Threats to report- filing cases to get Refunds

[GrassLanders]

How many times have buyers threatened to get a refund before the item has even left the shop?

then making false damage claims, opening a case and getting refunds from Etsy?

There is no help from Etsy

[hopeandjoystudios]

If they were threatening for a refund before it even shipped and it was not a custom made item I would one step cancel/ refund and be done with them.

[GrassLanders]

the whole thing is the customer wanted me to engrave her order for free. the listing says engraving is separate. I told her that it is separate, and then she says to do it for free or refund me. how is this fair., ?

But from now on I will just refund people like these

[anythinggoeshere]

@GrassLanders That is a question I can’t answer.  Do you have another question?

Things look great with your shop and items.  Lots of sales, nice products and good reviews.

[GrassLanders]

that okay, thank you for your time

[CraftyCornishMaids]

you sell to the EU/UK, you have to accept cancellations in your policies, to be legally compliant,

and why would you ship something, the person doesn't want?
they'd only send it back, and you would have to refund the shipping, as well as the item, so you would be out of pocket

..... or as you say, it could get damaged, and you are out for the cost of the goods too.

[GrassLanders]

the customer just was very rudely wanting me to engrave for free. she told me enrgave for free or I will report you and get refund. i showed the messages to etsy but she filed a case and etsy gae her refund

[GrassLanders]

the customer just was very rudely wanting me to engrave for free. she told me to engrave for free or I will report you and get a refund. I showed the messages to Etsy but she filed a case and etsy gave her a refund

[CraftyCornishMaids]

Oh Wow,

you have a listing, where you can personalise with initials,

when you buy it, you should NOT have to purchase another listing, to get the personalisation you already added and paid for the listing

That is also illegal in UK/EU law, where you ship to.

I would sort out your listings, and your policies, or you could find this happens again.

And I still don't understand why you didn't just cancel and refund, and I fully understand why etsy did.

[RamenSandwich]

It sounds like your buyer wants to cancel the order and you're refusing to do it. If it's a personalized or custom-made item, I can understand that. But if it isn't, why wouldn't you cancel instead of sending something that the buyer no longer wants?

Your story as presented is somewhat incomplete, which makes it hard to give you useful advice.

Of course Etsy won't help. No dispute has been filed yet, and it's not clear what the buyer is threatening because it's not entirely clear what you're refusing to do. If the solution is as simple as canceling your order and washing your hands of this buyer, there's no reason for Etsy to step in.

[GrassLanders]

Okay so, the customer placed the order and said I want it engraved in order notes

I messaged her engraving is extra to which she rudely replied engrave for free or I will report you to the credit card company and Etsy, get a refund.

I showed the messages to Etsy but she filed a case of "different than expected" and Etsy gave her a refund. 

As soon as she said she will report me, I told Etsy and they advised I don't have to refund her, as shop policies say "sale items cant be refunded"

[bradgoodell]

But you didn't ship yet, correct?

Or did you ship the buyer something she didn't want?

[PipsyShop · Accepted solution]

I have buyers who ask for refunds before the item is shipped. I sell baby items, and most are gifts, and they usually just found out someone else bought the item already. If it's only labor (design time) at that point, I just refund.  I agree with the previous posters that there's no need to send an item you already know the buyer doesn't want (as long as it's not custom/personalized)

[GrassLanders]

Thank you I will do that from now on. 

I think I took it to my ego when she started threatening I will report your shop and report you as a fraud to the bank/Etsy. 

I very politely asked her to pay for personalization. I have done personalization for free for many people, it's just the way she attacked me that it got to my nerve.

[SheWhoPlaysWithGlass]

They could be seeing many of your items cheaper elsewhere 

[bradgoodell]

Uh, if a buyer is difficult and you haven't shipped, why not just cancel and refund?  Not sure what the problem is here.

I also sell personalized and engraved products.  If a buyer orders without paying for personalization, and then requests personalization, I tell them I will cancel the order and they can re-order a personalized one.  That is their choice.  If they demanded I do the engraving for free, I would simply say "I'm sorry, we aren't offering free personalization at this time" and cancel and refund.  

This is a no brainer.

[GrassLanders]

i did that in past, but then they leave negative 1-star feedback saying " owner didn't mention personalization, and canceled my order"-all listings clearly mention engraving- its happened multiple times in the past.

[GrassLanders]

i did that in past, but then they leave negative 1-star feedback saying " owner didn't mention personalization, and canceled my order"-all listings clearly mention engraving- its happened multiple times in the past.  

[bradgoodell]

If you do a full cancellation, the buyer doesn't have much opportunity to leave feedback, the feedback window closes quickly.  

I'm still confused.  Did you ship or not?  

[GrassLanders]

Etsy gives buyer 48 hours to review even if you do full cancellation. I had made the product for her, in her choice of paper, her choice of leather and her choice of stone. only engraving was left when buyer started asking for refund

[CraftyCornishMaids]

that's made to order, to the options you offer.

it is not considered personalised or customised, until the engraving is added

[CoquetteBath]

so I am on the side of I wouldn't want to buy a separate listing to get something handled.

If you have an item that can be personalized, then you should have it with at least 2 variations. Without engraving. With engraving. If there is a 'so many letter' issue, then have that, too.

so if someone buys the 'unengraved' and gets upset, you can tell them 'oops I see you bought the unengraved option, so I'll cancel that so you can order the right one...here's the link'

don't get panties in a twist over it. Not everyone is a scammer. Clearly some are. I've found that when someone goes from zero to 100 when they don't get their way, they know they are trying to pull a fast one. Normal situations don't escalate that fast.

In all cases, I would refund and move on. Life is too short.

[GrassLanders]

Thank you for giving me a different perspective. I needed this today. 

[BlackCatTheory]

You can't tell people to go purchase on your website for free personalization. That is fee avoidance and will get your shop shut down. Not to mention it is scammy.