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Poll: Would You Upgrade This Buyer to Priority Shipping for Free?
airplanenut
Posts: 22,733 ✭✭✭✭✭
The facts: Buyer paid with a PayPal echeck that cleared on Thursday morning (3/20). I've been out of town since Thursday afternoon, but left before the payment cleared. I took every coin that's been sold with me, and didn't have access to a printer/shipping labels on Friday. I cannot (and thus don't) ship on Saturday.
Here's the email exchange, which has taken place today (Sunday, 3/23):
Buyer: Payment went through several days ago. I don't have the coin. You did not answer my email. Please tell me when the coin was shipped.
Me: I'm sorry for not answering sooner; I've been out of town since Thursday the 20th. The coin will ship tomorrow.
Buyer: Thank you. Please send it Priority Mail.
Me: As stated in the auction, it will be shipped via First Class Mail.
Buyer: It is not stated in the auction that the coin would not be shipped when the money was paid to you. Since you did not ship it when the Pay Pal funds were paid on March 20, it would be appreciated if you shipped it Priority Mail. This is a $350 coin, and I expected to have it by this time. A little extra customer service would make this customer happy.
I haven't responded to the last email. So, send the coin as I normally would, or give him a free upgrade?
Here's the email exchange, which has taken place today (Sunday, 3/23):
Buyer: Payment went through several days ago. I don't have the coin. You did not answer my email. Please tell me when the coin was shipped.
Me: I'm sorry for not answering sooner; I've been out of town since Thursday the 20th. The coin will ship tomorrow.
Buyer: Thank you. Please send it Priority Mail.
Me: As stated in the auction, it will be shipped via First Class Mail.
Buyer: It is not stated in the auction that the coin would not be shipped when the money was paid to you. Since you did not ship it when the Pay Pal funds were paid on March 20, it would be appreciated if you shipped it Priority Mail. This is a $350 coin, and I expected to have it by this time. A little extra customer service would make this customer happy.
I haven't responded to the last email. So, send the coin as I normally would, or give him a free upgrade?
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Comments
If you ship first class you will be receiving a negative.
Edited to add: Your being out of town does not relieve you from your responsibilities.
BTW: I"m not the buyer
<< <i>The guy is an A-hole, but you can upgrade him for only 2 or 3 more dollars, so just do it.
If you ship first class you will be receiving a negative. >>
How can you jump to that conclusion though? He paid for something that was expensive, and after a week, did not get his item. I would also ask the same and would hope the seller would ship it priority for me. Frankly, this does not make him a bad person in my opinion.
AJ
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<< <i>How can you jump to that conclusion though? He paid for something that was expensive, and after a week, did not get his item. I would also ask the same and would hope the seller would ship it priority for me. Frankly, this does not make him a bad person in my opinion.
>>
After a week? The funds cleared on THURSDAY. I'm out for the day at about 7:15-7:30am, so if I were at home, it wouldn't have been shipped until Friday, meaning it would have had to arrive overnight (Saturday) if he were to have it at this point. It's a one day delay in shipping.
https://acoinshop.com/ —-> https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
<< <i>He paid for something that was expensive, and after a week did not get his item >>
A week? Thursday was 3 days ago. The seller paid with e-check which he knows has
clearing time. If the item had shipped first class on the same day the e-check cleared,
he still would not have the coin unless he lived in the same town as Airplane nut. To
me, the buyer is being a jerk.
<< <i>
<< <i>How can you jump to that conclusion though? He paid for something that was expensive, and after a week, did not get his item. I would also ask the same and would hope the seller would ship it priority for me. Frankly, this does not make him a bad person in my opinion.
>>
After a week? The funds cleared on THURSDAY. I'm out for the day at about 7:15-7:30am, so if I were at home, it wouldn't have been shipped until Friday, meaning it would have had to arrive overnight (Saturday) if he were to have it at this point. It's a one day delay in shipping. >>
Just a point - the buyer may not have realized that an "eCheck" would not be considered "instant payment" & thus would take time to clear.... PayPal's new format w/ eBay has thrown me for a loop a couple times by doing bank funds when I didn't realize it.
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<< <i>How can you jump to that conclusion though? He paid for something that was expensive, and after a week, did not get his item. I would also ask the same and would hope the seller would ship it priority for me. Frankly, this does not make him a bad person in my opinion.
AJ >>
SURE.
<< <i>A couple bucks for a happy customer = a likely repeat buyer..... >>
Doesn't sound like the kind of "repeat buyer" I'd like to encourage...
You and I know that e-checks take time to clear. I would venture a guess that many buyers don't know this. (This guy didn't)
I think a shipping upgrade is certainly in order.
Russ, NCNE
The thing is, priority is a waste of money, it is RARELY any faster than first class unless your buyer is on the West Coast, then you might save a day. BFD.
<< <i>I would have responded to his request with "will do".
Russ, NCNE >>
Thank you , Russ.
This is precisely how to handle a customer's reasonable request.
https://acoinshop.com/ —-> https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
<< <i>
<< <i>I would have responded to his request with "will do".
Russ, NCNE >>
Thank you , Russ.
This is precisely how to handle a customer's reasonable request. >>
The request was not reasonable, it was stupid. First Class is plenty fast.
<< <i><< I would have responded to his request with "will do".
Russ, NCNE >>
Thank you , Russ.
This is precisely how to handle a customer's reasonable request. >>
The request was not reasonable, it was stupid. First Class is plenty fast. >>
It's likely the buyer isn't aware that they actually ship the same way and that Priority is really no faster. Thus, from their perspective it may seem perfectly reasonable. Besides, I learned a long time ago that you can never win an argument with a customer, even when that argument is unreasonable.
Russ, NCNE
<< <i>
<< <i><< I would have responded to his request with "will do".
Russ, NCNE >>
Thank you , Russ.
This is precisely how to handle a customer's reasonable request. >>
The request was not reasonable, it was stupid. First Class is plenty fast. >>
It's likely the buyer isn't aware that they actually ship the same way and that Priority is really no faster. Thus, from their perspective it may seem perfectly reasonable. Besides, I learned a long time ago that you can never win an argument with a customer, even when that argument is unreasonable.
Russ, NCNE >>
I agree you have to do things like this sometimes. But it does not change the fact that the buyer is a total IDIOT. A normal person would not expect to have the coin on Saturday when he paid the preceding Thursday. A reasonable person allows the seller a day or two to mail the item realizing they are not sitting at the computer 24 hours a day waiting for thier lousy $350.
<< <i>Besides, I learned a long time ago that you can never win an argument with a customer, even when that argument is unreasonable. >>
Well, there's that, too...
This issue isn't about who is right or wrong. It's not about who is an askHole or not. We have plenty of time to sit in judgement of the players, but from a business man's perspective, the customer is right. That's all I'm saying. (even if he's a jerk and he's wrong
https://acoinshop.com/ —-> https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
Menomonee Falls Wisconsin USA
http://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistr...dset.aspx?s=68269&ac=1">Musky 1861 Mint Set
Nothing ticks me off more than paying 5.95 shipping and seeing a shipping price of 2.00 on the package.
Save the drama about the packaging and gas and time spent throwing a coin in an envelope
I have sold coins before and three seperate times I threw a dollar or two in the package
after weighing it at the post office.
If you are not going to be out more than a buck or two I would do the upgrade and let him know.
Thanks him again for his purchase. And remind him Possitive feedback would be appreciated
JMHO
"Will do"
I like it.
As far as "their lousy $350", that's a seller I would never do business with, and I would urge you not to become that sort of thinker. Remember, you're selling something people don't "need", and if you're too difficult to deal with or patronizing over their small amount of money they can easily find someone else to take it.
To be honest I spend that much on lunches a lot of weeks, but still, it's money I've earned and I'm not going to throw it away. For a lot of people, perhaps most collectors, $350 is a significant purchase.
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<< <i>Firstly, I don't see the buyer as really being a problem, although expecting the coin in two days is unreasonable. If I'm going to be out of town when an auction ends I try to put that note in the auctions, if I leave unexpectedly then I usually have my laptop with me and would (and have) emailed winning buyers to let them know that it would be shipped by Monday or whenever. Most buyers only get concerned when they don't hear from a seller, as they probably should on ebay.
As far as "their lousy $350", that's a seller I would never do business with, and I would urge you not to become that sort of thinker. Remember, you're selling something people don't "need", and if you're too difficult to deal with or patronizing over their small amount of money they can easily find someone else to take it.
To be honest I spend that much on lunches a lot of weeks, but still, it's money I've earned and I'm not going to throw it away. For a lot of people, perhaps most collectors, $350 is a significant purchase. >>
I've been shipping gold buffalos registered and registered mail for some reason is taking over a week and my DSR rating on shipping time has gone down. Now I have to figure out how to bring it back up.
It gets tiresome going to the Post Office EVERY day but that is what is expected by the buyers. If Saturday doen't work for you I would state that in the auction and you still may get hit for it. I got an e-mail today from a buyer who sent his MO via Certified Mail. It was delivered Saturday Afternoon and he wanted to know when it would ship. Of course tomorrow morning. Any other answer would be wrong.
And to upgrade to priority mail which is no faster just for some windfall profits to the USPS makes no sense. Russ nailed it, you can't argue with a customer. I would probably have responded: "Priority mail is no faster than First Class but is inteneded to be First Class treatment for packages over 13 oz. If you still want me to I will but it won't change the arrival date. Because you are displeased that I was out of town when this auction ended I want to make you happy and will offer you free shipment on your next purchase, please remind me at that time and I'm sure I will remember you." --jerry
Good luck,
Jerry
Just because a person pays instantly does not mean that the item goes out
that day, the next day or the day after.
Now with that said I'd do it just to shut this buyer up.
I had a similar situation 2 weeks ago, I was away, a card i had sold for 511.00
I charge 3.50 shipping 1st class mail.
While I was away I emailed the buyer and explained that I would be late sending the card out.
he said that was ok.
When I got back home and checked my email (I didn't while away) he had left me an email saying " he needed insurance for this item".
Well he didn't pay for the insurance and it was an option. long story short I emailed him and told him that it would be NP
I would insure the item and send it priority mail, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to keep customers happy.
And I don't have too many customers willing to spend 500.00 for a common card!
I think the OP here did not like being TOLD how to send his item, especially when only a day or 2 elapsed from when the funds actually cleared.
Steve
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Kinda torqued me off and, if it wasn't for someone else, and the coin were to be returned from the USPS for some issue, I would have just cancelled the transaction.
To answer the question......buyer paid almost a week prior, most likely, but it didn't "clear" until Thurs AM. For him, he may not know how long it takes and only think that he had paid a week before so, where was the coin????
So, there are always "reasons" why something doesn't happen....on a $350 item, I don't think priority costs much more and it would be easy to do.
While I wouldn't appreciate the buyer trying to dictate shipping to me, your quick replies to him left that open, and the curtness was probably taken in "not a nice way".....
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I'm sorry but the fellow, immediately, paid you. Based on what he, and you, stated about your facts, if it were me, I'd eat the cost and one day it to him. If I were the buyer, I would expect it as well.
<< <i>
<< <i>The guy is an A-hole, but you can upgrade him for only 2 or 3 more dollars, so just do it.
If you ship first class you will be receiving a negative. >>
How can you jump to that conclusion though? He paid for something that was expensive, and after a week, did not get his item. I would also ask the same and would hope the seller would ship it priority for me. Frankly, this does not make him a bad person in my opinion.
AJ >>
Total agreement. As I said, it should be overnight, not just priority.
<< <i>It sounds like you were a little lax in your communication. The buyer should have received an email upon what he thought was payment explaining your e-check policy.
You and I know that e-checks take time to clear. I would venture a guess that many buyers don't know this. (This guy didn't)
I think a shipping upgrade is certainly in order. >>
The buyer is sounding a little testy to me but I'd ship it per his request anyway, and even if you do, you may very well end up with a neutral. How much difference are we talking here, a few bucks at the most?
A note to the buyer stating payment has been noticed but funds have not cleared yet may have helped.... or not.
<< <i>Buyer is a jerk to be sure.
Seller is cheap. >>
Why would he want to spend 3 extra dollars when he doesn't need to?
I'd do it though to avoid hurting your feedback score or DSR's.
<< <i>How could he reasonably expect to have the coin already anyway? Did he expect you to be sitting by the computer just waiting for his payment so you could rush out to mail his package? There are some really interesting people out there. >>
lol
is smoebody in charge of POTD?
$3.00 is nothing on a $300 coin, and I would also make an apologie for the oversight on your part for not stating in the auction you would be unavailable for shipping for a cpl days.