Every online bookseller hates to get the inevitable..."Where's my book?" email...
The implication is usually that you did not sent to book....or that you delayed mailing for some reason... Which in my case is never true but I can't speak for other sellers.
Here's a copy of an email reply that I did a few days ago:
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Your book was mailed to this address on the day it was ordered:
John Doe
123 Elm Street
Anytown, USA.
Is this the correct address...? This is the address on the Amazon records...
If this address is correct;
You might check at the local post office...they are probably holding the book for your pick up...
We ship same day...very, very fast. And, as you will see from our feedback, we complete all of our transactions quickly...
I have never actually "lost" a book in the US mail... And I doubt that yours will be the first...
If you don't receive the book in the next few days...and if it is not at the post office awaiting your pick up...Email me...
And I will see what I can do to resolve the situation for you...
Best Regards,
Etc....
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Note:
The book is almost always at the destination post office...the first delivery attempt failed for whatever reason. And sometimes there is no second attempt made... Merely a "pick up" slip hidden amid the other mail the buyer recieved that day! Of course it likely gets lost! And the buyer sits, and sits and sits...getting madder and madder ...that you did not send their book!
Meanwhile the package is sitting at the buyers post office awaiting pick up...
So buyers must be aware that failed deliveries are not "lost books"... In fact, I have never "lost" a book in the US mail. Now the Italian mail...perhaps... But never in the US mails.
Also note that I verify the address immediately... This can stop any issue of obsolete addresses at the book selling venue like Amazon or ABE. And there could be a "typo" But, I ALWAYS copy and paste my addresses to eliminate any possibility of typos...
Finally I let them know that I'm not buying the "lost book" scenario...at least until they check their local post office...
Also note, I never mention a "refund" directly...
This could put ideas into the buyer's head that are best left unmentioned...ie demanding a refund!
Rather, I promise to "resolve" the situation...
But in some serious cases where I think the buyer may be on the verge of panic... I out right tell them that I bear the risk of loss in the mail...not them.
This also has the effect of making the buyer more agreeable to waiting a little longer for their book... After all, it's my loss now, not theirs if the package never arrives...so we split the difference... They are protected and I get more time to get the package delivered.
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I recieved an email from this buyer the next day saying: "Thanks! The book was at the Post Office..."
Another potential problem solved!
