and i've thought of posting this for 3-4 months now, but have hesitated because i really don't want this turn to turn ugly as that's not my intent by any means.  i'm also posting this in this forum instead of in a private forum because i'd like to be able to offer other people [those who aren't merchants] the opportunity to express how important, or non-important, pre-customer service might be to them. and i'm posting now because i'm hoping it might give other merchants some insight as i don't believe for a minute that i'm alone in this experience.

and what experience am i referring to?

i don't tend to ask questions about a product too often if it is something i can resolve through a little bit of research, but there are times when i simply cannot find an answer.  and i'm talking about questions i may have prior to purchase.

more often than not, if i send my little question via IM to a merchant, i hear nothing for days, though usually it has been read sometime during the day it was sent, or at the very latest, the following day.  i really don't understand why there is such a lag in response.  my question[s] aren't terribly complex typically and 50% of the time a simple yes/no response could even suffice, but yet, there i am waiting for a response.

the longer i wait, the more likely i am to not purchase the item.
the longer i wait, the more i question why i should give my money to that merchant just on principle.

i'm not saying that i always experience this, and i commend such merchants as Val3dArt, surreality, Poisen and SWAM for valuing me as their potential customer and getting back to me immediately, not to mention that their responses have been fairly detailed, too.  it has been greatly appreciated & that is a way to build my loyalty before i've even bought the item. and i'm far more likely to check their stores regularly for new items, etc.

i do think to discount your potential customer, either as first time buyers from you or just as purchasers for a single item, by essentially ignoring them or sending out the signal that your time is more valuable to you than they are is not a good business practise.  it can easily change the way someone perceives you that maybe was never intended, but that is difficult to correct once it has occurred.  and if enough merchants are operating this way, it might just encourage people to shop elsewhere, so the behaviour might, or could, end up effecting other merchants adversely as well.

so better pre-customer service is currently number one on my Merchant Wishlist.

again, i DO NOT want this thread to deteriorate into merchant bashing or anything remotely like that, so if you, after reading this, decide to respond, please be civil if you want to express something negative.  keep in mind that the louder you shout, the less likely it is that you'll probably heard or read, and those that might need the most to hear what you have to say will tune out far more quickly.

if someone just HAS to regress here, i'll request this thread be locked...

thanks :))

edited to change a word - digress, which was originally typed, was meant to be regress :o