If you are a seller or a service provider, a therapist, a coach… and you are used to dealing with all sorts of clientele, you know that the less investment your service or a product requires the more difficult clients become. Cheapskates have the highest expectations and never happy with what they get.
I sell an array of digital downloads that are priced from $5 to $1,200. I kid you not! Only people that eyed $5 products are asking for free samples and guarantees. And, the only unsatisfied buyers I’ve ever had were the ones that have purchased $5 products. This is the type that is never happy and no matter how much value you’ll offer to them it will never be enough.
$5 product – The buyer: “I need a few free samples and I need to see reviews.”
$500 product – The buyer: “I was referred by a friend, I did my research and I asked others what they think about it. So far so good. I’m willing to take this chance.”
$5,000 – The buyer: “Money sent. I am so excited!”
$10,000 – The buyer: “Let me know if and when you’ll need another deposit… Oh yeah, this is Bill. Paid the invoice.”
Always set clear straightforward policies for returns and refunds. Be transparent. If you do not offer refunds, spell it out for the customers to see. Add your policies to contracts, agreements, receipts… so, no one can say later that they didn’t know.
In the case of digital downloads, refunds and returns do not make sense. It’s information. It’s not possible to return information? Once a buyer received it, they cannot return it whether they like it or not. So, whenever an unhappy buyer contacts me and demands a refund, I reply with “Our policies are very clear. Here is a copy…” I would repeat it as many times as I have to, but usually once is enough.
Don’t get me wrong, if I had made a mistake and sold something of not the highest quality, I would turn myself inside out to make it up to the buyer. But when I know how much time and effort I have invested into the creation of these products and I receive great feedback from so many people, I will not comply with shady attempts to take advantage of me.
May I lose this buyer because they are not pleased? Yes. Quite frankly, I do not want them to ever come back. If they do (actually happened a few times), I decline the sale. If once unsatisfied buyer makes a repeat purchase, I issue a refund with a message attached: “You are no longer eligible to receive my products. Thank you.” No explanation needed. They know exactly what they did.
Whenever people asking for free samples or discounts, I rarely reply. Why would I? They already have shown me that they do not value what I offer. On every platform that makes it possible, I blacklist those people to avoid potential problems. $5 sale doesn’t worth the headache those people can cause.
If someone wants to play a game with you. coach them. You set the rules and conditions. If somebody doesn’t want to follow your rules and conditions, you do not have to play with them.