Do you have a Customer From Hell ?

[dipmicro]

They are rare. I started recording them February 2011 and so far 7 people our of 35,000 made it in my file. These are not people who  get blocked, those are plentiful, about 2-3 every month, but these are jewels. My file is literally called Customer From Hell and I sometimes take time to record full transcript, makes for funducational reading. It also shows that no matter how helpful and reasonable you try to be, there is no such thing as pleasing everyone so it also helps to keep that distance and allowing me not to take things personally no matter how hard they try.

Are we allowed to post transcript of email conversation here? Without personal info, of course.

Anyone else keeps records too ? Let's Funducate 🙂

[mr.elmwood]

Not sure what you can post. So far, I have had two. I was gonna say one, but, then I remembered the other one that was sending me screaming emails, ten at a time, screaming the exact same thing over and over.

I was eBay Live in Las Vegas at the Paypal booth and a supervisor for Paypal said "What ya doing?" so I showed her the emails. She was stunned. Right in front of she closed the case in my favour and blocked the buyer from any further action.

My other one was the classic screamer, threatening, legal this, have you lawyer call mine, calling the police, reporting you to the eBay legal dept, bait and switch, estoppel something, refund plus costs and damages.

I eventually got the $40, (forty) part back, no case opened, nothing to do so I ignored him. He bought the wrong thing and blamed me for his mistake.

I have had a few folks start with an aggressive tone. That changes when I respond calmly and pleasantly.

So, yeah, only two out of 8700. Liars, cheats, thieves, yeah. Only two from Weirdoville.

[kh-leslie]

Hi dipmicro,

You cannot post email content from other users - however you can paraphrase and that would be within guidelines.

If you ever have any questions related to what is and isn't ok - go ahead and click on over to the Usage Policy 🙂

[recped]

I've had three that would qualify in 14 years and 15,000 unique buyers.

Interesting, one of those 3 (33.3%)  was a Canadian buyer but Canadians only represent about 10% of my buyers.

Of the other two, one was a Russian and one was a Brazilian.

Of course I've have a few other problem buyers but they lived on the surface of the planet and not way down(?) there in H........

[ricarmic]

I would say that I've had 4 that qualify (out of 1,000s) and by qualify I mean way over the top.....

Interestingly, two are from Ontario, the other two are from the USA!!!

I've had some very challenging time with overseas buyers but usually it is a result of language etc barriers.....

Of the two Ontarians:

-I've referenced the first a few times, he showed up under 4 different Ids over the course of time and did manage to steal $600 off me with the 2nd id. The repeated attempts were the ones that put him over the top!

-the 2nd was an all caps guy, he would either all caps that you were the bestest seller ever, or that you were the worstest seller ever, and this would happen with the same seller over different purchases!!! I kept an eye on him, he generally gave out about 50% negatives, and after a couple months he became NARU (and I went back to 100% positive!!!!)

The two USA folks were a long time ago:

-one was very upset and wouldn't even let me refund them some of their money. I got notes like "I don't want your money, I don't ever want to hear from you ever again!".

-one became "ok" again after the professional note, but something re-escalated her and I had lots of problems with her, especially since she got lot 2 after she was upset about lot 1. It turned out reasonably ok but was a long, lots of emails situation.

Usually like Mr.E says, if you respond with a non confrontational, professional response, the buyers 99% of the time turn around and it is reasonably positive from that point on....

[dipmicro]

Weirdoville 🙂 Love it, Mr E.

We had share of thieves and cheats, problem and confused buyers, buyers who don't read and assume and then dispute. These do make it to my BBL sometimes, but overall in big picture, they are regular. My customers from hell are illogical unreasonable argumentative beings, who become obnoxious and harassing. Reason why we have a policy of 5 emails, if issue cannot be resolved in 5 there and 5 back, it will not get resolved and will most likely result in aggravation and time waste.

After several of such experiences, one will start appreciating folks who say what they need to say, leave negative feedback and move on.

A fellow from QC back in 2011 made purchase of parts, and had issue with everything. He thought he bought something else, despite several pictures, my fault. We charged 2x value of postage stamp. And lastly we were ripoff since Hong-Kong sellers sell similar item cheaper with free shipping. About 10 emails back and forth + negative feedback. Could save the time aggravation and get same result by pressing delete on second email. I think this may be the one where I designed the 5 email policy.

Most recent - item ships by USPS but there is 2 carriers. Even though the orders are packed and ready same of next day, we need 1-2d transit to PO by other carrier (ChitChat), so to accommodate for this delay, 3-day handling time is advertised. 

Orders are marked as shipped at time they are handed off to first carrier, and also tracking number is posted. This results in small confusion because tracking number sits idle for 2 days. It's fixed shipping arrangement I cannot change and using 3 day handling time was the best Ebay listing configuration fitting this arrangement. All orders arrive in Ebay estimated window or earlier.

A customer sends an inquiry at 2am in the morning if his item shipped. Then another at noon urging for reply. The he receives explanation about our 2-carrier arrangement. He goes ballistic about item being marked shipped when it's not at USPS yet. My staffer tells him to keep discussion civil otherwise she stops replying. He says he is contacting Ebay about falsification of shipping time at which point I advice the girl to cut conversation and report harassment to ebay. $8 order with free shipping, 7x emails from customer, some rude, 5x emails from us, 1x BBL, 1x ebay report, at least $20 in CS wages between the two people. He is logged in my file under chapter "Mr. Charming Personality". Too bad I cannot post the transript 🙂

[bb_cool_stuff]

Unfortunately they are a part of doing business.

We always remember the heck Brande & Steve went through last winter.

My frustrations paled in comparison.

As frustrating as they can be we all manage to get over them with a simple shake of the head.

[i*m-still-here]

I had so few buyers from hell they're not even on my radar any more, but I've encountered numerous sellers from hell.

It's ongoing.

They are MUCH more plentiful than problem buyers are.

[bb_cool_stuff]

Especially if they don't want to eliminate the GSP in their listings.

That seems to be the trend in my experiences.

[i*m-still-here]

bb.......... believe or not I find that forgivable.

The problems I have are about sellers agreeing to ship one way at one cost and then not honouring those agreements.

It's very common and there is nothing Canadian buyers can do about it.

I won't elaborate because I don't want  to hijack the thread more than I already have.... :).

[femmefan1946]

My Buyer from Heck was a few years ago, so some details have become vague.

He (?) ordered a book called "Set Up Your Easel" and paid.

Then an angry email about fraud because she(?) realized that it was a book not an actual easel. The gender change is because there was a name change from the order to the email.

The book was pictured in the listing, one of my first scans if I remember correctly. Most of my titles did not have pictures at that time.

Then a furious demand for his money back. With a third name and another gender change.

And a couple more emails. Various names, addys, and genders.

And a Dispute with charges of fraud.

Then a payment (yes s/he wanted money back before paying) from a different address on the Billpoint payment than on the eBay order. (Yes Billpoint-- told you it was a while back).

By this time I had emailed Customer Service and forwarded the various emails.

The money was refunded and the member was removed.

I found the book last month still wrapped and addressed. Donated it to the Friends of the Library.

[pierrelebel]

In the stamp business we generally deal with mature individuals and seldom encounter "buyers from hell".

About ten years ago, I had a buyer purchase a block of stamps on eBay for about $100.  That was slightly below market value at the time.

Eleven months later the buyer contacted me and wanted to return the block for refund since she had just discovered a crease affecting two stamps.  I explained that I guarantee everything for 30 days but, it this case, would make an exception and advise her to return the block and a refund would be processed upon receipt.

A few days later a block of stamps arrived but it was not the block I had sold the lady nearly a year earlier.  Yes it was creased.  It only took two minutes to find she had just purchased that creased block on eBay at a bargain price a few weeks earlier (clearly described as creased in the listing).  So basically, she figured she could keep the perfect block in her collection and end up paying for the much lower price of a damaged block.

When I returned the creased block to her with a note that it was not the block purchased from me, she was unhappy and kept writing about seeing a lawyer, suing me, ruining my reputation, complaining with eBay, etc...  Nothing ever happened of course.

A few years later, she contacted me complaining that she had tried to purchase an item from my eBay store but was effectively "blocked".  Some people......

[dipmicro]

Tech Support: “All right. Now click ‘OK’.”

Customer: “Click ‘OK’?”

Tech Support: “Yes, click ‘OK’.”

Customer: “Click ‘OK’?”

Tech Support: “That’s right. Click ‘OK’.”

Customer: “So I click ‘OK’, right?”

Tech Support: “Right. Click ‘OK’.”

(Pause.)

Customer: “I clicked ‘Cancel’.”

Tech Support: “YOU CLICKED ‘CANCEL’???”

Customer: “That’s what I was supposed to do, right?”

Tech Support: “No, you were supposed to click ‘OK’.”

Customer: “I thought you said to click ‘Cancel’.”

Tech Support: “NO. I said to click ‘OK’.”

Customer: “Oh.”

Tech Support: “Now we have to start over.”

Customer: “Why?”

Tech Support: “Because you clicked ‘Cancel’.”

Customer: “Wasn’t I supposed to click ‘Cancel’?”

Tech Support: “No. Forget that. Let’s start from the top.”

Customer: “Ok.”

(I spend the next fifteen minutes re-constructing the carefully crafted setup for this lady’s unique computer.)

Tech Support: “All right. Now, are you ready to click ‘OK’?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Tech Support: “Great. Now click ‘OK’.”

(Pause.)

Customer: “I clicked ‘Cancel’.”

from http://notalwaysright.com/this-is-what-hell-is-like

[i*m-still-here]

There are a few very crazy people with problems that mean that they live in a different world.

There is nothing you can do about that............. the paranoid psychos buy here too.

However, on the whole if you show a buyer just a little respect they eat it up.

That's because there are so many sellers who are hostile, angry, and very difficult.

Those sellers make it easy for the rest of us.

[007steveb16]

I've had a bunch in my time. I'm sure I've written about most on here.

The one that take the cake was the one who threatened to come to my house to return their parcel if everything wasn't perfect. Was almost to the point of calling the OPP on him....

This was the one who I dealt with in Feb of this year then again in the summer when they made a new account under a woman's name this time around to come buy off of me again., for whatever senseless reason.....

eBay was quick to act and protect me though, which I will always appreciate.

[rose-dee]

---

@pierrelebel wrote:

It only took two minutes to find she had just purchased that creased block on eBay at a bargain price a few weeks earlier (clearly described as creased in the listing).  

---

Your story makes me wonder whether it would still be possible to get such helpful information from the buyer's feedback/selling history pages now?  

This is one example of why detailed and transparent display of buying history can be important to a seller. 

[rose-dee]

---

@i*m-still-here wrote:

That's because there are so many sellers who are hostile, angry, and very difficult.

Those sellers make it easy for the rest of us.

---

I have to say that I've done quite a lot of buying on eBay over a dozen or so years, and I honestly don't recall ever being treated by a seller in a hostile, angry and difficult manner.  Some are less communicative, true, but I've not encountered nastiness from sellers on this level. 

Perhaps it's the way they are approached, or dealt with initially in the transaction that starts things off on the wrong track.  I don't know what it is you're buying -- maybe such behaviour is more prevalent in a particular category, but I really can't say I've ever run into an eBay seller who was hostile to me as a buyer.  It makes no sense to treat a buyer in that fashion for no reason at all. 

[aqyera]

guys you should try a week managing small brick store, or even better work the cash register. it's incredible what people do. here online we only get those who learned to read and use computer, but in retail stores you get everyone. have you been death-threatened, sexually harassed or assaulted for no reason? some customer could really use more showers and dental visits, ugh! work at retail retail store for week and come back to ebay

[bb_cool_stuff]

... have you  been death-threatened, sexually harassed or assaulted for no reason ?

Yes, on my wedding night.

It was quite enjoyable.

[pjcdn2005]

I'm sure that you loved every minute!