keeping in touch

I have a question. If you are selling a critter and you cant ship out right away, for any reason, do you keep the buyer updated on the critter? How long dose it usually take for you to e-mail them back? I have gotten a few snakes from some people here and they where EXCELLENT with lighting responces to my email and I wanted to know if I was just getting spoiled with their great service. Thanks

I've noticed that when someone has my money and is holding the snakes for whatever reason (usually the weather conditions here) I have had great communication from all so far (knock on wood). I currently have 3.3 sitting in Florida and 1.1 sitting in New York waiting for better temperatures to ship and when I send them an update on the weather I have received quick replies.

I purchased a (to me) expensive snake from someone in NY. I sent him an email asking when the snake could be shipped. I got a rude email back saying the weather was too cold and he would not ship. I was ok with this (had not thought about the weather differences). So I sent back an email saying that was fine. I sent the final payment and a note saying my regular email was down and could they send me emails here (the only email I can get at work). I KNOW they have been online when I sent them an email. I just wanted SOMETHING back. I sent an email to him on the 27th (that was sunday) and it is wed and NO reply. I KNOW he has been here as I checked to see if he was online when I was. I know the weather is bad (or at least now I know) but do you think asking for photos and an update on the snake is being pushy? The seller has great rating here, but I am very upset with NO answers to my emails. How long dose it take to say "the snake is fine ate on xxxx" I KNOW they are busy but don't I count too? Is my small order any less important then the big ones I know they get?

Sorry for the rant but I am getting really mad. I am NOT asking the snake be shipped when the weather is bad. I am not asking for long emails, just some sort of contact to know he got my payment and a photo of the snake. Yes yes yes I know she was just a "normal" ball but not all normals are the same and I don't go blowing $200 on a snake all the time. This was my last purchase of my breeding project and I have streched myself REALLY thin for this girl. All I want is some details! I want to know if she is ok and feeding good and when she last shead and a photo of her! Is that way to much to ask?

Sorry. stepping off my box

I'd think returning an e-mail would be the proper thing to do. If this person has been on the forums but has not replied to your e-mail I think they should make the time to reply to you.

This customer has been refunded. I will not sit idly by and watch anyone post lies or innacuracies about me or my staff. I dealt with this customer, and a few other people here were also included in this transaction via email correspondence. Here is a "brief" description of the issue and how it will now be handled:

Angela has contacted us numerous times regarding a possible het albino female she wished to purchase. I went out of my way to answer any questions she may have had. Answered some of the same questions numerous times over, and even broke policy to accept a partial payment when we were no longer accepting deposits or partials.

Recently she emailed us stating she was having email difficulties and yet she comes here stating that she has not received our emails. I wonder why. She also has stated she wished correspondence to go through the board here according to an email the sales staff recieved. She could have asked this in a personal message here so I would get it personally. We receive hundreds of emails daily, those who answer the emails to our sales address told me this information this morning. By the time I could respond I viewed this post. I am troubled by this post and the impatience of this customer.

Anyways, in further emails not only was the specimen described, AGAIN. But she was also forwarded an additional photo of the animal. I personally sent her an email yesterday letting her know her animal fed again for us in our possession. I have also made her WELL aware of our shipping conditions here in Buffalo, and every customer can visit our website for real-time shipping info at http://topshelfexotic.com/weather.htm

It is obvious that this is simply a first time customer or a problem customer, either way I understand this inquiry here was "anonymous" and I could easily be shooting myself in the foot here but I feel its best to be honest about the situation and address this appropriately. She also stated that our email to her was "rude". I specifically stated we were more concerned with the health and safety of our animals than we were money, explained our shipping terms for a third time, and responded to other inquiries. Needless to say this probably sounds like a problem customer. Most of us have encountered them

We were literally bombarded with emails during the course of this transaction and it is safe to say from my experience that I believe that this particular individual is just an inexperienced "newbie" and sometimes this can prove to be a problem too....

When making her purchase her emails were accompanied with quotes like the one below, telling me before even finishing the transaction she was quite impatient:

"When do you think you can (ship) her tomorrow if I get you the money tonight?"

(I had to insert 'ship' considering her grammar left a bit to be desired)

I should have known this would be a problem...

I have issued her a refund of her funds personally through PayPal. I will not tolerate such accusations. Never have, never will. If she re-sends or tries to re-order the payments will be returned, we are no longer willing to supply this individual. This situation is finished. Future dealings with this customer should be taken with great caution.

I apologize if this seems harsh but I can only explain the situation so many times, and some customers as much as they say they are patient, are not. Hopefully hearing our side of the story sheds some light on the situation. Any and ALL emails are available for review upon request.

Hopefully this buyer will learn to exercise a thing called patience in the future.


Refund Details Just In Case:

Feb. 19, 2005 Payment From angela adams Refunded Details $100.00 USD -$3.20 USD $96.80 USD
Mar. 2, 2005 Refund To angela adams Completed Details -$100.00 USD $3.20 USD -$96.80 USD

-----------------------------------

Feb. 27, 2005 Payment From angela adams Refunded Details $114.00 USD -$3.61 USD $110.39 USD
Mar. 2, 2005 Refund To angela adams Completed Details -$114.00 USD $3.61 USD -$110.39 USD



Thank You...

Thanks for clearing that up Chris. If this had been on the BOI and you had been named as opposed to here and anonymous my reply would have been different. I highly doubt you have shot yourself in the foot replying as you have done.

I would like to add that I do believe her email issues had a great deal to do with the problem corresponding. I do believe she was quite impatient walking into this transaction, but the majority of the problem lies in email correspondence in my belief.

Also, looking back in Private Messages here, many questions were asked over and over again, yet no mention of email issues were mentioned through the board. She should have notified me personally here if she wished all correspondence to be sent through here by myself. Until this morning all of her email inquiries were being sent via email from our sales staff. If she was having problems with her emails I am wondering why we kept receiving them???? Oh well.

Either way, the customer has been refunded and the situation handled.

Originally Posted by DAND

Thanks for clearing that up Chris. If this had been on the BOI and you had been named as opposed to here and anonymous my reply would have been different. I highly doubt you have shot yourself in the foot replying as you have done.

Thank you, I do believe she is a good person, just a bit "anxious" and impatient.

I just spoke with Patrick, a member of our sales staff.... I began describing the situation and he IMMEDIATELY knew who I was referring too when I mentioned numerous emails asking the same questions. His first guess was correct....

I found this mildly amusing and at the same time it confirmed my previous beliefs. Rather than bite the bullet and try to salvage a transaction, I'd much rather refund her money and alot my time to our other customers.

Thanks for your reply.

Also, I just recieved a private message from Angela here on the forums, I will share it and our response below.

Originally Posted by akaangela

Why are you so mad at me? All your emails have been a bit harsh. I asked in the email here that I needed to you to email me here. I mentioned that I needed to get my email here and my hotmail was not working. I mentioned no names. I wanted to know if I was over reacting. Now I could understand if I posted in BIO and left a negative feedback. I could also understand if I mentioned names and bashed you. I simply was a bit upset as I had NO contact at an email thay YOU knew was working (not at the one you knew was not). Shoot I sent you several emails from here asking questions and one just asking about the weather and saying I appreciated you posting weather conditions on you site! How come you send the email HERE that you are very mad at me but none of the other emails?????? I have had NO problem with others here and could understand if I had bad posts about me or jerked others around. Again I ask why are you so upset at having to send emails here and me wanting a simple photo? If you do not wish to do biz with me I understand but it was NOT my fault. I gave you an alternative email to get hold of me. Good luck. Angela

Apparently you are under the false assumption that mails sent to our sales department are answered by just ONE individual. We recieve hundreds of emails daily, if you wanted a personal response thru the board here you should have requested this THROUGH THE BOARD. I would have had no problem whatsoever doing so. Your request was not but a day or two ago, I do believe your post was VERY premature.


I am however tired of supplying the same information time and time again. According to our records you have been sent four emails including the weight of the animal, one photo, and numerous other responses to a number of inquiries. I went out of my way to break our policy regarding holding specimens, partial payments, or deposits. I tried to be as accomodating as possible.

Apparently this was not good enough. Once I found your post on the board, even though it was "annonymous" I found it to be a slap in the face. Rather than turn this into some long heated debate, I replied, and issued your refund. Please do not take this mater personally, you're a good person, I just believe you are a bit anxious and perhaps impatient. Good luck with everything in the future. Take care.



Needless to say its quite obvious that there is a bit of impatience on the buyers behalf. Perhaps I am over-reacting but I'd much rather avoid a situation now than deal with a worse one later. Perhaps she does not realize how many times she asks the same questions?? Who knows....

I have stated pretty much everything there is to say on this matter. I am sure she will reply and express her displeasure with the situation but I have found that it is impossible to please everyone. At least her correspondence here from us was as swift as she apparently likes And at least she has received her funds, in full, without the subtraction of fees.

There is nothing more I can do for this individual. I wish her the best.

I never posted names. I wanted to know if I was rushing them. I sent emails stating that my hotmail acct was not working and to send info here. I got a reply here so I thought it was ok and all emails where being sent here. Now I admit that I asked if I rushed payment if I could get her sooner (I never thought that NY was having such bad weather as I don't keep track of that kind of thing). He said no and maybe I was a bit sensitive and took his email wrong. I sent him several emails from this acct and never even thought he was sending email to my hotmail acct. Granted again maybe I was a bit hurried to get email. But again I thought all email was comming here. Once I got the email stating the weather was bad (and I looked on his website) I was fine with the delay. I find it interesting that my emails never came but as SOON as I posted here I got an IMEDIATE responce. That responce was "This is a terriable buyer...beware of her" but no one saw fit to respond to this thread AND SENT ME AN EMAIL HERE. What stings is the "I WILL NEVER SELL TO HER AGAIN" and the blight on my good standing. I had NO idea that they didn't accept partial payment either.

I think this was a very bad misunderstanding with me being a little bit sensitive and so where they. It is too bad as I really did want the girl but I am sure I will find something else. I ment no harm and next time I will make sure there is no way I can be misunderstood.