place the order. It really drives my OCD up the wall, I hate it when people leave you hanging. Just a note saying not at this time would be ok but no reply at all is annoying to me.

[compassionmalas]

Angela,
First off I think that everyone has this problem with custom orders. People want to order them and then back down.
But a couple of ideas:
Could you spell things out in a convo instead of sending them a link? Or copy your custom policies into an Etsy convo?
Then people might not get lost.

Third, your policies are complete but might be long enough to lose some customers. Can you rewrite so that they're shorter? Make it easier for customers?

[compassionmalas]

Oops, edited number two out for brevity's sake. :-)

[BebeAndKay]

I agree that if they see a long paragraph it may frighten them off. But I also have noticed this with regular inquiries the last few days. I am going to check bugs because I saw a lot of convo related issues there yesterday.

[Former_Member]

Peeps have always been able t contact each seller via "ask a question".
BUT now, that etsy has made the option more visible customers are going wackadoodle.

I try to "keep it simple silly" respectfully reply, quickly as possible, precise clear instruction, materials fee and time frame for completion. Thank you, Mickey

Then I leave it alone.

Its not you, its them.

[IstriaDesign]

What I've noticed with my custom orders is that they always go through with the purchase when I answer right away. My emails go to my phone so I usually answer right away (unless if I'm really busy). When I wait a couple of hours or a day to answer I usually don't get that sale.

I think people want everything yesterday and in a couple of hours they can find something/someone else. It's hard, but that's what I've noticed.

[Former_Member]

Well I answer right away, even create that order for them and send that to them right away. Some buy, most don't. Most people are just asking and the one thing is to remember ..they will remember you and your shop. :)

[Former_Member]

Having the same problem. Have had a bunch click that custom order link and then ask a few questions. Never sure what to do when that happens. Are they asking for a custom listing or do they want their questions answered first? Will the info make the results different? Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.

[GoodnessInTheCosmos]

I think it depends on the item and person asking more than your response.

For example:
On some of my expensive seed bead art jewelry pieces I've had people asking detailed questions, but i believe they are just trying to copy my design. A few even ask for patterns so they can make them to sell in their own shops. So maybe there has been another motive there.

[Former_Member]

LOL Sorry to laugh VB but I swear there are people who have brass...ummm brass... jewels.

Since at Etsy I have had people ask me where I get my supplies and how I make certain things over and over. I am nice though . I thank them for asking.

[TreasuresForAQueen]

Thanks everyone for your replies, sry that I posted and disappeared all day. Having worked customer service for a decade, I have learned that people need things spelled out for them, hence the very detailed custom order policies. As for replying to the request right away, I wish I could but I'm not always around my computer and my cell phone is old school, doesn't even have a camera mainly because I hate cell phones especially smart phones. But 95% of the time I reply within 2 hours which I don't feel is unreasonable and I NEVER take more than 6 hours. Its not that I expect every person who inquires about a custom order to follow through with the purchase but to have so many in such a short period of time was just very odd to me. But I think you guys are right that it probably has to do with the request item button becoming more pronounced. Hopefully it will level off when the novelty of it wears off.