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Apology?
When your inventory is off and you issue a refund... Do you as a seller issue an apology separately from the refund note to the buyer?
I just had a problem with a buyer due to a typo. Quantity of the item in question was actually 11 not 111. I issued a refund for the 7 parts I was short of $0.56.
Resulting in a lecture about having to order from another store at a higher cost and McDonald's customer service policy. I know... I and we are not a food chain but... What do you do in this situation? I gave a refund immediately upon discovering the error. Even with the quantity correct he would have still had to order from another store, the 7 he was short. How would you respond?
What happened so far... Customer is very unreasonable. He is still missing the point. I have told him I'm Human, I make mistakes. No understanding whatsoever. So I blocked him and reported the issue to Admin. (And I told him I did this).
Again, what would you as a seller do in this situation? 2 orders from the customer totaling $11.28, refund for $0.56 for 7 of 156 items total.
Signed,
Frustrated Melissa
I just had a problem with a buyer due to a typo. Quantity of the item in question was actually 11 not 111. I issued a refund for the 7 parts I was short of $0.56.
Resulting in a lecture about having to order from another store at a higher cost and McDonald's customer service policy. I know... I and we are not a food chain but... What do you do in this situation? I gave a refund immediately upon discovering the error. Even with the quantity correct he would have still had to order from another store, the 7 he was short. How would you respond?
What happened so far... Customer is very unreasonable. He is still missing the point. I have told him I'm Human, I make mistakes. No understanding whatsoever. So I blocked him and reported the issue to Admin. (And I told him I did this).
Again, what would you as a seller do in this situation? 2 orders from the customer totaling $11.28, refund for $0.56 for 7 of 156 items total.
Signed,
Frustrated Melissa
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Comments
If it's a larger amount, I send an apology and offer a refund plus an extra $2-3, or to delay the order while I get the missing parts somehow.
I wouldn't just refund the missing parts. Personally, I really think the customer deserves an extra for the trouble caused.
a. Accept a refund for the missing part(s) and ship remainder of order.
b. Wait a few days while we acquire the missing part(s) and ship complete order.
c. Ship remainder of order now and send the missing part(s) on ASAP.
d. Cancel the entire order.
If that means we pay incoming and outgoing shipping for a 5p part, so be it.
Our mistake - our responsibility.
We never had complaints from buyers when we refund a few parts, we do that instantly though!
Sometimes you will encounter a buyer not happy with the refund, or in fact the mistake we made.
Move on, loads of happy buyers available
Cheers
Although with (c) I'd ask if there's anything else they'd like to order within the size/weight of the parcel I'm about to send with the missing parts.
Seems a shame to waste free postage.
I doesn't happen very often as most customer are understanding.
If it's a big error, i might do a discount coupon as well to offer something back next order.
Only twice in 600+ orders have I agreed to cancel with the buyer as the key part was missing.
We are all human and will make mistakes from time to time, a few neutrals or negatives will be received, it is what it is i guess.
Why dont offer him a coupon asking if that would be acceptable for him?
A coupon of one more time the amount of the missing items, just a little extra so he feels good again?
Please note that I didn't request $. I simply mentioned that, due to the money issue, an apology is more appropriate, and that compensation should be considered; doing so would have been a more appropriate response than a refund message of "Inventory typo. Should have been 11 not 111."
Brick Owl should reconsider whether it is appropriate for stores to refuse service based on feedback that they don't like -- especially if it is accurate feedback regarding customer service. Retribution for negative feedback engenders prior restraint where, knowing a ban is possible, users might not "risk" leaving negative feedback.
If leaving negative feedback can result in bans, then there is no point in having a feedback system at all. The overarching message to users/customers ends up being: "I want to hear what you have to say...as long as it's positive."
I've included the exchanges between myself and AAA Bricks Place. I'll leave it up to you all to decide if I was "very unreasonable."
Having spent $145 through Brick Owl in the past six months (to create custom sets), I have had many good experiences. I hope that the next $145 that I spend will be more pleasant than this recent experience.
Shawn
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FROM ME (NOTIFYING ABOUT THE COMING NEGATIVE FEEDBACK -- AN ERROR ON MY PART RESULTED IN MY MARKING THE FEEDBACK AS POSITIVE!)
FYI: "Error in inventory. Entire order not filled. Refunded promptly, but no apology. Add'l order @2nd store cost me add'l $."
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FROM AAA BRICKS PLACE
Shawn
Sorry Shawn. Errors happen. I'm only human. There was a typo when the
inventory was put in that was only discovered when I went to pull your
order. The inventory should have been 11 not 111. The explanation was in
the notes for the refund that I issued. Unfortunately I can't help that
the other store charged you more $. Each store sets its own prices.
Melissa
AAA Bricks Place
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FROM SHAWNREMY
Melissa,
I understand that mistakes get made. I also understand that most businesses apologize for these inevitable errors, and that they consider compensating customers whose time and money gets wasted.
The issue isn't that the other store charged more money for the missing bricks. The issue is that your error required me to place an additional order. With a new order comes new costs:
- I had to pay additional money for more bricks that I did not need so that I could meet the store's minimum on this new order, and
- I had to pay additional money for shipping on this new order
Your error cost me at least $5 and 15 minutes. If you went to McDonald's, and the purchase cost you $5 more than you expected and took 15 minutes more than you expected, then you would also expect to be compensated for the wasted time and money. Add to that the additional time that we are both now wasting with this messaging.
If need be, I will purchase items from you in the future; however, I am certain that I will avoid it, if possible.
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FROM AAA BRICKS PLACE
Shawn,
I'm sorry, but I think you are being unreasonable. I refunded your money
for the 7 parts that were not available. I did not in any way seek to cheat
you out of your money. It was your choice to shop at another store for the
unavailable parts. Parts that regardless, you could not have purchased from
my store if the inventory had been correct at the time of your order. The
result would have still left you 7 quantity short because the inventory
would have only said I had 11 quantity available for sale.
As I already stated, I'm only human. I make mistakes. Obviously, I can't
satisfy everyone completely.
No worries on accidentally ordering from my store in the future, you won't
be able to place them in my store.
Melissa
AAA Bricks Place
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FROM AAA BRICKS PLACE
I forgot to add that you are unforgiving nature along with your emails
regarding this have been reported to the site admin. Just in case you
decide to be unforgiving to another seller there is full record on this
issue.
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I for one appreciate your side of the story added here as well.
And good to see, that when a *little* extra compensation had been given (with an apologise) that would help in the backing of the apologise itselve!
We all need to learn from each other
George
The bottom line is that there is no "one size works for everyone" approach and different sellers will have different methods. If sellers were able to compose some brief T&Cs, and buyers were able to signal their acceptance of them, I think issues like this would all but go away.
That said... I'm reevaluating how I do refunds for what I find I don't have available when pulling orders. I will be taking all your comments into consideration when issuing refunds in the future.
Also, I was unaware that the refund notes were not just for my records and are sent to the customer as well.
I will be including an apology to my customers in that box from now on.
Shawn, I'm sorry for the error and for not sending you an apology and for being rude back to you.
Melissa
Chris