posted on August 31, 2000 10:25:44 PM
First off, sorry about all the caps that are coming. I'm quoting an e-mail (with permission)
I've had an experience with a buyer that has me absolutely red-faced. I packaged an item that I thought would be secure. It obviously wasn't. Not only would he not accept a refund, he left me positive feedback. Two things to this. One, I now know how to package a Hotwheel properly and two, the chronic complainers about miserable buyers should lighten up and maybe post some good things about the buyers that are out there. This buyer is a class act
"HELLO ERIC AND FREYA
I RECEIVED YOUR TREASURE HUNT TODAY BUT DUE TO NO PROTECTIVE
PACKAGING THE CARD HAD TWO CREASES AND THE PLASTIC BLISTER
WAS BROKEN. WHEN SHIPPING HOT WHEELS THE BEST WAY IS TO SEND
THEM IN A BOX WITH FOAM CHIPS, OR IN A PROTECTO-PAC. I WILL
NOT RETURN THE CAR BECAUSE WITH THE SHIPPING CHARGES IT IS
PROBABLY NOT WORTH WHILE. ALL THAT I ASK IS THAT IF YOU
FIND ANOTHER EXPRESS LANE, THAT YOU CONTACT ME AND I WILL BUY
IT FOR THE SAME PRICE AS THIS ONE. PLEASE CONTACT ME SO
THAT WE CAN RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
THANKS
P. S. I WILL POST POSITIVE FEEDBACK BECAUSE THIS WAS AN
HONEST MISTAKE BUT PLEASE CONTACT ME."
He's right, it was an honest mistake but a stupid one all the same. With someone like this, if I find another item like the one that he paid for, I will send it to him free of charge.
Sometimes it seems that all buyers are miserable idiots because of the amount of complaining by sellers(it seems rare for anyone to praise a good buyer). Just like the football coach that only chastises for mistakes and never praises for accomplishments. I'm sure everyone has had buyers like this. Why don't you give them their due
posted on August 31, 2000 10:45:08 PM
Here is how I ship expensive carded Diecast, ie. HW Treasure Hunts.
1. wrap card in tissue, tape optional.
2. place car in large PM Video box, back of card against flat interior side of box.
3. pack with peanuts or plastic bags and seal.
4. Crumple 4 pieces of newspaper in bottom of no. 7 PM Cube box
5. place Video box in Cube box, pack newspaper around sides of video box.
6. Pack to top of box with 4 more pieces of newspaper.
7. Seal and address.
This is cheap, secure, and only takes about 5 minutes.
--------------
Don't take life so serious, it ain't nohow permanent.
posted on August 31, 2000 11:08:06 PMehansen, Great idea and perfect timing cause I had a gem today. I sell mostly books and have a lady who buys from me on a regular basis. I got a payment in from her today with a beautiful hand stitched bookmark enclosed along with a nice thank you note. It really brightened my day.
I've found that the rotton, no good customers are in the minority - but they're hard to forget.
posted on September 1, 2000 06:47:13 AM
I sell and trade hotwheels all the time and thought I would pass on one of the bet ways to help keep the card from getting creased I have found. I cut 2 pieces of cardboard slightly larger than the card itself. On one of the pieces I cut out a hold large enough for the car and plastic to fit through. Then I put the car between the two pieces of cardboard and tape it together. This gives the card double protection from being bent. I received a trade like this once and ever since mail all my cars outlike this or in protec cases.
posted on September 1, 2000 07:00:36 AM
This is a nice thread.
I find that miserable customers are in the minority, but we tend to remember them because they make the most noise and cause us stress.
Thanks for posting about a customer that was forgiving of a honest mistake and really was a 'class act'.
'You attract more with honey than you do vinegar' as my grandmother used to say.
posted on September 1, 2000 08:08:01 AM
edhansen - Thanks for opening a thread and sharing a very positive outcome to your trade with your *very* gracious buyer.
You said, "I packaged an item that I thought would be secure. It obviously wasn't. Not only would he not accept a refund, he left me positive feedback." What I would like to ask is if he/she *was* offered a full refund by you (and then declined), or if you just took the email you posted as their way of implying that?
Guess I'm asking because as a seller, the one who's lack of knowledge on how to properly pack this item, would have caused me to refund their bid amount plus all shipping costs (both ways). Or I might have offer a full refund with shipping costs and told them to keep the item. Since it was my fault, I'd have accepted the whole blame and made it right by my buyer, even if they said it wasn't necessary. Just one persons opinion.
Then you said, "He's right, it was an honest mistake but a stupid one all the same. With someone like this, if I find another item like the one that he paid for, I will send it to him free of charge." That's very gracious of you too, but why wait....maybe the chance of you finding another one exactly like this won't happen, or may not happen for quite a while. Why not just refund their total costs?
This obviously touches a nerve with me, as a buyer, because this has happened one too many times to me. The sellers don't seem too concerned that while bidding on their auctions I expected the item would arrive in the condition I bought it in, and the condition they stated it was in.
Yes, while bidding on their item, I agreed to their TOS....they will refund the bid price, but not shipping/handling...so to return the damaged/mis-described item I have agreed to pay the shipping both ways. That's fine if the item were shipped properly and was in the condition seller stated, but not fine when the item is not received in the expected condition.
Sorry to rain on your (positive) parade....just needed to vent....but do strongly feel buyers should *NOT* be the one to 'eat' the sellers mistakes, no matter how gracious they are.
<b>"What I would like to ask is if he/she *was* offered a full refund by you (and then declined), or if you just took the email you posted as their way of implying that?"</b>
Yes, I offered him a refund right away, which he declined. I also told him to just send it any way was the cheapest he could, even if it meant that the item received more damage.My TOS also states that I offer a full refund on any item if it is returned wthin 10 days and I fully intend to honor that. Further, I told him that I would be prepared to do whatever was necessary to <b>earn</b> the positive feedback and make sure he was satisified.
"That's very gracious of you too, but why wait....maybe the chance of you finding another one exactly like this won't happen, or may not happen for quite a while. Why not just refund their total costs?"
If the reason for the refund is shipping damage, I'd like to see the item first. The second thing is that I feel confident that I can find another item identical to the first in the near future and this is what the customer wants.
"....but do strongly feel buyers should *NOT* be the one to 'eat' the sellers mistakes, no matter how gracious they are."
Good point but I have opened the dialogue with the buyer so that whatever I need to do to make him satisfied is what I will do.
posted on September 1, 2000 03:31:18 PM
I have had two buyers recently that have been extremely easy to deal with.
The first bought a widget from me, which was fully described in the auction description. Upon receipt it wasn't the item she was expecting but acknowledged it was her mistake for reading more into the description than was there. I offered her a refund and shipping x2 but she declined. She reiterated that it was HER mistake and not mine. I asked if there was another way I could have worded my description in order for this to not happen again on a sale of this same type widget and she said (emphatically) that it was perfect.
The second bought a set of 3 widgets from me. Turns out that I misrepresented the item. I thought they were widget widgets but they turned out to be some other type of widget entirely. I offered to refund plus shipping 2x but she declined. Said she collected similar items, and while they were not exactly what she was expecting, she really liked them and wanted to keep them.
Last but not least, I have lots of buyers who pay promptly, leave feedback, etc. They are all outstanding in my book.
posted on September 1, 2000 03:43:36 PM
Hoooo hummmm
Positive note ???
This maybe a great thread with tips for safe shipping of items but the good news here is just another case of the buyer telling the seller how to do things.not only that it seems the buyer insistant on what the sellers customer service will be your service will be to sell him at the same price another one shipped his way .
if you do this this bully buyer wont beat you up by makeing you pay refund and return :P
then ive been wrong before I have to say this maybe complaning is worse then on thought in the auction world when bully email looks like good news.
posted on September 1, 2000 04:29:02 PM
I had tried that start the bids at 1.00 with no reserve stuff (don't do it) and one lady was so upset about getting a trinket for the 1.00 bid she included a couple more bucks in the payment.
Now that is a nice lady. (yes I did mail the overage back to her, I told her knowing there were people like her in the world was payment enough)
