Pissed Off By A Customer

I am really pissed off by a customer today when she called me today and said that I was 'action' when I told her that I do not accept orders over the phone and I do not practice reservation without any payment. My online store's policy is that reservation of clothes or for any item will only be made after full payment is made. 2 years ago when I just started my online business, I had allowed customers to reserve an item without payment but after a few bad incidents which left me with clothes that were never paid for when the customers disappeared and never replied my calls and emails, I decided to put a stop to non-payment reservation.

After my encounter with a handful of MIA customers (some were my regular), I have to put my foot down and say no more reservation and no more down payment for reservation. Last year, I had a reseller who paid me a 50% down payment for stock worth over RM500 but she never came back to collect her stock. My countless numbers of emails, text messages and calls to her were never returned but thank God, I managed to sell all the stock! Thank God for helping me out as the items that she ordered were specialized items, which not many people will buy.

Many times I had reserved an item for a customer and turned away the next customer who is interested, only to be informed by the first customer much later that she is not interested anymore. Needless to say, the second customer was not interested anymore later. The result is I had lost both the customers. Hence, I have made up my mind that reservation of an item will only be made after payment is made... and on a first pay first get basis. Ordering will only be taken if they are made through email or Facebook message. No verbal reservation will be accepted anymore.

Now back to this customer. She had re-assured me profusely that she is very genuine in her purchase but she can only pay up after 1 month! That item is not even RM40! I told her that as per our store's policy this is not possible but she snapped at me and said "you cannot be so action you know" in Cantonese... at which time I could feel my blood turn hot from my heart shooting up to my head. I tried hard not to blow up and raise my voice but told her that she cannot say that I am 'action' as a store's policy is a policy and it cannot be tweaked however way a customer wants it. I don't think any online store will entertain a customer's non-payment reservation through the phone and with payment only to be made after one month, unless if the person is the seller's good friend or relative. Customers like this really spoils my day.

Recently a customer called me up when I was on a holiday, put words in my mouth (when she did not read my earlier messages to her with all the terms and conditions of purchase) and asked for a refund. Thank you God again for helping me to settle this matter amicably. Now she wants to order from me again but I am very hesitant to accept this order. Money cannot buy happiness and money is not everything. Of course, I have good customers too. I have several generous customers who paid me tip by asking me to keep the change. On the whole, most of my customers are easy going and some are heaven sent haha! I do pray to God to send me only good customers, customers who will not spoil my day and make me to believe that I am all out to cheat them. Oh please, I am here to do long-term business and my store is not a fly-by-night store. And let me tell you, some customers are out there to cheat sellers like me by tricking me into believing that they had made payment but in actual fact, no payment was ever made!