When things go wrong with your shopping - do you complain and is it worth it?
By vivasuzi
@vivasuzi (4127)
United States
December 1, 2011 12:03pm CST
I'm an avid online shopper. I used to be one to just suck it up when things went wrong and figure out how to fix it best I could. I never liked to be a complainer, and assumed that most of the time nothing would be done about it so complaining would be a waste.
However I am starting to change my attitude. I've had some good luck complaining about things that went wrong. I've gotten the problem corrected a few times and now I'm thinking that complaining IS worth it. However, I do think you have to be nice when you complain.
I read a lot of people who say they had rude costumer service people when they called to complain about an order. However, I really wonder if those people themselves were mean and rude when they called. I try to be nice. I state my problem and express my disappointment - but I don't call names, yell, scream or get testy. I feel like things usually get resolved if I am nice, the customer service is happy to work with people who are NICE.
So what do you think? Is it worth it to complain? And do you act nice when you do it or do you find yourself losing your temper? Do you think you get more things resolved when you are nice? Or do you feel like you get more if you are yelling and being a little bit rude to show just how upset you are?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
3 Dec 11
I feel that you have to complain if the thing does not work and not because it took so long for you to get it or the shipping charges. If it can be fixed, then I would not complain. I would rather there is a local place to take it. I do not like to ship it back to who knows where or to drive all across the city to get it fixed. And I would go to their complaint web site and see what the most complaints are about and if it is going to be fixed, I feel like kicking myself in the head because I bought a lemon.
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
3 Dec 11
Why can't I complain about something taking so long or shipping charges? Those are problems too, especially when the product is promised by a certain date and then continuously delayed. Good service is just as important as a good product.
I also do not like to ship things back, so I like when there is a physical store I can return things too. Honestly I rarely have problem with the actual product - it's more about the service, shipping time, etc that I find reason to complain.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
4 Dec 11
What happens is that these people do not read the notice that the product will be shipped between thee to six weeks and they write a week later rather then wait for the six weeks. Also if the product is very popular, such as the Geni bra, it might take eight weeks or more. What I do not like is when someone assumes that the actual product is no good because it takes a little longer and then I read people writing, "thank you but I will not buy the product," and then IO go down the list of replies and find someone as in the case of a popular blender that said, "the blades do not spin fast enough," or "the motor is not strong enough."
But I cannot find that until I get down past to the shipping cost. I want to learn if the thing works first.
@GemmaR (8517)
•
1 Dec 11
I think that if you were to buy something on the high street that was not up to standard, you would go back to the shop and expect a refund, so I honestly don't think that there is any reason to expect anything different just because you ordered the product from the internet. If something is wrong with anything that I've bought, I will email the company who sold it to be and then arrange to send it back to them for a refund. If the product is faulty, then I will expect them to pay for the delivery as I don't see why it should come out of my pocket.
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
3 Dec 11
Yes I would expect the company to fix it, but the problem with online stores is that often the customer service people are either in another country, or not able to do very much to rectify the situation. So I wonder if it's worth it to complain if you have to jump through hoops to get anything fixed. Then again, maybe the companies make it difficult on purpose in hopes we will give up.
My most recent complaint got back a how-to email... nothing to do with my complaint. So I replied with another complaint!
@darapmonsta (653)
• India
2 Dec 11
Complaining is good if it is wrong by the opposite person. But if you have done something wrong then you shouldn't complain about it. Because at that time you are wrong and you know it, so you should accept it.
