Dropping the Banhammer on Serial Refunder Ripoff Artists

Word of warning:

I’m cranky this morning.

Why’s that?

Well, I just had to handle a refund request from a customer who goes by the name of Nick W.

Normally I do NOT mind refund requests.

The whole point of this for me is providing a service, and if a customer feels they didn’t get value from something I sold them, in my view I haven’t earned their money.

This Nick W. guy is a different story.

He’s a serial refunder.

It started when Nick W. registered for my Email Copywriting Workshop in October.

Somehow he found a way to sign up after I’d already closed enrollment.

I don’t hear a peep from him, then 2 weeks later he emails me and requests a refund.

Losing a $500 sale definitely stings, but like I said, I don’t really mind when a customer feels I didn’t deliver.

(None of the students who signed up during the regular enrollment period had anything but praise for the program, so I don’t think that was the issue here.)

Then later in November when I wasn’t paying attention, Nick W. bought my Behind the Scenes of a Six-Figure Email Course program.

Paid full price too—of course he did, the scam artist.

Then on Christmas morning (!) Nick W. emails me to request a refund on THAT as well.

I checked his account history—looks like the twerp downloaded the program 7 times, including once more right before his refund request, just to be sure he had the “latest and greatest” before he clawed “his” money back.

Well congrats, Nick W., you’re banned for life.

Banned from purchasing any product from any website I run.

Unsubscribed from all mailing lists I maintain.

And I even went so far as to create a new “Nick W. automation rule” in Drip just for you.

Now if you try to get back onto any of my email lists again, as soon as you open any email you’ll immediately be unsubscribed.

(I’m kinda proud of that one, actually.)

The good news is that, while Nick W. and his ilk are obnoxious, they are also extremely rare.

And while you WILL eventually have to deal with a few Nick W.s who try their best to ruin your day, you’re likely to find that 99.9% of your subscribers and customers are honest, polite and fair-minded.

Don’t let the few maggots who wriggle in spoil the whole barrel for you.

When you spot one, hose it down with pesticide before the rot spreads.

Then get your focus back on the loyal majority—the GOOD customers who appreciate what you’re doing and want to see you succeed.

They (you!) are the ones who really matter.

 

P.S. Exhibit A, the Anti-Nick W.:

Recently a subscriber named Jan wanted to purchase my Behind the Scenes of a Six-Figure Email Course training.

He had a quick question about the product, though, so he shot me a question first.

For some reason I decided to check his customer account, and I discovered to both of our amusement that he’d already bought the training several months back.

“I buy everything you launch, it’s that good ;-)” Jan said when I pointed this out.

Well, Jan, I definitely appreciate repeat customers, but I’d certainly prefer that you get some new value out of the deal. 🙂