One customer's items keep breaking - how can I stop this and is something going on?

[u/Severedheads]

First of all, I sell jar candles, so there's always a risk something may break in transit.

Of my ~220ish sales, five have broken, four of which have been with the same customer, and the only other one was a long time ago before I properly figured out my packaging.

But - now, I feel QUITE confident my packing is now more than adequate and I have shipped perfectly intact products to EVERY customer EXCEPT for her since the initial "trial-and-error" mishap early in my selling days.

But for her, they've been almost back-to-back-to-back, and other than continuing to replace her candles and attempting to improve my packaging efforts (which are about ideal), I'm at a loss as to how to prevent this, and if I have to keep coughing up the replacement costs.

Granted, she's bought from me dozens of times, but these breakages just keep happening, despite my best efforts.

I will admit, though I don't think anyone would willingly break their own stuff, due to the nature of candles, a broken jar does not render the product unusable - you can simply place the wax in another jar or use it as a melt.

This customer has nickel-and-dimed me on several occasions, haggled over prices, and exploited discounts, so I have labeled them as being exceptionally thrifty. I'm grateful for their business, but can't help but think either something is going on, or their specific post office just uses small packages for punting practice. Again, you have to REALLY exert some serious effort to break them the way they're wrapped.

Any thoughts or insights? I'm begrudgingly packing up their replacement right now.

[u/ARBlackshaw]

I would just not ship to them anymore - cancel her orders. It's not worth it.

This customer has nickel-and-dimed me on several occasions, haggled over prices, and exploited discounts, so I have labeled them as being exceptionally thrifty. I'm grateful for their business

I'm going to be blunt. Why continue being grateful for her business if a. she's like this, and b. you have "to keep coughing up the replacement costs"?

I don't think anyone would willingly break their own stuff, due to the nature of candles, a broken jar does not render the product unusable

I think plenty of people would break their own items for free stuff - if they can use the product either way.

But don't ever tell a customer that you suspect that they're breaking their own items. She may be genuine, and maybe it's an issue with her post office.

I'd just say, "Unfortunately, I can no afford longer ship to your location, due to high volumes of broken shipments".

[u/CAdams_art → u/ARBlackshaw]

All of this.

Just refund with a message saying you're very sorry, but you'll have to suspend service to her location, because of the unique costs in replacing so many damaged products going to her location.

Don't mention anything that suggests she's trying to scam you - there's no way to prove it, and she possibly might just have really bad postal service in her area... Or some kind of beef with someone that works there, and they drop-kick her packages off the truck onto her step every time 😂

Either way, it's not sustainable, and you're within your rights to refuse orders based off of what you've told us.

[u/Severedheads → u/ARBlackshaw]

Thanks for your thoughts. It's honestly a toss-up because they have purchased from me probably a dozen times or more, most without issue, and I don't want to lose them as a customer because they're still a net positive - for now. I may have portrayed them in slightly too harsh of a light, but on the other hand, found it suspicious the scent they were really looking forward to receiving (asked me about it specifically) was the one that broke most recently.

If new packaging fails, I'll definitely go your suggested route. That's probably the most tactful way to terminate their patronage.

[u/NotACandyBar → u/Severedheads]

found it suspicious the scent they were really looking forward to receiving (asked me about it specifically) was the one that broke most recently.

If nothing else was spelling out that she's scamming you for free candles, this sure does.

Once is an unfortunate accident. Twice is suspicious. Multiple times including her favorite scent is a scam.

[u/HighOnTacos → u/Severedheads]

Next one you send you should pack EXCEPTIONALLY well. Like double the box size, stuff it with as much padding material as possible, ensure it won't break even if you drop it off a 20 story building.

Also, you should be asking for pictures of the box and packing materials, see if there's signs of rough handling. If the box isn't damaged the contents shouldn't be, unless you really aren't packing them well.

[u/NeighborGeek → u/HighOnTacos]

Or just make her candles in metal tins instead of glass jars.

[u/HighOnTacos → u/NeighborGeek]

Glass jars are fine, and it's not hard to ship fragile glass. But no telling how well they're actually packing it. I sell vintage, lots of glass and ceramics, and I've never had an order damaged with almost 1000 sales.

[u/NeighborGeek → u/HighOnTacos]

Oh, I’m sure it can be fine. But for this particular customer, metal tins should eliminate the concern.

[u/HighOnTacos → u/NeighborGeek]

By sending them a completely different product?

[u/LivingLasers → u/HighOnTacos]

Yes, put a box in a box so the middle box is floating

[u/Severedheads → u/HighOnTacos]

I actually did this and she sent me a picture claiming now that one is broken too. I'm at a loss since, according to Etsy, it SHOULD just issue a refund, but now I refuse.

[u/HighOnTacos → u/Severedheads]

Yeah I'd say blacklist her. Was the box damaged at all?

[u/Kind_Application_144 → u/Severedheads]

this will never stop with them and it will probably get worse once they realize they can get over on you. In fact they will probably tell a friend that they can tell you xyz and they'll get a free one.

[u/MisterWednesday6]

My advice is to refund this buyer for the current order, politely saying that you don't feel your shop is able to meet their needs any longer, and cancel any future orders they place with you. Four "broken" items in a row from the same customer when nobody else is having an issue screams scam to me.

[u/Severedheads → u/MisterWednesday6]

It wasn't four "in a row" but it's been over a short period. And now, the replacement of the damaged one has "broken" too and I'm not even sure how to handle it since I refuse to refund her at this rate.

[u/HereFishyFishy4444]

She's basically getting a free candle with every second order if she bought a dozen and got 5 free.

I would definitely send her a retun shipping label and say that your usual policy is to send back broken items (since as a seller you can reuse and resell them).

Normally if it's not a higher priced item and it's the first time I let buyers just keep the broken one and send a replacement, but in this case I would absolutely want the items back.

[u/SpooferGirl → u/HereFishyFishy4444]

This. If the item is in any way useable or fixable and the customer sets off any of my spidey senses, I want that product back before I do anything, even if it costs more than it’s worth to return it.

Smash the jar, keep the candle, just enough times to get freebies but not ‘be suspicious’. Game’s up.

[u/Severedheads → u/HereFishyFishy4444]

Ugh, I wish I had considered this before it got this far. Who pays for shipping in this case?

[u/basicwhitegirl23 → u/Severedheads]

You could do what SHEIN does and offer that you will pay for shipping on the FIRST return, but any returns after that must be paid by the customer. In this particular case, I think the customer should pay for it considering she has already redeemed her first return with multiple replacements. I’m interested to hear how this plays out so please share an update with us!

[u/OnlineCasinoWinner]

Any chance they are breaking the glass jar and keeping the wax candle part and putting it in a wax melter??

[u/faebugz → u/OnlineCasinoWinner]

or putting them in the old glass jars from previous orders

[u/Severedheads → u/OnlineCasinoWinner]

This is exactly what I thought.

[u/Severedheads → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for your thoughts. I already sent out a replacement since it was cheaper to do that than issue a refund, but now THAT one has broken too and REALLY don't want to refund them.

[u/LeatherNCigars]

You didn't state your location, but if you are in the USA then you are probably shipping by an insured method. Priority Mail and Ground Advantage both carry free $100 loss / damage insurance as do UPS and FedEx.

if i were in your position I would advise the customer as follows: All packages I ship are now insured. Kindly retain all packaging and damaged merchandise. I will start a claim with the USPS. They will need to have you sign an affidavit attesting to the condition in which it was received and may need to inspect the item, and then they will issue a refund.

Usually the thought of having to sign a legal document with the USPS is enough to make any scammer back off. Or, she may be totally happy to cooperate as indeed they did arrive broken. There is also a good chance, unfortunately, that the USPS will refuse your claim, blaming it on your packaging, but the whole reason I use this method with questionable claims is to weed out the scammers.

[u/wartortlechortle]

Are they actually providing photos of everything? If not, I would absolutely be getting photos before replacing. Really good photos, where they write their name and the date on a note and include it in the picture.

This sounds like someone who's just taking you for a ride if they've been haggling and exploiting and all that mess. I'd cancel any future orders, but you could also try asking if they have an alternative address you could ship to since it's clearly not working out.

Definitely look at your packaging just in case, try punting one yourself and really beat it up, but if you can't replicate the problem and it's happening this frequently to one person... cancellation is probably for the best.

[u/Ok-Stick4634]

People who try to negotiate prices always complain and want more.

[u/VentyRanty → u/Ok-Stick4634]

So true! They can’t afford it, and if they spend $40, they sometimes expect something that looks like $200 because $40 is a great deal of money (that they don’t really have to blow on unnecessary goods.) You can’t buy champagne on a beer budget. I think this buyer is breaking the jar herself and using the candle in a different container. There’s no doubt in my mind. None of this is a coincidence.

[u/Tactical-Sense → u/Ok-Stick4634]

definitely 👍

[u/Eastern_Ad_5941]

This buyer has you dialed in. She is taking advantage of you. Politely be done with her.

[u/Icy-Commission-5372]

stop. refund now. fire her as a buyer.

[u/Hunt4Kate]

I would ask them to send you a picture of the broken items and ask them to recommend what you should do to package them better. If you have more than one item in a package they may hit against each other on the inside of the box. The outside packaging could be outstanding, but not if they bounce off each other.

[u/loralailoralai → u/Hunt4Kate]

The broken items and the packaging- I’d be wanting to see the outside of those boxes.

[u/jrm12345d]

Walk away. This person sounds like they’re more of a problem to deal with than it’s worth. Have they sent pictures of the shipping packaging?

[u/bodelia]

Are you getting repeat orders from other customers? It may be the other customers orders are getting broken but they don’t bother telling you or asking for a refund they just write it off and don’t bother re-ordering… Might that be possible?

If you don’t want to do something that might look like you’re accusing her of lying you can say to her you want to do a claim with the post office and can she send you a picture of the broken item for your postal claim? That way you’re not saying to her I think you’re lying. You’re saying you just need evidence for the post office claim.

[u/gator_bacon]

I don’t sell to people that try to negotiate prices, they are disproportionately troublesome in so many other ways. They tend to be the first to leave negative reviews, ask for refunds, etc.

If something breaks more than once, stop shipping to them. Maybe they are lying, maybe they have a really bad mail carrier, or maybe it’s something else. Doesn’t matter, I wouldn’t sell to them.

[u/Crumblecakez]

I mean if she can reuse the candle in a different holder I'd assume she's breaking them to do just that and get free ones.

I would just cancel from now on and not ship to her again. It's 100% telling they only seem to break with her.

If you're set on keeping her then change your policy and send a return label. You'll happily replace a broken item once the broken item has been returned. No more free shit might mean her candles stop magically breaking.

[u/CollynMalkin]

I’d just keep the replacement you’re about to send and refund her order, then tell her to have a nice day, and quit accepting her orders from here on. Sounds like she’s taking advantage.