Bad buyer

[yoitsukizuna2008]

It's been a while since I got a bad Buyer. How eBay can manage the environment and make it better for sellers?

This buyer came to me asking "Why my package hasn't arrived?" I told her "Hi(showing her the tracking), USPS is out of my control, also it's over the weekend and your package is just on the way for 2 days which is normal", I showed her the tracking information, she said "I saw it, but where is my item?", and then she claimed I provided terrible customer service. Seriously, can someone tell me how to provide a "good experience"? Call USPS and threaten them to deliver tomorrow or this buyer will give me negative feedback? 

When the package arrived she claimed it was chipping (which is not likely because the part she claimed chipped was in the center of the item, usually if it broke it should be on the edge). But I refunded her anyway.

I went to read her profile and found out that she gave 30% of sellers negative feedback, at least 20 in a year at a glance.  I know eBay probably won't do anything to her but I really hope there could be an option for sellers can filter buyers based on how much negative feedback they give to others. Life is so hard, we need a better planet.

[brightlightbookseller]

There's no de-escalation visible in the messages they said they sent.  Information, but not de-escalation.  That would be actively trying to reassure or calm the customer, not telling them that the problem was "out of their hands" (even if marginally true, although not entirely).

[stacy_pme]

Usually very calmly, I track it for them.  I respond with the tracking number, and tell them they can go to the website (usually USPS.com) to track the package.  I also paste the tracking info in there, and advise them on arrival date.  I usually say, unfortunately, I cannot control how fast USPS ships, and I hope it arrives to them soon.  If they message back demanding package now, I would simply report them.  Demanding things that aren't provided in the listing is abusive buying behavior.  Demanding immediate shipping when the fastest shipping they chose was priority 2 day... is demanding something that isn't in the listing...  IF they then messaged me stating the item was chipped or whatever, I would invite them to put in for a return.  9 times out of 10 fake claims of damage are not returned to me... they WANT to keep the item AND get a refund.  So they usually decide to just keep the item... and not return it.... AND I don't have to refund them any money!!  BUT if they do return it, inspect it, if it was damaged in the return or whatever you can either 1) decline the refund (you'll really want to go through customer service for assistance.... because if they don't pack it correctly, they are held liable) ---  I would only go to this length if it was a very expensive item worth the fight....   IF it's a cheap item, you can simply only refund 50% and decline to refund any shipping fees they incurred... if they used & damaged it prior to the return....  Use your options wisely.  Keep your chips for the big battles, and for the little ones... it's best to dive on a sword... 

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

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This seller as far as I can see did the best they could do to de-escalate this customer by providing them with info regarding the tracking info. Yes, you should apologize for whatever malady as Karen they are experiencing. Karen reference was most certainly not used by this’d poster in their messages to this person. I would have advised them that that is a terrible idea. Karen’s do exist though.

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Actually, this seller did the complete Opposite of 'doing it right'. They started out by First- defending themselves which is NOT empathetic, nor helpful (stating 'I don't control USPS' is nothing but defensive)

[broto_64]

Customer: Where is my package?
Why haven't I received it?
Have you even sent it out, what are you doing, please don't tell me you're just another lazy bum seller.

Seller:
It's on the way, it was shipped (day of shipment) and it should arrive shortly.
Thank you for your business, have a great day.

[gloryglorygifts]

It took the scenic route! LOL. It happens and I'm so glad it worked out for you!

I've had a few go awry but I'll admit I'm a little **bleep** about watching the tracking, okay, a lot **bleep**. LOL. I've had instances where I contacted the USPS before the customer even knew there was a problem. I love when the buyers are understanding. That makes life so much easier. 

[gurlcat]

Actually if you pay close attention, packages move FASTER over the weekend.  And it makes sense, because there is less traffic simply because so many people are under the false assumption that it doesn't move at all then, so they figure it's pointless to ship on Friday or maybe even Thursday .... and wait until Monday (Monday is therefore the WORST day to ship, as you're in with the backlog).  

I learned this in my previous life of selling/shipping live aquarium fish, invertebrates and plants.  I watched every one of those boxes' tracking like a hawk, because the total time in sealed bags meant life or death for the organisms.  Pretty quickly it became clear that the best day to ship was Saturday, because delivery was almost always on Monday.  USPS has been less reliably speedy in recent years, but for the most part it is still pretty fast.  -Just recently I shipped a package on Saturday and it went from Mobile on the Gulf Coast to Fairbanks Alaska on Monday.  Oh and it was just a Ground Advantage one by the way.  

[fbusoni]

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@dbfolks166mt wrote:

Very true, but then again, it might be worthwhile recalling that the gargantuan entity known as the "US government" did not (try to) understand the looming implications of the pandemic and failed to mobilize in any way, shape or form in advance.   

The US Congress was briefed by CIA (which has a huge staff devoted solely to the monitoring and study of medical and health crises abroad) a full two months before COVID arrived in the USA, but our political class was preoccupied with the election and other matters of more concern to their personal fortunes.

In sum, taxpayers encountered a massive, systemic failure on the part of those we've hired to know about such things.  

USPS has a lot of shortcomings, for sure.   But in 25 years they've only lost one of my parcels.  YMMV.  

     Our government, by design, was never intended to be fast or efficient. However, it seems, at least to me, that it has progressively gotten worse over the last few years. This partisan crap makes me sick. It doesn't matter what politicians believe is the right thing to do for the people it's about loyalty to their party. 

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I regret to report that it's much, much worse than that.

Innovation in almost any form is frowned upon in the USG bureaucracy.

That's because innovation has the potential to introduce change.  And change means discomfort.  

It's imperative that the boat never, ever be rocked. 

Consider this:  I worked in an agency in the late 1970s and we all had rotary phones.   You could call anyone else in the building by dialing the last four digits of their phone number.  

One day we received a notice from central HR that we would soon have to dial the last five digits (I don't remember why).  

You should have seen the uproar.  It was all that people could talk about, for weeks.

Sadly, this mindset persists to this day throughout much of the bureaucracy, even as younger people enter the workforce.   It might well be an occupational hazard from what I've read.

[gurlcat]

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@golfingaddict wrote:

I won't engage buyers and I won't argue with them.  Most of the time, I have to trash items when they are returned.  I make them return it anyway.  I won't refund unless they return the item.  I don't even care if it costs me more, I deduct those losses at the end of the year anyway.

Buyers that show a lot of negative feedback or negative comments such as yours did are only reinforced and enabled by sellers that buckle out of fear.

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PR-EACH!!!  I've had more trouble with buyers in the past 10 weeks than in the whole prior year.  Why?  Because the prior year I had less than 100% positive feedback, as 100 is increasingly a vulnerable status to bully vulture types, because they think they see a seller who'll do anything to keep that perfect score.  Mine just happened to roll over to 100 in June because, well, I actually am a perfectionist in practice.  But I wasn't at all happy to see that anniversary because I knew the kind of annoying carp it would attract.  And those buyers seem to be increasing in number because of sellers who value a few tenths of a point positive feedback over money (I am shocked at some of the refund amounts I see sellers saying they just handed over, here in these boards).  

A few days ago I got one asking for a partial refund.  I gave my usual polite response about accepting returns, to which she persisted, giving an excuse why she "can't" return the item, which I ignored.   I had a feeling this would be the one to neg me.   This morning ..... oh happy day, I am blemished again!!!  

[fashunu4eeuh]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

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@yoitsukizuna2008 wrote:

yah ok, what if she said "I can see it. I have not received this item" I told her I have no control over USPS, and she said I gave very bad customer service. *shrug

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It takes finesse sometimes to deal with a troubled customer. Based on your responses here, it appears a “lighter” touch was required to calm the waters..

Telling any buyer that once the package leaves your hands it is out of your control may be an accurate statement, but it is not one designed to reassure an on-edge customer. 

The overall attitude that this buyer wasted your time with unreasonable and even stupid “Karen” demands is part of the problem, because it only escalated an already fraught situation with a difficult buyer. It is our job as sellers to maintain professionalism in the face of unruly behavior.

Being defensive, angry and blaming, and stooping to name-call, paints a less than satisfactory picture of customer service efforts.

Despite the buyer’s actions, this could have been handled better.

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And yes this poster as we all has NO control over a package getting there in 2 days. So, to handle this better, apologize as well for the USPS service. 

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The buyer was difficult and possibly out of line, as i suggested. This is not a license to follow suit though. OP has a history of dreadful responses to their neutral and negative feedback—filled with anger, defensiveness, victimization, blaming, and insults. None of which forwards the OPs image.

Declaring oneself as divorced from the package as a response to a buyer’s issue about the item’s transit speed only throws gasoline on the buyer’s already hot fire. Such a comment may be factual as i stated, but it serves no one. So yes, this seller could have done better.

That said, i know you were being facetious about the apology for USPS service. I do not believe an apology was warranted, and neither do i advocate a seller take abuse from a buyer. My point is that when a seller encounters an upset buyer (whether one feels their concerns are valid or not) offering words of encouragement and assurance may help assuage their concerns.

It is a matter of attitude.

[antflan77]

You go gurl.

Good for you.

[iamalwaysright]

Not sure if anyone said this so far as I haven’t read the replies yet. But I never tell a buyer something is out of my control regardless if it is or not. Especially on the initial reply. It shows to the buyer that you are placing the responsibility on someone else and don’t want to take any of it yourself. Even while that may be true, there are much better ways of wording your sentences than how you did.

I’m sure a majority of upset buyers got that way because of the way they felt they were spoken to. A better delivery even with the same news can avoid much of this drama. And tbh some people might look for more than just a quick delivery of their item in these transactions. Some look for more of an experience and customer service pleasantries to make themselves feel important or heard. Personally I couldn’t care less about my seller and stuff like that when I buy. But when selling I try to humor some of the folk who seem to need more than just “the facts”.

[iamalwaysright]

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@yoitsukizuna2008 wrote:

Hi actually i didnt put "Ma'am". just corrected it. 

There was nothing wrong with the tracking, she purchased it on Friday, I dropped on the same day, USPS does not work(or very slow) on weekends, so her package is super normal on the way on Tuesday, but she already demanded it on Tuesday and call me a "very bad customer service". I told her to look at tracking, she said "I looked at it where is my package?"

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I think you’re too fixated on the buyer calling you very bad customer service. Take it with a grain of salt (or maybe a bit of constructive criticism) and move on. You even said yourself she is a bad buyer. Why would a bad buyer's words even take up real estate in your head for?

[iamalwaysright]

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@yoitsukizuna2008 wrote:

yah ok, what if she said "I can see it. I have not received this item" I told her I have no control over USPS, and she said I gave very bad customer service. *shrug

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That’s because your delivery was bad. I agree with a previous reply here that the words you used on your reply to the buyer sounds like you don’t care. And that would only escalate things when you already have a PO’ed buyer.

[iamalwaysright]

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

The teachings from a Customer Service Company that was sent out to all the Big Box Retailers giving each and every employee an 8 hour 'class' shows the first thing you do is

De-escalate. Give the 'customer' some empathy and tell them you 'understand' their frustration. This gets them off the 'attack' almost immediately. 

This is true. But when the tables are turned I’ve noticed that I often would get more annoyed if the agent was saying these words half-donkey’d. Usually it’s done either in person or on the phone. I can tell you’re reciting a script and there’s no genuine concern on your part. So it irritated me that they didn’t even care enough to sound genuine while lying to me.

Bottom line, saying the right words aren’t enough sometimes. You gotta put some effort into selling it a little.

[johnrj1226]

you said this

" I told her "Hi(showing her the tracking), USPS is out of my control........"

Again I will restate "You the seller is in control - you picked the carrier, you picked the  servicelevel, you elected when you had the package  scanned in the USPS system - that's what  I reacted too - didn't miss your point.  BTW - mail does  move on the weekend - always  had items  paid for on after pick up hours on Friday get an acceptance scan on Saturday never waited  until the following Monday or possibly Tues.. eBay says it is OK to wait 'til Monday or Tues if Mon is a Post office Holiday.   I elected to get it in the system pronto/ASAP - my Buyer FB   reflects buyer like  quit   deliver service  - my decision or control (as a seller).   The major eBay competitor seems to get Sunday  deliveries via USPS service vehicles - ya' gotta do you best to try to compete in a competitive  world - ya' snooze/   you loose. 

Yes there is a point that is under  the control of the carrier but your decision came first.