Im really in a dilemma with a customer and would like some Dopers’ opinions.
I have a small online business. My policy is that if the customer does not want to pay for the tracking option with international postage that I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. I save the customs form as proof it has been mailed but this is not a tracking service according to USA PO. So far only 2 items Ive sent have gone missing last year.
I have a customer who is upset that the package of quite expensive items that I sent her have not arrived yet after 3 weeks. I have offered to remake the items at my expense and send them with tracking this time, but that she would have to pay for postage with tracking this time. She is not liking that option.
May I add that she is never happy with my products, very critical and verbal about it, but she buys them anyway!!
You do realize, I hope, with a lost package, only the sender can request info/action from the shipper. ( As they can vouch it WAS sent, what day and from what location, etc.) That has been my experience. So her calling the shipper is useless. And she deserves to at least have you call and report/inquire, even though she chose ‘no tracking required’.
As for never being happy with things, it’s your choice, of course, but there is nothing wrong with being honest but polite with her. as in, “We’re sorry to have so often failed to meet your expectations. As there are always issues with your orders we would suggest you direct your business to another outlet. While we have enjoyed dealing with you, we really feel it would be best for everyone if you located another supplier to fill your needs. Thank you for your understanding, wishing you well in future!” Then just ignore her orders, do not respond, and, if need be, send the same message again, till she takes the hint.
I was picking up a pizza the other week, and, as he was ringing me up, the proprietor answered the phone. He listened for a moment, and then said, “I don’t need this. Call [his competitor’s business]”.
You don’t often see that, but it was kind of cool.
FWIW I’ve shipped dozens of items internationally via USPS priority air mail. The customs form has a number on it that sort of functions as a tracking number, in that it ID’s the location of the package as far as the customs office in the destination country. I’ve used this a few times to tell customers that their item is being somehow held up in customs, at which point they go to pick the package up. Problem solved.
Are you shipping via first-class mail, or priority air mail?
If she’s not happy with that option, then WTF does she want you to do? :dubious:
If she bitches to you, that’s fine, as long as she keeps sending you money. If she bitches online to others, that’s a problem and could hurt your business in the long run; in that case, you might think twice about continuing to do business with her.
I send International First Class without tracking if the customer wants to save money.
I offer either Global Express with tracking and insurance, and Registered if the customer only wants tracking. She declined and wanted the cheap First Class/no tracking option.
My policy on my website has clearly stated from Day1 that I am not liable for lost packages if tracking options are not ordered. Once the package leaves my PO and I give the customer the customs form #, my liability is over.
She is a Royal PITA, you are so right! But she is very verbal and has filed a dispute with PayPal saying she never received the package. I responded to her there explaining my policy and that I showed her the customs form stamped by my PO. She believes me that it was sent but insists I resend the products AT MY EXPENSE and not charge her postage BUT SEND IT WITH TRACKING!
Either way Im out the money (if PayPal deems it my fault she didnt receive it and refunds her money). And yes, I would fire her as a customer but she will YADAYADAYADA all over the internet about my business. Funny how its always HER that has problems.:dubious:
In that case, fulfill this order (to the extent of paying the shipping and tracking costs yourself), make absolutely sure that she receives it, and then fire her as a customer.
I think you are in the wrong here. Your responsibility is to get the package to the customer, end of story. The burden is on you to buy insurance in case of contingencies. Charge for it if you want, but once you set the price and the customer pays, you have to get it to them.
I don’t doubt she’s a problem customer, but I agree that she shouldn’t pay shipping twice if the package is lost. Tracking/insurance are SHIPPER protections, not buyer protections. How would you feel if you ordered something from Wal-Mart, the package was lost in transit, and they made you pay shipping again for a replacement?
Nope, my policy clearly states the onus is on the customer which shipping option they want and the consequences. Im not Walmart. And funny how only 2 others have had a problem with delivery. In the past Ive eaten the cost as a goodwill measure when USA postal rates were reasonable. And when my products were not as complicated and expensive to make.
She really is a problem customer. She buys from others with similar businesses and causes problems for them too (yes we communicate!) They have learned to insist she pay for the tracking option at her expense. Which she complains about loudly. But buys anyway.
Yeh Elbows, I like this one!:
“We’re sorry to have so often failed to meet your expectations. As there are always issues with your orders we would suggest you direct your business to another outlet. While we have enjoyed dealing with you, we really feel it would be best for everyone if you located another supplier to fill your needs. Thank you for your understanding, wishing you well in future!” ~quote Elbows.
Thank you for your link. How do you interpret this clause then? I am the merchant.
(3) In any case not within subsection (1) or (2), the risk of loss passes to the buyer on his receipt of the goods if the seller is a merchant; otherwise the risk passes to the buyer on tender of delivery.
Have you plugged the customs number into the USPS tracking page? I’ve done that before and been able to ‘track’ a package. Maybe track down where it was lost at the very least? Do you sell items that are worth a lot of money? If so, I really wouldn’t give people the option of tracking. The only option I would offer is whether or not to insure the item.
Since you’re the merchant, "the risk of loss passes to the buyer on his receipt of the goods…" In other words, once he takes delivery, you are no longer responsible - implying that you are responsible up until the point it gets delivered. Ergo if it gets lost enroute, you are responsible.
It’s on you the shipper t replace and resend the product.
You acknowledge that this is a problem you are aware of - “only two” doesn’t mean that you don’t have a problem with shipments goinf awry.
Your position seems to be unless she pays you not only the shipping she paid before again but extra for a differnt service, then you just get to keep her money?
That’s the easy solution - send her all her money back including shipping. You don’t want her custom anyway.