@shoppingbag* wrote:
It is a constant concern when no feedback is received from the buyer, especially when an item has been "safe dropped". I insert a pleasant note requesting feedback as it is important to know that the parcel arrived safely and the customer is happy.
I had seriously considered blocking these buyers, as who knows if they won't come back in at some future date and claim they didn't receive the item. I decided not to do so, as it would be counterproductive.
So now, I have a buyer who had a parcel safe dropped August 1st, who has purchased again. I have no way of knowing if this person will return later and claim two parcels not delivered.
I don't send even half of my items tracked, but in the last year most of the INR messages I have received are from buyers who had their parcel safe-dropped. And I'm not actually telling you that to make you worry more, because in every single case, the package was either found (misdelivered), or Australia Post accepted responsibility and compensated me, and I was then able to replace the orders for the buyers at no loss (except the last one - was worth $58 in total (with postage) but AP are only providing the max. of $50 since there was no insurance).
Also, in every single case, the buyer contacted Australia Post first, which means the tracking gets a status update of "customer enquiry lodged". I don't keep an eye on these things, but if you do and the tracking never gets that status, I think you can be relatively assured there hasn't been a problem.
Even if there is, knowing what to do and how you'll respond tends to eliminate the vast majority of worry (I find, anyway). Decide what you'll do, and what you're prepared to do if someone claims a package (tracked or not) didn't arrive, and compose a message that you can use to reply to buyers outlining what will happen and how you'll help.
For instance to start with I ask buyers to confirm the delivery address, advise I'll open an investigation, relay any information I am provided by AP, assure them I'll do my best to get things resolved as quickly as possible, and so on. I don't make any promises until I can confirm a few things, either from the buyer or from Aus Post, but once I have the confirmation that I want / need, I have a few things I'll do depending on the circumstances.
If you have a plan of action, you don't have to worry about what will happen if something happens, because you'll have already planned how to handle it. It doesn't have to be rigid an inflexible (it's better if you can decide on a few different courses to take under different circumstances). The more confident you are in your plan, the easier it is to respond with authority if / when a buyer contacts you about something like a missing package, and it will reduce their anxiety when there has been a genuine problem.
Are you prepared to accept liability if an item says delivered but the buyer says not received? If Aus Post confirm delivery at the buyer's property (they take photos when a parcel is safe-dropped) what would you do / say? Decide that now, and then tuck it away unless / until you need it.
If safedropping remains a huge concern, though, maybe consider adding SOD to your packages.
I also am of the opinion that when sellers tell buyers that feedback is very important to them, they are basically like Achilles painting a target on his heel; conversely, every single time a buyer has threatened me with a neg and I have immediately undermined that threat by advising them they're welcome to, because I really don't care about FB and I'd rather just focus on the actual problem, the anger disappears and we get to communicate like normal, respectful human beings. The fewer buyers who are led to believe FB can be used against a seller, the better.
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