Q&A: How generous should I be in correcting my shipping mistakes?
QUESTION: This past weekend I received an e-mail from a customer on the opposite coast inquiring why they hadn't received their book yet. The buyer paid for expedited shipping, but I accidentally sent it Media Mail. I've been selling books on Amazon for two years now, and this is the first time I've made this mistake.
Since the customer paid $60 for the book, I've offered to refund them half the cost of the book. Do you think my offer to refund half the purchase price is appropriate? Is there anything else I should do?
ANSWER: I've made the same mistake several times. Usually I apologize profusely and refunded the shipping fee, $5.98. But several other times I have done exactly what you did and refunded 50 percent of the total (but never for an expensive book like this).
Sometimes I've based my decision on how much longer the person had to wait -- for example if the person was in Alaska and Hawaii and it took over a month, I've refunded 100 percent -- but those happened to be cheap books.
On an expensive book like your transaction, a 50 percent refund really hurts. It's exceedingly generous, so I defintely wouldn't offer anything more.
Through experience, though, I've noticed one great result out of admitting your mistakes and offering to make good on it. For example, many times when I've offered a partial refund (for this and other types of problems) the customer has responded, "No refund is necessary, thanks for the offer." They were totally satisfied that someone acknowledged the problem and made a gesture of offering something for their inconvenience. This puts us in a favorable light compared to most retailers -- so often when people make a complaint about service, it's not even acknowledged.
Since the customer paid $60 for the book, I've offered to refund them half the cost of the book. Do you think my offer to refund half the purchase price is appropriate? Is there anything else I should do?
ANSWER: I've made the same mistake several times. Usually I apologize profusely and refunded the shipping fee, $5.98. But several other times I have done exactly what you did and refunded 50 percent of the total (but never for an expensive book like this).
Sometimes I've based my decision on how much longer the person had to wait -- for example if the person was in Alaska and Hawaii and it took over a month, I've refunded 100 percent -- but those happened to be cheap books.
On an expensive book like your transaction, a 50 percent refund really hurts. It's exceedingly generous, so I defintely wouldn't offer anything more.
Through experience, though, I've noticed one great result out of admitting your mistakes and offering to make good on it. For example, many times when I've offered a partial refund (for this and other types of problems) the customer has responded, "No refund is necessary, thanks for the offer." They were totally satisfied that someone acknowledged the problem and made a gesture of offering something for their inconvenience. This puts us in a favorable light compared to most retailers -- so often when people make a complaint about service, it's not even acknowledged.
Labels: customer service, fulfillment, refunds
posted by Steve Weber at 1/31/2007
8 Comments:
I recently shipped and item that was IDENTICALLY as described. A few days later I received and e-mail complaint AND an A-Z claim that the item was NOT as described. Reading b/w the lines of the buyer's e-mail to me, I understood it was not what he/she had intended to ordered, so they intended to make me pay for their mistake, if not buy them the very expensive $60+ item they really wanted. I resent the Item Details that accompanied the purchase, but I am afraid, since it is not really the point that the item was "not as described", the buyer's intent, who was not very kind in his/her e-mail, is to "win". How generous should I be with this customer?
Anonymous, I would not budge an inch in that situation. Don't bother with the customer at all, just present your side on the A-Z claim. You're not obligated to negotiate with the customer anymore since they filed an A-to-Z without trying to work things out with you first.
After many problems with media mail and some unhappy customers, I always send books first class mail or priority no matter what the customer pays for shipping. It is worth it for my peace of mind and the customer is always happy. I only sell books where there is enough profit margin to make this worthwhile. This is especially important if you live on one of the coasts and are sending a book to the opposite coast. Media mail can take a month or more at times!
If it was entirely MY mistake, I will make a generous offer to make it up to the customer. A full or partial refund is the best policy along with a sincere apology. If it was a misunderstanding, then I will usually offer a partial refund. If it was entirely the customer's fault, I will stand fast and offer nothing.
I am experiencing a somewhat similar problem. The customer did not receive their item. The customer sent me a modified address and wants another one sent or a full refund. The customer insists the original address should have reached them. I believe there is no way of avoiding negative feedback at this time. My philosophy would be to return the money, but under these circumstances what do I have to gain? OR lose?
I recently started using Endicia, and find that the delivery confirmation is well worth the extra .30 cents. When a customer contacts me because they think their book is taking to long, I can run the tracking and let them know exactly where their book is. The last one, her husband had picked the book up off the porch and forgot to tell her...she insisted it was not there. I asked her to wait 24 hours and she sent an "apology." Most customers are nice about this, but the ones who are beasts are always the ones who bought a cheap book. Also, when I use Endicia, the books seem to get where they are going much more quickly.
Our very first order on Amazon.com (well, directly, we use to sell via ABE) had a similar problem. Customer paid expedited, we shipped Media Mail by mistake... he filed an AtoZ claim! Imagine our first order! Amazon took his side and we lost all of the order (it was around $40 as I recall). Taught us a lesson though. If a Customer pays for expedited we ship Priority even if First Class would work! Hey! Here is something we have learned about AtoZ claims. Amazon will always pay, but if the Seller has documented (email dialogues and dates, etc.) proper customer service, if Amazon doesn't find Seller at fault, he doesn't pay! We had it happen! So, have good policies in place and explain to Amazon what the situation really is. We have also had customers return items because it was not what they thought they had ordered (like the comment above), which their mistake and we refund the item price, but shipping is forfeit.
FYI, Steve, our blog site has changed to http://www.britedaybooks.info Thanks!
Have just read the comments more closely and have another story related to AtoZ claims that might be of interest...
Had a lady wait a month after the order and then suddenly within a 2 day period totally flip-out! She sent an email, didn't hear back within half a day, sent another, decided she was being blown off, filed an AtoZ claim, left negative feedback, just totally nuked us! And, of course, I had checked email just before her first one, but we weren't getting much inquirys and we were busy with family matters. Check back in a couple days, and here is this lady just totally dissing us! Sorry. Anyhow, my point? Well, of course, I started damage control right away and issued full refund (as she would have gotten a month earlier if she had contacted us)... or I should say I tried to issue a full refund. I was unable to because of her outstanding AtoZ claim!! She had shot herself in the foot. And, Amazon wouldn't have taken her side in the claim, by the way (we were not obligated to give any refund)(this is also before I knew about the Amazon pays but Seller doesn't clause). It was NOT a trivial matter to get things straightened out with Amazon to get a legitimate refund issued. Lessons learned? You bet a rare day goes by that our email isn't checked for inquiry, and, it is definitely on my TO-DO list to automate a shipment tracking followup system to KNOW when orders haven't arrived smoothly.
Oh, yeah, and probably an underline of your suggestion that once it goes to AtoZ claim, just defend your position and avoid the time waste of multiple email exchanges trying to smooth things out with the Customer.
Hope this helps.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home