topic What ever happened to common courtesy? in Selling

What ever happened to common courtesy?

crypsynight — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:12:18 GMT

Or is it now called "rare courtesy".

Received the below email tonight - exactly as is....

"I am still waiting on these,I am getting frustrated with your service: (: ("

Item was purchased and paid for on the afternoon of the 30/7, and also posted the same day, and confirmation email sent. I dont think i can do much better than that.

So apparently her item hasn't arrived.

Do I answer her politely and professionally, or do i respond by saying what i really really really want to say ]:)

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

aj111003 — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:23:53 GMT

How did you send the item? ie. Registered Post, Click & Send, Is there any tracking number where you can check delivery????

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:30:50 GMT

Be as nice as pie and quietly smirk a thought to yourself, " You are never going to reach my level, baby" 😉

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

crypsynight — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:44:27 GMT

How did you send the item? ie. Registered Post, Click & Send, Is there any tracking number where you can check delivery????

It was a single item worth $4.75 - doesn't pay to have it registered.

Although this is the 3rd email i've received since Friday re stray parcels. Don't recall any others this year at all, so what on earth is going on with Aust Post. Especially as 2 of them were to po boxes - which has NEVER happened to me before.

😐

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:47:32 GMT

Could suggest to the buyer to ask in the PO as sometimes postal workers forget to card a parcel into the boxes.

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

extra-keen — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:50:05 GMT

Ouch!

Yep, be as nice as pie. Send them a very long email explaining how AP "never looses anything", check the PO, check the neighbours, check the rest of household. Then if it still hasn't turned up you will ask at your PO, at the dead letter office, at your own PO etc... - "

and by the time they've read all that, hopefully they will go away and never come back!

Yep Rude, very rude, a bit like the idot driving Farrari thismorning... I know its fast, but passing 5 vehicles and mine is a 50seater bus. On one of the worst roads in the district and facing into oncoming traffic. Wish there'd been a cop around - that's for sure - and courtesy - what's that. An unfashionable word that is not understood any more.

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

digital*ghost — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 12:01:01 GMT

IMO, as tempting as it may be to do otherwise, you can reply in a way that subtly reminds the buyer that you have no control over delivery times etc.

I would say something like:

Dear [member name],

Thank you for contacting me in regards to this issue, I'm sorry to hear your item has not yet been delivered by [Austalia Post?].

As mentioned in my previous communication, your item was posted on the 30th of July to the address supplied, so I certainly would have expected it to have arrived by now, even if subject to any delays by AP.

In order to be able to provide the most efficient assistance, it would be greatly appreciated if you could please confirm the address at which you were expecting delivery, and also enquire at your local post office as soon as convenient if there are any parcels in your name awaiting collection.

If the parcel is not delivered and can not be located, I will ensure that a missing parcel investigation is initiated. Rest assured that I will make sure this matter is resolved as quickly as possible.

Kind Regards

[seller]

NB - I always ask buyers to do those two things before I start talking about refunds etc. I once made the mistake of promising a refund for a missing parcel to someone but I found out afterwards that they had supplied the wrong address. :_|

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

aj111003 — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 12:15:07 GMT

Have to agree with Kopenhagen5, get the buyer to check with their post office, it could have even been put in the wrong PO Box. This has happened to me a couple of times with my PO Box and I have ended up receiving someone elses mail. Also if you posted the item over the counter at your local post office, check with them to see it's not sitting there in the post office for some reason and hasn't been sent. I've also had that happen as well. Good luck, hopefully you will be able to track down where this item is soon and stay nice!

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

thesoulyearns — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 12:27:50 GMT

Could suggest to the buyer to ask in the PO as sometimes postal workers forget to card a parcel into the boxes.

Also sometimes the cards simply go missing.

One thing you might want to do in the future is send a follow-up email a day or two after the expected received date to check if they've received it yet. It may seem a bit nosey but it might help create a good communication in the rare event that it takes longer to arrive than normal.

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

crypsynight — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 12:57:59 GMT

Also sometimes the cards simply go missing.

One thing you might want to do in the future is send a follow-up email a day or two after the expected received date to check if they've received it yet. It may seem a bit nosey but it might help create a good communication in the rare event that it takes longer to arrive than normal.

The first thing i usually do is ask them to enquire whether it is at their local p.o. (mention also to make them actually look for it, not just say no cos no card exists).

I doubt she read the initial one i sent her letting her know her parcel had been posted, so a follow-up is probably pointless.

Besides, for example, i posted 17 parcels today. I then send out 17 emails advising parcel sent. I really dont have the time to work out when each of those parcels is roughly due to arrive and then send out yet another email asking if they got it.

I have now very politely (or should i say restrained....) replied, and once she confirms she's checked it's not at her local p.o. and that the address is correct I will just send her replacements. And straight onto my BBL's.

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

crypsynight — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:05:35 GMT

D*G - that is so simiilar to what i sent to be almost spooky.

Just add a little bit of sickly sweet venom and it would be almost word for word....

😄

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

jillywinkle — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 14:17:12 GMT

courtesy died along with common sense & civility...about 15 years ago...

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

marian_100 — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:42:31 GMT

As sellers we all know that AP delivery times are simply random. 95% of the time they are reliable. Have a quick peep at my grey dot and you will see a prime example of what happens occasionally. This buyer never opened an item not recieved case, threatened me with a red dot but toned down when I emailed her a picture of my postage receipt. She eventually received her item and was as happy as punch.

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

koalablue12 — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:59:10 GMT

It was a single item worth $4.75 - doesn't pay to have it registered

Would you not just apologise and refund ? Sorry, but I would not be mucking about with dead letters and the like, the customer has not received her item, end of story, customer service is every bit as important as common courtesy surely. ?:|

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

triptronic07 — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:08:08 GMT

I know the email is a bit rude but it has been 20 working days and no parcel. Maybe a little understanding will go a long way in this case.

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

crypsynight — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:00:14 GMT

It was a single item worth $4.75 - doesn't pay to have it registered

Would you not just apologise and refund ? Sorry, but I would not be mucking about with dead letters and the like, the customer has not received her item, end of story, customer service is every bit as important as common courtesy surely. ?:|

This post was with regards to the words of her email, and how to answer them, not the actual handling of the transaction itself.

I just needed to vent before replying, so as to respond in a professional not emotional manner.

Of course i offered her replacement items (I would not have a feedback rating as i do, if i lacked customer service).

I have since heard back from her. She says she is frustrated because her ipad does not tell her when to expect the parcel. And as i have told her i posted the item she said for me not to send out any more.

I've now replied with a brief desciption on where it shows estimated delivery dates on her Order Details page (assuming ipad same as computer), and that after a month it is somewhat unlikely that her parcel will turn up.

I've let her know that i will credit back the paypal payment for her. But am wondering - can i put in a mutual cancellation or similar to get back my FVF?

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

crypsynight — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:14:26 GMT

I know the email is a bit rude but it has been 20 working days and no parcel. Maybe a little understanding will go a long way in this case.

Jillywinkle - you are absolutely correct. Apparently it is dead, and for such a time now that it isn't even missed..

(although not sure about the common sense one, as I've heard it from my Mum, and have said it to my own kids "just use your common sense" so maybe it's just lost? :^O )

Understanding is irrelevant. I do believe there is a saying "there is no excuse for rudeness".

If my parcel had not arrived after 20 days I would contact the seller and politely let them know.

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

karenferndale — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 02:52:13 GMT

Coming from my viewpoint as a buyer, and assuming your buyer is honest and not trying to have a lend of you, I can totally see how said buyer is now concerned about her item. It has been four weeks since it was posted.

Buyers message might have been lacking some general social niceties, but she didn't use profanity. I sure would not respond by telling her what you really really want to say.

If you sent back such a message to me, no matter how you resolved the problen in the end, even to sending her the item again, I would likely leave you neutral feedback.

Others have posted that Australia post needs to answer questions and what happened to the item, before any refund or resending of item.

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

crypsynight — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 03:44:24 GMT

Coming from my viewpoint as a buyer, and assuming your buyer is honest and not trying to have a lend of you, I can totally see how said buyer is now concerned about her item. It has been four weeks since it was posted.

Buyers message might have been lacking some general social niceties, but she didn't use profanity. I sure would not respond by telling her what you really really want to say..

I get the odd 'dodgy' item not received claims - they tend to have certain things in common. This is not one, and i genuinely believe she hasnt received the item.

At no time have i said i sent an email that either rude or emotional. That's the wonderful thing about forums (usually) - you have an opportunity to vent some built up frustration, so you are nice and calm when you then respond to the email. You may even be given some useful advise in the process.

Oh, and the occasional poster stating the obvious - what you shouldnt do, even when you havent done it......?:|

I suspect this person may not have full understanding of....ummm....several things.

I've offered her replacements, I've offered her refunds.... but she's replied with she's prepared to wait until 6th September cos that is what her ipad tells her (which of course is the date if i were to post the item today).

I am having difficulties explaining that she most likely is not going to receive it.

I do have a theory as to what has happened though... and will mention it to AP when i ring them shortly. Her address is

PO Box 000

Town X via Town Y.

I'm guessing the PO box of Town Y received it instead of being sent on to Town X.

And now whilst her emails are a little lacking in comprehension, they are no longer rude, which is a relief.

Re: What ever happened to common courtesy?

karenferndale — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 03:50:19 GMT

Well I am certainly sorry if I was "stating the obvious - what you shouldnt do, even when you havent done it." I posted based on what I read *shrugs*.

Certainly seems buyer, while not being rude anymore, is not making it easy for you. Must be frustrating for sellers, especially ones who have pride in giving good customer service.