I Screwed up.. help

[Damion]

I mistakenly shipped everything out in the wrong box (flat rate priority the 8 dollar one) I thought the boxes had changed because of the rate change on the 14th so I ordered a hundred of them (stupid stupid) and I just found out from the post office this morning that I had twenty-Two boxes that either need there postage updated or I need to pick them up. they've been sitting there all week :(

once I get the packages back in my hands I plan to cut the paypal labels out and affix them to the correct box and send apology letters to everyone with the option for a full refund or their item ships off tomorrow. Should that be alright or am I looking at something far worse. I already got one buyer yelling and screaming that I'm trying to fraud him and that the tracking number I gave him was not legit and he is going to bring the world crashing around my ears and his is the worst because I couldn't get his shipped off right away. I'm so mad at myself right now.

Is there anything more I can do? I'm trying to be a good seller just this dum mistake has got me realing.

P.S. if VIMVIP from ebay happens to cruise these forums contact me so we can work it out your not responding to my messages.

[udisi]

I would as calmly as possible try and explain the situation, remedy it as quickly as possible(tell your bidders a time frame if possible), and just accept things as they come. You made a mistake, and some people may hold you accountable for that. Be the bigger man, and try and be as nice as possible and follow through, stay in contact with those who are upset the most. Counter their anger with calm kindness, and you may be able to avoid a neg.

[Fuyukaze]

Basicly what they just said. From a buyer's perspective I genraly perfer the seller to be completly honest and upfront with anything that goes wrong. The few times I've sold stuff on here, I've done the same thing as well. Dont beat around the bush with these people as your dealing with their money. Try and give them a timetable as to when they can expect the stuff to arive. If you want to offer them something out of the blue, offer them tracking numbers (if you havent already) for what ever they bought from you. Atleast that'll give them some small comfert to know your trying. Also, keep in contact with any updates and changes so they know what's going on. They dont need to know every detail of your life but they do need and want to know what's up with the stuff they paid for.

[Damion]

That is what I'm planing on doing. I'm just glad everyone else is of the same mindset. vimvip's order is the worst one because it's almost two weeks overdue which sucks I've been trying to get a hold of him but he isn't responding to my messages I even offered a refund and sent him a craigsnumber so he could call me but he just seems to want this to end badly.

[veronica_marsfan]

I need to pick them up. they've been sitting there all week :( Frankly, I would not have worried about it. It was only a one week delay. U.S. Law allows upto a month delivery time, and you are well within that window. Instead of offering a refund, I would have immediately paid the additional fees required, and shipped them out, and that would be the end of it. No big deal.


I already got one buyer yelling and screaming that I'm trying to fraud him and that the tracking number I gave him was not legit and he is going to bring the world crashing around my ears My reply would be:

"You need to calm down. My feedback clearly shows I deliver what I promise to deliver. Yes, there was a delay >caused by the post office< but that is not my fault. It was the result of the rate change that happened last week, and therefore out of my control.

"So please, calm down. Your item was delayed by the U.S. Postal Service, but it is now on its way. :-)"



Don't let insane buyers push you around. If that person can't understand that you are human, and humans sometimes make mistakes, then THEY are the ones with the problem.

Part of selling is learning that some people are only happy when they are UNhappy, and there's nothing you can say or do to change their outlook on life.

[Damion]

yeah he is getting freaky upset I remember more then a few times waiting for an item for almost a month and sure I was upset but I never just started firing off emails filled with threats after a week and a half. I just wouldn't leave feedback if it took a month when I finally got my item. I figure a neg needs to be well deserved like never getting my item and not being given a refund or being told to F-off or not responding to my emails.

[udisi]

My reply would be:

"You need to calm down. My feedback clearly shows I deliver what I promise to deliver. Yes, there was a delay >caused by the post office< but that is not my fault. It was the result of the rate change that happened last week, and therefore out of my control.

"So please, calm down. Your item was delayed by the U.S. Postal Service, but it is now on its way. :-)"



Don't let insane buyers push you around. If that person can't understand that you are human, and humans sometimes make mistakes, then THEY are the ones with the problem.

Part of selling is learning that some people are only happy when they are UNhappy, and there's nothing you can say or do to change their outlook on life.


I wouldn't say it this way.

1) Never tell an angry person what they need to do, like you started in your response. "You need to calm down" The statement implies dominance and can make a person feel belittled. A pissed of person will problem respond to this like "who are you to tell me what I hae to do when you hae my money and I have no product"

2) Neer disavow responsibility. "but that is not my fault" although, the rate change may hae caused this problem, it is partially the seller's fault. A statement like this can further insense an angry customer because it can come accross as you trying to minimize your responsibility.

Rather I would respond more like this:

Dear (Whomever)

I'm sorry, but your package has been delayed due to the recent change in postal rates. The postoffice just infomed me that several of my packages were held because they require more postage. I have corrected the error and your package should be arriving within (timeframe). The tracking number on your package is(# ...if no tracking omit this sentence.)
Once again, I apologize for any inconvience. If you require further information please contact me at (email). I would be happy to calm any concerns you may have.

(Your Name)

[RugalSizzler]

Just tell them the truth if they want to be jerks let them be jerks. Tell them there packages is on there way.

[veronica_marsfan]

If someone starts bitching at me "you are trying to scam me" I'm not going to kiss their ass. They just INSULTED me and that's totally uncalled for. Completely unprofessional on the buyer's part.

I'm not going to be rude either, but I'm not going to bow down before them and say, "Please forgive me." Forget that. I'm not a servant/slave to the buyer. I'll say what I said before:
- you're over-reacting
- I don't like being accused of being a thief
- there was a delay caused by the post office, but I fixed it, so your item is on the way



BTW:

I'm surprised the post office held your packages. During the first month after a rate change, there's supposed to be an "amnesty" (says my postmaster).

That way if a customer accidently forgets about the rate change, and uses an old stamp, the item will still go through. The post office, as part of that amnesty period, should have left your boxes go through under the old rate.

[udisi]

If someone starts bitching at me "you are trying to scam me" I'm not going to kiss their ass. They just INSULTED me and that's totally uncalled for. Completely unprofessional on the buyer's part.

I'm not going to be rude either, but I'm not going to bow down before them and say, "Please forgive me." Forget that. I'm not a servant/slave to the buyer. I'll say what I said before:
- you're over-reacting
- I don't like being accused of being a thief
- there was a delay caused by the post office, but I fixed it, so your item is on the way



BTW:

I'm surprised the post office held your packages. During the first month after a rate change, there's supposed to be an "amnesty" (says my postmaster).

That way if a customer accidently forgets about the rate change, and uses an old stamp, the item will still go through. The post office, as part of that amnesty period, should have left your boxes go through under the old rate.


I totally understand your response. It's totally normal for you to feel insulted by accusitions of something you didn't do, but that's why I said be the bigger person.

Many people overreact, but if you come back acting all high horse-ish and start being a smart ass or a straight up ass back, you're just going to piss them off more and garentee yourself negative feedback.

I'm not saying kiss their ass just suggest that being calm, courtious, and to the point, is much more effective in neutralizing the situation. I didn't kiss their ass, but rather apoligized for MY error. You shouldn't depend on amnisty from the post office. The rates changed May 14th. They had it advertised for a while before that...even on ebay. If I made the mistake, I'm gonna apoligize for it. It's not the post office's fault that I didn't put the right postage on it. It never hurts to say I'm sorry and take responsibilty for your actions. Anyway, 9 times out of 10, even dumb people will feel bad for overreacting, and will appreciate your calm headed-ness if the situation is resolved in a timely manner.

You're free to feel insulted and react how you want, but I garentee you, your reaction will probably make the situation worse not better. As a seller you are the buisness and the way you react is your customer support. I'm sure you wouldn't feel better if customer support told you "Cool your jets, I ain't a thief, the check's in the mail."

[Damion]

Well...

He still hasn't contacted me after 6 messages and a phone call (his number on ebay is out of service) so I sent him this one.


How can we work something out if you don't contact me. you seem more then ready to make this end badly but I get no responses when I've been trying to work this out with you.
this is the last message your going to get from me you can either contact via email at Damionxxxxx@gmail or you can call me at (504) 208 2333 xxxx thats a craigsnumber or you can email me yours I have free long distance.
you can either have a full refund or I'll be fixing the shipping mistake and it will be on it's way to you tomorrow. if you still refuse to respond by tomorrow your item will not ship and you will recive a full refund.

I've already contacted ebay about this matter and I've also tried calling you but your number listed is out of service.

so if you would contact me so we can get this sorted that would be great. many thanks.

I know I was more stern then I should have been but once I started responding he wrote back once then stopped.

do you guys want to see what he had sent before hand?

EDIT hey thanks for that earler pm veronica_marsfan :)

[RugalSizzler]

This is not a big deal it happens with big business all the time.

[veronica_marsfan]

Well, going along the line that this guy was MY hypothetical buyer:

- The guy insulted me.
- I replied in a professional "just the facts" manner. I could have, but did not, insult him back. I acted in a professional, stating-the-facts manner.

It's like when I working in credit card company, and some guy calls and says, "My card's not working! You are a blankety-blank beep." And the reply I was taught to say? "Sorry to hear that. However you are four months behind due. Please pay now and we will reactivate your card." <-----Not rude. But not kissing butt either.
He still hasn't contacted me after 6 messages and a phone call (his number on ebay is out of service) so I sent him this one.

He's in violation of ebay rules. Click here and here to report him:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/identity-false.html
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/identity-invalid-email.html

Why?

Well my viewpoint is that, with today's rampant identity theft, you can never be too careful. There are a LOT of fake ids/scammers on ebay. And second here's ebay's viewpoint:
The success of eBay’s marketplace is dependent on trust and transparency. Providing false contact information undermines both of these principles. Further, trading partners need to be able to communicate with each other. False contact information clearly impedes communication between members and increases the likelihood of Unpaid Items, disputes, negative feedback and other problems. LINK - http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/identity-ov.html

[Damion]

Good thats just what I did I reported him to ebay for not having a working contact number.

also he got back to me this is just a taste of what he has been sending me.


Hi, you need to stop BSin and ship my item out that I have won. I been on ebay a long time and I see alot of sellers like you on ebay. Dealing dishonenst and about playing with people time. Don't bs me I know the game on ebay. A buyer win an item from a seller, the seller send the item to the address that the buyer have on ebay. No excuse and all this dishonest words that you are talking that you can't get in contact with me. You email me a fake tracking number and tells me that you can't get in contact with me. And than you email me today and tells me about my phone number on ebay are you sending th item to my phone number. Who do you think you are talking to a child. You took money off of my card, sent me a bogus tracking number, email me lying to me about you're trying to contact me. I have a copy of all our transaction, and our emails copied in a file to prove that you tried to deal dishonestly with me. You don't need to talk to me on the phone you need to send the item to my

*on to the second message of this tirade

address. What do we have to talk about on the phone. If you had any good intension on sending the iten out I would have received the item. Me not having a phone number on ebay is not in question, what's in question in your dishonesty. I'm forty something years old and there's not a trick that you can show me that I have not already know or already seen. And theres not a lie that you can tell me that I have not already heard. You just need to send the item out and this time you need to send a real tracking number. Ebay is a business and I'm not here to play games with no one whether buyimg or selling. You know what you need to do, you do that and email me and let me know when you do what you suppose to do. My address is still [edited] as it is shown on ebay. You can not be wrong and right at the same time.

whew well I sent him a short message letting him know that its being picked up today and re-gave him the tracking number even though he thinks its fake lol.

[veronica_marsfan]

Well I do agree with his first sentence. Rather than waste time saying to each customer, "Do you still want this item?" you should have immediately fixed & reshipped those items the same day you discovered the problem. ----- I know that I'd be annoyed if my seller wasted 3-4 days time sitting on my package. I can forgive mistakes, but I can't forgive wasting 3-4 days while my package sits in your room.

That doesn't justify the buyer insulting you though.
Totally unprofessional behavior on his part.

[Damion]

Well I do agree with his first sentence. Rather than waste time saying to each customer, "Do you still want this item?" you should have immediately fixed & reshipped those items the same day you discovered the problem. ----- I know that I'd be annoyed if my seller wasted 3-4 days time sitting on my package. I can forgive mistakes, but I can't forgive wasting 3-4 days while my package sits in your room.

That doesn't justify the buyer insulting you though.
Totally unprofessional behavior on his part.

I see what you mean buut...

I found out yesterday morning from the post office of the problem.

I never sent an unsolicited message about the mistake to anyone. Honestly He has been aggressive from the get go from his very first message asking for a tracking number a week ago. I assure you most everything in his message is an exaggeration.

[veronica_marsfan]

I found out yesterday morning from the post office of the problem.

Then as a buyer, I would expect the boxes to have been shipped Yesterday (friday).

Instead, you sat on the boxes (delaying shipment until Monday?) and sent out emails asking people if they still wanted the item. As a buyer, I would not be happy with that unnecessary delay.

Just saying. :-)