I sent off a 100 count bag-o-widgets to this customer. They received it promptly, and rattled off this ebay message to me:
"I just received my (widgets) and am happy that they arrived so quickly. However, there were only 99 (widgets) not 100, I counted them 3 times. I'm not going to leave negative feedback but that is slightly annoying. I understand that mistakes happen but it's not really fair to me. Somebody needs to be more careful counting!"
To quote the Geico Caveman: "First of all, I'm not alltogether in love with your tone right now." There have been times I've been shorted a widget on ebay. I simply write the seller, tell them I didn't receive a widget, and they either a) send me the missing widget or b) refund my money if said widget isn't available. In the case of where I've received the wrong widget, but it's a halfway acceptable enough widget, I usually decide to keep the widget, but not leave any feedback and drop the matter after they tell me they don't have the right widget. I don't finger wag at them telling them "Someone needs to be more careful sorting out their widgets!" Come on, what good would that do? Sellers are as careful as they can be and no amount of finger-wagging by an annoyed customer will improve that. Also, the problem is a minor and correctable one. I'm happy to send off another widget to the customer, you don't need to finger-wag to get me to do that. Just tell me I there was an error in the count, and I'll fix it. No problem. No need to act all "this is unfair to me!" and persecuted! Because you're not!
I wrote back to them:
Thank you for contacting me about the counting error. Yes, it would be unfair to leave negative feedback, because all you would need to do is contact me and tell me there were only 99, and I would be happy to send you the extra (widget). As you said, mistakes do happen, and it was a mistake, and I will be glad to send you the extra missing (widget). I do not cheat my customers (please check my feedback), and this oversight was simply that, a mistake in counting. No need to get so upset about it--no one is cheating you. Your extra (widget) will go out in the mail on Monday.
But you couldn't top their response:
I wasn't so upset, like I said I was annoyed. But turns out it was my error. The missing (widget) had slid under something on my desk. Please excuse my error. Sorry for the mess.
Thanks
I really wanted to write back and say:
"Seems like somebody needs to be more careful counting!" But I bit my tongue as that would be playing right into their own little game of wag the finger. Maybe if they would've just been a little more trusting/not paranoid that there were 100 widgets (not that I'm denying I couldn't have made a mistake counting...no one is perfect and mistakes do happen and I have made these widget-count mistakes before), they wouldn't have had to be so annoyed over nothing in the first place.
Even thought they found their widget, I suspect they're still annoyed. I blocked them from buying from me again. Who needs this?
Labels: It Takes All Kinds
9 Comments:
They really hit a nerve with you, and you are right that finger wagging is more likely to make matters worse instead of better.
I really hate it when people talk to me as though they are taking a parent posture - as if this kind of posturing assures them of getting what they want - it is so disrespectful.
If I was shorted one widget, out of that many, I would probably let it go. It isn't worth the hassle, you know? People can be so rude sometimes. The buyer should have just asked for the missing widget, not reprimanded you for forgetting it! Stan is right, you were "mommed."
;)
I love that term Dawn, "Mommed"! LOL!
You know, if I had Mommed someone like the way she/he Mommed me, and then discovered it was my own error, I would have felt TERRIBLE and apologized profusely, not just casually the way he/she did.
He/she was also a premature feedbackulator. Although I was left + feedback, the comment was simply "Fine." I mean, you really shouldn't leave feedback of any sort until after the deal is finalized, and how could it be finalized until after he/she knew whether I would give them the (assumedly) missing widget or not?
I left him/her the + feedback:
"Wow. That was a unique experience."
Also, yeah, assuming I really *had* miscounted the widgets and only send them 99, it really is not worth the hassle.
My dad used to fine me when I left lights on in rooms. It didn't do a damn bit of good. My brain was just not programmed to always remember to turn off lights in rooms (especially when I knew I would soon return to the room). No amount of fineage could correct that. People are just wired a certain way, and punitive measures are the worst tack you can take to correct a behavior.
Counting out the same 99 widgets three times, man, that's hardcore anal retentive. But I'd have loved to see their expression when they found the missing one under their desk mess. I bet that was my fault somehow.
Your dad fined you--- lol--- but he's anal too- the kind of person who would count his widgets 3 times maybe?
"You know, if I had Mommed someone like the way she/he Mommed me, and then discovered it was my own error, I would have felt TERRIBLE and apologized profusely, not just casually the way he/she did."
Unfortunately moms like these do this crap to their kids all the time and it is still never their own fault. Even when they find out they are wrong, they still blame the kids and won't admit guilt. I have seen this. I try not to do this to my own spawn.
"premature feedbackulator" rotflmao!
"Your dad fined you--- lol--- but he's anal too- the kind of person who would count his widgets 3 times maybe?"
No he wouldn't. He'd count them 5 times.
"Unfortunately moms like these do this crap to their kids all the time and it is still never their own fault."
It is my fault, because I should've sent them 101 widgets in case they misplaced one. I should've anticipated this ahead of time. Me bad seller.
"No he wouldn't. He'd count them 5 times."
hahahahaha!
"Me bad seller."
Very very very bad seller! Go to your room! :p
I like this phrase though: "First of all, I'm not alltogether in love with your tone right now."
I'll copy and save it in case I at some point need it ;)
I stole it from a tv ad for an insurance company that uses lizards and cavemen as spokesmodels.
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