Correct way to address buyers?

I grew up in England, and when we wrote to someone, even complete strangers we always put "Dear ***". I have noticed that some of my buyers have addressed me the same way. I usually put "Hi", but I would really prefer "Dear", is that acceptable in N. America?

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Correct way to address buyers?

I think it is fine.

I checked to see what it translates to in Russian or Chinese it came back ok for them, maybe check any other overseas countries you ship to...
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Correct way to address buyers?

mcrlmn
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I agree with ricarmic. I think both are fine.
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Correct way to address buyers?

Great! Thank you. I don't want to  appear disrespectful, but I do prefer "Dear". I only mail to N. America, UK, and Australia, and occasionally to Europe. I know it's fine in UK and Australia.

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Correct way to address buyers?

I grew up (here) accustomed to Dear as well. I got tired of seeing the same thing all the time so at some point, years ago I switched to Hi!.

I also have tended to use THX, which is fine here but I've had international folks quite confused what it was supposed to mean (it translates to THX which doesn't read so well in Russian, Chinese! etc....)

Selling internationally makes things a lot more interesting. In the days before I translated to the other language and back again to make sure it doesn't become something bad, I deeply offended a fellow in Italy. He wouldn't even talk to me anymore after he read the translated stuff - that was years ago, the translators are a lot better now....and I double check too!
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Correct way to address buyers?

When I was working I wrote letters for cabinet ministers and 'Dear Mr. Trudeau' was the accepted form of address.

So formal letters accept this as the proper format.

 

 

The informal "Hi" or "Hello" are also acceptable as is leaving out a salutation entirely. Again these are informal to casual usages.

 

 

 

 

 

Our problems came in with names that did not have an obvious gender (Leslie/ Kelly/ Habon) and titles that might be part of a given name (Ogimaa).

And we had ongoing discussions with titles like Mayor/ The Right Honourable/ Bishop. My bugaboo was addressing "The Reverend Ms. Sheila Moon" as Reverend Moon. Nope. It's Ms. Moon.

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Correct way to address buyers?

For what it's worth, although I am old school, trained as a linguist and translator and worked as a writer in various capacities most of my life, my preference, when addressing an email message to a buyer, is to use "Hello" or "Hi", plus the person's first name if I have it. 

 

I personally don't feel that most people expect the sort of formality in simple emails between buyer and seller that would be proper in a more formalized setting.  

 

During my days representing arts organizations, I would never have addressed anyone outside my immediate colleagues in an email with "Hi" or "Hello".  It's not so much a question of respect, but a question of context.  In the context of my role as an eBay seller on the other hand, I feel that addressing a buyer in an email with "Dear Susan" for example, looks and sounds stiff and slightly remote.  

 

On the other hand, "Hi" or "Hello" to start off an email to a buyer establishes an immediate and friendly approach that I think most people will respond to positively.  I would add that this is especially true for Americans, who have become quite used to addressing each other in almost any context but formal letter-writing with "Hi" on a first-name basis.  To address an American buyer with "Dear Jane" in an email might actually be taken to be rather snooty and cold.  

 

In French, "Bonjour _________ [first name of person]" is the current equivalent for friendly seller/buyer emails, rather than the sort of staid types of address that are demanded in formal situations.  

 

I think another factor that has played into the familiarization of English address in messages is the explosion of social media, where no one expects anyone to use any form of address at all.  Who knows?  The next, completely neutral, form of address in English may someday become @.  Woman Very Happy

 

By the way, rest assured, Google Translator seems to have this covered.  I'm sure that if you use "Hi" or "Hello" at the beginning of an email to a buyer, it will be translated with the appropriately friendly but polite word in another language. 

 

Since language is a dynamic thing, constantly evolving, it's a matter of shifting a little to bend with the wind.  Here's an example:  How many of us these days would refer to or introduce a 20-something young woman as "Miss so-and-so"?  Fifty years ago you wouldn't dare do otherwise.  However now that the word "Ms." has become so universally acceptable, and even preferable, using "Miss" would sound just a tad demeaning.  That's language in motion.  Go with the flow. Woman Happy

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Correct way to address buyers?

lesiu63
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sure Dear.....do as you wish, as you feel....if someone doesn't like it, show them the finger ! It's a free world....(or so I think) lol
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