posted on June 19, 2004 09:19:13 PM new
Do you think I handled this right? Had a buyer purchase 3 of the same item. My mom does the mailing and somehow overlooked and only mailed 1. She is elderly and must have gotten in a hurry which I explained to the buyer. Buyer emailed Thursday asking about and when I realized it had happened said would go out today Priority mail. It is a camera and inventoried at a out of town location as I don't have room here. Today would have been the only day I could go get and mail. I forgot post office closes at 11 AM here so didn't make it to the post office.
Well tonight I get an email with the bidder saying she hopes I express mail the cameras as she needs by Thursday at 2 PM for rehearsal dinner.
In none of our emails has she EVER mentioned needing by a specific time until tonight and if I had made post office today they would have already been gone Priority like I said and like she paid for. Paying priority twice is costing me BUT since it was our mistake no big deal.
Cameras only cost 8 dollars a piece and express mail is 18.00.
I emailed and explained that she had never ONCE told me of a deadline and this is the first communication since our email on Thursday. Priority says 2 days and I will mail priority or refund all camera and shipping cost for those two OR ship express if she wants to split the difference in cost with me.
Doesn't that seem fair since I wasn't aware of the wedding and was quick to apologize on Thursday for the oversight.
Oh! I also told her my mom would have made a special trip Friday and mailed priority Friday if we had known of the deadline.
I can still mail express and eat the cost but don't know if I should. What is the time according to ebay that you have to mail in.
posted on June 19, 2004 09:28:43 PM new
If you mail your package on Monday it should still get their in the 2 days and if that doesn't happen 3 days in the latest and that would still be Thursday. If they are not delivered on Wednesday maybe she could make arrangements to pick up the cameras at the post office on Thursday. Hoping that the cameras will be there on Thursday. I doubt if express mail will be much faster, What is the difference in price between Priority and express, maybe your buyer will pay the difference even if it is your mistake. That is something you have to decide. But, I think if it was me I would just ship express and eat the cost. I think it is part of doing business and you never know she might just be a repeat customer because of that. Good Luck.
posted on June 19, 2004 09:47:53 PM new
Libra is correct. It should still get there in time if you ship priority on Monday. If you want to cover your a** and be certain, and are willing to eat the difference, don't go with express mail. Go with FedEx 2nd day. It's usually cheaper and much more reliable than the Post Office. Besides, that FedEx truck pulling up in front of her house and delivering her package will dazzle the sox off of her.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on June 19, 2004 11:04:00 PM new
You first mistake was telling her that they did not go out today. Then you could have simply sent them priority on Monday. If they make it great, if not, well they still have the one.
posted on June 19, 2004 11:08:18 PM new
Can you tell us your state and the state you'll be shipping to? I guess I'm hoping for your sake that it's not New York to Hawaii or Alaska. Not sure if the package would get there in time.
___________________________________
As I've matured, I've learned . .
#2. . . that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and all the less important ones just never go away. And the real pains in the butt are permanent.
posted on June 20, 2004 12:16:32 AM new
Priority mail, mailed early Monday should make it in time, even 1st class would probably get there by Thursday.
She is a bit unreasonable asking for overnight shipping & I say this only because of what she bought. These cameras are very, very easy to find, can be purchased in just about any store. I would be tempted to tell her to be sure she had them on time it would be best if she purchased two more & you would reimburse her, plus postage, for the two that were not mailed.
Don't forget to be very apologetic.
posted on June 20, 2004 03:25:41 AM new
i agree with Libra. if you mail priority on Monday, you should be fine. if they don't make it there, then i would refund her money just for the goodwill.
posted on June 20, 2004 07:24:39 AM new
You might be ahead ( considering you have to eat the cost of the Priority Mail yourself) to just refund the money altogether and state you don't believe you can make the deadline she just told you about.
**********************************
Sig files are too much trouble! http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
posted on June 20, 2004 08:52:06 AM new
Like Libra, I would just ship it Express to be absolutely sure it arrives on time.
Most likely your buyer didn't mention the date in the first place because (as already shown by arrival of the one item mailed) they knew that it would arrive before they needed based on the date you shipped.
It is your fault (through your mom) that they didn't get all three items they bought.
Eat the cost, ship it Express.
Edited to add: Not every one gets their mail delivered early in the day. I myself get my mail delivered between 4:30 and 5:00pm. Shipping by Priority, they might well get their items delivered on Thursday, but too late to be of use.
____________________
We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people. -- John F. Kennedy
[ edited by bunnicula on Jun 20, 2004 09:08 AM ]
posted on June 20, 2004 09:14:29 AM new
I agree wit hBunni on this (surprise!), It was your mistake, not the buyers, she needs her items and saying you will refund the money for the two not shipped is not as professional as you could be, personally I would think that you sold the other two to someone else and was trying to cheat me.
Express mail as she requested or Fedex next day... your choice and your cost... that would be the correct thing to do...
posted on June 20, 2004 11:13:26 AM new
It was your error in the first place that caused the problem so I think you have to do whatever it takes so that your buyer gets the merchandise. However, my advice is to ship FedEx Next Day (or 2nd Day)...I've had 100% success with them...as opposed to the Post Office where I've had some delayed shipments. This may cost you some "out of pocket" expenses but you'll have a satisfied customer and I think that's worth a lot!
posted on June 20, 2004 11:21:35 AM new
..you compounded your mother's error...
..you "forgot" to go to the post office in time; this is worse than your mother's error, if for no other reason, it aggravates the situation...since, this has not been noted by others; then others may see it different...
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..but count 'em...the seller has made two mistakes here...probably inadvertent, but mistakes just the same.
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..did you handle this right? the answer should be yes, if the buyer gets her merchandise on time..
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myopionionofcourse.,
myoldtoy
[ edited by myoldtoy on Jun 20, 2004 11:23 AM ]
posted on June 22, 2004 06:59:43 AM new
Are we talking about the little disposable cameras? Is so, I think I'd refund her the money for the cameras, less the shipping, tell her to use the refund to buy the cameras at Wal-Mart, apologize profusely, and then send the cameras priority mail. We all make mistakes.
*Teresa*
