good info here, thanks!

Very sound and sage tips!

Good tips. As a customer, I had a parcel that never arrived; however, the delivery confirmation said it did arrive. The seller cited this, case closed. I suppose someone else received my package. Since I saw the USPS receipt, I know the address was correct. Obviously it's the post office who's to blame. But -- I'm still out of the money I spent, since I didn't but postal insurance (because it's almost impossible to collect on -- I know this from experience). So what can I do? Nothing. I want to keep a good relationship with the seller. So I just shut up and cut my losses, but I'll always be annoyed by this transaction.

The tips were very informative. Most of these things are kind of common sense, but it never hurts to hear them from the professionals! Thank you!

Good tips

so helpful! Thanks :)

Czarina1313, I believe at that point the seller has done all they can do, sadly. I'm not sure how long ago this transaction was, but I think the next step is usually for the buyer to speak with their local post office (with DC number in hand) and try to track down the package. Sometimes it ends up back at the post office (they do have an unfortunate tendency to loose things on occasion) but for some reason or another doesn't make it to your door. I know you said "case closed", but I hated thinking of how crappy I'd feel in your shoes as well. (this was a great article, thanks guys!)

So odd...I do have an Aunt Kate. She is the sweetest aunt ever...she's also my biggest fan. So odd. Great article, too!

It is amazing how few problems I have had in over one year spent selling on Etsy. But transactions can't always be perfect, and a dissatisfied customer is definitely not worth the wear and tear on my emotions. When problems arise, I believe it is best to make it right for the customer and consider the additional transaction costs a part of doing business. (Makes life a lot simpler, too.)

I'm a new seller. And I have been a buyer in that awful situation when an item doesn't arrive (not on etsy). It's really a bummer because no one feels good about it in the end. Thanks for the other great tips! Now, I'm off to get some customers in my shop so I can put this good info to use. : )

I'm also new here, Thank You so much for sharing this interesting article.

great advice!

Thanks for the useful tips. I have yet to make my first sale, so I'm hoping that it will be a problem-free transaction.

This is super helpful. Luckily I have found my Etsy customers to be very nice and friendly, and nothing like the people I had to deal with when I was an interior designer. I actually like these people!!

Very helpful! Thanks.

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing!

Wonderful advice. Having come from a job where I had to deal with disgruntled people, I can say that patience is key. Also repeating what the problem is not only ensures that you understand it but assures the customer that you do, and also tells them that they're being heard. That goes a long way towards having a successful outcome.

Sometimes asking the customer what it is they want can be helpful, especially if they want less than you're willing to offer :) It also gives them another chance to "be heard" by you, especially if they haven't liked any offers you've already made. Of course doing this needs to be weighed against the possibility of receiving outlandish requests that you'd have to refuse. But if you do so politely, you'll probably have a better idea of what to offer them instead :)

Thank you for guys for all the great tips. Very helpful!

Thanks for the tips!

I have had the good fortune of shipping hundreds of items in less than one year, all by Post. None have been lost but about 5% have had major delays including weird trips to other countries whne they should have just gone to the next state! I have refunded for items that were needed by a certain occasion, even though the buyer did not purchase insurance or a more expensive postal shipping. I hate delays myself. Eventually all items reached their destination. Returns are unfortunate but I just refund the price of the item, not insurance, provided they are returned in a timely manner, say up to 10 days from receiving it. If later then I take 10% off the cost. I will not accept returns after 30days! Spending time trying to track should be the customers time spent. Upon shipping I give them the delivery confirmation and package size weight etc. It's out of my hands once mailed and if no insurance well, the responsibility is now theirs! -Rachelle Starr

Actually, my aunt Kate is an insane, pill popping maniac who does her best to destroy everyone's lives for the sake of her own amusement. But this was helpful none the less.

Thanks for this info.This is great advice.

Another newbie. Thanks for the advice!

How do I credit money back to a client if needed (through Paypal)? Would someone be able to convo me? Thanks!

I love the scripted responses. I especially like CricketCreation's response.

Great scripts and great advice! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks. This is really good advice. The templates will really come in handy.

This is very helpful, thank you. It would be great if Etsy would re-do the feedback system or had some way to remedy those folk who leave neg feedback without bothering to contact the seller.

super tips! thank you!

These are great tips! I have fortunately only dealt with one difficult customer but it's always good to get advice on how to handle situations if they should arise.

marking

Communication is always key. A customer may be upset when they first contact you but if you communicate well, they are almost always willing to work with you on a solution. It's how you handle that situation that gains you repeat buyers.

I greatly disagree with sellers who claim that once the package leaves their hands, they are no longer responsible.

This is awesome info - thanks for posting this) happy holidays EmbersidheD

Great article! Thank you so much for sharing! : )

Thank you so much for sharing with us:)

I've had many sales, but only a few unhappy customers who were satisfied after convoing me. Customer service is so important and thank you Etsy for this topic. It is good sound advice!

Great great article! A few of my packages have been taking awhile to arrive (even with a delivery confirmation) so this gives me some hope with not upsetting buyers!

I love customers who understand and who are easy going. Just the other day somebody order my hand-dyed yarn which I sold at a craft show and forgot to take it down. The woman who bought it on line was so nice and did not object to a different yarn I offered her. I am learning from the nice people how to have patience, so able to be as nice when I am on the other side of the computer screen.

Great article! Thank you for sharing! Happy holidays

Great Article It is great to know because for selling overseas is very important and these are great tips. Thank you for sharing.

this is EXACTLY what I was looking for, thank you!

Thank you for the article. but it seems some customer dont really care about my policies and they just want full refund and no product back :(. I have told them please return the item first and then I will refund the money. However I have thread by if you dont give me my money back right away i will put a NEGATIVE FEEDBACK!!! Who wants a negative feedback? I dont know. I believe Etsy should improve in this case be able to erase some negative feedback with proof as being thread by other customer. I just talking as a seller experience. Thanks Mery

Wonderful tips. Thank you.

Wonderful article, thank you! I love the scripted responses!

Well, I am having the problem of the customers product lost in the mail somewhere. Following the suggestions in this blog, he hasn't become an angry customer but he is a disappointed one. It is harder to deal with a customer that is simply disappointed rather than angry. Any suggestions?

Excellent tips! I haven't run across a cranky customer yet but I'm sure I will at some point in time. I'm filing this article for such a time. Thanks! ^_^

Thank you for the great advise and tips!

These are some very diplomatic writings to ease some sticky situations. I have been there and know that with quantity sales the odds are that I will be there again. Miraculously with about 3000 sales only one has been lost and that was simply because the overseas buyer mistakenly typed her address wrong in English!. I gave her a full refund! I could identify! -RACHELLE

I've had wonderful customers, including the lady whose package to this day has never arrived. Thankfully I had another of the item and was able to ship that out to her, but I'll always wonder if someone in Canada post is enjoying a hank of Tardis yarn ;)

I use PayPal going both ways. Recently had a chargeback. Because the item was under $250.00, only had to use Delivery Confirmation, as per PayPal, which I did. It seems that I followed their rules and regulations and should be getting my monies back for the chargeback because of same.

Thank you, I'm going to keep this seller/buyer conflict resolution language for future reference--they do say you catch more flies with honey ...

This is very helpful. Thank you! I appreciate the sample responses. I recently had my very first package go MIA. Crafting a response that was positive, yet empathetic (but not pathetic :)) took some brain power. Visualizing how I would want to be treated, if the shoe were on the other foot, helped a lot.

Very worthwhile read! Saving.

great tips & very helpful..:) Thanks a lot..

Useful tips, thanks for sharing! Still keeping my fingers crossed, hoping that all my shipments will go well and I won't come across disappointed or angry customers. Good luck everyone! :)))

thank you for the article. Very helpful. I also appreciate the scripted responses. I have had only 2 issues as a seller, but it leaves a bad taste in your mouth--for seller an buyer. I always want to be my best but some people just won't be happy. I am trying to not take it personally.

Really appreciate this wonderful *INFO* sometimes, things happen beyond our control,and is nice to be able to resolve the issue gracefully:) Happy Holidays!

Wonderful advice. Thank you for sharing.

this is ging to be very helpful thank you

Thank you so much for this. I'm a UK seller and with the current weather/postal problems my packages are taking longer than usual. I find it hard to know how to respond when the situation is so totally out of my control!

Good tips, thank you. As always communication with your customer is key and also a pleasure. I always advise when item has been posted. I had a recent delay with post here in Scotland and kept customer contact throughout. Parcel arrived this weekend and customer was delighted. Happy Christmas everyone!

I am not a newbie and this is still very usefull for me. Thanks!

This is soo helpful! I shipped a package to Canada Dec 1 and the seller didn't get it until yesterday. I was really on top of communication and I think that helped, but as a new seller, I was pretty upset about it! Communication is KEY! Happy Holidays all!

ilovedielinestudo - this happens to me often too. i end up going to unbelievably ridiculous lengths to avoid negative feedbacks. It really is blackmail.

Thank you for the great tips and advice. It does'nt come up very often, but its great to have information on hand when the occasion occurs. Have a wonderful Holiday Season Everyone!!!

This is a very timely tip. I'm having my very first bad experience with a seller here. It's. Awful. A promsied product, a late delivery, shoddy workmanship & a vacation message! Then after a few days, a convo, will refund purchase only PLUS I am supposed to pay to ship it back. This from a big seller. Awful. The good news is it makes me look at my own policies & how I conduct myself as a seller: 1. When I make mistakes as a seller, it's MY JOB to bend over to try & correct it, even if it means sometimes eating a sale. 2. Customer service is part of the sales package, not just the product. Shipping out the last item & throwing up the vacation mode is not okay, especially if packages aren't going to arrive on time & you know it. People have questions & you best check in to answer them. 3. If you are in over your head with orders, especially before the holidays, don't make promises you can't keep. Be honest with your customers, give them options. I did most of my Christmas shopping on Etsy & most of my transactions were great, pleasing experiences, not just the creations, but the care from the people who made them, which I will not forget. This one bad transaction is kind of ruining the rest because it was a really important gift. The seller popped in, refered me to her policies & vanished. Leaving me to fume, but bad feedback for her will get back feedback for me. I honestly, don't know what to do. It does makes me want to check in with my holiday customers though, who were great & hopefully will come back because I cared enough to make sure they were happy. d.

Marking this for future, many thanks

Terrific suggestions. Thank-you. GiRLStreetVintage

Thank you for the great advise and tips!

Very useful. Thank you.

This has been SO helpful! And it applies to more occasions than just unsatisfied customers. Thank you so very much!

Very Helpful! thank you !

Very Helpful! thank you !

Great advice. Been in these situations before, If you are nice and explain they understand.

Thanks for the advice! This happened to me on Ebay (Etsy's customer base has been fabulous in comparison!), and it was a nightmare.

I like the suggestion to hear out the customer and acknowledge their complaint. I had an eBay purchase where the item was a different brand & size than I had won. When they suggested I return the item for a refund (the item was less than the shipping) even after I'd sent pictures I was upset. I would have been happier with an apology.

This is such helpful informatioon, as sometimes we are just at a loss for solutions when we become frustrated and seeing it here puts things back into perspective. I'm sure I'll need to refer back here some day.

Thanks for the information!

Love it. Thank you very much for the helpful information.

Great Info!! I have had four customers lately, that have not even read my policies before purchasing. Two of them just combined and totaled their own shipping, one with a lost item and one with a damaged one. It is very frustrating when it seems like your policies don't even exist.

Excellent tips!!! Thank you so much!

If someone agrees to buy something from you, can they later change thier mind? prior to paying that is.

I have just had my first customer, who I could not please no matter what. No matter what I said or suggested, she was not happy. I refunded her entire order, even though I sent her a free applique with her order. She now threatens to contact Etsy and Paypal. I just don't understand. My work was the best. The article was helpful and informative and I appreciate the information. There should be some kind of seller group to discuss these kinds of issues. It is difficult to deal with customers like this.

The article was very helpful.

The article was very helpful, however the issue of "retaliatory negative feedback" still remains unclear. I am a new seller and have had nothing but positive interactions for the products I sell with transparency and honesty. I now have my first unhappy customer - If I refund the full price of a sale upon return receipt of the product but disagree with the buyer's insistence that I pay return shipping (which would have resulted in a capital loss for the sale), and then receive negative feedback for this, have I no recourse?