Attempted delivery Notice. When a Freight Company attempts to schedule a delivery to a Residential area they will call for an appointment. If your buyer fails to call back within 24 hours the Freight company will can you for assistance. At this time you should email them and try any other phone numbers listed for them.
The Freight company will continue to call for an appointment no more than 3 days. Once these attempts have failed they will mail out a Certified Letter of Attempt to Deliver. This is a legal notice will also outline the storage fees they may impose on them. As well as what will occur to the freight if they do not claim it and ultimately releasing the Freight Company from any liability.
You must also familiarize yourself with the Policies of your Freight Company. I have been in situations where the Freight Company did not call us. Our buyer had been in a terrible car accident and of course could not communicate. She did want her order. However, when we contacted the carrier it was to be auctioned the following day. You bet I got on the phone and took care of it. However, if it’s the Policy of the carrier to only contact the Consignee (Buyer) then you may be at a huge loss. READ J
Should the buyer not respond to the phone calls or the Certified Notice, then the freight company may turn to you for assistance. At this point they have exhausted efforts for delivery. The shipment can be placed for auction or if you decide the order can be shipped back to you.
When a shipment is shipped back to you due to failed attempts for delivery; you will be held responsible for the applicable fees.
There are circumstances where buyers have remorse. They believe if they simply ignore the notices they can file a chargeback with their credit card company……I don’t think so!
If you and the freight company have done all you could to communicate with the buyer; then you should not have to pay for the bill.
Right?
This is true. However, you must have this in writing. Your Sales Policy or Terms & Conditions must be on your website and communication to the buyer should be very clear. In the event of such occurrences you will need all the documentation to prove which party will be responsible for the fees.
Your Terms & Conditions should provide them with your Restocking Fee, Cancellation fee, shipping fees associated in the event they buyer fails to accept delivery.
In such a case you can deduct all the fees from the refund due.
For example:
Sale Price: $800.00
Shipping: $200.00
Total $1,000.00
Deduct the original $200.00 shipping fee and the 25% restocking fee from the Sale Price of $800.000 = $200.00.
Total Due: $600.00 – From the $600.00 left, deduct the actual cost of shipping this back to you along with any storage fees imposed. Let’s say it adds to $200.00.
Total Refund due to Buyer: $400.00.
Most buyers (I know I would) will comply with your Policies. Very easy, do not buy if you are not sure. J
There are occasion when you will get a buyer denying to have read them or even to have received a copy. This is when you provide the link to the Credit Card Company and any emails to and from. Your best bet is to have a Sales Agreement Check Box in your shopping cart. This way a buyer cannot check out unless they Agree to your Policies.
I always recommend to have your Policies listed on your site under Policies and Again under Shipping and of course at check out. We also provide them with our Policies on all email communication to the buyer both as a link and an attachment.
Sure, a customer may think you want to profit from a cancellation. However, this would not be the case. Freight fees can be proven and the restocking fees is to cover packaging material, freight fees you paid to have it sent to your business and labor.
Its best for buyers to cancel the order before they leave the warehouse or your home. This could possibly save them hundreds. Of course, the Cancellation Fee may apply. It would be great Customer Service to waive the fee if they order did not leave your warehouse.
Check out Damage Claims for more details
J
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Like you said, most buyers will go along with this process but there those “10%ers” that will give you a hard time so it is crucial to have the correct documents to cover you butt.