Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To tell this shop owner I think her behaviour is unprofessional

265 replies

Dressily · 12/01/2018 05:31

I am buying a few expensive items from a shop (expense relevant because I expect a certain level of service when buying expensive items). I went into the shop a few weeks ago and selected the items I want. These items aren't just for me so last week the other person involved went to see the items themselves. Once they confirmed that, yes, they agree with my selection all was good and I wanted to go ahead and make the order. There was some rush to this as the items have (for a limited time) been placed on sale. This was further complicated by the fact that I don't live in the UK so needed to pay for the items from overseas using a foreign bank account.

I found the woman I dealt with in the shop (the owner) extremely unprofessional for the following reasons:

  • All email communications from her are extremely sloppy. She does not proof read so there are many spelling errors/typos. Whatever email program she uses is plain text so the emails look scruffy anyway, no footer image or contact details.
  • She has hounded me to pay for these items, despite knowing that I was waiting for the other person to confirm. I get explain to me that the discount is for a limited time so please confirm ASAP but to keep emailing so often is a bit much
  • I told her I would make a card payment over the phone expecting that she would ring the transaction through and then do a "cardholder not present" payment on the till. Nope, I called to give my details and her response was oo let me just get my pen. No! I don't want you writing down my card details! The connection was so bad that the call was terminated before I gave all the details.
  • I asked for a load of details to do an international transfer (you need more info than for a regular transfer) but she only gave me the usual account no. and sort code. When I pointed this out and asked her to refer to my previous email she sent me some details saying "this is what you need for an international transfer" but obviously hadn't read my request because she didn't give me all the details I needed. This was followed up a couple of hours later with a "how's the payment coming" email.
  • I really need/want these items, especially at the sale price, so I don't have much option but to buy from her

AIBU to email her letting her know that I find her behaviour very unprofessional and detailing why that's the case?

OP posts:
Bluedoglead · 12/01/2018 06:23

Hand delivered to your door and you don’t live in the Uk? Wow.

Bluedoglead · 12/01/2018 06:23

But you said you don’t live in the Uk.

Original poster
Dressily · 12/01/2018 06:24

They're to be hand delivered to my door Blue

OP posts:
Original poster
Dressily · 12/01/2018 06:24

They're to be hand delivered to my door Blue

OP posts:
GnomeDePlume · 12/01/2018 06:24

Taking week's to come to a decision sounds like a tyre kicker (wastes lots of time asking questions but doesn't go through with the transaction).

Asking for extra bank details will make her worry that this transaction is a fraud or that she will be stuck with loads of bank charges.

The phone line is hardly her fault is it?

Bluedoglead · 12/01/2018 06:25

Sorry phone is posting slow.

Hw can she hand deliver them when you don’t live in the Uk?

GnomeDePlume · 12/01/2018 06:26

Taking week's to come to a decision sounds like a tyre kicker (wastes lots of time asking questions but doesn't go through with the transaction).

Asking for extra bank details will make her worry that this transaction is a fraud or that she will be stuck with loads of bank charges.

The phone line is hardly her fault is it?

AstridWhite · 12/01/2018 06:27

I think the problem here is that she is a small independent retailer with limited resources and experience of doing overseas transactions and you are expecting her to have the same administrative set up as John Lewis or Selfridges.

Original poster
Dressily · 12/01/2018 06:27

How she hand delivers them isn't my concern.

OP posts:
AstridWhite · 12/01/2018 06:27

I think the problem here is that she is a small independent retailer with limited resources and experience of doing overseas transactions and you are expecting her to have the same administrative set up as John Lewis or Selfridges.

GnomeDePlume · 12/01/2018 06:28

I guess OP means couriered

unicornfarts · 12/01/2018 06:28

i don't think you're being that unreasonable - we've all become accustomed to a far higher level of customer care, rightly or wrongly. I probably would keep it to myself though - if she has insight then she'll put effort into making future intl payments easier. If she does;t you'll be wasting your breath....

Mumsymcmumface · 12/01/2018 06:28

She will have the goods for a while after I've paid for them (they need ordering) so I don't think she would be worried about fraud as you describe

While you might be a legitimate purchaser she will have no doubt wasted time on “sales” like this before and will be wary of it being fraud. We would have stopped replying to you ages ago.

GnomeDePlume · 12/01/2018 06:29

I guess OP means couriered

unicornfarts · 12/01/2018 06:29

i don't think you're being that unreasonable - we've all become accustomed to a far higher level of customer care, rightly or wrongly. I probably would keep it to myself though - if she has insight then she'll put effort into making future intl payments easier. If she does;t you'll be wasting your breath....

Battleax · 12/01/2018 06:29

Hand delivered by whom?

Bluedoglead · 12/01/2018 06:29

Oh my fuck.

Don’t you get at all how your attitude that you just displayed comes across?

Fuck.

I just did an actual stomach lurch moment when I read that.

Fuck.

Did you really just say that.

Holy crap.

Original poster
Dressily · 12/01/2018 06:29

How she hand delivers them isn't my concern.

OP posts:
Mumsymcmumface · 12/01/2018 06:29

She will have the goods for a while after I've paid for them (they need ordering) so I don't think she would be worried about fraud as you describe

While you might be a legitimate purchaser she will have no doubt wasted time on “sales” like this before and will be wary of it being fraud. We would have stopped replying to you ages ago.

AstridWhite · 12/01/2018 06:29

I think the problem here is that she is a small independent retailer with limited resources and experience of doing overseas transactions and you are expecting her to have the same administrative set up as John Lewis or Selfridges.

Battleax · 12/01/2018 06:30
Grin
Original poster
Dressily · 12/01/2018 06:30

Seriously though, of course I don't expect hand delivery. They'll be delivered in the normal way when anybody buys anything. Ie whatever I've paid for. It's hardly relevant.

I haven't wasted time asking questions. I told her I needed someone else to confirm, no questions or delays. The phone connection isn't her fault.

OP posts:
Battleax · 12/01/2018 06:30

Yeah, I recognise you alright.

Oh Lordy.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 12/01/2018 06:31

Feedback from customers might be helpful but I have doubts about whether you could word it in a polite and constructive way. She is who she is. It’s a take it or leave it situation and you’ve decided to take it. What are you hoping to achieve?

BritInUS1 · 12/01/2018 06:33

It sounds to me like she is not used to dealing with overseas payments

She may not be able to use the credit card machine and the phone at the same time, hence writing down the number, this happens a lot

She probably doesn't realise that international transfers require more information

Sounds like she is not used to deal via email and is used to seeing people face to face, which is why the email is not set up very professionally

I also think she is probably pushing for payment as presumably she is holding expensive items for you, subject to payment, which you have promised but not yet made

Yes YABU don't complain

Swipe left for the next trending thread