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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this customer is unreasonable?

214 replies

WhataBelta · 30/07/2020 08:44

DH and I own a business selling a product. As with lots of branded products, it has our logo on it. These are products that take a lot of time and effort to make and as such, can be quite expensive.

As we offer free personalisations, we ask customers to leave notes with any requests when they checkout on our website.

A customer ordered a large number and left a note to say they didn't want any engraving. No problem.

We sent them out with just the logo on and no personalisation.

The customer has now come back and said he didn't want the logo on as per his no engraving request and wants us to redo them or refund.

AIBU to think you can't expect a brand to take their logo off products for you?! I would never order from a brand and expect them to send me something blank without their logo/name on if it's obvious they put it on everything.

Are we unreasonable to say no? It makes me wonder why, perhaps they wanted to sell them on as their own or something similar. They say it's because they are gifts and they want them blank but I kind of think well tough, you've bought a very clearly branded product Confused

OP posts:
Alonelonelyloner · 30/07/2020 08:46

Customer is totally unreasonable!

Email them back to say screw you sorry you have ordered a branded product with no engraving. Our branding remains on the product. You have what you ordered.

CFers!

EnjoyingTheSilence · 30/07/2020 08:46

I agree, they wanted to pass them on as their own.

Mydogisthebestest · 30/07/2020 08:48

How prominent is the logo?

I’d have no issue with a made by in the bottom of a cup for eg but if it was visible and I wanted it blank I’d be irritated.

Can you reuse them if you get them returned?

What does your ts & Cs say ?

sst1234 · 30/07/2020 08:49

Customer didn’t get what they asked for, so in that sense you are being unreasonable. The customer wasn’t clear, and you didn’t clarify about the no engraving. It’s difficult to say whether you not wanting your product to be re purposed or sold on is unreasonable without knowing what the product is.

sst1234 · 30/07/2020 08:50

@Alonelonelyloner

Customer is totally unreasonable!

Email them back to say screw you sorry you have ordered a branded product with no engraving. Our branding remains on the product. You have what you ordered.

CFers!

A lesson in how not to run a business if you actually want to have any customers.
Sunny4876 · 30/07/2020 08:51

If I wanted a complain item I wouldn't buy a brand item.quite simple really,tell them to jog on.

CherryPavlova · 30/07/2020 08:51

I’d think they were reasonable. If they don’t want engraving and said so, they don’t want engraving. I am put off by anything with an obvious logo or branding.

Original poster
WhataBelta · 30/07/2020 08:51

@Mydogisthebestest

How prominent is the logo?

I’d have no issue with a made by in the bottom of a cup for eg but if it was visible and I wanted it blank I’d be irritated.

Can you reuse them if you get them returned?

What does your ts & Cs say ?

It's not that prominent at all, it's just on one side and is two small words. Certainly not big flashy letters or anything. Just the name of our business in small stamping on one side of the product and is clear from all pictures on our website that it's on every single product we sell.

We can refund if it's within 14 days which it is actually just out of to be fair but it may just be the easiest option. We may be able to sell them on eventually although it will likely take a while as they are a type of product we don't do all that often.

The customer is adamant though that he wants them redoing as he needs them as a gift! Just think it's so cheeky.

OP posts:
Mydogisthebestest · 30/07/2020 08:53

Also, if you don’t state somewhere in the contract that not engraved means the logo is still there, you need to.

Original poster
WhataBelta · 30/07/2020 08:54

@CherryPavlova

I’d think they were reasonable. If they don’t want engraving and said so, they don’t want engraving. I am put off by anything with an obvious logo or branding.
It's quite clear that the note section is for personalisation requests. They simply said they didn't want any engraving which to us would mean they don't want it personalised. Not that they want us to remove our brand logo/name which is on everything.

I wouldn't order from an online retailer and expect them to send me something without their logo on it.

We don't want the item resold as someone else's work as it's a very niche, handmade item.

OP posts:
Mydogisthebestest · 30/07/2020 08:54

X post with you.

I would refund and not do them without the logo.

And change your ts and cs to make it clear that your logo is on every item.

Mydogisthebestest · 30/07/2020 08:56

Did you get a solicitor to look at your terms and conditions?
Or did you just lift them off the internet as standard ones?
You need to sit down and look at them and make Sure you cover all eventualities.

Mydogisthebestest · 30/07/2020 08:56

Also, is the process for putting the logo on the same as the process for engraving?

HoldMeCloserTonyDanza · 30/07/2020 08:58

I doubt there’s a big conspiracy where they’re trying to pretend to be master potters or whatever it is. It’s more likely that “discreet” is in the eye of the beholder and they think the presence of the logo makes the object uglier.

Is there any way for you to logo the underside? This policy is probably costing you sales. I simply wouldn’t have ordered from you in the first place.

AintNoMaryPoppins · 30/07/2020 08:59

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Ellmau · 30/07/2020 08:59

Tell them it's like a copyright stamp and not negotiable. Offer them money back in return for item, but they can't have a replacement without logo. (I bet you're right re resale.)

nitsandwormsdodger · 30/07/2020 09:00

Learn from this and grow your business
Make your website clearer
Speak to the customer direct and get clear idea of what their intention and intended outcomes are and see if a compromise can be reached
If not refund politely and move in

NothingIsWrong · 30/07/2020 09:00

I would refund but not make them without the logo.

AintNoMaryPoppins · 30/07/2020 09:00

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AintNoMaryPoppins · 30/07/2020 09:02

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user1493494961 · 30/07/2020 09:02

If it was a bulk order I would suspect he wanted to sell them on, I would ask him to return them and refund.

Jimdandy · 30/07/2020 09:02

The customer is being unreasonable.

When you buy a football shirt you have the option of your name being printed on it.

When you don’t want this, they then don’t remove the clubs badge!!

Same thing.

No engraving is no engraving. The logo is an integral part of the product.

Mydogisthebestest · 30/07/2020 09:04

I would also look to put your logo somewhere non visible if that is possible.

TinySleepThief · 30/07/2020 09:04

Absolutely he's being unreasonable. Its pretty obvious that engraving doesn't mean do you want the logo on this product or not. It quite clearly means do you want something additional added to the product.

I've never heard of a company having the option to remove their logo from their product. So I've no idea why he thought that's the service you were offering.

UgaBaluga82 · 30/07/2020 09:04

If your logo is stamped on rather than engraved, there's your answer.

"The are no engravings on this article, just our stamped logo. If you did not want the logo stamped on you should have informed us of this, but you only said not to engrave, which we didn't."