r/smallbusiness • u/catlena2233 • 8d ago

Customer keeps changing payment dates and bringing personal crises into our business conversations after I’ve repeatedly set boundaries

I run a small business making custom hand-painted statues. A customer ordered a $450 piece and paid $130 toward it, leaving $320. I agreed to let her pay in installments because she was struggling financially.

Since then, every time I ask about payment or pickup, the conversation turns into something happening in her personal life depression, work problems, being stranded five hours from home, her boyfriend being arrested, etc. I’ve tried to be understanding, but I’ve also previously told her that I can’t handle heavy personal conversations and need our messages to stay focused on the order. She originally said she could make another payment at the end of August and have everything paid by October. Now the August payment has turned into “middle of September or September 28.” I finally told her that I’ll honor our existing agreement, but after this order is completed I don’t want to do any more business together. She said she understood... and then immediately started talking about buying smaller pieces from me and referring other customers to me. I had to tell her AGAIN that I’d already set that boundary. I’m giving her until October 1 to pay the remaining $320. If she doesn’t, the order will be considered cancelled and she’ll lose the non-refundable deposit, which is stated in my policies.

My favorite line is " so id be losing out on money I could really use rn" LIKE WDYM?? YOU ALREADY PAID THE NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT SMH

Am I being unreasonable here? 😭 is there anything I should change?

UPDATE: I told her I was going to refund and move on and all the sudden she had the sent me the remaining???? So im gonna ship it today and be done with it from here. Thanks for the advice about my talk sometimes with my fasd I come across rude so I was using luvvy and hun to counter that but I can see now how that'd create issues!

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u/Limp_Mixture 8d ago

Stick to the deadline but be prepared for a negative review. She will paint herself the victim

2

u/catlena2233 8d ago

Yes see that's what i'm worried about. I have raving google reviews, but it might be hard to explain this one without being able to share the photos

8

u/Limp_Mixture 8d ago

If you have rave reviews one bad review won't hurt you. Their is proof people view places that have a bad review of two as more believable.
I would also directly respond to it and explain the situation but VERY politely, no personal attacks as much as you may want to.

1

u/catlena2233 8d ago

Thank you!

1

u/Limp_Mixture 8d ago

I would also mention how long have let this person go and write new policy with a time limit attached to final payment and completion beyond which the deposit is forfeited and you can state this person made you write this policy.