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Originally Posted by Erin  Adrianna, I'm sure you are a very nice person. My point was that by accepting either credit cards or paypal you would have avoided this situation entirely. (Both by being capable of giving an instant refund and by not selling an item to two people, which is essentially what happened.) By accepting only money orders you have invited this type of thing to happen. Tina is upset that her money is gone and she is just trying whatever she can to get it back. If I needed my customer's information I would look it up... not wait for her to send me another message, wasting time... this entire situation is crazy that it has gotten to this point. Everyone was attacking the OP and I saw it differently, and so I said so.
I didn't say that you did not have a legitimate business. I asked how someone was supposed to know if you did with the information that you have (and have not) presented. I asked what is supposed to happen when a money order gets lost in the mail? I don't see how that is "attacking" you. I was just pointing out that it didn't make sense.
You just struck a nerve with your impossibly low pricing. Impossible because no one with any sort of overhead costs could possibly sustain such pricing. It's unfair to established businesses, because customers begin to feel like businesses who are charging a fair retail markup are overcharging. For example, people on YT often talk about going to their local boutiques to "try out" strollers, car seats, clothes, etc and then they go home and buy them on ebay for the same price the store paid for those items! (Is the store supposed to sell those items at their cost? Did you know that "standard" markup is 2 to 3 times the cost of the product? Small businesses selling at 50% off are typically losing money.) Meanwhile, the store has to pay employees and bills and rent so they can act like a library. Lots of sellers come on here and clearance out their old stock, and that's one thing, but when you were soliciting new orders - that got to me. So while you didn't do anything TO me, that is what you did that made me want to respond to this thread. If your customer service is as fantastic as everyone says it is, then your items should be worth a fair price, right? You should try that and you will get a lot more respect from your fellow YT sellers.
YT members really do seem to like you and defend you, so I think you should get your website finished right away and everyone can put this whole mess behind them. If you would like help or advice, since I've already gone through this process, I would be happy to help you. |
There are always outlets where you can find merchandise (even the good brand name stuff) for less than the boutiques are charging. I have been able to buy several things at wholesale prices by shopping online. I can't believe she is now getting criticized for selling things to fellow Yorkie Talk members too
inexpensively!! That is a new one on me. Shame on her for giving us too good of a deal??? She has no less "overhead" than any other small online business. Why should any of the online businesses charge as much as the brick and mortar establishments that have to pay rent, utilities, employee expenses etc.? What is funny is that I have read criticism that the big chains can sell items more cheaply because they buy in bulk, and now I am reading criticism of this YT vendor because she is selling more cheaply because she is so small. So, is it only medium sized boutique type stores that sell at full retail that are acceptable?
I belong to a photography forum and there is always a debate there too about buying at local shops instead of online. I don't even have a local dog boutique so it is not an option. But the fact is, I would not pay $50+ for my Yorkie outfits. But if there are online options I would buy the same outfits for much less. No local boutique (if there was one near me) is losing any money because I just would not pay those prices. If some are continuously browsing in their local boutiques, then I think they need to occasionally purchase something there. I do agree that they should not be used over and over and then buy somewhere else. But, I doubt most buying from this vendor are really doing that. Most probably see a cute outfit and she has reasonable prices, so they buy it. I just bought some great natural dog treats online here from another member. The price was way less than the boutiques would charge for the same quality and quantity of natural treats along with a squeaky toy. I sure would never complain to her to raise her prices!
Another thing.... I think "about a month" is not a long time when you are talking online orders. There are several of the YT vendors that will take 4-6 weeks and sometimes longer to get their apparell out to you. If we were talking medical supplies and needed them immediately maybe that would not be acceptable, but a dog hoodie ..... we ought to be able to wait a few weeks especially for a really good price. But, that is just my opinion. Everybody has one and mine is no more right or wrong than the next one. But we have probably beat this poor vendor over the head enough. She has said she will send the refund and the OP will have her money NLT the 27th. What more can we ask of her? (except the raising prices part, that is!)
Peace!