Should a customer cancel an order?

H

Hmathews

Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
1,004
If a customer has an order placed with a maker and he changes his mind, gets sick, finds one he likes better, realizes the maker is in over his head, or what ever, is he under any obligation to notify the maker or should he just not worry about it?
 
I think the customer has an obligation to inform the maker if for any reason he/she can not fulfill his/her end of the deal.
 
Why wouldn't the customer notify the maker? You've entered into an agreement to buy the knife. Some peoples word is important and they stand by it.

And they should tell the maker Promptly upon deciding they don't want the knife.


Mitch
 
No question about it. The customer should definitely notify the knifemaker. The knifemaker is going to do the work based on the assumption that there is a paycheck coming when he finishes the job. If the customer decides he isn't going to want the knife from that maker, he should give him as much notification as possible so that the maker can use that time slot to do something he is going to get paid for.
 
Imo, the collector/buyer has entered into an agreement just as the maker has, so there's responsibilities on both sides.

The collector/buyer owes it to both the maker and the maker's other customers/orderers to cancel promptly if there's an issue.
 
Hmathews said:
If a customer has an order placed with a maker and he changes his mind, gets sick, finds one he likes better, realizes the maker is in over his head, or what ever, is he under any obligation to notify the maker or should he just not worry about it?
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Not if the makers don't have to.
 
the only respect worth getting is the respect that you earn.
If it's worth it to you that you're a good person, then obviously you will treat others respectfully.

Seriously, this question is definitely framed with intent. And probably from an experience of dealing with the shrapnel of a deal gone 'boom', due to a screwy customer, (just guessing here).

The answer to this question is obvious. But I would like to hear some stories from the mouths, (er, fingers) of the knifemakers who've had experience dealing with certain kinds of buyers, leading to order cancellations from their end.

Describe the worst, lamest story you can remember. Buyers are necessary, but can sometimes be a bitch!

I know you knifemakin guys have to be careful what you say in here, so maybe just leave this as a rhetorical musing and nothing more:).
 
There was no real problem that generated the question on my part. It seemed like a good question to follow on the thread that dealt with makers canceling the order since there is no money changing hands at the time of the order and no real obligation on either parties part.

In my opinion it is a two way street. They should notify the other in the case of a cancellation as soon as possible just as a common courtesy. The only thing that is at stake is the reputations of the two parties and that should be reason enough.

As a maker I have never canceled an order and it would take some serious provocation in order for me to do so. Should it happen, the customer would be aware of it.

I have had a very few customers not purchase their completed knives for whatever reason, and it would have been nice to have known they were not going to take the knife earlier. The worst cases, to me, are the ones that tell you that they want the knife, the check is on the way and it never comes, but the ones that never respond to any type of contact aren’t much better. Thankfully it doesn’t happen very often.

In five years I have been notified twice by customers that they had circumstances that would not allow them to purchase the knives they had ordered. Both of these gentlemen can reorder a knife anytime they want and I will gladly take the order.
 
as both a buyer and maker...I have had to cancel orders from both sides of the street. :D


I don't mind customers canceling orders...as long as they don't get inflammatory about it...unless it's clearly my fault. :foot:


But yes, communication is great between makers/customers.




FYI for buyers = I have had folks cancel an order on me...and then I'll ask them politely why...or if there's anything else I can do...and end up taking another order (or orders)...simply because there was a misunderstanding or misinterpretation....that was settled by taking some time to chat.

So, what I'm trying to say is....you might just talk to the maker...explain your thoughts and situation....and see where it goes from there. Hopefully they're mature enough to talk through it and not get offended (a genuine, but overhyped risk). Even better if there's a solution out there that keeps the contract...but in a different way. If not, that's ok too...




As a maker: Taking an order, finishing a knife and then waiting a long time for payment is obnoxious....but so is waiting at red lights...or in the line at McDonalds...or a 10-day wait to get a gun....it's all relative. If you communicate well....and a customer still delays....just set it aside and tell yourself "it could be worse....I could have a broken knife and a paid-up/irritated customer"....*shrug*




But to answer the question: YES - customers should cancel orders if they do not intend to pay. Would make things much easier....allows us to move the knife to someone else....instead of sitting on a shelf gathering dust/rust.




Best of luck to ya!



:thumbup:

Dan
 
Yes and Yes. (what Keith said).
 
Keith Montgomery said:
I think the customer has an obligation to inform the maker if for any reason he/she can not fulfill his/her end of the deal.
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I agree with Keith. It is common courtesy.

We expect the makers to communicate with us!! We SHOULD communicate with the maker as well.
 
I take an order with no payments exchanged. Before I begin the order I make sure that the customer still wants the exact same specs or even wants the order still at all. If yes.....knife is built.
BEfore I get the knife finished I let the buyer know it will be x number of weeks till ready. After knife is finished I will still hold knife for 4 weeks while teh buyer needs to scrounge funds if needed. After 4 weeks, I sell the knife to someone else and move forward in my job book making sure that the 1st buyer of that knife is well aware that he is runing out of time for that knife to become his. I look at it this way, if the knife gets made.....someone will want it PERIOD. Just a matter of time it sits which isnt usually very long.
 
In the past five years of full time knifemaking, we have only had one (knock on wood, thank you God!) unpleasant debacle with an order from an individual customer........and I don't care to revisit the details of that exchange, it was resolved to the customers satisfaction, and thats what matters in the end.

We don't have a problem with a canceled order, as long as it is done asap. I do my absolute best to keep in regular communication with all our customers who have orders, I send an email when the knife is actually started, updates as the progression goes along, and notification that when the knife is being heat treated, we are close to finish and payment is expected at that point or shortly thereafter. If the customer does not indicate there is a problem at any point up until I ask for payment, AND THEN they cancel..........well, unless its due to some unforeseeable event beyond their control,and its some lame excuse, I make a note in that customers profile and move that file to the 7 year inactive folder. That means it will be 7 years before they can order from us again.....I believe in giving people second chances.:D

I ALWAYS, and I mean that, always return calls, emails, pm's within a day unless we are out of town. One of the keys to success IMO, in this business is the return customer, so I make every effort to resolve any issues, leaving the customer happy and returning for more.

Tanya Begg
 
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