How should I deal with this? Customer order

[Zaina89]

I sell some personalised baby name pins on Etsy, I am transferring my shop over from just selling pins to selling my cakes and brownies etc. so at the moment on my Etsy I am selling the pins massively discounted because I’m trying to clear the stock I have as I move my page from a jewellery page to a cake shop.

this customer ordered a pin and on Etsy you have processing times, mine is 1-2 weeks processing time.

basically I had 2 weeks to dispatch her order, the last date for it to be dispatched within the Etsy guidelines was the 24th July,I dispatched it on the 24th, because I had a fall down the stairs and wasn’t well and had other health issues, I usually dispatch quicker but I still dispatched it by the latest time but still within my processing times. I dispatched it on the 24th July with 2nd class signed for which usually gets there the next day or the day after. Recently been a lot of Royal Mail delays in different parts of the country.

this customer never messaged me letting me know she needed it for a specific date, or asking/paying for postage for a faster delivery, she paid for for the 2nd class signed for delivery and was aware of my processing times and estimated delivery dates.

she messaged me this morning saying it hadn’t turned up, then I saw it had been delivered when I checked the tracking. She then went on to send me this message asking for a detailed explanation why it was delayed and asked for information regarding potential compensation.

im so confused, it was a £8.50 the £3.50 was the postage, jewellery baby name pin, heavily discounted, they are so beautiful and i worked hard on it, im not making any thing off them as im selling them so cheap but i just don’t have the time for it anymore and want to pursue the baking side. I just don’t understand what compensation she is talking about?

I dispatched it within the timelines and if there is delay with the post surely it’s not my fault? She didn’t specify she needed this for a specific date otherwise I would have done my best to get it done sooner as I have with other customers.

im just so confused and feel upset and like she’s having me on, orders have been late before with many other customers by a day or two and they are all so lovely about it and no one has ever made a deal of it? Yet she’s hinting at compensation?
I’ve messaged back explaining about the guidelines and that I dispatched within the timeframe and on time and if she wants a refund she will have to send me back the pin.

She is having a laugh!! I sell on Etsy and it seems you have despatched on time, sent tracking etc so if she complains Esty won’t uphold it or refund her. I would reply to say that in no conversation did she say she needed it by a certain date, that you have despatched as per your Etsy timelines and you won’t be issuing a refund not giving her any compensation. Some people are just cheeky fuckers!!

You’re kept to your clearly stated delivery times. She didn’t let you know that she needed the item in a set time frame. Tell her this. You’ve not gone against any seller rules.

Hi,

As you can see on my Etsy shop dispatch times are within two weeks of payment and sent via 2nd class royal mail.

The item was made and dispatched within that time period and tracking shows delivered.

Had you advised at the point of purchase you needed it for a particular date I would have done what I could to accommodate your request.

Unfortunately as you've notified me after the fact all I can suggest is returning the item, at your cost for a refund of the item amount if you no longer want it.

Regards Zaina89

Ps shes a full CF

Oh it gets worse! I said send it back if you want a refund and she’s messaged me saying “ if you pay for postage I’ll send it back? “

i feel like laughing at this point, I’ve never,ever came across a person like this!

I'm sorry, if you want to return the item the return postage is your cost. Once I recieve the item ill happily refund the cost of the item only.

I dunno, 2 weeks to send it is a bit of a piss take.

Not if the item is made to order 🙄

I've had etsy orders take the maximum length of time

An item made to order... 2 weeks is a great time@

"I have fulfilled all my requirements. If the item is no longer required then you need to pay for the return postage. I will not be engaging in any further communications with you unless it is you returning the item"

I'm quite shocked at the demand for an 'explanation' you were perfectly reasonable to dispatch within the time frame, beginning or end it arrived just not in her time frame. Sorry your having a rough time I hope your recovering well now.
I am curious about your pin page though, if you're allowed to post please do as I just had my last DC this evening and fancy a browse. Love personalised things as my DC has an uncommon name.

You fulfilled your obligation, you are not in breach of contract, there is no grounds for a refund so tell her this ends now. I don’t know how Etsy work, presumably she will give you a negative review but hopefully you can write a public reply to that.

Nothing to be confused about. Reiterate your terms and conditions and leave it at that.

I would message back and retract that offer of a refund given how rude she is. Bespoke items don’t qualify for refunds anyway do they? (Unless damaged).

I’d also probably do it pettily by copying her ridiculously over the top wording ie:

I must emphasize (sic) I had a significant injury which caused considerable inconvenience to me. Once I was released from hospital I paid immediate attention to the matter so that I could despatch on time by x date and therefore wouldn’t be expected to provide a detailed explanation.
I request immediate attention to be paid to the next question you stick into co-pilot or whatever wrote your reply to me as it was factually inaccurate. I have double checked the dates and as your item was made by hand and posted within the specified timeframe, no refund can be offered. Timeframes are clearly stated on the website and unfortunately my current heavily discounted pricing does not include my ability to mind read the date you required this item by.
If you have further questions about timeframes, direct them to Royal Mail, or consider paying for a faster postage service next time you purchase a bespoke item online (which was also clearly advertised on my page).

As you left it until the last possible day to post the item (what is a "baby pin" anyway?), it would have been better service to send it first class - the cost difference to you would have been pretty small. But you are within policy (just) and what's done is done. Apologise for the inconvenience and say you are unable to offer compensation.

Pretty sure she ChatGTPed that message

@Zaina89 if your terms are clearly stated and you met them all (as your post suggests), she hasn’t a leg to stand on.

”the item was made and dispatched within the clearly stated t&c and agreed delivery service. At no point did you tell me it was required for a specific date; had you done so, I would have done my best to accommodate or you could have requested a priority postal
service.”

some people just try it on OP