The Power of an Effective Complaint

Last week, I purchased a docking station for my laptop on ebay and it arrived yesterday afternoon, in extremely poor condition. Before I even opened the severely mangled box, I was already trying to recall the company’s return policy.

After inspecting the contents of the box, I wasn’t terribly happy with the significant wear I saw on the components, but I decided to plug everything in and test the functionality anyway. To my surprise, despite the broken keyboard/mouse receiver, everything worked pretty well although I continued testing it thoroughly the rest of the night.

Irrespective of the fact that the product actually worked, I felt hat I had been duped into purchasing something I otherwise wouldn’t have. The ebay auction stated that the item was “new in an open box”, however it had clearly been used, extensively, and in my opinion, that’s false advertising.

With that thought in mind, I decided to write an email to the seller informing him of my dissatisfaction and requesting a partial refund. Below is the email I sent:

Hello- I received this item today, however I’m dissatisfied with the purchase. You advertised it as NEW in an open box, however it is VERY far from new – in fact it looks like it has been HEAVILY used. There is dust and scuffs all over everything and one of the items in the box is broken (the button on the keyboard/mouse receiver has been smashed in), although it does still function (for now). Last but not least, the monitor connection seems faulty as the picture constantly flickers (slight but definitely noticeable).

Anyway, since I needed this item and don’t want to go through the hassle of shipping it back, I’m requesting a partial refund. I will leave the amount up to you, but if it’s anything less than $50, I will be leaving negative feedback.

Thank you for your understanding,
Jim Day
(xxx) xxx-xxxx

Result? I received a $50 refund within 8 hours of sending the email and I left positive feedback for the seller for agreeing to my terms. Although, initially I was dissatisfied with my purchase, it turned into a win-win situation due to the effectiveness of my complaint.

So what exactly makes for an effective complaint?

• Check your emotions at the door. Obviously, you’re upset or you wouldn’t be considering writing a complaint, but it’s important to not let your emotions get the best of you. If you’re perceived as being irate or irrational, the person you’re complaining to will automatically be on the defensive and will likely be less willing to negotiate or compromise.

• Clearly express and detail your dissatisfaction. Don’t beat around the bush. Come right out, right off the bat and express your dissatisfaction with the product or service. Also don’t forget to explain exactly why you’re dissatisfied. Were you misled by false advertising as I was? You’ll need a legitimate reason for your dissatisfaction if you expect anything in return.

• Don’t be overly demanding or unreasonable. It should be common sense, but it’s worth mentioning – if you voice your complaint in an overly harsh manner, you’re doing nothing but hurting your chances of having the issue resolved. A little empathy goes a long way.

• Mention the consequence(s) if your terms aren’t met. You may or may not need to resort to this last tactic, but sometimes it might be appropriate to mention the consequence if your terms aren’t met. My email above is a perfect example. Fortunately, ebay allows buyers to leave negative feedback for sellers, so I was quick to point that out in my complaint. Again, it won’t be appropriate for every circumstance, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind if you aren’t having much luck in getting your issue resolved.

Your tips for writing an effective complaint

If you have any tips for writing an effective complaint, I’d love to hear them. Please share with us in the comment section below!

Image by: Frank-Bunny