Ignorant Customer Filter?

[Mark]

Just curious if anyone knows a way to implement this?
I mean, we've been selling for 4 years now, and some folks are just too illiterate and ignorant for their own safety.
When we label a product "Usually ships in two to three weeks" and a customer orders on a Tuesday night after midnight and says I need it no later than Friday" and our shipping is UPS Ground clearly stated, what more do we need to do?????????. Please, what do you folks do?

I mean, come on? :rolleyes: This is just not right.

[GoldenEagleOutdoors]

You must be referring to international customers.........

I work a day job at a state university and the biggest problem is with people from other countries. It seems they can speak and write english, but they have no clue what they are saying. It baffles the mind............

[Mark]

NO, we don't sale to anywhere but the 48 continental US. Oh well. :(

[rrw]

This used to be a huge problem for us, and they were almost always US customers. People just do not read. Here is what helped:

On checkout step 2, where they are choosing their shipping method, we have the following posted:

"Shipping Time

Orders are shipped as items are available, REGARDLESS of the shipping method selected--see the "Is is in stock?" page for details. For every single item, the quantity in stock is noted in real time. Please note: the quantity is specific to the color, options, etc. that are selected--the number in stock will automatically update as the selections are made.

If you have an immediate need, please email us ([email protected]) for availability PRIOR to placing your order--please do not assume we can meet your need if the quantity shown is not sufficient."

We also have a required checkout question at that point that says "I have read the shipping warning above."

Occasionally, we still get customers who do not read, and we very politely tell them that we go to great lengths to make them an informed consumer prior to making a purchase, but it is their responsibility to read it. We then direct them to the multiple places on our web site where the information is posted, as well as to their confirmation email which shows that they have checked the box indicating they have read the warning.

That usually humbles most customers, but for the ones who are still upset, I just chalk it up to the fact that there are some people who just can't be pleased because they don't want to be. You could drive the tiara to their house, put it on their head, and they would still complain about something! :(

[Mark]

"the ones who are still upset, I just chalk it up to the fact that there are some people who just can't be pleased because they don't want to be"

I think that is a very important point.

Some just <b>want</b> to be unhappy. :rolleyes:

[Rungreen]

This is just a fact of life doing business anywhere.

We are VERY proactive- we try to make sure every order every day is shipped out right up until the UPS truck pulls up. This impresses some. Some order 2-Day on a Thurs or Fri and want to know why it wasn't there Sunday. If it's an Express, we normally call them and tell them we're out of something- at least we can say we tried(even with voicemail). I have my staff very concerned about getting an order out every day.

If you're not versed enough to know services don't deliver on Sat. or Sun., you shouldn't be shopping online.

We also get into a lot of trouble with Canadian customers- angry about brokerage fees, etc, even though this is very clear when reading shipping policies.

It doesn't matter what you do or where you post it, some will have a problem. I'd just as soon not scare people away with a lengthly paragraph at checkout, and make the other 98% feel comfortable. Just my thoughts.

[RDavis]

If you're not versed enough to know services don't deliver on Sat. or Sun

Unless they prefer to pay for it... heh with UPS or the humble and failing USPS unlike you bigger guys most my stuff is 4 or 5 ounces so 1st class mail works out well for me and majority of my customers get shipments in 3- 6 days
worried about the day I have to start shipping everything UPS however
Mark, I take it they shut off basketball and started shopping?

:-)

[deerefun]

This is just a fact of life doing business anywhere.

We are VERY proactive- we try to make sure every order every day is shipped out right up until the UPS truck pulls up. This impresses some. Some order 2-Day on a Thurs or Fri and want to know why it wasn't there Sunday. If it's an Express, we normally call them and tell them we're out of something- at least we can say we tried(even with voicemail). I have my staff very concerned about getting an order out every day.

If you're not versed enough to know services don't deliver on Sat. or Sun., you shouldn't be shopping online.

We also get into a lot of trouble with Canadian customers- angry about brokerage fees, etc, even though this is very clear when reading shipping policies.

It doesn't matter what you do or where you post it, some will have a problem. I'd just as soon not scare people away with a lengthly paragraph at checkout, and make the other 98% feel comfortable. Just my thoughts.

There is just something about them Canadians.

[SarahInc]

When we label a product "Usually ships in two to three weeks" and a customer orders on a Tuesday night after midnight and says I need it no later than Friday" and our shipping is UPS Ground clearly stated, what more do we need to do?????????. Please, what do you folks do?

This is 95% of our customers. It is very frustrating for me because I feel like I am either spending an enourmous amount of time telling my customers what they could have read on multiply spots on my website. Or I am cancelling orders.

We have posted over and over our shipping policies, processing times, etc., but the biggest problem ever is PEOPLE DON'T READ. And I think when they turn around and are pissed at you for doing nothing wrong, I think a lot of it is them being mad at themselves for not paying enough attention.

I take it personal when I have customers who are upset. I don't want to be like other companies who I feel have terrible customer service. But like RRW said, I find that sometimes I do everything right, and I still will have a customer who is mad about something. You really just can't please everyone. I try to tell myself that everytime I run into a situation.

Kind of on a side note...I have on my product pages as well..."ships within x amount of days". And I started to wonder if some of these customers who are expecting miracles are perceiving that as in... that is how long it ships, not how long before it ships. Thoughts?

[Mark]

We use the "usually ships out in 2-3 days.
Now, what we mean is it will be placed on a carrier's truck within 2-3 days.
of course there are those that think it will arrive in 2-3 days.
I think we will be moving to the "I agree to this website's terms and conditions" required checkout question.

No matter how well you try to spell it out, the nasties will put their particular spin on it.

We may just have to restate to say "should arrive sometime this calendar year" , but, the thing is, our products DO usually ship out in 1-2 days and we don't want to lose customer due to our availability message. And, stating "In-Stock" is no good, because, if it DOESN'T ship out by lunchtime that day, you will have upset customers as well.

oh bother! :rolleyes:

[GoldenEagleOutdoors]

I picked up on what walmart does on their website.

I explain what processing time and shipping time is, but it is farther down the page so I don't expect everyone to see it.

I don't have the volume like some of you other guys, but I haven't had anyone come back with complaints about shipping times.

My two cents as a result of a congressional bailout...........

[Mark]

Okay,

we JUST received an order for delivery to California.
Our copy says, usually ships out in 2-3 days. And, on top of that, ALL our products ship UPS ground.
The customer, mind you, submitted this order at 4:00pm on the Friday afternoon before the Memorial Day weekend and wants delivery on the 27th of May.
Are people this really out of touch with reality>? :rolleyes:

[concession-supply.com]

we would like to have a "university" filter. We receive many orders from universities (state or otherwise) that are usually more problematic than orders from end user consumers or other business customers. Not sure why the universities are such an issue, but, we would rather not make those customers, based on the statistical numbers sales/issues ratio. :rolleyes:

[SarahInc]

I explain what processing time and shipping time is, but it is farther down the page so I don't expect everyone to see it.

Honestly, I can't even believe this needs to be explained. I find all of this novel even before I owned my online store. It's mind boggling.

I spend a lot of time trying to find ways to get my information across to people but it seems incredible fugal, bc no matter what I do they don't get it.

I am thinking of changing my availabilty from "ships in x business days" to something with "ships out" or changing availability to processing time. I don't feel I should have to. What I have seems incredibly clear to me, but....

[Mark]

We totally agree with the poster that stated that some folks just don't want to be happy.
We have our usual group of folks each wekk that apparently wake-up mad-at-the-world and there is little you can do. We've even had folks respond in SUPER LARGE TYPE FONT extra bold and such looking for their prodyct they ordered 11 hours ago?! :(