Seeking advice... what could we have done differently?
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 1,016
Sounds like you did the fair thing. Without a response from her, you used your best judgement with the information available. Life is tooo short. Let it go. (I sure hope she is not trying to get you to lower the price.)
#12
Originally Posted by ckcowl
<snip> ... when i was shipping stuff i always put (gift) on the customs slip...that did not cost people so much when they went to pick up their package. we learned this doing a round robin program.
anyway. sorry she is mad, lesson learned on all sides. :(
anyway. sorry she is mad, lesson learned on all sides. :(
I wouldn't risk it...
#13
can't really add anything more to what everyone else said, but checked out your site...it's organized beautifully! love the themes section, love the options. methinks this one customer and your desire to do good to your other customers will keep you in buisness quite awhile...ps love the panels...the choices are inspiring...now i need money!!!
#14
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Orchard Park, NY (near Buffalo, which is near Niagara Falls)
Posts: 3,884
It was ten days from when she placed her order to when we shipped it. We don't like to "hold" fabrics more than a week, figuring that a week generally is plenty of time in which to reply. (How long is long enough to wait? Another good question.)
Though... we do hold partial orders longer for international customers if we're waiting for a backordered item to come in... *and* if we've been in contact with the customer so they know what to expect.
I, too, would generally prefer to receive the fabric all in one length. And I would have thought that's also what most of our customers would want. But in the vast majority of cases where we've asked what the (international) customer prefers, they say that they'd rather have the less expensive flat-rate envelopes, and they tell us what lengths to cut the fabric according to how they plan to use it.
I would also have thought that our international customers would *always* want to fill up the envelope to capacity, but have found that customers in certain countries always keep it below a certain value, to avoid/lessen the fees.
Though... we do hold partial orders longer for international customers if we're waiting for a backordered item to come in... *and* if we've been in contact with the customer so they know what to expect.
I, too, would generally prefer to receive the fabric all in one length. And I would have thought that's also what most of our customers would want. But in the vast majority of cases where we've asked what the (international) customer prefers, they say that they'd rather have the less expensive flat-rate envelopes, and they tell us what lengths to cut the fabric according to how they plan to use it.
I would also have thought that our international customers would *always* want to fill up the envelope to capacity, but have found that customers in certain countries always keep it below a certain value, to avoid/lessen the fees.
#15
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Orchard Park, NY (near Buffalo, which is near Niagara Falls)
Posts: 3,884
Originally Posted by QKO
Shipping merchandise as "gift" is a huge violation of international customs laws and can subject your business to large fines, seizures of the property, continued opening and examination of your shipments, etc.
I wouldn't risk it...
I wouldn't risk it...
#16
I have problems like this everyday. I head the email "URGENT,shipment on hold" That gets their attention. I have clients that have meetings overseas, wait until 4 days before they leave and then want me to make the signs and ship to arrive for their meetings. 4 Signs cost $160.00, shipping overnight to Berlin, Germany 290.00. Should I or shouldn't I? I did and he had a heart attack with the price. You have to do what you have to do. He contracted me to do his signs and have them there by a given time. I did it and he finally paid.
#18
I would probably have said in the email, if we don't hear from you within "X amount of days" we will ship as stated in your original order.
After I place an order, I may be gone on vacation/called away to a family emergency or I am periodically displaced due to flooding, and not have access to the internet/computer.
So if I didn't respond to the email, I would expect there to be no changes to my order, unless what I wanted wasn't available. If I found out after I returned, that it could have been shipped cheaper? I might have been disappointed in not being able to answer the email, but I wouldn't take it out on you though. :D:D:D
After I place an order, I may be gone on vacation/called away to a family emergency or I am periodically displaced due to flooding, and not have access to the internet/computer.
So if I didn't respond to the email, I would expect there to be no changes to my order, unless what I wanted wasn't available. If I found out after I returned, that it could have been shipped cheaper? I might have been disappointed in not being able to answer the email, but I wouldn't take it out on you though. :D:D:D
#19
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: England
Posts: 2,365
Originally Posted by cindle
I think you handled the situation in a professional way. The lady didn't get back to you as to how she wanted you to send her order so therefore it's her fault not yours. You did everything a business person could do. If she wanted it done different maybe she should have replied to the email you sent with the shipping information.
I buy a lot of stuff from US and know about USPS env and what will go into them, had to find this out wasn't told ------YOU laid everything out so she has NO redress, don't stand for it!!!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post