Policies: Writing Store Policies

From EtsyWiki

written by: Dyno http://dyno.etsy.com 04/16/07

In case it helps to serve as a guide for others, here's my (Ms. Dynomite/Dyno) outline...

Where to put your policies

Since a proper policies page or section is not offered on Etsy, I do the following as a workaround to cover all bases:

1. put all store policies in my Profile after my bio and other info, with a note at the top of the page instructing buyers to scroll down for my policies
2. include a note at the top of *every* listing to see my Profile for store policies
3. include a note in my store announcement to see my Profile for store policies
4. include an excerpt from my store policies in my Note to Buyer (returns, feedback), which I print with the receipt and include in the order

How to write your policies

Below are some points to consider when writing your policies. You don't need to post all of these for customers, but you should have them for your own internal policies.

Payment

• I accept Paypal (preferred) and domestic money-order.

• International customer MUST pay with Paypal.(Domestic currency only) Int'l currencies is not accepted.

• Payment is to be made within 3 days of your purchase.

• Seller charges sales tax for items shipped to: CA (8.25%).

Payment is due within 3 days of purchase. I now file unpaid item disputes after 7 days. If the item has not been paid for or no communication has been made within 15 days after purchase, I will close the dispute, issuing an unpaid item strike. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Payment problems

what do you do when:

• payment is not received by the specified time? (cancel and relist? notify buyer? how many notices do you send and how often? to Etsy convo and/or email?)
• payment is not received in the specified method or currency? (return payment? cancel and relist? hold order until proper payment received?)

Shipping

• destination/location (domestic only? include int'l?)
• combined shipping (standard? only by request?)
• method (USPS, FexEx, UPS?... 1st Class, Priority?... Airmail Letter, Parcel Post?)
• timing (do you ship only after payment is received and cleared? what's your schedule: 24hrs, 3x a week, 1x a week?... how long does USPS delivery typically take, domestic and int'l?)
• delivery confirmation or tracking (included? only by request? only on items over $ amount? only on custom items?)
• insurance (mandatory? upon request? over a $ amount? what about int'l?)
• addresses (do you ship to only confirmed PayPal addresses? what happens when Etsy address differs from PayPal address? is the buyer responsible for order delays if addresses differ? )

Shipping problems

what do you do when:

• a buyer has overpaid the shipping due to an administrative or site error?
• a buyer claims an item was received damaged? (ask for proof? state they should have purchased insurance? eat the cost and send another? who pays for shipping of the new item? What if you can't replace the item or it was OOAK?)
• you send a package and the buyer claims it was not received? (refund the shipping? take a big loss and send another item for free? state that buyers are responsible for requesting insurance? state that lost packages need to be addressed with the post office?)

Returns, exchanges & store credit

• do you offer refunds/returns? exchanges? both? just one? neither?
• do you offer store credit in addition to or instead of returns/exchanges?
• do you have a product or service guarantee?
• under what conditions for all these things? is there a time limit?
• are your store credits transferrable?
• do you accommodate buyer's remorse?
• do you refund shipping for the return? who pays for shipping of the new exchange item?

Returns & exchanges problems

what do you do when:

• items are not returned in sellable condition?
• items are not returned in the specified time frame?
• a buyer decides they want to return an item because they changed their mind? or 3 months after they bought it?
• a buyer claims the item is not as described in the listing?
• a buyer wants to return a custom item?
• a buyer claims the item was a gift?
• you never receive the item and the buyer claims they sent it back?
• an item cannot be replaced or exchanged, such as OOAK?

Feedback

• do you leave feedback once payment is received? when the order has been received? when the transaction has been completed and resolved? twice a week? twice a month?
• do you leave negative feedback for non-payment? canceled orders?

Feedback problems

• how do you handle buyer's negative feedback?
• what do you do when you feel you've received unjustified, malicious, or retaliatory feedback?

Misc problems

• do you reserve the right to refuse a sale? under what conditions?
• do you ban a customer from future purchases after non-payment or misbehavior?