How much responsibility should an online store take for a supplier's mistake?

[christopherwalker10]

What if your supplier sends the wrong item and now your customer expects you to fix it? They bought from you. They expect you to do something about it, even if it wasn’t your mistake. Would you refund or replace immediately or wait for the supplier to reply first? How do you take care of this without leaving your customer hanging or your business at loss?

 

[marcusdigitalworks]

I think the store should take responsibility for fixing the problem because the customer made the purchase from them, not directly from the supplier. It's understandable that the mistake wasn't the store's fault, but the customer shouldn't have to deal with the hassle of chasing a supplier just to get what they originally ordered. The store can sort things out with the supplier afterward, but keeping the customer satisfied should come first. Taking responsibility for these situations can also help build trust and encourage customers to shop with the business again.

 

[TheodorePrice]

At some point you will need to take responsibility for this. Whilst you may have purchased it from your supplier it was from your store that the customer purchased the item. Whilst you can deal with the customer to ease their concerns you can also remind your supplier of the confusion and ask that they compensate you. This is more responsible and shows maturity as you are dealing with your customer but ensuring your company isn’t out of pocket.