posted on September 21, 2000 01:43:10 PM new
RB..I'll try to explain it as I saw Valerie's email.
When she mentions her TOS she says "I do not accept personal checks-- as it is clearly stated in my auction description and also in my original email to you"...what I would interpet it as is she is telling me, the customer, that I can't read or I delibertly ignored her rules. She is making the customer feel bad...not a good way to deal with people. They get defensive (check out Valerie's own response to comments about her in this thread...she immediately got her back up and had to let us know that she "did to know how to sell, look at her feedback"
In contrast, my "possible" email let the customer know that I was sure his sending a check was an oversight on his part...a mistake anyone could make. I phrased it that way to keep the customer from becoming defensive as it is difficult to work to a satisfactory conclusion with a defensive customer.
My email let the customer know that I realized money orders can be an inconvenience for the customer to obtain and I really didn't like refusing checks but the reality of prior bounced checks made it a neccessity....Valerie just demanded a money order (yes I know, she used please...but it was still a demand) without attempting to let the customer know why. If the customer knows why, they may be more willing to abide by your rules.
My email let the customer know that I appreciated his business and his cooperation with me. It let the customer know that I realized I needed him more than he needed me. I don't see Valerie's email doing that...actually, Valerie's email, to me, seemed to say she found the customer to be a bother.
Of course, this was my impressions...someone else may see it differently.
posted on September 21, 2000 01:47:41 PM new
Abingdoncomputers:
Why should *I* have to go through the bother of mailing the check back to the customer for something that was HIS fault - not mine? (Not to mention the cost of a stamp & envelope!) I totally disagree. Hey, if he wanted to mail me a self address stamped envelope before he sends me a correct payment, that's fine by me! But, with all the customers who have mistakenly (or purposely) sent me a check, not ONE has questioned me about keeping the check while I await a correct payment.
posted on September 21, 2000 01:53:41 PM new
valerie47:
Yes, the customer made a mistake by sending a check. But to expect the customer to in effect pay twice before even having the item shipped is ludicrous.
Let me go over my email to him again. Please tell me which sentence exactly is rude.
posted on September 21, 2000 01:57:02 PM new
Valerie, anyone who didn't interpret your initial email as borderline rude, myself included, is now making those assumptions based on this thread and your very negative reactions to people posting opinions on a question you asked in the first place.
posted on September 21, 2000 02:00:18 PM newWhy should *I* have to go through the bother...
You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, but you might take into consideration that this bidder is new to eBay (you noted his 0 feedback), and possibly isn't familiar with person to person internet transactions. You said that he's bid on almost $18,000 worth of items- who knows- given the opportunity, he could wind up being a very good customer.
posted on September 21, 2000 02:00:32 PM new
sheez. this is reaching the point of diminishing returns. I agree with Amy (for a change!).
It is a matter of tone, and detail, basically you're telling the bidder he's an idiot. But if you don't see it that way, have at it and continue on. But you are alienating a portion of your bidders, IMO, and probably losing some repeat customers.
I'll try to pick it our line by line....
********
1 - Hi..I received a check in the mail today from XXXXXXXXXXXXXX - I'm assuming it's from you?
2 - There was no item number or email address on it as I requested so I had to go through my records to search out who it was from. ("so I had to take some of my valuable time to fix your mistake..."
3 - I do NOT accept personal checks - as it is clearly stated in my auction description and also in my original email I sent you. ("clearly" stated, as opposed to stated, implying that the bidder must be an idiot to have missed it...and to hammer in the point, I ALSO told you this in the email I sent you, so you must REALLY be dense..."
4 - Please forward a MONEY ORDER or use one of the other payment methods stated in my ad. ("I could have typed "money order" in lower case, but you're SO dense you might have missed it AGAIN, so I put it in CAPS".
5 - I will send this check back to you with your item once I receive the correct payment.
6 - And PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR ITEM NUMBER OR EMAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR PAYMENT. ("In case you didn't get the message earlier, dolt, I'll say it again, and this time PUT IT IN CAPS so even a moron like you gets it."
posted on September 21, 2000 02:04:16 PM new
Sorry, but that's the way it reads to me. If I were a buyer, and made this mistake, I'd have no desire to do business with you as a seller again.
You could have done the same thing, but made the bidder feel good about the transaction.
posted on September 21, 2000 02:14:41 PM new
Valerie,
Where'd you buy the crystal ball you're using to find out exactly what your bidder is thinking? I'm thinking it would be a really handy item to have hanging around!!! (<big grin> - just so nothing gets lost in the translation).
oops can't spell today!!!
[ edited by sjl1017 on Sep 21, 2000 02:23 PM ]
posted on September 21, 2000 02:18:13 PM new
Valerie,
Why not include a statement like this in very large, bold type in your auctions:
"I EXPECT ALL BIDDERS TO FOLLOW THE TERMS THAT I SET EXACTLY, WITHOUT EXCEPTION. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO READ OR UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS BIDDING ON MY AUCTIONS!"
It's not rude, just stating the facts, right?
At least it would give bidders some idea of the type of person that they are dealing with.
posted on September 21, 2000 02:19:56 PM new
Although I'm sure you are sweet & nice & everything, but the first thing that comes to my mind when I read that email is: snotty!
I may be chewing a 3x3 foot hole in the carpet, but when I send one of my "Hey, stoopid" emails, I become Mr Sweetness & Light!
I want them to PAY; I don't want to try & convert them into "proper" auction behavior! "Show me da money!"
posted on September 21, 2000 02:24:27 PM new
amalgamated:
You are going way over the deep end, my goodness! Take a breath!
My customers KNOW who they are dealing with. My customers know quality items and quality customer service. I have SEVERAL repeat customers. There is a reason for that. Not because I'm a nasty person!
But I have every right to get upset when someone ignores my only 3 requests for a simple, easy transaction. People like that don't deserve the "royal treatment"! If everyone lets people like that get away with being careless and irresponsible, they will continue to be like that. Plain and simple.
posted on September 21, 2000 02:25:05 PM new
valerie47:
The point is not a 33¢ stamp. The point is, BIDDERS do not read and expect the SELLERS to pay for problems that THEY caused
Actually, the point is the 33 cent stamp. And of course the envelope. We can't forget about that. After all, you're the one that snidely suggested that the buyer send the stamped envelope so that you could return the check.
posted on September 21, 2000 02:26:58 PM new
abingdon:
I've NEVER had a customer who even questioned me holding on to their check while I await a correct payment. So the 33¢ stamp and envelope never crossed my mind until someone on this board mentioned it!
posted on September 21, 2000 02:28:37 PM newThe whole point of this thread was this guy is telling me it wasn't even HIS check I received - when I have the EXACT same mailing address from HIS email address that is on the check!
Although his email wasn't very clear, I don't think that's what he meant at all. I think he meant that he had confused your terms with the terms of another auction. I mean, if it was indeed his check, what sense does it make to deny it.
The way I see it, you had three choices when you received his email:
1. Write him back and ask what he meant.
2. Assume that he meant that he had confused the terms and replied approriately.
3. Assume that he is trying to pull some kind of scam (which includes sending you a check.)
Option 1 or 2 might have resolved the situation to everyone's satisfaction. But you chose option 3, choosing to make an enemy of someone who wanted to be your customer.
posted on September 21, 2000 02:37:09 PM new
abingdon:
Do what on a recurring basis? I'm not sure what you mean. I get customers on almost a weekly basis who send me checks although my auctions state NO CHECKS. After I email them, they apologize for sending the wrong payment and immediately send me the correct payment. Then I mail their CHECK back to them with their item. Never been a problem before.
