What to do about lying customer

cs73

Free Member
Jan 21, 2014
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10
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We sent an order to a new customer last week. She bought a product from Brand A and a Product from Brand B. A few day later she emailed us, thanking us for the speedy delivery, but saying that she received Product A but instead of Product B she received something from Brand C (which we do stock), and furthermore that this product was unpackaged. She asked how she should return this, so that she can get a refund for Product B that she "didn't receive".

Now I packed this order myself, and it was on a quiet day, so I remember that I packed it correctly. I have also checked our stock levels, and they match, whereas if we had sent her the wrong thing they of course wouldn't. But what really set my alarm bells ringing was the fact that she said it was unpackaged, and also that she asked for a refund, whereas if we ever send something wrong, which does occasionally happen, we would send the correct product.

So I emailed her back asking her to confirm exactly what she did receive, and send a photo of the incorrect product. She did this today, sending a photo of Product C, but this was unpackaged as she said, with no outer box as it should have. She claims this is how she received it. Now we are an official retailer for all our brands, and only ever buy direct from them, so we firstly would never receive an unpackaged product from them, and we would therefore never send one unpackaged to a customer. So I am now 100% positive that she is lying. She obviously bought this from somewhere else, probably eBay, and is now trying to defraud us out of a refund for the product she is claiming she didn't receive.

Are there any suggestions of how I should handle this?
 

kulture

Free Member
  • Aug 11, 2007
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    www.kultureshock.co.uk
    Tell her you are at a loss as to how this happened. Say that all post that leaves your site is logged and weighed and that the parcel that was posted had the correct weight of a packaged product A and a packaged product B. Point out that in any case you do not stock product C so you could not have shipped it. Ask her politely if she could perhaps have confused your delivery with another. Say that if she has not confused deliveries you will naturally get the Police involved as clearly the post has been intercepted and opened by the Royal Mail and this need investigating fully.

    Obviously you do not accuse her of lying, and you will naturally leave her an exit route. So tell her that if product B should now turn up, and if she no longer wants it, under the Distance selling regulations she can return product B for a refund. This should let her know you are not going to be scammed easily, but give her the chance to return your product so she can try elsewhere.
     
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    cs73

    Free Member
    Jan 21, 2014
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    We do actually stock Product C, which retails for about twenty quid, so we are not talking a lot here, but we would certainly never send it unboxed, as she claims we did. They don't have serial numbers.

    Deniser - nice idea about Third Man. We use SagePay, and do have this, so I'll give them a ring about her.

    I also like kulture's approach. I already thought about saying we would contact the police about this, as hopefully this would scare her enough to back down. Either way I'm going to fight this as it is just so blatant.
     
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    Pish_Pash

    Free Member
    Feb 1, 2013
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    Just accept there are chancers out there, take whatever it is on the chin & move on.

    Don't boil inside...it's a hidden cost of online retail....chances are if she's gone out of her way to try & scam you, then she'll likely go out her way to damage your business name if she doesn't get a result!
     
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    ecoleman

    Free Member
    Feb 12, 2010
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    Just tell her you have checked the CCTV in your warehouse and no "unpackaged" goods were packed and sent that day.
    As her parcel has obviously been opened and items swapped on route, you will need to inform the police. Ask her if she would be okay for you to provide her contact details to the police in case they need a statement from her.
     
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    easidoo

    Free Member
    Jun 23, 2014
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    @cs73 do you have a order fulfilment back-trail to validate that your house is definitely in order? I am hoping that you send a printed copy of the invoice in the package you send to the customer. If so, ask the customer to send you a scanned copy of the invoice. Or, you could ask for photographic evidence of the product and the package she received.

    If all fails, send her a discount coupon accepting that you'll investigate the discrepancy in the order but unfortunately that is the best you can offer in the given circumstances. Discount could be, keep the product C and get a 50% discount on the next purchase of over £50. (valid for 30 days).
     
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    cs73

    Free Member
    Jan 21, 2014
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    Just accept there are chancers out there, take whatever it is on the chin & move on.

    Don't boil inside...it's a hidden cost of online retail....chances are if she's gone out of her way to try & scam you, then she'll likely go out her way to damage your business name if she doesn't get a result!

    I can't disagree with you more. If you had a bricks and mortar store and found someone shoplifting, would you say "oh well...there are some chancers out there..its just a hidden cost of having a shop". No of course not - you would contact the police and prosecute them. This is no different.
     
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