Email Communication in Customer Transactions

Communication is the cornerstone of all successful transactions in the Online shopping/auction world. The last couple of years, the challenges seem to be greater to overcome or perhaps there are just many more transactions under my belt.

There are elements of online communication that we cannot control; only find work-a-rounds. For example, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are constantly changing their email protocols. Emails get from the Sender to the Receiver just fine most of the time; the ISP then changes their settings, which may result in email is suddenly blocked or wind up in a Spam or Junk mail folder. ISPs seem to take turns being problematic. Another relatively common occurrence is the delays in getting emails from the Sender as there is significantly more traffic on the super-highway. Or a Users mail box is full, thus the email returned. These are challenges that we have little control over, other than an awareness allows us to be more tolerant of delays in responses, or lack of response and seek alternative methods to complete the transaction.

Elements of email communication we can control is the tone we set for our transactions or, indeed all our online conversations. Personally, I generally communicate as if I am conversing with a customer, neighbor or friend face-to-face. My writing style sets the tone and content, it is friendly yet professional.

Shortcuts are readily acceptable and understood in certain environments such as text messaging and chat rooms. For business or professional communications, it appears careless correspondence. As an example, I recently inquired about pricing and availability to ship an item from the U.K. to the U.S.; the response I received lacked a salutation and included the price with a “r u going 2 order now?” query. In business transactions, there still needs to be business rules of writing, with some relaxing of rules with people you are very familiar with and who are familiar with sender.

Writing in all caps or selective words in caps (unless it is an acronym or abbreviation such as TOASA – Trusted Online Auction Sellers Affiliate) is considered yelling. If a professional friendly transaction is the goal, yelling in email will put the recipient on the defensive and possible sidetrack the purpose of the email. All caps is also difficult to read.

More to come,…,until then,

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Mo

Online Shopping - Resources for Safe Buying

Greetings!

I believe that as Consumers we have a responsibility to become informed so that we're not "ripped off." I include myself in part of this group as I shop at home in my sweats. The time to do the research is prior to making purchases.

In the process of seeking out resources for Online Shoppers to have quick and easy information to become more security conscious when making online purchases, I found some awesome sites.

My new favorite site is the one put out by the American Bar Association. Their simple, no-nonsense approach of providing information in language that is lacking legalese is very Consumer friendly. I like the information so much that I added a link to it on my web site in the hopes that all will easily find the information and pass it along to those who are concerned about shopping safely online. The site is easy to navigate as well.

Another resource is the Better Business Bureau Online program. The information and education sections are very informative as well, however there's so much happening on the one site that one could get "lost" navigating. I must admit, I probably spent a couple of hours reading on the site, and would get redirected to other "parent" sites and not easily find my way back to the content I was looking for when I first visited the site.

I will add other resources over time. If we as consumers do our homework prior to purchasing by becoming informed, then the transaction issues should be minimal.

Safe Shopping till another day,

Mo
Maureen Mishler
Executive Director - TOASA.biz
Shop MnDCreativeConcepts.biz

Inform Yourself When Buying Online

I have been shopping online via auction venues, independent merchant sites and the recognized “big box” online stores for years and I can honestly say that there was only one time when I was close to being ripped off. I know of others who have had significantly more difficult transactions and when discussing their situations, there are definite commonalities. I believe that information is power. Being an informed shopper and clear communication ahead of time will help you avoid some common pitfalls.

Situation: Too Good to be True – It’s human nature to believe that you just happened to find that one special item that no one else has spotted for 5% - 10% of it’s value. You are tempted to bid on the item or buy it thinking “it’s a Steal!”

Response: Don’t do it! Keep looking for an item you want at a price that seems consistent with it’s value (with some savings)

Situation: Too Little Information, You Fill In the Blanks – Each year there are countless people ripped off because they buy an item and assume the lack of information on the description is a lazy seller. The best example is the people who paid over a $1000 for a box – original packaging for some high-selling item. Not the item itself, just the box it came in. This is of course deceptive and fraudulent, none-the-less the Buyer doesn’t find out until they have paid good money and the empty box is delivered to their door.

Response: Ask questions of the Seller regarding the missing information, request proof of authentication if the claim is that it’s an “authentic item” or a serial number if it’s a high end electronic. Use the sellers responses to judge if you feel confident in their business practices.

Situation: Bait and Switch Payment Methods – Seller/Site has their payment method identified, then suddenly they’re having problems with Paypal or their Merchant account and they will only accept a Western Union payment or Money Order or Cashiers Check.

Response: Again, don’t do it! If a Seller changes their payment method that they have posted at the time of your purchase, they have in essence changed the terms under which you were willing to buy.

These are just a few examples of the potentially disappointing online shopping transactions that an un-informed Buyer can experience. Most can be avoided by carefully reading the auction or description of the item for sale and asking questions. If the seller does not get back with you with a reasonable response, don’t do business with them.

I will write more in the future, as well as contact information of who and when to contact legal agencies if the need arises. In the mean time, be a safe shopper and be informed; it’s fun to shop online when you feel confident in your ability to spot a scam.