What has happened to customer service, or to common sense?

[pentaprism]

This is kind of related to accordion....

I needed a bellows pad, so through eBay, I ordered one from a pretty well-known store selling accordions and accordion parts (they also have a store that sells direct). The pad came, but the snaps and screws were missing. This seller does not accept email through eBay so the only thing I could do was to file a case against them. They acknowledged the mistake and sent me the missing parts. Case closed. I entered positive feedback: "Quick shipping. Parts missing but seller took care immediately. Will buy more."

So I did buy more. I ordered the exact same item from the seller. This time the pad came, but was not the one I ordered. It was not the one I received the first time, and did not look like the photos in the listing. Again, I filed a case against them, and stated that I would like to exchange for the correct item. Meanwhile, I accidentally filed positive feedback for the transaction (thinking that it was the first pad I bought from them), which was OK by me.

They responded by refunding the money I paid via Paypal, no email, no message, no instructions as how I should return the item. Case closed.

That night, I talked to a co-worker. It happened that he needed a pad for something else (not accordion related). With simple modifications to the project, he was able to use the pad. I then went to Paypal and "refunded the refund," with the note that I was able to use it after all, so I'd like to pay them. All these happened in the same day.

Now I needed some bellows tape, and went to eBay buying a few yards from them. eBay didn't allow me to buy, saying that I was "not qualified" to buy from this seller. Apparently this seller doesn't want me to be a customer.

I don't think I acted unreasonably. In fact, considering everything, I was more than fair and friendly.

Why does someone want to turn a friend into an enemy? Not that I consider them enemy, I just buy from someone else. I think they are just foolish.

Thanks for listening to my rants.

 

[Anyanka]

The main problem seems to be their refusal to communicate! So much trouble can be avoided by just talking (emailing) things over... Silly people.

 

[Soulsaver]

I was just about to say if you want to experience good customer service for accordion parts, both CMG and Allodi are superb in my experience... then I noticed OP is in the US!

 

[pentaprism]

Yes. I think the whole silly thing was because of their unwillingness to communicate. Indeed I was surprised when I first tried to contact them via eBay but got the message "the seller does not accept email."

Apparently after THEY shipped wrong/incomplete products the SECOND time and I filed a case with eBay, someone at the store decided to label me trouble-maker and banned me from buying from them. That person didn't think that I bought small items today, but could potentially buy big-ticket items tomorrow. In fact, a few weeks ago, I seriously considered placing an order for a full-sized CBA from them (then I found the Fisitalia from Russ).

 

[dunlustin]

From the business point of view the moral is look after the small buyer and he'll be back when he's got money to spend.
Here in the UK there are a couple of shops I use again and again because they have never disappointed.
On the other hand there are a couple of dealers who have let me down once and will never see my money again.
The biggest turn-off is when you're spun a line which is clearly untrue but used in the hope that it might shut you up.