Yes, it *IS* a can of worms... advice? Suggestions?
01-18-2011, 04:29 PM
#61
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,116
Whether it is fair or otherwise, when this happens with most of the companies that I deal with internationally: they explain the situation, cancel my order and ask me to re - order.Some of them then advise me when the other stuff comes in (in case I want to re - order that too).However, those are the better organised in my opinion. My main frustration is when a particular item that I want NEVER seems to be available. I cannot get it in Oz and it is advertised in the 'States' but always on back - order...
01-18-2011, 05:39 PM
#62
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Douglas County, GA
Posts: 1,722
Originally Posted by Vicki W
I would suggest, just emailing the customer and advising them that only part of their order is available (if your website does not tell them) and seeing if they want to have it shipped as two shipments (and occuring two shipping charges) or if they wanted to wait for fabric A and hope that is it available when fabric B comes in.
Sometimes people are buying things to go together and wouldn't want them unless they had them together. I think as long and you communicate honestly with your customers they will understand.
Sometimes people are buying things to go together and wouldn't want them unless they had them together. I think as long and you communicate honestly with your customers they will understand.
Referring to an earlier post of yours re: a situation where you got no response to your e-mails and made a decision with which the customer was unhappy, I'd suggest you do nothing at all until and unless you get a response from the customer, stating her/his preference.
01-18-2011, 05:42 PM
#63
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 786
I order from the U.S. quite often. I pay now for what I order and it is sent to me. I have ordered a couple of times where there has been an item on back-order. When it arrives the back-order item is charged to my credit card and sent out. I pay postage both times. I have received an email to let me know the back-order item has been charged and shipped.
I don't have a problem with this and don't know why anyone should. With Canadian customs if the order is over a certain amount we have to pay duty on it. Shipping on the back-order item is usually cheaper than the duty I would pay if everything is shipped together at once.
I don't have a problem with this and don't know why anyone should. With Canadian customs if the order is over a certain amount we have to pay duty on it. Shipping on the back-order item is usually cheaper than the duty I would pay if everything is shipped together at once.
01-18-2011, 05:42 PM
#64
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 357
I guess my first question (and I haven't stopped to read all the posts) would be why are you making available for purchase fabrics you don't have on hand?
My background is supply management for hospitals, so I am familiar with how things work between customer and distributor.
When we realize that cotton is at a premium right now, I'd be anticipating you will have backorders more frequently.
I just wouldn't offer what I don't have. What you might do is make it clear on your website those fabrics that are "coming in Month XX, advance orders welcome" when you post them up on your site and then if the customer orders it, another pop-up explains that additional shipping would apply and offer the opportunity to have the order held until it arrives.
I use one or two online suppliers who let me put instructions about backorders and shipping, and it works well. I've asked them to change their shipping method if my quantity makes their standard method difficult, with the comment that "lower shipping cost is appreciated".
Hope that's helpful.
My background is supply management for hospitals, so I am familiar with how things work between customer and distributor.
When we realize that cotton is at a premium right now, I'd be anticipating you will have backorders more frequently.
I just wouldn't offer what I don't have. What you might do is make it clear on your website those fabrics that are "coming in Month XX, advance orders welcome" when you post them up on your site and then if the customer orders it, another pop-up explains that additional shipping would apply and offer the opportunity to have the order held until it arrives.
I use one or two online suppliers who let me put instructions about backorders and shipping, and it works well. I've asked them to change their shipping method if my quantity makes their standard method difficult, with the comment that "lower shipping cost is appreciated".
Hope that's helpful.
01-18-2011, 06:05 PM
#65
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 7
If you know when order if processed that fabric is on back order or as soon as you are aware that fabric is not available, send email with the following options: 1- send what is available now, we will notify you when back order is available so you can reorder. 2-Hold entire order for up to 2 weeks, if back order does not come in, send what is available and the back order would have to be reordered.
Would also add to the email that if there was no response within 5 days, you would decide whichever option you decide is best for the company but I would make it consistent for all customers
Would also add to the email that if there was no response within 5 days, you would decide whichever option you decide is best for the company but I would make it consistent for all customers
01-18-2011, 07:05 PM
#66
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,152
When taking orders, especially international orders, ask the customerto choose an alternate fabric in case one has to be back ordered. Many on-line sales programs ask for an alternate color, why not an alternate fabric?
01-18-2011, 07:33 PM
#67
Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posts: 82
I live in Australia and have been overwhelmed at the great service that I have received from all the fabric suppliers that I have placed orders with in the USA. I usually read the shipping policy/information before I place an order, so what ever your final decision is, as long as it is stated plainly on your web site in the shipping information, or some other area that is easy to navigate to and alert your customers I don't think you should have any problems.
01-18-2011, 09:51 PM
#69
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Brownwood TX
Posts: 747
Originally Posted by Favorite Fabrics
We do contact our customers... but sometimes they don't reply. I posted the question here because, to try to get a reading on what most people think would be sensible, to formulate a reasonable plan for what to do when the customer does not reply back to us.
It's not a perfect world. Sometimes we e-mail, and the customer does not receive it (and we do not know this).
Sometimes the customer replies, and we don't receive their e-mail (and they do not know).
My heart hurts for you reading all these messages. It sure seems like we have added a lot more of those cans of worms to what you already had. I worked retail for about 12 hrs and I just wanted to take their faces in my hands and make them make eye contact with me(what I had to do with our daughter with ADD) and say READ THE SIGN!
In our shopping cart, it does show the ETA for all backordered fabrics. So the customer should be aware of the stock status even before they decide to submit their order.
'Course... we can't *force* them to read what's on their screen... but that's a whole other issue! :?
It's not a perfect world. Sometimes we e-mail, and the customer does not receive it (and we do not know this).
Sometimes the customer replies, and we don't receive their e-mail (and they do not know).
My heart hurts for you reading all these messages. It sure seems like we have added a lot more of those cans of worms to what you already had. I worked retail for about 12 hrs and I just wanted to take their faces in my hands and make them make eye contact with me(what I had to do with our daughter with ADD) and say READ THE SIGN!
In our shopping cart, it does show the ETA for all backordered fabrics. So the customer should be aware of the stock status even before they decide to submit their order.
'Course... we can't *force* them to read what's on their screen... but that's a whole other issue! :?
01-18-2011, 10:11 PM
#70
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Monmouth, Oregon
Posts: 5,884
I can see the problem. Would it work to share the cost with the quilter on the second shipment???
Originally Posted by Favorite Fabrics
Backorders... pre-orders... I think most online fabric shops don't allow them but we do.
And as long as our customer is in the US, it's not a problem. It's not *that* awfully expensive to ship a second envelope with the backordered items.
But our issue is with international orders. We love our international customers and it is fun to send fabric to exotic destinations in places we will never see. And we want to give good service to our far-away customers. But today our brains are all tied in knots. Four of us have been discussing this puzzle and cannot figure it out so I'm asking for collective wisdom from the forum.
Suppose Jane places an order for four yards of "fabric A" that are in stock now, and four yards of "fabric B" that are not coming for another few months. We base our international shipping rates on the number of flat-rate envelopes that are needed to hold the order; each envelope can hold up to 8 yards. In Jane's case, all her fabric will fit in one envelope, so she has been charged for one envelope. But not all the fabric is here.
So the puzzle is how to get the fabric to Jane and keep shipping costs and other fees reasonable and fair.
- If we cut and set aside "fabric A" to wait until "fabric B" comes in, there are two choices. Either we charge for "A" now, or we don't. If we don't, it is essentially a fabric that is "on hold" for several months, unpaid. (Not good from the seller's perspective, as by the time "fabric B" comes in the customer's credit card could no longer be good, or she might change her mind about the yardage or cancel the item.)
- If we don't physically set aside "fabric A" then we'll probably wind up selling it before "fabric B" comes in. (Not good from the buyer's perspective.)
- If we send "fabric A" now (and charge for it) and then send "fabric B" later, we would have to charge a second round of shipping (not good for buyer) or send "fabric B" for free (not good for us).
- Space does not permit setting aside "fabric A" on the bolt for months.
Here are some of the ideas we have tossed around among ourselves and I'd really like to know what you think of the:
- We could just send what we have in stock and say, "Sorry, but we will just have to cancel the backordered fabric; please order again later when it is in stock."
- We could ask permission to charge for the "fabric A" now (plus the shipping), and then send everything together when "fabric B" comes in. (Since "fabric A" would already be cut, we wouldn't want to accept a cancellation on that item and that's why we'd be inclined to want to also have the shipping charges paid for too.)
- We could wait for a short period - say two weeks - just in case "fabric B" came in sooner.
Complicating issues: there could be several backordered fabrics with different arrival dates.
If we send in several shipments, customers might have to pay more in fees - or less in duty/taxes - depending on their individual country (and there's no way we could possibly keep up on this level of detail).
If we make several charges to the customer's credit card instead of just one, they might wind up paying extra fees (or not).
And... while our first choice would always be "Contact the customer and ask!", sometimes customers do not reply to e-mails or phone calls, and of course e-mail doesn't go through 100% of the time.
I'm trying to figure out a reasonable policy that works for both our customers and our business here. At the moment we're "over-thinking" trying to figure it out.
Wisdom, suggestions, different perspectives, and suggestions would all be appreciated! (And thank you already.)
And as long as our customer is in the US, it's not a problem. It's not *that* awfully expensive to ship a second envelope with the backordered items.
But our issue is with international orders. We love our international customers and it is fun to send fabric to exotic destinations in places we will never see. And we want to give good service to our far-away customers. But today our brains are all tied in knots. Four of us have been discussing this puzzle and cannot figure it out so I'm asking for collective wisdom from the forum.
Suppose Jane places an order for four yards of "fabric A" that are in stock now, and four yards of "fabric B" that are not coming for another few months. We base our international shipping rates on the number of flat-rate envelopes that are needed to hold the order; each envelope can hold up to 8 yards. In Jane's case, all her fabric will fit in one envelope, so she has been charged for one envelope. But not all the fabric is here.
So the puzzle is how to get the fabric to Jane and keep shipping costs and other fees reasonable and fair.
- If we cut and set aside "fabric A" to wait until "fabric B" comes in, there are two choices. Either we charge for "A" now, or we don't. If we don't, it is essentially a fabric that is "on hold" for several months, unpaid. (Not good from the seller's perspective, as by the time "fabric B" comes in the customer's credit card could no longer be good, or she might change her mind about the yardage or cancel the item.)
- If we don't physically set aside "fabric A" then we'll probably wind up selling it before "fabric B" comes in. (Not good from the buyer's perspective.)
- If we send "fabric A" now (and charge for it) and then send "fabric B" later, we would have to charge a second round of shipping (not good for buyer) or send "fabric B" for free (not good for us).
- Space does not permit setting aside "fabric A" on the bolt for months.
Here are some of the ideas we have tossed around among ourselves and I'd really like to know what you think of the:
- We could just send what we have in stock and say, "Sorry, but we will just have to cancel the backordered fabric; please order again later when it is in stock."
- We could ask permission to charge for the "fabric A" now (plus the shipping), and then send everything together when "fabric B" comes in. (Since "fabric A" would already be cut, we wouldn't want to accept a cancellation on that item and that's why we'd be inclined to want to also have the shipping charges paid for too.)
- We could wait for a short period - say two weeks - just in case "fabric B" came in sooner.
Complicating issues: there could be several backordered fabrics with different arrival dates.
If we send in several shipments, customers might have to pay more in fees - or less in duty/taxes - depending on their individual country (and there's no way we could possibly keep up on this level of detail).
If we make several charges to the customer's credit card instead of just one, they might wind up paying extra fees (or not).
And... while our first choice would always be "Contact the customer and ask!", sometimes customers do not reply to e-mails or phone calls, and of course e-mail doesn't go through 100% of the time.
I'm trying to figure out a reasonable policy that works for both our customers and our business here. At the moment we're "over-thinking" trying to figure it out.
Wisdom, suggestions, different perspectives, and suggestions would all be appreciated! (And thank you already.)
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