I run a very small craft business and had a very loyal customer order $500+ worth of items from my online shop. The package was marked “delivered” 4 days ago by the USPS however the customer claims they never received it and now they’re freaking out.
I do have a policy on my site that clearly states that my business is not responsible for packages lost or stolen in transit and do offer insurance option at checkout, however the customer chose not to insure.
Aside from directing them to file a claim with their post office, as a the business owner, does anyone have advice for what next steps I should take to address the situation? Thank you.
If it was just a one-off order from a first-time customer, that would be one thing. But since they’re a loyal repeat customer then it’s best to assume they’re not lying to you. Could’ve been a porch pirate, or a courier screwup, but unfortunately there’s no way for you to really know. I’d let them know you’re making a one-time policy exception as a “thank you” for being a loyal customer, ship them a replacement, and just ask them to let you know if the original turns up, and you’ll pay for return shipping if it does.
I once ordered an item from a large online retailer, and similar to your scenario the item was marked as delivered to my house, however the item was never actually delivered. My Ring cameras never detected anybody either. I contacted the retailer, who promptly shipped me a replacement for free. Two days later, my neighbor came and dropped off the original package - turns out the courier just dropped it at the wrong house. I contacted the retailer and let them know the original shipment arrived, and they gave me a pre-paid shipping label to drop it off at Fedex at my next convenience, which I did. Granted, not everybody is going to be honest like that, but I think a lot of people are - and they are a LOT more likely to be honest, and a good customer going forward, if you give them the benefit of the doubt and make things right for them.