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AIBU?

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Original poster

To have cancelled and refunded this?

414 replies

Bottletopsx · 08/04/2019 09:51

I have an online shop. Message below from a customer.

I cancelled and refunded her as I am obviously too stupid to post her item!! Cheeky Cow! Angry

Hi there. I'm ordering this for a master's degree project and would appreciate the most expedited shipping I can afford. Not that you could possibly know what that is, but I'm willing to pay a bit more to get it sooner if that's at all possible. Thanks!

OP posts:
GreatDuckCookery · 08/04/2019 10:16

I'd have cancelled her order too, she sounds like a snooty cow

Eh? No she doesn’t.

GottenGottenGotten · 08/04/2019 10:16

Probably because, like any reasonable person Eliza, she wants to weigh up costs against the length of time it takes, and not just pick the most expensive option she can afford.

Nothing about that message says snooty. I see some reverse snobbery at work from you, however.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 08/04/2019 10:16

I read it several times before realising what OPs problem was. If the purchaser wanted to imply stupidity then surely she would have said “not that you could possibly know what that MEANS”.

It is absolutely clear that the purchaser is saying the OP can’t know what the budget is. OP has lost a customer and possibly future customers if the purchaser talks about her experience.

TotorosLeafUmbrella · 08/04/2019 10:16

This is so funny.

Pessimistic your post made me PMSL.

LadyGregorysToothbrush · 08/04/2019 10:17
Grin
Backseatonthebus · 08/04/2019 10:17

Oh the poor woman, she's obviously desperate for the item and you completely misunderstood her. The part about not knowing how much she could afford isn't necessarily being snooty, maybe she can't afford a huge amount.

Beargrin · 08/04/2019 10:17

I don't think she was saying you don't understand what expedited shipping is? I'm pretty sure she was saying you wouldn't know what the most amount she can afford is ! It's awkward phrasing and grammar but I don't think she meant to be rude to you.

I think maybe go back to her and explain you misunderstood and then maybe put a list of how much it would cost to post to her? I feel really sorry for the girl, I can feel her anxiety through the message - it's something I'd write and be so upset if I'd offended anyone.

QuilliamCakespeare · 08/04/2019 10:17

You have completely misunderstood her message. It's a lighthearted request for fast shipping and she's asking for an idea of how much it would be as she's willing to pay more (up to a reasonable limit of what she can afford).

You've needlessly done yourself out of a sale. What a strange approach to business.

Thunderspuds · 08/04/2019 10:18

I worked as an administrator on Masters courses at a Uni for a long time. Most of our students were from overseas. This is the way that a lot of students write if English isn't their first language. She's actually trying to be very polite. She just wanted the options for postage from you.

Singinghollybob · 08/04/2019 10:18

Yeah, you've definitely misunderstood! I can't see why the buyer would bother writing a word (expedite) and then express you wouldn't know what the word meant. She'd have just used another word surely?

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 08/04/2019 10:18

Would it have mattered if she was actually calling you stupid? In the grand scheme of things she is a customer willing to pay for your product. If you are only going to sell those items to people you deem worth you are not going to be in business very long!

If I were you I would be apologising for acting so irrationally and sending it out to be expediting it for nothing.

The poor women did nothing wrong. I hope she manages to find the item she needs from someone without such a chip on their shoulder.

Mummyoflittledragon · 08/04/2019 10:19

😂😂😂 oops. oh the irony!

SweetPetrichor · 08/04/2019 10:20

Oh the irony! You've made a bit of an arse out of yourself OP. I hope the customer manages to source the item from elsewhere in time. She sounded like she was just trying to be polite!

CandyCreeper · 08/04/2019 10:20

...Awkward...

GirlcalledJack · 08/04/2019 10:20

Oh dear, let’s hope it wasn’t a big order you have lost.

I presume you now realise she meant you couldn’t possibly know what her budget was.

Obviously you are free to sell to whom ever you wish but maybe take a second to digest a message before reacting. It’s very difficult with written word to not come across as snarky sometimes.

Mummyoflittledragon · 08/04/2019 10:20

Oh and what you need to do is say you accidentally refunded her when you were looking into adding on the costs. Text / email now and ask her to repay and send expedited as a gesture of goodwill.

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 08/04/2019 10:20

This sounds like sonething my sister would have written. Indeed if waa last year i might even call my sister to see if she was ok.

Its actally a very polite mature message. I coukdnt actually see why you thought she was rude before i read the replies.

And if it had been my sister, she wpuldnt think any one was "stupid" because she and all of her siblings are dyslexic, indeed i'm autistic. My point is you don't know what this girls family make up, she might be clever doesnt mean every one in her family is.

You've come up with the conclusion she thinks your stupid because shes doing a masters. Shes not saying that she thinks shes better than you. But you have decided that is what she means and your the one whos almost looking down on her

CarrieBlu · 08/04/2019 10:20

You’ve definitely misunderstood. Poor woman is probably really confused by having her order cancelled!

Idonotlikeyoudonaldtrump · 08/04/2019 10:20

Yup, you’ve totally misinterpreted what is a very polite message!! I think you owe your customer an apology!

YouLikeTheBadOnesToo · 08/04/2019 10:22

This is actually making me cringe.

Oh OP, you really have got this one wrong. You’ve completely misunderstood the poor woman. Apologise for the mistake and offer to reinstate her order.

LLOE7 · 08/04/2019 10:22

Oh dear Blush Hope the woman still gets her item from somewhere!

LordVoldetort · 08/04/2019 10:23

Best over reaction to you not knowing how much she can afford for postage 🤦‍♀️

I hope you message her to tell her you have cancelled her order due to your misunderstanding and thinking she was being rude so she knows to take her custom elsewhere in time for her to write up her work

Eliza9919 · 08/04/2019 10:23

@GottenGottenGotten Mon 08-Apr-19 10:16:40
Probably because, like any reasonable person Eliza, she wants to weigh up costs against the length of time it takes, and not just pick the most expensive option she can afford.

Nothing about that message says snooty. I see some reverse snobbery at work from you, however.

No reverse snobbery from me, I'm just wondering why she couldn't just ask her question in a normal manner.

All she had to do was say she needs the item quickly as its for her masters and she's willing to pay to receive it sooner. What are the express posting options.

Instead she chose to word her message in a convoluted, round-about way, which lost her the item.

So tough shit.

JanuarySun · 08/04/2019 10:23

Am I the only one who read it the same as OP? No chips here I have an MA of my own ;-)

MadameDD · 08/04/2019 10:24

I think you misinterpreted this - is she foreign because it sounds as if English may not be her mother tongue?

Agreed with ILoveMaxBondi - if she tells anyone else then you've lost more customers. Could have been solved by an email exchange with her.