If
you were informed you won a prize from a BUSINESS and never got it,
would you contact the business? Likely, YES!
What if it were an INDIVIDUAL from which you were expecting a package, a prize you won, or money they owed you? Do you
remind them?
I think of some exchanges/swaps where people never got their
packages. People wonder if it was lost, if the person forgot, or worse,
was an exchange dead-beat. Would you contact them or not for fear embarrassing them or making them feel badly?
Likely we all have a different opinion on this. For myself, when I have a giveaway, I send it the very week I've gotten the person's mailing info. If something delayed me, I'd email. I think that's because I'm OCD ;-) I've also learned to insure and track all packages because I've had some packages that took so long to reach their destination, I feared they were lost.
So...I'm curious about your opinions. Do you tell individuals when you never got what they were supposed to send (money, prize, package)?
Have you ever had a dead-beat exchange or was promised something but never got it? How did you handle it? (Please don't include names but you can email me if you wish.)
I'd want to be reminded if I forgot or if something never got to my recipient. You?
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16 comments:
Like you I try to send things as soon as I can. I too would email and say it was on its way and ask for them to let me know it was sent. I don't send a lot of things, but I can see how some ladies could forget. Perhaps a little reminder to ask if it was sent as nothing has arrived, if they are a friend they will understand and I see no problem asking.
I would send a note to see if it was mailed because things happen and packages end up missing or even returned to sender. When I send things, I usually email the recipient to let them know a package is on the way unless I want it to be a surprise. If it is a surprise, then I email them a couple days beyond when it was supposed to arrive.
Robin in Virginia
I've never had a "dead beat" experience. There are so many nice bloggers - that do what they say they will - it's a shame that there are some that ... don't.
Parsley,
I send my packages/exchanges/Giveaways out soon as possible. I stay in contact with the person.
I let them know when I mailed the package and let them know when they may see the package. Mailing out of the country is a different matter. It can take forever to get through customs and then to the person your sending to. It sucks!
If I haven't gotten a package from them I think emailing them in a polite way is a good thing. This lets them know the package hasn't been received. I wouldn't have a problem with it if it were me.
The post office now has priority mailing as an option with a tracking number and insurance is now included in the price. I have been using this method so there is no question. It may seem pricey but it is worth it as there will be no wondering what happened.
I think it is okay to ask about any package you were to get if you do it in a nice way. Why wouldn't it be?
I had an issue a few years back regarding a giveaway I never got. I emailed them every week and then the excuses started one after the other. I finally had to except it wasn't going to happen and moved on. I would never have a giveaway and then not follow through or if I couldn't for whatever reason I would keep in contact with that person and try to resolve whatever the issue was.
I wish you and everyone else good luck on these matters.
:)
I would just send them a little note inquiring. I had an interesting experience just before Christmas. I ordered multiple items from a friend/blogger through her etsy store. One day I received a large padded envelope. It had been clearly cut open and re-taped closed and all of the product was missing! The thief was kind enough to leave the invoice in the envelope. I immediately went to Canada Post to complain. The response was that I had no proof whether the package was tampered with on the Canadian side, US side or at customs so there was nothing they could do.
Several years before I had sent a large box of tea bags to our family in Vermont. When she received the box it had been retaped - No tea. But they at least re-filled it with was was clearly in their lost and found box at customs. Several odd mittens, broken sunglasses etc.
Hi Parsley :) I usually mail folks to say watch out for the postie ... and ask them to let me know asap that they receive it ... likewise if I have been told that something is on the way .. I stalk the postie and if it hasn't arrived in a sensible time I let them know that it hasn't arrived yet but as soon as it does would let them know ... it is after all common courtesy to keep in touch ... that's why when we do swaps on my group we also, just case the person doesn't get something from their partner due to various reasons have angel stitchers who can whip something up etc as soon as possible so that no one misses out ... hope that helps abit .... if you need to talk back channel you know where I am :) love mouse xxxxx
I'm so mixed on this issue. Most the time I'm too nice and just try to forget about it. I've even paid for something and waited far longer than what I thought was reasonable. If it was a giveaway in my head I think I didn't spend money so can I complain for not getting something free?
I personally wouldn't mind a reminder email. I have a very absent mind sometimes. So I would think a nice person wouldn't mind a nice email asking about it. I just don't have the balls haha.
We find people are honest and if something is late arriving it usually just the snail mail on a go slow. Have a marvellous Monday.
Best wishes Molly
This is a little tricky. I have always sent my exchanges on time along with an email saying that it is on it's way. If I receive an exchange or win a giveaway I always email the day it arrives so they know it is safely here. However, I have taken part in two different exchanges when I did not receive anything. I know that the person organizing the exchanges tried to get in touch with them but nothing came of it. I also sent an exchange package once and they did not reply to the organizer that they had received it. I was really worried and offered to send a replacement parcel, it turned out that it had arrived the next day and I was worrying for over a month about nothing. Would I contact them myself? There really shouldn't be a problem doing it but I would feel uncomfortable and a little rude in asking about it. xx
I ten to track my parcels and I'm always making sure to post my giveaway treats asap... but I apparently won a giveaway before Christmas and never received anything or heard from the blogger sadly... did they do this for rating or has something happened...who knows?
I won a giveaway twice and never received it. I told the blogger one time. Still never received it. Then I thought, oh well maybe they needed it more than me. What is worse, hosting a giveaway. The person participates, wins, then they don't want it
Lily
I think the right thing to do would be to contact the sender if the package has not arrived as/when expected. If you don't follow up, they may be waiting for a thank you on their end that never comes and they wind up hurt and thinking the recipient is very rude and unappreciative.
Remember when the pay it forward things were doing the rounds on blogs? 2 times I got let down! One did surprise me one little bit if I'm honest but the other one did. I didn't bother saying anything. Another time I won a travelling pattern, waited a while and nothing happened. I emailed fhe lady and she was very apologetic and said she'd get it in the mail. Nothing. Emailed again, another promise of getting it in the mail and again nothing. I gave up!
When I'm sending something I let the person know, unless it's a complete surprise, and ask them to let me know when it arrives. I have been lucky so far and everything has arrived. Fingers crossed it stays that way!
If it's an exchange, I would politely inquire if it had been sent. If it's a giveaway, I don't inquire unless they've requested (and I've provided) my address and they've sent me a notification that they were sending it out.
I'm sorry you have to deal with this issue. I've had it happen to me a few times and I'm hesitant about participating in exchanges because of it.
I will usually contact the person and let them know if I haven't received something. On the flip side, I also email the person if I am mailing them something. I am very diligent on following up when I have to send something.
Have I had a "deadbeat" as you put it? In a private mailart exchange a year or so ago, I didn't receive from the person. When I contacted, she said it was returned to her and she decided to restitch it. But, I never did receive. I was really disappointed as this was a blogger I considered a friend, and is fairly well known I think, in the online community.
I have won a few giveaways on blogger that I never received and e mailed the people and they never responded. I am a generous person and sometime it takes me a while to get gifts to those who won but I always come thru! It is sad that people do this. I always try to post aobut the win and send a personal message to the person who hosted.
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