Customer Service

So this subject of customer service will come up again and again. I will basically be posting about it in parts. Today I'm going to go over some of the basics and how to deal with difficult people.

The reality is, just like in any business, you're going to find difficult customers - especially on etsy.

You will eventually get used to having to answer tones of questions, including having to go out of your way to take additional photos / measurements and then have them never reply or purchase from you. But it's important to do it anyways, because it does often lead to a sale and you don't want to miss out! (side note, if you commonly get asked about a specific measurement or photo maybe it's time to start including that in the future so you don't get the messages anymore)

You will also have to get used to people trying to haggle. Sometimes, especially if they are buying a lot of stuff, or a repeat customer it's nice to give a bit of a discount (but that is entirely up to you as the seller). Only you know what you can afford to do. You will also find people trying to haggle over the price of one item, and again that is up to you if you accept it.

 The hardest thing I personally find, is when someone tries to low-ball you. For example: "Would you take $5?" when the item is listed for $100. The reality is, you don't even need to respond. If you'd like to, stay polite. Just say something as simple as "thank you for your offer but I have to pass". It's one of those things where you will want to say "HECK NO, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? DON'T YOU KNOW I WORK HARD TO EARN THIS MONEY?" but that only causes confrontation. So again, either be polite, or don't bother responding. They know what they are asking and they know it's rude.

You will also notice that no matter how blunt you've made your policy page about returns / exchanges, and so on, people will buy something and want to fight those policies. Especially if they are unhappy for what ever reason. So again, it's important to stay calm and polite. Remember, they can leave you negative feedback regardless of whether or not they are in the wrong.

That's not to say you can't reinforce your policies and send them the link to your policy page. Sometimes, if they are being really pushy, it is best to find a middle ground you are both happy with even if it's outside of your policies. In the end you really do want your customer to be happy, and you'd like them to come back again. 

I will continue to go over other pieces of info & advice surrounding the subject of Customer Service.