Buy my product and I'll never speak to you again!
Customer service hell:
I actually had a product vendor on Warrior Plus tell me off and block me rather than refund my money or try to work with me today. I was shocked by her attitude, and her thin skin.
Sometimes it's just not safe to buy stuff
Sometimes I’ll buy an info product on Warrior Plus. It’s rare now that I’m on Wealthy Affiliate, but once in awhile something will catch my eye. Today I saw something interesting on motivation for $4.93. I sometimes lack in the motivation department so every little bit helps.
And I just want to say that I’ve never had a problem with Warrior Plus. I think they are a decent and reputable company.
But today I learned that some of their vendors are a little sketchy and twitchy.
The price was right on today’s product, so I bought it. No biggie.
If I buy it, I should be able to download it!
Well, little did I know that downloading my purchase would be an exercise in futility. The instructions were impossible. The logins didn’t work, there were 404 errors... an hour of my life I can never get back.
So, feeling a bit annoyed over so much turmoil for a $4.93 purchase I reached out to Warrior Plus and the vendor. I sounded a little annoyed which I was. I wan’t rude or nasty, but just very matter of fact: Please help me resolve the matter or in the next day or two I will ask Paypal to refund me the purchase price.
Warrior Plus customer service was lovely. They reached out and they’re working on it.They were very polite and concerned...the vendor was another story.
Let the email war begin!
I got a nasty email from her informing me that my attitude sucks and because my attitude sucks she does not see any reason to help me, and in fact she has no intention of communicating with me further. Sure enough when I tried to respond, she blocked any further attempts at communication.
She asserted in her email that no one had ever had a problem before with her product, and at least one hundred people have bought her product… so there, nyah, nyah, nyah!
It was like talking to a five year old who didn’t want to hear it and stuck their fingers in their ears to tune me out.
I reached out to the affiliate marketer who referred this nut and her products to her email list, to give her the heads up.
Uh oh! Paypal!
And then I called Paypal.
I can tell you this, as a marketer or vendor the very last thing you want to have happen is a customer calling to report you for not working with them or refusing a refund when something goes wrong.
The guy on the phone assured me that Paypal takes these types of claims very seriously and her account may be disrupted. Oh well. Maybe she should have thought of that and worked with me before her distraught inner five year old kicked in.
It wasn’t my intent to cause her any problems. She created this all on her own. If you sell a product you have to produce the goods, otherwise you can get in trouble. She allowed her emotions and ego to escalate a situation that could have been easily resolved.
My take away from today’s affiliate marketer debacle is this:
Don’t take anything personally. If a customer is frustrated, offer some help. Don’t take it as a challenge to your dignity. Don’t block them before you’ve resolved the situation.
Always be professional. You don’t really know who is on the other end of the email server and you could be alienating someone who can hurt you professionally.
Don’t mess with Paypal.
Stick with Wealthy Affilate, they're not scary.
Don't mess with Paypal.
So for just $4.93 I got an invaluable lesson on how to treat customers. A really good price for a very large lesson.
On her end, that $4.93 could cost her dearly if Paypal bans her account.
Imagine all of that chaos over $4.93.
Live and learn.
Recent Comments
25
Hey Wendy,
I totally sympathize with you! I also had a day from hell! Only mine was the opposite of yours. We sell on eBay. I have been selling on eBay for over 10 years, and I have been pretty lucky. But every once in a while, one gets the customer from hell! Ordered a pricey vintage item, then decided he did not want it and tried to claim it was defective. My husband thoroughly checks everything before we list and again before we ship. We also packed it extremely well and paid extra shipping so there would be no damage. The customer would not even communicate with us as to what the problem was. I had no choice but to contact eBay and get them involved. We also specifically listed that we do not accept returns on vintage items. In 10 years, I have only had to involve eBay 3 times. And I have been vindicated each time. I hope it happens this time. As I always say, "There are always a few bad apples in every basket!" It is just a fact of life. We just have to deal with it and move on. You did the right thing. I am positive if she did not refund your money, Paypal will since she did not deliver the item. Paypal especially frowns on products not delivered. Years ago, I had a woman try to cheat me out of $1,200! I paid her and she refused to send me the item. Paypal reviewed the case, took the money out of her account on another huge sale she had, and shut her down! She was banned! You are right! Do not mess with Paypal!! But for $4.93?? That is ridiculous on her part. Take Care my friend. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day for both of us!
I suspect other people were having trouble accessing her product, and I just happened to be the last straw. eBooks are supposed to be easy to download, hers wasn't because she didn't set it up properly or test it. Yes, Paypal was not happy about any of this and they probably will shut her down. It's a shame that a moment of anger on her part could really ruin her whole business.
Yes, I'm sure it will. That's awful on your end when you're selling high ticket items and someone flakes out. Cheating online never goes well for the cheater. Karma always catches up. :-)
And I doubt that she got to keep the $4.93. Paypal would likely refund it, deduct it from her account.
I think she was upset when you contacted her. Maybe it came at the wrong time. See whenever I hear of people doing something stupid, especially on the road, I always think that person needs to use the toilet. Well, you got her at the wrong time.
It was nature that called and you ticked her off from keep her away from that urgent call.
Sometimes it can be as simple as that.
frank =)
I'm sure she was having a bad day, but taking it out on a paying customer can cost dearly. Paypal does not play and she could really be in hot water with them.
I've learned to take a deep breath before hitting send, especially professionally.
What exactly was it, since you only mentioned motivation and there are lots of easy ways to gain more of it.
One tip I give out is that you keep your dreams where you can view them at any time or any place.
Some people get tattoos, other carry a locket. Some have found a symbol they can customize to represent their life's purpose or passion if you have found it.
The main take away with motivation is that it must come from you for it to last.
Eric
I don't remember exactly - it was a short ebook I'm always looking for new ideas and I like to see how people write about things and promote info products.
I'm fairly motivated, but I'm not nearly as far along here at WA as I'd like to be. I know I will get there - it's just trying to do it around a full-time job can get frustrating since I don't have as much extra time as I'd like. I keep plugging away at my own pace. I'll get there. :-)
Yeah, I am the same way. There are many courses and books I want to read just to know what another angle of it includes.
Hey Wendi,
Kinda sounds like the day I had. Dealing with people can be so frustrating at times.
Tried and True
Elaine
It can. I don't personalize it. But she really may have screwed herself as a vendor. Paypal doesn't take kindly to nutty behavior with paying customers.
Hi Wendy
When we were kids and we were going out with friends, my beloved Mom's last words always were: "Behave in such a way that you won't serve as a bad example!" ;-) LOL!
Thanks for sharing the VERY valuable lessons from your experience!
Onwards and Upwards! ;-)
Sharlee (Chocolate IceCream)
Sadly, Wendy, there are too many people like this in a customer service position.
But, hey, maybe she was having a bad day - which doesn't make it right - but, it does promote understanding.
It takes all kinds to make a world and, people like her just make the rest of us look even better!
Jim
You're right Jim, but it reminds me that years of work can be jeopardized in a moment of anger. It's not worth it. I harbor her no ill will - she probably was having a bad day. However, a customer is entitled to their money back and the only way to do that if the vendor cuts you off is to go Paypal. She forced my hand. :-(
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Paypal can get very touchy when customers need to claim money. I think that they don't want a bad reputation and so they come down hard on what could be scammers!
I hope everything turns out ok for you.
Derek
It did, Paypal refunded my money. Thanks Derek!