Negative To Positive

You ordered a gorgeous framed print online and it was just delivered to your house.  You’re excited as you peel off the packing tape.  You’ve spent the past week bragging that you saved $100 on this amazing piece that will look perfect in the living room.  You open the box and take out the packing bubbles anxiously waiting to admire your purchase.  You lift it out of the box to examine it.  Gasp!  The frame is broken and there is a crack in the glass.  To say the very least, you’re pissed.  What do you do now?

1.  Allow yourself to calm down first.  Addressing an issue when you’re heated is not a good idea.  Once you’re calmed down, sit down and compose a letter to the company.  From experience I have found that sending an e-mail to the customer service department yields much better results.

2.  Start the letter by saying something nice about the company.  I also know, from experience, this can prove to be a bit challenging especially if you’re angry.   If you begin the letter by informing the company that they suck and they can all go to hell…well, let’s just say that won’t solve the issue.  Say something nice about their site or how impressed you were to find such great deals.  Anything.

3.  Give as much detail as you can about the damage to the item.  Attach a picture if you have to.  I’ve done this with a couple of things.  Unless it was clearly stated that the item is “sold as is” or there might be slight imperfections, you’re in the right.  Keep in mind, too, that a clearance or discounted item doesn’t mean a poor quality item.  It should be the same quality regardless of how much you paid for it.

4.  Let the company know that you were disappointed with the merchandise and overall customer experience.   Companies that care about their customers don’t want to hear that.  Keep in mind, companies want to keep their customers satisfied and they don’t want you to take your business elsewhere.  They also know that you have the power of  word of mouth whether it be writing a review, telling your friends, etc.  I can’t think of a company out there that wants a bad reputation for poor quality and service.

5.  End the letter by saying that you expect to hear back and you would like to resolve this issue immediately.  I like to include a sentence or two that explains that I would love to continue to shop the site, however, I’d like to have the confidence that I am going to receive quality merchandise.  I let them know that I haven’t decided if I’m going to continue to be their customer.

I’ve been an online shopper for several years now and 95% of purchases I make are done online.  There have been a few times that I’ve received a damaged item or my order was messed up.  By following the above steps, these negative shopping experiences have turned into positive ones.  Not once has a company told me to return the damaged item for a replacement.  They wrote me a letter saying to keep the original order and they would send me a replacement free of charge.  I have received massive discounts, automatic refunds and coupons for future purchases.  If a company is willing to make things right, I will give them another chance.  So far, I haven’t been let down twice.