email response time

What does everyone consider an acceptable email response time??

This is going to be kind of a rant, so I apologize ahead of time (and I'm sorry if I put this in the wrong category).

How long does it take people to respond to an email? If you run an internet based business, email can be a prime source of communication. Now, I understand some people prefer to use the phone. If it says somewhere on the site that it is better to reach you by phone, OK, it makes sense for a slow response since that is not the primary contact method. What about sites that don't have a phone number? What about when someone sends you an email because they would like to spend money with you? If someone wants to spend their money with me, I am going to do my best to communicate promptly to ensure that I complete that sale and make that money.

Like many of us on fauna, some of my reptile sales are internet based on my website. I make sure that I email people back promptly. Is it always the same day? Probably not. Is it by the next day? You bet it is. I respond to most emails within a day, 2 days at the longest. If someone sends me an email asking for pictures that I do not have yet and can not post for a few days, I will at least email them back and say "I do not have any pictures right now, but will take some. It may take me a few days, but I will send you the pictures as soon as I have a chance to get them uploaded" or something to that effect.

I am not trying to make anyone mad, I know we all have our slip ups and an occasional email that makes it through under the radar, but some people have a history of not responding to emails, and it gets very frustrating.

I think most sellers should respond the same day to a potential customer.

But of course, there are extenuating circumstances. There can be personal circumstances that prevent immediate answer, that were not in the picture when the ad was put up.

And, there are seasonal circumstances for many major sellers, such as national conventions. And job related circumstances for large breeder businesses when it seems like a gazillion snakes just laid their eggs at the same time.

But in general, I think if you put up an ad, you should respond the same day you get an answer or a query.

Acknowledging that people's lives take them away from the computer, I'll agree that a response by the following day is generally acceptable. Sometimes, though, things come up; and one might be away from the computer for a period of several days - ie. vacation, illness (either their own, or somebody close to them), or even computer problems.
If I haven't received a response by the end of the following day, I figure I'm not going to.

I've used the contact options on another site...and I frequently get no response (but the ads keep going, and going, and going). I know that when I advertise, those responses often seem to wind up in my spam box, so maybe people just aren't looking? Or maybe their spam filters just block the responses entirely?

I do realize that people have emergencies and extenuating circumstances, I guess my complaint is more against those who chronically respond late to emails. I understand completely if there is a logical explanation (once, MAYBE twice) and it is not a recurring problem....

Probably a lot of people handle email the same way I do: triage.

All emails are put into one of the three categories:

1. Emails that need to (and can) be answered right away
2. Emails that do not need to be answered
3. Emails that you would like to answer, but not right now

The problem arises when you have to triage your emails several times a day, and that category 3 just keeps getting bigger and bigger, to where eventually there is just no way you will ever be able to go back to those older ones and respond to them. Normally the ones that go into that category are from people who may ask something like "Hey, I'm just getting into his stuff, so can you tell me everything I need to know to get started?"

Also in that category will be emails that have more than three questions asked within the same email. Generally speaking, the more questions per email, the less likely it will be answered real soon.

What can also happen is that a person can just get tired of emails that prove to be a waste of time. For instance, someone is really looking for info in how to take care of an animal that they say they are interested in getting from you, but in reality they already bought it at the local pet shop, and are just trying to get the info from you that the pet shop employees don't have a clue about. After a while, many people will just get tired of the care and husbandry type questions, and eventually just tune them out.

And one other thing that needs to be considered is that although someone make have a webpage on the internet and trying to do business that way, the keyboard is pretty much a foreign device to them, and typing out a response may be laborious and bordering on painful. So in some instances, a phone call really might be your best choice for correspondence.

for sellers, I say 24 hours.. because a lot of people work 10 and 12 hour shifts and such.

I also think BUYERS need to think about response time.

for example.. if I have something for sale, someone makes me an offer, I reply yes.. I shouldn't have to wait 4 days to hear back from them.. if someone else comes along in that 4 days.. oh well for that first guy.

for sellers, I say 24 hours.. because a lot of people work 10 and 12 hour shifts and such.

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I agree. 24 hrs is a good time frame.

And one other thing that needs to be considered is that although someone make have a webpage on the internet and trying to do business that way, the keyboard is pretty much a foreign device to them, and typing out a response may be laborious and bordering on painful. So in some instances, a phone call really might be your best choice for correspondence.

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Indeed. People (especially new hobbyists who are buying) need to realize that many "veteran" dealers still do much of their business via phone and some don't use a computer much at all. Be aware of ads and fine print. Most of these individuals (not all, but most) will state inside the ad that phonecalls take priority.

If you really want that animal, learn to be flexible. If you're an internet junkie like me and hate talking on the phone, you may have to venture out of your comfort zone to contact the seller by opening your cell and dialing. I would say 99% of the time, that phone call is worth the effort; you can discuss within a few minutes what might take 2-3 days of emailing back/forth. No anxious waiting for replies or concern that the animal might be sold by the time you do get a response.

It's different when it's the seller that contacts you, though. I was pm'd on another forum by someone in the business and was told that they had the reptile I was looking for and that it would delivered it since deliveries are done in my city 2x week. I asked how much the reptile was and if there was a price list since there were other things I needed. No reply. It's been a few days and I don't expect to hear anything back...especially since the person and store have a bad rep for not replying to emails or phone calls.

It's okay, though. I'd already decided to get my reptile elsewhere and they answer emails

Usually I answer same day...But sometimes it can take 24-48 hours (especially since having the baby) depending on what day of the week it is and what's going on. If I do not receive a response within 48 hours from a seller I figure the item/animal is already sold and move on.

It really depends on the day of the week. If I email someone late on a Friday evening then I can understand if I don't hear back from them until Monday morning. However, during the week the most I will give any seller is 48 hours to get back to me. If they don't, then I can only assume for whatever reason that they do not need my business.

Back when I was manufacturing/wholesaling candles and incense I always wrote back within 8 hours of getting an email. But then again I was trying to make the sale and wanted the potential buyer to know that I appreciated their business.

Um, you may want to re-read what this thread is about....

R. Eventide said:

Um, you may want to re-read what this thread is about....

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I'm thinking that post is a generated message bot, notice the signature "paydayloan" site mentioned. Alot of these seem to be the new norm rather then posting something completely off topic it will grab something sorta related to the topic to try and not get noticed.

Oh, yeah, I see that now. Duh! >.<

I would have removed it, but doing so would have made Krystal look like a jerk (for telling the previous poster to re-read the thread), lol.

Ooops, sorry.

ACK Yahoo is, and always has been, notorious as a spam haven. I have a yahoo email account too, but rarely use it for anything but a backup, such as signing up for a service, or game site for my son, or something like that.

Ive even been considering opening a new yahoo email account and changing my yahoo ID.

But good grief, the amount of spam coming through my pop3 account is just irritating.