Free Shipping, Or Customer Service?

Seems like everyone is jumping on the Free Shipping band wagon. I just read a report where they say the #1 trend for online retailers this holiday season is going to be free shipping. I sell on eBay also, and it seems they are pushing sellers to offer free shipping. I understand times are tough, and saving money where ever one can is important, but what about customer service?

Okay, so you’ve saved $10 shipping on that new iPod accessory, great! Four days later your item arrives. You tear open the package with excitement, you can’t wait to try out your new gizmo. You unwrap it, plug it in, plug your iPod into it, turn it on, and…and…and…and nothing, it doesn’t work. so you get on the phone to the company you bought it from. A recording tells you to press some number, then it tells you to press another number, then another. You finally get a live person, they ask you what the problem is, you explain, they tell you another dept handles that and they transfer you. You explain the problem again, and, you guessed it, they can’t help you. They tell you to pack it up and send it back. You ask for a refund, but their policy is to exchange it, or give you a store credit.

See, free shipping, discounts and coupons are fine, but personally, I rather know that you respect and appreciate me and my business. I want to know that when I call you with a problem, I can speak to a person and they are going to help and not be part of the problem. I want to know that when I buy from you, you are going to stand behind that purchase. Now, if I get free shipping and great customer service, well that’s icing on the cake, but if I only get great customer service, that is what will make me come back.

The internet can be a very impersonal world, but the interactions brought by that world don’t have to be. Just answer the phone when I call and help me with my problem. That’s my personal view, how do you feel?