posted on July 24, 2001 07:28:15 AM
Hello, I'm new here, and new to ebay. I started selling in March and so far have had mostly good experiences.
I sold several wigets (I notice y'all call 'em widgets, is it ok to say what it really is?) to the same buyer, several each weeks for 3 weeks in fact. I'm currently holding this week's batch pending payment.
Buyer emailed and said two of them were too thin in the back. This is unlikely as I handle all my wigets pretty intensely in process of photographing and describing. But I could have been in a hurry and missed it. She requested credit for them vs the current batch.
I went the extra mile and offered credit for bid price+shipping she paid+return shipping to send them back to me (what more could she ask?) She replies she hates to go to the post office and would rather pay full price for the current batch and donate the flawed ones to a local nursing home, anything to avoid packaging and shipping return.
Whether or not she is after free ones....who knows. Ask her this. Would she be able to get a refund from her grocery store or local department store without returning the merchandise?
The final decision is up to you, but I wouldn't give her her money back until after the merchandise is returned. Also, if it is your oversight then return shipping costs, if she is making it up, then don't.
posted on July 24, 2001 07:35:04 AM
I'm wondering what your widgets are.. hairpieces?? LoL!
Anyway, that is a toughie. It really depends on how your rapport has been so far, she is a repeat customer. Do you think she will keep being a customer? Have you made enough to write these off?
Normally, I don't credit unless the defective merch is returned first. I have, however, just given a refund if the cost of return shipping wasn't worth it. It all boils down to how much money is involved, how comfortable you are with the customer, and how comfortable you are with your profit margin.
Is this something she can photograph and send to you to verify?
posted on July 24, 2001 08:06:09 AM
More pizza anecdotes from my past.
Had a customer order a pizza, was delivered to him.
He called back, said it was the wrong thing. We said, ok, we'll bring you the right thing.
So I did. Was supposed to pick up the other pizza -- just a company rule. Got there and he said he went ahead and fed it to his dog, since we'd just throw it away anyhow.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
I should have made him pay for the second one! One of those moments I wish I had back so that I could provide a little more "customer service".
