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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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

OP posts:

Petronius16 · 30/07/2020 09:54

Apple personalise some of their products, I bet there's a logo on every one.

Having been in retail, I suggest you email about being surprised as it's normal to include logo on products. However do say something along the lines of, in the interest of good customer relations, if that is not acceptable, return to the goods and we will refund after checking.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 30/07/2020 09:56

You are totally in the right OP. I would contact the customer as PP have said stating the your products are all branded and the only options are for personalisation or no personalisation. Give them 5 working days to return for a full refund.

I recently bought a tool for DH there was an option for personalisation which I turned down - naturally the tool has the manufacturers name on it and I would have expected anything different.

WitchQueenofDarkness · 30/07/2020 09:57

Just refund and be done with it.

I've refused company branding - my local car dealer marks everything they sell with their logo. As I am paying thousands I don't want to drive around giving them free advertising they don't actually deserve. I told them to use plain numberplates and not to put the logo transfers on the boot.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 30/07/2020 09:57

*would NOT have expected.......

Pineapplemonkey · 30/07/2020 09:59

When I've bought products from Apple they often specifically ask if I want it engraved, I've always said no but they insist on a bloody big silver apple on everything, doesn't matter how much I complain to them........

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 30/07/2020 09:59

@WitchQueenofDarkness

Just refund and be done with it.

But I bet it still has the manufacturers logo on the car?

Honeyroar · 30/07/2020 10:04

The customer is being cheeky. I’d reply that all tools come with the logo but extra personalisation can be added if the customer wants it. Add that it’s not possible to buy tools without the logo. Say that you’ll refund on this occasion if the tools are returned.

nicky7654 · 30/07/2020 10:05

Engraving is separate to logo obviously. Say no!

Unbelievable1973 · 30/07/2020 10:05

OP you said a large order. Depending on cost and the amount sent out you could lose a whole lot of money. If he is insistant, wait for every single one to be sent back, in perfect resale condition and then offer some sort of goodwill. But not a hope in hell would I just blindly refund. Especially in these times. He may have just changed his mind for all you know. I think they are trying it on. Especially if the items are expensive which it sounds like they are.

HisNibs · 30/07/2020 10:06

Another one here who thinks it's obvious that the "no engraving" means no personalisation. The logo is integral to the whole product as it's a trademark. Sounds like he's planning to sell them on/pass them off as his.
I would only offer a refund. Manufacturing unbranded products (or products with custom branding) is something that resellers negotiate with the manufacturer, not order from a website.

Lovemusic33 · 30/07/2020 10:08

I would just say “I’m sorry you are not happy with your items, all our items have our logo on them and will continue to do so, I am happy to refund you for the items if they are returned but I will no replacing them for items without our logo on them because that’s not how we work”.

Livpool · 30/07/2020 10:09

Customer is very unreasonable.

And it is outside the refund window so I wouldn't refund unless I was feeling particularly generous.

I have bought items I have asked for personalisation on - I didn't think DS' pyjama would therefore have the Paw Patrol picture removed

justanotherneighinparadise · 30/07/2020 10:09

I would explain it was a copyright stamp and was a legal requirement then offer to refund.

MintyMabel · 30/07/2020 10:12

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

Why on earth would they do that? Businesses use logos. Can you imagine Nike only putting their logo on the soles of their shoes?

ProfessorSlocombe · 30/07/2020 10:13

a large number ...

makes it interesting. Was this a business to business sale, or a business to consumer sale ? A B2B sale might consider removal of all markings reasonable. Much less so if they bought them as consumers.

sonjadog · 30/07/2020 10:14

Is it something that could be handmade, so that he might want to pass it off as his own work?

I think I would say that producing it without a logo is not possible and offer a refund.

Original poster

WhataBelta · 30/07/2020 10:16

@ProfessorSlocombe

a large number ...

A consumer. They said it was for gifts. They bought 13 (which to us is a large number as we only usually sell directly to customers who buy maybe one or two at a time).

The products are all over £100 each.

OP posts:

Original poster

WhataBelta · 30/07/2020 10:16

@sonjadog

Is it something that could be handmade, so that he might want to pass it off as his own work?

I think I would say that producing it without a logo is not possible and offer a refund.

They are handmade yes.

OP posts:

sonjadog · 30/07/2020 10:18

I agree that is very likely that he wants to sell them on as his own work. If they were gifts, there is no reason why they couldn't have your logo on it.

PoppySeedSaid · 30/07/2020 10:22

Customer is in the wrong. I can't think of any brand that sells their product without their branding on it. He didn't request it to be sent out without the company banding so he got what he paid for. Don't back down.

TheSecondMrsAshwell · 30/07/2020 10:23

This product in particular is a type of tool.

I think you're right to suspect that he planned to sell them on as his own. I can't see what difference a logo would make on a tool.

I'm not a fan of logos either and will choose something without one in preference - something like a glass or vase is aesthetically spoiled by a logo, but most of my knives have a logo on them, as do many of my other implements. They are tools and the logo makes no difference to what it does.

You're right, OP. I'd add that all items will bear your logo to your website to sort out numpties like this in future, though.

Notwiththeseknees · 30/07/2020 10:24

As they aren't faulty, can you charge a restocking fee? Or drop him an email telling them they can't be unbranded so if he wants that product he is free to stick his own message label over the brand...

Brefugee · 30/07/2020 10:27

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

would you say the same to Nike, North Face, Chanel....

OP in this case I'd probably point out that you're just outside the refund time but that you'll make a full refund on receipt of the goods as a gesture of goodwill. But I wouldn't make any without the logo.

As pp said - you might want to alter your descriptions (although personally i think that if you see a picture of a branded good with a logo that's exactly what you get, but you can't plan for stupid).

There is no company in the world that would remove a logo - that's the whole point of having them: to make your brand visible. And it's successful (see Nike, Chanel et al) and why brands fight tooth and nail to preserve them.

puffinkoala · 30/07/2020 10:27

This is why terms and conditions get longer and longer and longer because you have to deal with every CF and every twit and make sure your terms deal with every eventuality - and as another CF comes forward with yet another example of CFery you alter the terms again for the future.

I can't picture the tool or the logo so it's difficult to really have an opinion in this case, but I think if you asked me I would expect personalisation to mean just that so I might buy the item as it comes without eg my initials on it, but I wouldn't think that the supplier's logo didn't appear on the item somewhere especially if it were handmade, because if something is handmade you want people to know who made it (which as pp's have said, may be the point here).

Xiaoxiong · 30/07/2020 10:28

I would just send an email apologising for the "miscommunication", explain that the logo is on everything for copyright reasons (including the ones that are not personalised or engraved) and fully refund him once you get them back.

It's so annoying to not call out his CF ways but honestly it's not worth him leaving a negative review online somewhere. If they're a tool, at least they won't go bad sitting on a shelf as stock.

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