What to do with dishonest buyers?

sanfora Level 1

July 23, 2016, 2:36 pm

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What to do with dishonest buyers?

Some buyers will react after delivery of work even when you told him before that you can't guarantee any results and agreed to that. What can be done to deal with such deceptive buyers?

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Cristian

Cristian

Well, first of all, why should you offer a service if you can't guarantee something. Try to understand things from the buyer's perspective. You buy something because you want to get that whatever something, right? So how would you feel if you go to a store to buy an item and the clerk working there tells you: "Sorry can only get this item sometimes, try again next time"

But yeah, don't know the details of your services, maybe the buyer did get something but expected a lot more. I can see your point from if this is the case.
I once created some backlinks for a buyer and I said that he probably is going to get some traffic too. So the service was building backlinks, not traffic. I delivered the backlinks but he was expected a huge amount of traffic too so clearly we got into a dispute.
After this order, I modified my gig's description and removed the traffic part. Everything worked out fine with future clients.

So my advice is: if you can't guarantee something, don't tell the buyer about it. If you do somehow get it, offer it as a bonus, I guarantee you'll get a lot of positive reviews, every client loves bonuses.

Hopped I helped. Cheers.

8 years ago

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CryptoGuru

CryptoGuru

i agree i do not think you should be offering services that you can not deliver on, that never is a good thing too do when you advertise a service you are always expected to deliver on said service simply not being able to deliver shows that you are lacking it is false advertising and on that note you can not really blame a customer you have to be able to fix the problem within yourself, like you said nobody wants to go to a store to have to deal with a cashier saying you can only buy this sometimes.

8 years ago

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MasterA

MasterA

Sometimes people who buy SEO services expect good results from services but there is no way to guarantee that it will work as there are many other factors that can affect the website’s rankings. Therefore, some people may dispute these kind of services. My advice is similar to Christians; if you can’t guarantee something, then don’t write it in the description to protect yourself and in the case of a dispute, bring it to the SEO Clerks support team and let them help you. If you delivered everything as described, then the SEO Clerks team will make sure you are paid for it.

8 years ago

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ajlancer

ajlancer

Hi MasterA I agree with you. But you cannot detect dishonest buyer by any norms if he pay trick. He just try to show lame excuse to get free service. I faced many buyer over some years of my freelance career. They just show you silly matter for reject order or refund money. Even if you contact with him, they just going to be dump. And I do agree misleading service will not favor to any seller if fact create. But, as SEO factors, you should know many fact involve for getting high rank. You cannot do it within $40 or $50. But some seller may use title like for getting first page buy this service etc. It may process of getting rank by one task within SEO. If buyer dose not try to understand fact of SEO and if he only want to get final result like first page, How you persuade him? If any buyer doing such thing by his dishonesty. It is really difficult to say why he doing over react?

Regards by Ajlancer

8 years ago

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ajlancer

ajlancer

Hi Cristian I think you may understand guarantee offer and just as a service offer is not same. You may see lot of services where seller do not guarantee anything but just offer a service. For example: if I sell 10 high PR9 backlink for $10 and if I say in description for getting first page, these 10 high PR backlink will help. But, buyer expect he will get first page only this 10 Backlinks. But, I said it will help. Help means I just offer 10 high PR backlink as support to get rank as part of SEO but, I do not guarantee to get rank and buyer get exactly 10 PR9 backlink from my service. So. my offer and buyer expecting is different and guarantee is not there. What you will do this mix-up?

So, seller always will not guarantee what buyer expecting. Seller can simply offer service without any guarantee of buyer expectation. But, dishonest buyer always wanting over, which is not included service description. And they do not willing to understand too.

Regards by Ajlancer

8 years ago

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EliteWriter

EliteWriter

Deceptive - I do not think that is a good choice of words? I think the deception lies when a seller cannot guarantee the service that he is offering with all due respect! What do you mean? You are offering a service which has a high likelihood of making buyers feel that they were not properly served? Because in such a case it is better to not offer that service in the first place because as sellers we are supposed to offer great quality services that satisfy buyers' needs and expectations. Could you specify what service it is and how the buyer ended up disgruntled please?

8 years ago

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ONLYSEO

ONLYSEO

Buyers are always right,
If you can not guarantee your service here,it's fine! Not all jobs offered here has to be guaranteed by the seller.
For example; 'I offer traffic to websites' but can not guarantee you of visitors action of signup,orders,or phone calls.
If you want to stay out of trouble,you just have to tell it on your gig discription and also on the instrutions to buyers.

8 years ago

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ajlancer

ajlancer

Hi ONLYSEO yes I agree with you like buyer always right! Because buyer always boos and seller always labor. Is it? Ethically it is not correct. But, unfortunately some buyer thinking, he just do not purchase your service, he just show activity like he purchase you. You cannot understand how buyer will react. Sometimes they just react for a simple work. And if anything wrong in mind he is going to react again and again without hearing anything from you. I do agree with you, Not all jobs offered here has to be guaranteed by the seller. And no need too. But, all seller mostly explain what he going to be done. If seller unable to fail to deliver what he explained. It is okay to take any step by buyer.

Regards by Ajlancer

8 years ago

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CryptoGuru

CryptoGuru

i believe that as the provider of a service it is your duty to deliver a full service of what you are advertising it reaslly isnot the buyers fault if you can not deliver, now on that note your saying that you gave the buyer a heads up, i feel like that does not put you in the wrong at that point it is like ok i told you what it is and you decided what you wanted now as long as you are being honest you can not be blamed for any disatisfaction as you were honest and up front with your buyer

8 years ago

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CryptoGuru

CryptoGuru

i have not dealt with any buyers like this i try too weed them out the pack to be honest, if i feel im going to get some trouble out of some one i personally will not try to do any business with them especially if i feel any thing is not going how i want on my end for example if i know im having trouble with following through with services i wont want to offer that service till i fix the problem but if it is just a dishonest buyer trying to pull a fast one then that i try to too look out for i do my best to avoid trouble some people

8 years ago

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ajlancer

ajlancer

Hi sanfora thanks for your question. It is very difficult to say you who is dishonest buyer? I agree with you some buyers are doing over react even they got service what you commitments in service description. They just not trying to understand of any value of your work. And some buyers are thinking just he is not hiring your service like he purchase yourself too. Sometimes I feel disgusting but nothing to say them. Because, I am freelancer and need to be polite. Reality is completely different. if, you can guess and buyer really do something wrong with you. Just response him very often what he needs? If ultimately you do not satisfy him, just cancel order and think as unfortunate. Nothing more there.

Regards by Ajlancer

8 years ago

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Cristian

Cristian

I was not referring to the guarantee option. I was thinking of guarantee as in a statement inside the gig's description. But yeah, you guys aware right. There are buyers out there that just want a refund after the work is done, a refund for purchasing another order from another seller and doing the same thing all over again.
Some buyers figured out we sellers rather refund then get a negative review and they are taking advantage of that.

8 years ago

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ajlancer

ajlancer

Hi Cristian I am sure all sellers try to write or explain their level best in service description. And they almost do untold guarantee what he going to be done. May be they do not use guarantee option or they do not say service as guarantee but, by explanation all seller extract maximum information to buyer. But, who really dishonest buyer they ignore it and want more than over what seller committed in service. For example: Today I got an order and buyer did not purchase my service extra but, in update section buyer wanted service which I serve for extra payment. So, perhaps, If I do not serve him except extra payment, he may reject order. Though, for me this time luckily buyer explained and I contacted with buyer regarding issue and now fix but some buyer without explain anything expect more than more even seller extra service without extra paid. And ultimately they may dissatisfied and do something against seller.

Regards by Ajlancer

8 years ago

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Webguy2024

Webguy2024

Always document your work, before and after the service. This will help sort things out should you need to communicate with support. Be clear with the text on your services and re-write them if needed. It should read so, everyone, customers knows what to expects, how the service works etc. Use the Who, What When, Where and Why method. This will help a customer make an informed decision about purchasing your service and will also reduce confusion. I find that trying to answer all of a customers question within the text of a service really does help with additional sales and positive feedback. I also believe that clear and concise text within your service(s) could also reduce the potential for obtaining a negative review.

8 years ago

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ajlancer

ajlancer

Hi Webguy2024 thanks for your nice suggestion. Yes I do agree and I believe all seller make proof of work before and after doing job. And It is 100% true if service description very clear to understand by buyer, he cannot make confusion by any way. But we are talking dishonest buyer, it is really hard to detect dishonest buyer how they react? And they are always try to find out way of excuse and same times going to be dump as just said work not done yet or refund money. I faced many times such buyer just reject order very lame issue.
I am sure seller sometimes unfortunate, if they faced such type if dishonest buyer.

Regards by Ajlancer

8 years ago

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Webguy2024

Webguy2024

While this seems to be quite rare here, there is no way to recognize if a buyer has bad intent when they order a service. Even once an order is started it is impossible to know anything until delivery occurs. This is why I suggest to document everything you can so, you have the ammunition to combat a "fraudster". Obviously, if a bogus claim occurs and you have the necessary documentation the support desk will be able to act quickly to resolve the issue. Before, going to support try to work it out with the customer. Maybe it is a language barrier that caused confusion, this is a global site, Right? Go the extra mile trying to work out the problem with the customer before jumping right to the support desk for help. After all this is what businesses have to do both offline and online for customer service. Being reasonable in trying to resolve the issue is just good business. If this step fails and you are forced to go to the support desk at least they can review all of the communications and documentation to help make a decision to resolve the issue quickly. Documentation is the key.

8 years ago

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ajlancer

ajlancer

Hi Webguy2024 again I am not going to disagree with you. You explained exactly. And should proof of work will play role as key of work. And Perhaps or perhaps not language barrier may cause of confusion. But, when we are talking about dishonest buyer, he may do something over which not normal activity. And I believe support will help us to protect who really work for client basis on evidence as your said documents. But, you may know many seller do not know how to contact with support and they feel may hesitation as your said language barrier as cause.

Regards by Ajlancer

8 years ago

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Lynne

Lynne

This is one interesting topic. I think it depends on type of service. If you tell me I will get a certain amount of quality backlinks then I must get that amount of backlinks... but you cannot guarantee what type of result these backlinks will give me can you?

Service descriptions must be honest and detailed so that the buyer knows exactly what they are getting and what guarantees there are with the service.

Your post makes it sound like there are loads of "deceptive buyers" here? I have never got that impression before. Yes perhaps there is the odd buyer that is trying to take a seller for a ride but that is I think the exception and not the norm.

8 years ago

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