When You Being Charitable Goes Wrong

[ChanandlerBong]

I get about 20 emails a year asking me for discounts of up to 100%. Most, I bin, but sometimes, someone communicates something well, a real need for something, a lack of funds to facilitate it and I'm happy enough to oblige. The internet has been good to me, and giving a discount that costs me 20, 30 bucks doesn't bother me when it's fitting.

Last week, a "senior" contacts me and asks for a free product and explains how she's a poor widow, volunteers locally to help others in similar situations, etc, etc. So I offer 50% discount right off the bat, without asking any questions.

Reply I got back:

Well, I'm really disappointed. Only 50%? After everything I told you. You are a disgusting company and you should think more about doing charitable work. We, the customer, put you where you are. I'm reporting you to the BBB. Shame on you.

I deleted the mail immediately and then purged it from my trash too, because I knew if I'd started writing a reply, it would've been the police she'd be reporting me to!

Have you ever tried to do the "decent thing" and had it thrown back in your face?

[Montresor]

I do the indecent thing.

It never gets thrown back at my face.

Ever.

[Marshall]

There is an old expression "No good deed goes unpunished." And when it comes to people/organizations that you do not know or ever heard of, this becomes more problematic.

[engine]

That's a pretty bad response from that person, ChanandlerBong. I wonder if they've gotten used to expecting everything for free! If they really want/need it they'd have a better response, i'm sure. Their response is simply a threat. Awful.
You were correct to ignore it, imho.

[Essex_boy]

Oh Jesus ! What a toerag !

[Dimitri]

Sounds like a professional con artist. Don't worry about the BBB, I doubt she (if she is even a she) will really complain there, and even if s/he does, I doubt they will mind of someone who complained that a 50% discount was not enough :)

I have no idea what you are selling, but even if you are generous, and want to help, it doesn't sound good to offer such big discounts.

I am sure that there are forums where people are exchanging tips, about sites where it's possible to negotiate big discount. So if you begin to deliver discount (up to 100%?!) to anyone asking, the word will spread and you'll end with no more real clients, and only people coming to get the same discount as Mr. & Ms Smith.

If you want to have a politic of discount, that's fine, but I don't think you should deliver it on case by case basis. Instead, You'd better run a weekly or monthly special/discount, which would be for everybody, and advertised on your site/newsletter, and to stick with this offer.

And yes, of course, ignore this kind of persons, never reply, because, you have nothing to win from arguing, all you'll do is to upset yourself more.

[toidi]

In the states, in my business, we are trained to not give preferential treatment on a case by case basis because we could be accused of discrimination if we do not give said treatment to the wrong person. Everybody gets the same treatment. Did i mention my business is highly regulated and rife with litigation.

[tangor]

The something for nothing entitlement kids really do think they are "owed" by simply existing. I never reply to any of these (and they are getting more common each year). Moochers looking for a handout ... only their university education has convinced them it is merely equality adjustment they are entitled to receive.

[ChanandlerBong]

I offer digital content...access, if you like. I ignore/reject more than 90% of requests I get and I have to admit, the number I look sympathetically on is getting less and less thanks to incidents like this. In the end, the fairest thing is to treat all the same, i.e. pay to play, we are not a charity.

[LifeinAsia]

I'm reporting you to the BBB.

Even if the person actually does file a report, the BBB should provide you with the opportunity to respond. A copy of the person's e-mails would have been an appropriate response and most likely the BBB would (should) close the issue.

[topr8]

well for one thing the BBB is just a US thing anyway (and canada/mexico, from the look of the website)

... typical scammer saying they'll report you to them ... there's nothing to report - as you're not a member anyway!

[RhinoFish]

Guy ordered the wrong thing on me once, address labels instead of bank checks, we immediately refunded his money and told him to just keep the address labels. A week later, New York Att General's office contacts me, saying he filed a case of consumer bait and switch fraud against us, saying we never delivered the checks (he didn't buy checks). It was resolved quickly, thankfully the NY AG's office had human beings who could get on the phone and provide details of what documents we needed to provide. When I hear someone say "the customer is always right", I cringe in minor panic palpitations. I sometimes wish we had a yelp-like service, where we sellers, could review buyers, and just block those who are wrecking balls from adding to cart, post a little message that says "No thanks, we reserve the right to reject bad buyers". Like Uber, feedback can only have a chance at being fair if it's a 2-way street.

[ChanandlerBong]

Yes, we've had the BBB threat thrown in our face a few times...not quite as often as the classic "I will tell all my friends/I'm a member of a 50k-strong community and I'm going to trash your name there" one. :)

[Dimitri]

That's why I never dare to open e-commerce site(s). In the beginning of the millennium, with a friend, we were brainstorming about how to take advantage of The Internet, and we had several ideas of e-commerce sites, but I am too coward, and I knew it would upset me if people complain (legitimate or not).