posted on September 15, 2001 09:07:00 PM new
Ok I got some really good help last night . I have another question to pose to you
When I accept payment I give my buyer the option to include insurance...
When I get the payment from paypal or billpoint . I take the letter I get from them and send it to the shipping department , threw an email. At the same time I carbon copy the letter and send it back to the customer.
The letter tells the customer when to expect the item and that it's being shipped either insured as requested or uninsured as requested
This is were my problem is beginning...some of my customers are emailing back asking if they can add the insurance to the item after they paid ....Is it wrong to ask them to pay the handling fee for the billpoint or paypal ??? After they have paid and then decided to add the insurance. I email them an automated letter that tells them the total and that insurance is extra. I also remind them after they have paid that the item is being sent ( how they have asked ) Should i have to eat the cost of there mistake ?? or that they have decided after to insure
posted on September 15, 2001 09:13:11 PM new
i hope it is not happening to every sale you made??
i would quote them an amount which covers the insurance premium and misc handling fee,no one needs to know this is paypal or billpoint.
if you dont like it,they can always mail you a check,which will of course slow down shipping
posted on September 15, 2001 09:16:08 PM new
I had thought of that !!! but basically it is starting to happen a lot ...in 10 auctions 4 have emailed me back asking to add insurance after they have paid...
posted on September 16, 2001 06:19:48 AM new
Eastwest,
In my opinion, there are a couple of underlying issues which are causing confusion to your buyers and perhaps causing the problems that you are having.
1. Because you have automatic emails, and you do the "carbon copy" email, without the insurance included, your customers are paying without fully understanding your terms. It seems that your "warning" about uninsured items is coming too late in the process, making customers rethink their purchase and requesting that insurance after they have paid.
2. I'll try to be sensitive here, but your use of grammar might also be a problem when communicating with your customers. You misuse several words in your end of auction notice and auction descriptions and in your posts here, making your messages a bit harder to understand.
3. Your suggestion/information about insurance appears to be a threat "after the fact" I'm sure you don't mean it that way, but basically, after the sale is made and payment has been issued, you are telling the customer "by the way, if you didn't insure, TOUGH!!" At least that is how I read it, and I think many of your customers read it the same way, therefore, they rethink the insurance and want to purchase after the fact.
You say that you "self-insure" What I suggest is that you look at your insurance claims over the last 6 months and get a general idea on how many claims you have had to pay out or replace. Then look at "Your Costs" of the items that you sell, decide how much it actually costs you to replace/reship/refund on claims (your out of pocket costs) in a month. Take that number and divide it by the number of packages you ship a month and make that your insurance cost. Then self-insure every package. The amount you charge may only be fifty-cents or less, but in the long run, it may be easier for both you and your customers.
Is there someone in your company that could proof-read your auctions and your end of auction notices? It may help you reduce problems and questions to have concise, easy to read communications with your customers.
Make things easy for your customers and in the end it will be easier for you as well.
posted on September 16, 2001 06:22:16 AM new
ICYU, I'm not sure what you're talking about, no one has used that spelling in this thread except you (I just used it- oh well).
Eastwest, why not make insurance MANDATORY on items over $50? That's what I do. It protects YOU, not just the buyer. What happens if the item gets "lost"? If it was uninsured, don't think you won't have an unhappy buyer and be at risk for neg. feedback!
posted on September 16, 2001 06:41:29 AM new
How many times have we seen posts here about this? If customer pays by credit card and the item doesnt arrive, they can do a charge back and you lose. It doesnt make a difference if they declined insurance. I offer free standard shipping on my items but if they are paying with a credit card they must take priority shipping with confirmation or insurance. And if paying by credit card, it must be shipped to the confirmed address. Ship to their office at their request and if it gets lost or stolen, YOU will pay for it. Customers rarely accept responsibility for the consequences of their choices.
posted on September 16, 2001 07:36:15 AM new
I golf thank you were very nice about everything. The big problem is no , I do not have someone to read over the auction. I do not want the staff reading over the auctions because then they will talk. I speak much better then I write . It really ticks me off because at trade shows. I can sell ice to an Eskimo, but write a letter well that can take an hour. Just for a small one
