Is Seller Courtesy Dead?

[rabbits157]

I am a regular buyer(collector) of one product predominantly from a couple of US sellers who have good product ,good packaging and good shipping costs. Occasionally something goes wrong with an order:never sent;or wrong item sent. As a matter of courtesy I first contact the seller advising of the situation.Invariably the only response from the seller is a deafening silence.Or in a singular instance a return email from a real person promising to research the order-then a deafening silence.

Am I naive?Should I just initiate a dispute and communicate with the seller through that medium?

 I am hoping that by posting this message sellers might appreciate that: regular and fast paying buyers need to be treated with courtesy and respect;communication costs  very little but earns disproportionate dividends;and any complaint should be viewed as a potential gift because it might improve a seller's business.

Incidentally I always provide feedback to sellers-usually positive.And I frame my email communication to the seller in unemotive and factual language.

I am now so frustrated with sellers' non communication that I am considering alternative strategies for my collecting.What I would dearly like to say to these sellers is:get a quality management system into your despatch areas;and communicate with buyers who take the time and effort to communicate with you outside the dispute process.

[davewil1964]

My fast paying buyers get the courtesy of having their purchases despatched forthwith. I don't feel any need to spam them with emails for every step of the process.

As you buy from US sellers why are you venting on the Australian boards? Surely your beef is with your sellers, none of whom are domestic by your OP, who don't seem to value a regular buyer.

If you want to talk about purchases you make from Australian sellers, then you will probably get some answers.

[jillywinkle]

As Leunig pointed out a long time ago, civilisation is dead. On the other hand, monsieur davewil, I certainly do not agree with your idea that emailling a buyer is spamming. It's called common courtesy and a core essential of a reputable trader's protocol. You would find, if you took up this "spamming" practice that buyers actually appreciate and encourage an "your item has been despatched" email...jilly

[jillywinkle]

Dear rabbits being a seller online and also a buyer, I appreciate where you are coming from. It's not uncommon to be ignored by many sellers via email. Frustrating to the endth degree and as a rule, I never buy again from non communicators and usually based on my experience with buying, the item takes forever to arrive and never an email sent or replied to....jilly

[rabbits157]

Dear Dave

Seller is US based but trades on Ebay Australia and Australia only.Sorry I didn't make that clear. Not a small operator either.

[rabbits157]

Thanks jilly. I am frustrated and needed to vent.I just finished launching three  totally unnecessary disputes with the one seller which could have been dealt with by responding to my emails.

My dilemma is that the seller has good product etc.

I have contemplated witholding feedback but that puts me into the ranks of the uncivilized to my mind. I tell myself it's probably a couple of people in an industrial buiding surrounded by product which has to be inventoried,advertised,packed and dispatched etc

cheers rabbits 

[digital*ghost]

IMO, it doesn't matter where a seller is located, who they sell to, how big their inventory is or how busy they are - any seller who doesn't reply to a message regarding a problem is not only discourteous to their buyer, they are doing the entire site a severe disservice. 😞

One of the biggest complaints sellers have is that too often a buyer will not contact them about a problem, especially if less than positive FB and/or low DSRs are left by said buyers, so a seller consistently making it futile for buyers to contact them makes it that much harder for the rest of us who appreciate knowing about issues and the opportunity to make it right. 

[lyndal1838]

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@jillywinkle wrote:

As Leunig pointed out a long time ago, civilisation is dead. On the other hand, monsieur davewil, I certainly do not agree with your idea that emailling a buyer is spamming. It's called common courtesy and a core essential of a reputable trader's protocol. You would find, if you took up this "spamming" practice that buyers actually appreciate and encourage an "your item has been despatched" email...jilly

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Not this buyer.    I pay and I wait for my item to arrive in the mail box.  I rarely read any of the numerous emails that arrive in relation to the purchase.

I have only tracked a few parcels in my life and that was when overseas parcels were taking far too long to arrive. Only one parcel of 5 that I tracked ended up arriving....the rest were lost or never sent.

[davewil1964]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

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@jillywinkle wrote:

As Leunig pointed out a long time ago, civilisation is dead. On the other hand, monsieur davewil, I certainly do not agree with your idea that emailling a buyer is spamming. It's called common courtesy and a core essential of a reputable trader's protocol. You would find, if you took up this "spamming" practice that buyers actually appreciate and encourage an "your item has been despatched" email...jilly

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Not this buyer.    I pay and I wait for my item to arrive in the mail box.  I rarely read any of the numerous emails that arrive in relation to the purchase.

I have only tracked a few parcels in my life and that was when overseas parcels were taking far too long to arrive. Only one parcel of 5 that I tracked ended up arriving....the rest were lost or never sent.

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I didn't say I don't reply to buyer questions. I do, politely, even the ones that reading the DESCRIPTION would answer. I mark items posted that eBay don't when they are posted. I don't feel a need to add to the spam a buyer is getting from eBay. My buyers seem to think I am reputable if stars are a fair indication.

[jillywinkle]

Well that's a good thing Dave, it wasn't mentioned in your post & I was not casting nasturtiums on your reputation personally, by any means. Just expounding generally....Thanks for your reply..jilly