What’s the worst thing you’ve ever said to a buyer?

[crosseyeboxbreaks]

I know as sellers, we are suppose to be respectful and “kiss the customers butt”. But at the end of the day, we are all human. We get frustrated and let that frustration out, sometimes on someone that didn’t deserve it. 

So, I’ll start by saying mine. 

For anyone that sells in Canada, you’ll know that it’s impossible to sell a magnitude of items if you purchase tracking. Anything over 2cm’s in thickness must ship at parcel rates. The lowest a parcel rate will ever be, is around $10 and that’s for local shipping. 

This makes selling most things impossible. Want to sell that multivitamin you purchased for $10, but never even opened. Too bad. Want to sell your kids old toys they never play with? Too bad on the cheaper ones. No one will pay $10 for something and add another $15-$25 for shipping, when the American sellers can ship it for under $5. 

So to finally get to my worst moment. I ship tons of items with just stamps. Very, very rarely, does this ever cause problems(most people in Canada understand our shipping processes up here). However, I went through a couple rough weeks where buyer after buyer claimed their items didn’t arrive. 

After having to refund them because I can’t provide proof of tracking, I had this woman message me. She says “my _____ hasn’t arrived yet? Can you provide tracking?” 

I responded with “unfortunately, we cannot ship a $7 item, including shipping with tracking. In order to ship your item to where you live with tracking, the shipping alone would cost us $15+. However, if your item doesn't arrive by ‘whatever date’,  I will contact the company that handles the tracking on our GPS enabled bubble mailers to see where your item is”.

She responded less than two minutes later saying she found it in her bushes out front. I’ve been tempted to use this approach again, but just can’t bring myself to it. 

I’d love to hear the worst thing any of you have ever said to a buyer.

[slippinjimmy]

My bubble envelops have cameras as well as GPS chips inside them. The camera sends a live feed via the cell network!

Not to an eBay customer and on the phone many years ago, customer was just too much for me to handle, eventually said to her words I cannot repeat here and hung up. 10 minutes later a tall muscular gentleman came into the store and said "are you the one who told my wife ........ .......?".

My apology skills worked that day fortunately and I learned a lesson that is memorable even now some 40 years later. Better to bite your tongue than risk a punch in the head.

[stuff_from_dylan]

When I was a noobie, I once got too defensive with a buyer and said “this is not my fault at all” blah blah blah and they freaked out. Yes, to this day, I’m pretty sure USPS damages the item (I won the claim), however, I was a bit too defensive with the buyer especially when it’s always the seller’s fault in SNADs.

[autopartspuller]

I've been in retail in one form or another since the early 1990 So, I have learn patience and the ability to walk away and breathe before speaking.  I can honestly say that I may have yelled at my computer but, none of my anger has ever flowed over to my buyers on here.

However, One of my very first retail management jobs was in children's photography studio in a Kmart (yep that long ago).   My studio was the only around for about 45 miles (over an hour drive) so we kept busy (this was before walmart).  I had a woman come in at christmas time with her kids.  She was extremely rude to both me, my employees and other customers.  Her kids were brats.  She was there for about 3 hours waiting in line, when it was finally her turn she was so nasty and her kids were throwing little fits.  She starting belittling the photographer.  I had enough of her and told her to leave.  She started being nasty to me and I told her she was a fat cow, her children where uncontrollable brats and no one should ever have to deal with the likes of her or her nasty things she calls children.  She insisted that we finish the photos and she wanted them free.  I told her it would be over my dead body before I would let her kids be photographed here again.   She called our customer service who called me.  They told me I had to take her.  I told them flat out that I wouldnt do it and they had no way to make me.  She was never allowed in my studio again, period.  

Two weeks later she tried to come in with a free voucher.  Still denied her.  Told her I didnt care if they gave her a 100 free sessions, it wouldnt be done in my studio.

Heard from my District manage once about it.  Told her that the woman was intolerable and she could fire me but, I would not work with her.  Manage said, it was fine with her.  It was my decision.

Got to say it felt good.  But, I have learned patience and tolerance with age.  It would never happen now a days.

[gracieallen01]

Hmmmm, the worst thing I've ever said to a buyer, huh?  That would have to be, 'No'. 

Call them all kinds of names or make up all kinds of stories, no biggie.  They often expect that, or at least are not surprised.  But, 'No', is completely unacceptable.

[gracieallen01]

@autopartspuller 

That's a shame - it probably should happen more often nowadays.  'Entitlement' is on the roll and picking up speed. 

(personal opinion - your mileage may vary)

[pounur_0]

You mean now, or back in my drinking days?

I would personally chose the drinking days to qualify since I got fired from more jobs then so that would indicate this to be prime time... I'm sure being intoxicated on the job most definitely made for some colorful conversation, but it's difficult trying to remember what it was I said at the time.

[pburn]

The title of this thread is telling. Sort of like, "What's the worst name you've ever called your spouse/parent/sibling/child/boss/coworker . . .

There are definitely people who just aren't cut out for online retailing. It takes a certain temperament to sell online. Some people have it, and some people don't. Deciding into which category you fall might help you with some decision making in the future.

[18704d]

Well, I've always tried to stay polite to my buyers, but I do understand your frustration.

Years ago, I had a buyer, interested in an item of mine, but offering an insanely low amount of money.

He/she? would offer an insanely low amount, and I'd counter with a nice offer, a nice chunk off my original.

(say ... an 80 dollar item, I'm willing to go to about 60 .. she first offered 10, then after I politely countered at 60 ...

.. she offered 14 dollars.

I stated that completed listings showed all sellers having strong sales at 60 dollars or more...

she huffed something like:  "Well, there's No Way I'm going over 15 dollars!!!"

Though it was apparent she was still 'negotiating'  I responded:

"I thank you for your prior interest in my item."

She took the hint and I never heard from her again.

Lynn

[cashvaluerecovery2011]

Worst thing i ever said to a buyer was. "No i will not drop the charges."

[readabouthorses]

I guess the worst thing I've ever said to a buyer was telling her she had a serious problem and needed to see a therapist.

This was way back when buyers could easily get your phone number and call you. One day I got this angry woman on the phone who just started yelling and ranting that she had not received her magazine and what was I doing and where was her magazine. When I finally got a word in I told her it definitely should be there and I would check on the tracking and call her back. Then she got all huffy and said "well, it must be in these 50 packages that  I haven't opened yet!). Yes, that is right, 50 packages and I immediately got a mental picture of this woman sitting in the middle to all these opened and unopened packages trying to figure out what she had received and what she had not. When I hung up I checked and her package had been delivered 2 weeks before she called. I didn't call her back .. just sent her a message and I never heard from her again. 

[pargran3]

It can get frustrating. 

I have sometimes typed a message (or two) telling a buyer what I really think of them. then delete and try again.

Probably the snottiest that got send was something along the lines of "look, this is not rocket science".

It is sometimes very hard to stay polite especially if the buyer is being a nasty piece of work.

Radine

[keziak]

---

@gracieallen01 wrote:

Hmmmm, the worst thing I've ever said to a buyer, huh?  That would have to be, 'No'. 

Call them all kinds of names or make up all kinds of stories, no biggie.  They often expect that, or at least are not surprised.  But, 'No', is completely unacceptable.

---

I said the variant on this just today, when a customer lowballs me badly and says they can get it on Amazon for much less than my asking price. I looked and informed her that if we were looking at the same book the Amazon copy is actually significantly more than mine. Funny, didn't hear back.

[froggyjump]

I don't say mean things to buyers. I do defend myself if they appear in the process of thieving and do all kinds of things against them, legally, if that is the case.

[coolections]

It sounds like your blaming your problems on buyers. It is not their fault you are charging so much for shipping, Maybe stick to Canada only since you cannot afford to ship to USA ?