Comments Section on Check Out Page

[SarahInc]

I currently have the customer comments section on my checkout page. I never removed it as I thought it would be helpful in the event a customer has something important to relay to me (although I am not sure what that would be).

At anyrate, I am thinking of removing it. I get really long gift messages put in there, as if I send out gift cards with their order (I don't). Or the customer selects ground shipping which clearly states 2-7 biz days and they write in the comments section they want it overnighted. Or gift wrap it in baby shower wrapping paper, and attached a baby shower card with the following message (we don't offer this either).

I get this alot, in fact it is the only kind of comments I get, so I am feeling I should just get rid of it.

My question is do you have the comments section, and is it worth it? If you removed it, has that caused any customer issues for you?

[DanDeLioN]

I have comments section, and customer usually put the color that they want or just say like "I will not at home, please drop to my neighbor" etc..

We don't have issues with this comments section, maybe it depends your business too..

[Mark]

I agree. It is tiresome to receive these "demands" time after time. We have our shipping policy clearly identified in several places on our web site, have ONLY one shipping method available (Ground) and time after time, we get unreasonable requests to recieve their item in like two/three days! :rolleyes:
We have decided to just cancel those orders and not deal with the customer and get flamed for not meeting their unreasonable demands (all due, of course, to their own procrastination or un-preparededness.

[glowsource]

Most of the comments we get are regarding shipping, usually something like "no sig required, leave on porch" for the UPS driver.

As our business thrives on event planners and promotional workers that often need their product ASAP we have an additional question that says "What's your in-hands date?" or when do you absolutely need your order. We'll make sure to have it at their door by then and if the shipping method they selected won't get it there (happens A LOT) we'll call them up and clear an upgrade.

We're a lot more accommodating that many retailers in the business and we like to think that gives us an edge in the end. I feel what you're saying though and it doesn't much sound like the comments are doing you any good. Maybe if you remove it people will be forced to double-check their order before they place it, haha, who knows!

[Mark]

We got some fun ones, too!

"If no one home, leave behind big bush on side of porch" :D

"Please bring around to side door" :rolleyes:

"you're not the cheapest price on the net" :p

[rrw]

. . . any my favorites,

"does it look cheap?"

or my all time favorite,

"am I going to like it?"

[Mark]

Does anyone know why some folks are so arrogant and expect presidential treatment for a retail purchase????

[www.frik-n-frak.com]

Sounds like there may be an opportunity by adding some of these requested services? Perhaps, an option for certain products like "Gift Card Message" : $1.00. Etc. :confused:

We will often get a request to include a message along with gift orders... that and "please no invoice," etc. We have a simple greeting card program and rint off a nice little birthday card with the requested message. On the back side of the card is a small, subtle Frik-n-Frak.com.

We're not bombarded by these requests, but we do try to accommodate them when they come in. People DO notice these little extras!

Expedited shipping requests or "I need this overnight" can usually be cleared up with a phone call or an Email.

"Will I like this?" I think I would have to reply... "You're gonna LOVE this!" :D

~fr*k

[cekman]

I use and don't get any of the 'bad' comments mentioned here. I have had customers use it to tell me about problems they are having with my cart. This has helped me find 2-3 problems that I never would have caught on my own.

Can you change your title of your comments? Maybe something like "Additional comments (gift wrapping/cards not currently available)"

Or add additional text on your checkout screen to make things even more 'dummy proof'???

[SarahInc]

I actually do have a spot for people to include there event date, and if they aren't going to receive it by their event date with the method of shipping they chose, I do contact them. And we do often ground and expedited shipping. That doesn't stop people for picking ground shipping and then telling me in the comments to overnight it.

Some of the comments listed here are the comments I guess I would expect to be in the comments section (i.e. no sig required). We don't get anything like that.

I bend over backwards for my customers, not only bc that is how I want my business to be run, but bc I think customer service today is horrible. I don't want to be a business that falls into that.

I guess I just find the "requests" I get to be odd. If I saw a customer comments section, not in a million years would I ever put the type of "comments" I receive in there.