Is it unethical to ask a customer to pay my fees if they reneg on a deal?

I had a customer who contacted me by email for some proof sets. 28 proof sets to be exact. This request came through my personal EMail for sets listed on EBay.

I went through our auctions and pulled all the sets for the order. Before I could pull them a couple of the sets he was interested in were sold and I was not able to add them to the order. This miffed the buyer and now after the fact he wants to cancel the order and claims "you took too long you're outta luck" Keep in mind I pulled them within an hour of receiving the list in a phone call.

Do I ask him to pay the few bucks in fees that I'm going to incur because he's now reneging on the deal?

 

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You could, you probably will never see him again and he can't leave you feedback, but the chance of him actually paying those fees is close to none. It is just one of the risks and costs of doing business.

(I suggest you block him)

 

Unfortunately I have to agree with this statement

 

Honestly its not about the few bucks... It's about the principal. I would fully expect not to receive a cent. It's totally about people who do things like this and have no idea the effect it has on other people.

I'm leaning towards just taking the high road here and not responding and just tossing them back on EBay. It's just miffs me a little.

 

A business dilemma

I don't believe that reasonable people would consider a request for repayment of costs incurred to be improper, nor legally improper.

Having said what I believe to be reasonable, would I ask for the funds, or expect a disgruntled buyer to pay, no I would not. I consider minor misunderstandings to be part of human interaction. I would apologize for the misunderstanding, and inform them that if an opportunity arises where I can assist, to please call.

Has my policy been rewarding to both parties? Yes!! The majority of my transactions are relatively large monetary exchanges, and buyers often don't arrive after I may have driven hours to a neutral local, generally of their choice. I always have the buyers telephone number, and could call, but I know "crap happens", and they also have my phone number. Often they will call in the future, apologizing, or asking for a purchase to be delivered at a location of my choice.

An example of same is to be consummated within 2 hours, where an individual who lives several hours away, failed to arrive for a meeting at an intermediate location more than a year past, called me last week. I generally only sell into an "up market", and hadn't placed any ads for some time, just filling orders from individuals buying in a unstable/depressed market. The past potential buyer must have kept my unlisted number, apologizing, and asking if I could/would deliver a $5000 order of "no junk" coins at less than melt. I said yes, and it would take a week to deliver at a location ~45 minutes from my home. He agreed, providing me with a name and number. He later called several times, asking if I would have other items, ordering additional AGE 1/10 ounce coins at ~$15 less than Apmex "random year" best price.

Do I believe in not "burning bridges", yes, and I've been regularly rewarded, as I hope you will, if that choice is opted. Your request for repayment of incurred expense isn't unethical, but could also be considered as "advanced studies" tuition in the school of life, or part of the cost when "doing business". :thumb:

 

I would invoice him for some of those fees just on principal. Just to add insult to injury, I would also bestow on him the "rare" honor that he will now be blocked of ever bidding or buying from you again. I would state all those things in the invoice~~

 

Matt I do undestand were you come from regards to principal but I learned some time ago that it does not go very well with the buisness of ebay. You could how ever just state your claim in a email to him were you explain the sittuation and your loss but when a person like this does not see that to begin with i´m afraid that person wont when told.

Siggi

 

It's unfortunate that this has happened, and there is probably little that can be done about it. Looking at "both sides of the coin", I think the agreement should have been clearer........

The buyer should have specified "all or none", but if he hadn't, you should have raised the question, "What if some have sold?" before pulling the other listings.

I'll bet you won't forget the next time a customer asks to buy a group of listings. I don't think I'd go to the trouble of trying to bill him for your expenses, nor would I block him from future business dealings since there was a breakdown in communication on both sides.

Chris

 

I would have a phone call with the collector explaining aspects of running your business that are quite aggravating.

You indicated that communication was by email. This, IMO, is a cause of many misunderstandings. I have seen it happen numerous times. Emails are no substitute for the feedback that face to face or phone call communications allow.

 

Matt: I think taking the high road is probably your best option. Yes the "customer" is miffed but you had no choice but go forward with the sales of the sets that sold. I have personally e-mailed sellers for multiple items listed, and found out that some of the items were no longer available, that was my tough luck not the sellers. I am suspect of anyone who is all or nothing in these types of situations. It may be that a bigger headache was avoided by the buyer bailing.

Gene

 

It was by both EMail and phone. The collector had indicated that he would "take" the sets he listed over the phone. At that point I started pulling them.

 

Selling on Ebay is like any other business. Rule number one: The customer is always right. Rule number two: When the customer is wrong, see rule number one. Causing ill will with customers, even just one, is a bad thing to do. Remember this: Good news spreads fast. Bad news spreads like a wild fire. It is a proven fact that a good experience is shared with 2 or 3 people. A bad experience is shared with as many as 10 or more. The resulting chain reaction multiplies this. I suggest you take your lumps and charge this experience to the School of Hard Knocks from which I am enroled in the continuing education program.

 

I don't think it would be unethical, but I also think that your chances of getting any money from this person are slim to none. I have in the past had people contact me to end an auction, or pay outside of paypal, and every time it hasn't worked out. So now when contacted I always tell them "Thank you, if the auction ends without a winning bidder, I can contact you then and see if we can work out a deal." I have yet to hear from anyone. In the future you can require immediate paypal deposit before pulling auctions so at least your fees are covered.

 

Sorry but it's just not worth the hassle. I'd just block and move on at least he didn't have you send them out then cause problems.

 

I think the guy was messing with you from the start. His statement, "you took too long you're outta luck" makes me think he has fun doing this to folks. I would just move on and have no further dealings with him.

 

At the very least, I would point out to the non-buyer, how much money you lost on fees, and then give him the option of reimbursing you for your losses or getting blocked. If he's purchased off you before, and then come to you with this request he might not want to permanently burn this bridge.

 

If the customer found the sets on ebay why didn't he buy them thru ebay? Were you trying to avoid the fees?

 

I agree, I would be professional about the situation but if his reaction was as you described I would not go there again. One less collecor buying from you isn't going to make a difference. I doubt he would return anyways figuring that he has already burned the bridge down.

 

Bottom line, block his posterior and avoid the idiot!! Most likely the dude was drunk or he's simply an idiot. Either way, you don't need the aggravation.

 

This was our first transaction. I've decided to just leave it where it is without any more communication.

Wonderful question. The original EMail I received was actually through my website. I do make it easily known on our EBay store who we are... apparently this person put 2 and 2 together and called us. So directly trying to avoid the fees... I was not. Indirectly tho EBay did lead us to the potential sale... so it's kind of a grey area there.