Sending message to buyers.

[mdaneke]

Here’s what I’m telling my buyers before I make the shipping label. Let me know what you think.

Hello and thank you for your purchase. I would like you to know and understand that there are some major delays with USPS right now. I am having some major problems with delays in Philadelphia and California. I have spent countless hours on the phone and in person with the post office. The whole EBay sellers forum is exploding about this issue. I upgrade shipping to priority shipping which is 2-3 business days but that doesn’t  matter. There is no rhyme or reason on how the post office operates. I have orders delivered to Washington state in 3 days and have orders to Philadelphia that have taken 3-4 weeks (45 minutes from my house in Jersey) Tomorrow is a holiday and will ship orders out Tuesday morning. If you need these buckets in a hurry or can’t wait for the USPS backlog please let me know tonight or tomorrow and will refund your money no problem. Once again thank you for your purchase and email me anytime. Mark

[inhawaii]

I wouldn't  waste my time and make the customer worry about something that MIGHT happen. 

[upsura_0]

bad idea

[*madison]

" I would like you to know and understand that there are some major delays with USPS right now. "

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The whole message is a bad idea, but the first line of the message would really irritate me..

And I would reply, but you wouldn't like my reply..

[1tuna]

...............general reply..............

you may as well invite the buyer here to the forum since you mentioned it and then you can have a rebuttal on the merits of mentioning unrelated topics in a message.

I am unsure why the buyer would care if anyones head is exploding over the USPS  delays mentioned on the forums

2 points for the idea but I just think its TMI

keep coming back

[no_zero369]

@mdaneke 

What you are attempting to do is manage buyer expectations.  There is nothing wrong with that!  Good customer service is always in vogue.

I just do not get those that see trouble around every corner.  Encouraging returns? Please!  A bad idea to communicate with a buyer and say 'thank you?'  Never inclined to warn of something that might happen, just take it on the chin when it does?  Sure is a lot easier to manage proactively than re-actively.  Setting your self up to fail because everyone knows about shipping delays?

No, upfront communication is the hallmark of good customer service.  You take control of your sales and what the buyer expects.  So many people are so self absorbed that they don't think very far and wide and the concept of shipping delays might not have occurred to their parochial minds, especially versus Prime next day shipping.  So stating such helps you set their expectation, which only helps you. 

Many posters this holiday season complain about the shipping delays, the effects on their seller metrics and forced refunds.  But then there are those who took the approach you proffer and were able to shepherd their buyers through the delays and for the most part avoid forced refunds, bad feedback, etc.  So those fearful of something bad happening, did nothing and bad things happened.  Those who were proactive staved off bad things.

Customer service is a choice and it goes far beyond just good listing pics & description and boxing things up nicely with a note.  Surprised that many are afraid of it or think it is a waste of time. 

Now that said the STYLE is important and your original note is TOO LONG!  I favor more of a parred down style like @slippinjimmy  suggested.

[no_zero369]

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@soh.maryl wrote:

Just curious:  Exactly how do you know that most who employed this strategy during the late Fall-Christmas rush were able to avoid INR filings? It would be great if that were the case, but from various postings on the M2M Board, it seems doubtful.  

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@soh.maryl 

Oh that is an easy one!

Post #50 by @kythrill  found here.

That was the best of several in that time frame so I book marked it.  Certainly more seller hiding under the desk than being proactive, so no idea what is the "consensus" on the M2M board.  Just seems human nature is to be reactive rather than proactive as there is fear of the unknown and what "might" happen if I 'poke the bear.'  {which in its self is a cynical view of buyers}

There was (is?) a big business problem out there (shipping delays)  and it has been interesting to see how many dealt with the problem.  Seems to be three common approaches:

• proactively set buyer expectations through communications
• close the store until better times
• do nothing and "hope for the best"

Each seller is free to chose any of these options.  I think it has been an interesting experiment in those who recognize an issue and find ways to deal with it and those who feel powerless or just muddle through.

[timesgoneby2018]

We write similar notes to our customers, just shorter and hopeful.

Thank you for your purchase!! We will be bring to the Post Office on Tuesday due to holiday Monday. Thank you for your patience with mail delivery in advance. Seems to be moving better😊. Happy New Year and please stay safe!
Sincerely,
Terry and Sue
Times Gone By

[byrd69er]

There's no need to make excuses for the USPS.

You've done what is expected of you.

[mdaneke]

This is just a test for the first time. Four out of the ten customers thanked me for the heads up and no cancellations. Just a note . This is a email from my cousin to tell me delay selling he is a postal worker for the Philadelphia Area and sent me this yesterday morning.

Just hold off. They are backed up a lot here in Philadelphia. Trucks upon trucks plus storage rooms . I think we will get caught up by first w3k in February.

[mdaneke]

I agree with your statement but this Shepard needs a break. 😫

[soh.maryl]

So one seller's experience with this issue is, to you, an indication that "most who employed this strategy were able to avoid INR filings"? Okay.  

[no_zero369]

Oh jeez!  Anyone reading the Shipping & Returns threads a couple of weeks ago saw numerous posts from those who communicated with buyers and avoided INR cases.  I gave a citation, but have not seen a counter citation where those that employed such a strategy had HIGHER INR cases.  So we are working off the assumptions of those who have never tried it, just rejected it out of hand?  Okay.

I'd be interested to learn why one thinks good customer service is a waste of time or leads to bad outcomes?

[no_zero369]

So you got 4 replies from buyers and ALL of them thanked you for the heads up?  So far that is 100% success rate from the note.  0% canceled the transaction as others predicted?  Any communication from the rest?

Keep us updated, perhaps we'll get some real data to counter the supposition, inference and speculation.

[pburn]

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@no_zero369 wrote:

So you got 4 replies from buyers and ALL of them thanked you for the heads up?  So far that is 100% success rate from the note.  0% canceled the transaction as others predicted?  Any communication from the rest?

Keep us updated, perhaps we'll get some real data to counter the supposition, inference and speculation.

---

Oh, good grief. Talk about supposition, inference and speculation versus "real data?"

The number of posts on public, volunteer community discussion boards on one side or the other is hardly "real data." One member's success with four buyers is certainly not representative of, well, anything, frankly.

I've noticed a lot of your lengthy threads and posts on "customer service" recently. I wonder if you're taking some online classes on the subject?

Mark me down as one buyer who would cancel the moment I read the OP's message, had s/he sent it to me.

[no_zero369]

The number of posts on public, volunteer community discussion boards on one side or the other is hardly "real data."

Then where do you suggest we get 'real data?"  The supposition posited was that on the M2M board this was a 'done deal' and a bad idea.  How is that any different or stronger than posts on the S&H forum?  At least the posters were stating their experience in avoiding INRs.  Did others show that communication was detrimental?

So there seems to be a vocal group here that is against doing any more that "Ship it & Forget it?"  WHY?

While I would not send what the OP proposed, the idea is appears to be a good one.  And recent evidence on the boards shows some proof of effect.

Again, where is the evidence that communicating with buyers is detrimental?

Any buyer who cancels because I communicate with them and am watching out for their best interest is "interesting" at best. 

I just learned from posters like you what works and I believe being customer friendly is the best path.  But I know there is a large number of posters who think communications are a waste of time.  Some prefer reactive and complaining about what eBay is doing to them, while others prefer a proactive approach.

So again, shine derision on the anecdotal data here is fine, but where is the 'real data' to be found that demonstrates communications is a bad plan?  I'm open to learn.