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AquilaStamps
(member)
09/24/06 03:57 PM
Re: Old, old Paypal email addresses new [re: bluepennylady]  

Judy:

I agree, a lot of time those that I have had to spend a lot of time with - handholding and sending directions and reassuring them they will be ok - these become great repeat customers.

I think they feel that they matter to us and when they are looking for something again will check out those that helped them.

I don't know if anyone else does this but here goes ...
Many times I get a PayPal payment for an invoice that is say $10.00 and the PayPal payment is $13.00. The buyer has sent too much for shipping. As most of you do I combine shipping charges on multiple items. Yet a lot of time eBay gets it wrong and so does PayPal. Rather than waiting for the email from me (the one that goes out very fast after end of sale) they go ahead and pay.

When I discover this I automatically refund them through their PayPal account. This way I don't have a check to write, or risk sending cash. Also their acknowledgement of payment email letter is different than the regular one. It explains their actual invoice amount shows them what they have paid and then shows them the over payment. Then they are told that I have refunded them. From there on the email is exactly the same as the normal letter.

Other than the money isn't mine to keep - I find that it helps make that buyer into a permanent buyer. I have heard over and over from different ones how they have never received a refund like that.

Anyway, the refund goes out, they are given what they are due, and I keep what I am owed. Everyone is happy and I'm even happier when I see them come back again.

Garry



bluepennylady
(enthusiast)
09/24/06 04:18 PM
Re: Old, old Paypal email addresses new [re: AquilaStamps]  

Garry,

I have quite a few buyers that have continually ongoing Invoices. So usually when they overpay on an Invoice, we simply credit the overpayment on their new Invoice. There is just something about the idea of having a credit that keeps them shopping. Like getting a gift certificate or something.

Judy/blue



AquilaStamps
(member)
09/25/06 06:50 PM
Attachment
Re: Old, old Paypal email addresses new [re: bluepennylady]  

Judy:

You mentioned a coupon. About 2 years ago I got a brain storm - and lots of time the lightning that comes with it can kill ya. I figured I could give the good repeat customers a coupon that they could apply to future purchases. I worked on it a while and decided to try it out.

I designed a coupon that prints three up on regular 8 1/2 x 11 paper and they fit nicely in a 6 3/4 envelope without folding.

I include a coupon in the package when I mail out their merchandise. There are no notes or anything - the coupon has all the info on it that they will need. It is good for 90 days from date of issue. It is worth $5.00 off a minimum of $10.00 purchase excluding postage.

I keep track of the ones that are mailed out and since I've been doing it only 4 haven't been redeemed. The numbers work out pretty good also. Over that same period of time each of the coupons have raised their total purchase by an average additional $23.87. Out of that I figure I've given away $5.00 so my net net on it is 18.87. So far this has worked well. I'm not sure what the exact paramaters are about sending this out -- . It sorta depends. If someone purchases from me a second time and it is a fairly hefty amount they get a coupon. A third purchase from anyone gets a coupon. Sometimes they don't get a coupon because their purchases have been in the $3.00 range. I did try one of the low $ amount purchases early on - thinking I might be able to raise their purchases. Well that is one that hasn't been used. LOL I have noticed that the coupon drives them to the stores on eBay. Almost every time I send out a coupon the person goes to the stores and starts buying stuff. I think what happens is that they get carried away thinking "I've got a free $5.00 and I'm gonna use it". In the process they go way over the $5.00.

Anyway, your mention of coupon made me think about it. I've attached a lowres jpg of the coupon to this post. Don't know if it will show up or not. If it doesn't let me know if you want it and I can just email it.

Garry



bluepennylady
(enthusiast)
09/26/06 07:15 AM
Re: Old, old Paypal email addresses new [re: AquilaStamps]  

Garry,

Coupons and gift certificates work. We give away $10.00 gift certificates quite often. The customer almost always spends far more than the $10.00. It is a mind game. If we give a $20.00, they almost never spend the entire $20.00 the first time around. Give them $10.00 and they will spend at least $20.00.

The coupon didn't show up. Email that little dude to me pretty please with sugar on top. How's that for whining

Judy/blue



AquilaStamps
(member)
09/26/06 07:38 AM
Re: Old, old Paypal email addresses new [re: bluepennylady]  

Judy:

$20.00 is going to be way to much for me to give away at this point. I've been thinking about doing $10.00 though. I just may try it now after reading what you had to say about your experience with the 10 and 20 coupon.

I'm wondering if anyone else has had any experience with coupons. Other eBay Overstock sellers have to have had some kind of coupon promotion. I'm not sure if it is a marketing thing or a customer relations thing. Which ever it is it almost always brings in a result.

I've come to realize that it has been way worthwhile for the little time and effort it takes. I'm sure it has brought people back simply because they have something FREE - "freebies wantsies".

The whining worked - email on the way.

Garry



bluepennylady
(enthusiast)
09/26/06 08:14 AM
Re: Old, old Paypal email addresses new [re: AquilaStamps]  

Garry,

I didn't mean that we give away $20.00. "Cause I don't. The gift certificates are only for $10.00. But the customer always ends up spending at least $20.00 or more. Most often it is more than $20.00.

My husband says I have the best whine in the world. And he says when I bat my brown eyes and then whine, he just can't resist I am soooo bad!

Thank you so very much for sending me the coupon via email

Judy/blue



bluepennylady
(enthusiast)
09/27/06 05:37 AM
Re: Old, old Paypal email addresses new [re: bluepennylady]  

Garry,

Thanks again for the coupon. That is pretty cool looking. I think I might "steal" an idea or 2

Not only do we do lots of hand holding but I will personally intervene when a customer becomes irritated or upset. There is something about the "boss" jumping into the situation that seems to make the customer feel better. Usually, they calm right down and will tell me it really isn't that big of a deal, say "dont' be too hard on your staff, everyone makes mistakes" and they are good to go. The buyer just wants to know someone is paying attention to their frustration or problem. I don't have to intervene often but when I do, normally it has a good outcome.

Judy/blue



AquilaStamps
(member)
09/27/06 07:53 AM
Re: Old, old Paypal email addresses new [re: bluepennylady]  

Judy:
Take/steal whatever you want on the coupon. It works for my situation and may just work for yours. Hmmm, you know those tins??? - why not advertise that a coupon is hidden in every X number of tins? Or that x number of tins have a coupon enclosed. Might work right?

Hand holding is a lot of the work of eBay/Overstock. However, I don't have the one thing you have that really makes a difference. That's a Staff. So when I get someone calling or eMailing etc it's me. I do have to admit that a couple of times I've emailed as someone else saying that I've heard of the problem and am here to see what I can do. That has worked but the split personality thingie can get me caught if I forget. LOL

Garry



bluepennylady
(enthusiast)
09/27/06 12:03 PM
Re: Old, old Paypal email addresses new [re: AquilaStamps]  

Garry,

Split personality---how funny!! But I understand how it works. I will tell a mad buyer that I will speak to my staff about the issue immediately. Get up, go to their workstation, tell them I am speaking to them and leave. It seems that the buyer will settle down just thinking someone is getting into trouble.

Judy/blue



tictictic_OnEbay
(member)
09/27/06 02:38 PM
Re: Old, old Paypal email addresses new [re: tictictic_OnEbay]  

I spent a total of 47 minutes on hold waiting for a supervisor (three calls over two days, one on Friday night; two on Monday morning; gave up on the first two calls; finally got someone on the third try, all the while hearing "we appreciate your patience during this brief delay" -- customer service in general just gets suckier by the day, doesn't it?).

So when I told Richard about the problem, he said, "It happens all the time; there's nothing we can do about it." He said ISPs recycle email addresses, and Paypal members fail to remove their defunct addresses, and that's that. The only thing I could get him interested in doing was placing a note on the home page warning people that if they don't confirm that a friend's/relative's/colleague's email is also their CONFIRMED PAYPAL ADDRESS, there's a chance the payment will go to someone else. So there ya go. Buyer beware....er, payer beware. Not a good idea to send surprise payments.

I also suggested they set up the system to notice when someone attempts to register an email address that is already registered, but he said so many computers are constantly trying to hack into the system with randomly-generated email addresses, it would not be practical for them to respond to each one with an invitation to verify the address by replying to a confirmation email. Makes sense, I guess. Still sucks.

Sue




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