Enforcing Sales Policy

[Blaze_Amita]

I'm not aiming to be reamed here, but I don't enforce my sales policies quite as hard as my taking in unwanted bunnies rules.
I had one bunny that I sold into a pet home, Dawn, and though Dawn's new mommy loved her, Dawn started bitting her and she asked me if I would take her back, I said no problem, she just had to hang onto her for another week while I got myself prepared for her. Now her boyfriend/husband had a male bunny and they didn't tell me that they had bred her until the day before I went to go get her. I told them they had to hang onto her until after she kindled, I didn't have the room in the one cage for a mommy and babies. She got pissed at me for not taking her back, cause she didn't want the babies either, they were mutts. Dawn was a Holland Lop and the daddy was a mini rex. She told me she was going to sell Dawn then, Bred and all at the auction. So I finally gave and said send her cage and all, and I'd take her since I know what happens to 98% of the rabbits that go to that auction. Thankfully Dawn didn't keep the litter, she had them three days after she got to my house and all the roughness she killed them.

That's just one crazzzy story of a rabbit I took back, I've got plenty of ones that I've been asked to take and rehome but I made them give them to me cage/acc/and all, cause I just didn't have the room for them. It's nutso what people do nowadays, especially with all the animal auctions around here. I see so many go to the meat buyer every week. Some purebreds with pedigrees and some mutts that someone backyard opps bred.

But do what you think is right, I've read everyone's replies and I actually agree with most of them, though some contradict the others. If you think you can resell her, let the women have her money back if you think something bad is goign to happen to her, at least then you know she's safe even if you have to rehome her.

 

[whaleyk98]

Ugh, thanks Pam. Now I feel like doo doo. :embarrassed:

I was unsure as to what to do and I went with what I thought I should do.....now I have to stick with it...hoping I did the right thing. Should I give part of it back...all or none? Oh what to do!:bawl:

Im not very good at the people part of this:nerves1

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I have a two-week health guarantee, so if someone contacted me with this issue, I would have offered to take it back and refund half the money (as my policy states, the deposit is non-refundable).

However, I did have someone return a rabbit after a month. I took the rabbit back free of charge, but did not refund at all.

 

[irishbunny]

Maybe you should make a policy where you will take back the bunny and then refund the money within a certain number of days like two weeks if there are any problems, then after the time is up you will take the bunny back without refunding the money. I'd probably do something like that.

 

[whaleyk98]

Good Idea. Im going to have to revise.

 

[gentle giants]

I have to say this is one time thatI do disagree with Pam. I too have dealt with many "people" problems that come along with either selling or adopting out rabbits. Like someone else said, it's not your fault she was allergic. If the rabbit had been sick or injured, then it would have been your job to give her a refund. When your policies are clearly stated, it is the buyer's job to pay attention and think it through before they purchase.

 

[CKGS]

Quick question here.... I have been around the dog world quite a bit and I have known breeders who have taken their pups back-some repaid a portion of the price and a few within reason refunded the whole amount. I was once told by a GSD breeder that she would rather refund and lose that money than lose her responsibility 9the pup) I have always thought that a wonderful outlook and the responsibility any breeder should take when they purposefully bring that little life into the world. JMHO. The question I put to you is this- At what cost do you stand your ground?

 

[bunnygirl4jc]

My thoughts on this would be that whatever is right for your situation, do.

First off, make your policy fit what you feel is best for you.

Some things to consider:

1. Do you have the cage space to take back rabbits until you can rehome them?

2. What if the rabbit is returned with health issues because of something the owner did? Can you spend the extra time and money to take care of it and what if it can never be cured, but is not a life threatening or contagious disease, like say maloclussion or a broken leg? Are you able to care for that rabbit on a long term basis or will you have to put it down?

3.Is it a young rabbit that you can rehome right away orwas it older stock you may not be able to find a home forand may have to stay for awhile?

4. Do you have the funds available to give back? Most of us need the money that our rabbits bring in for feed and rabbits and equipment, etc. If you sold a $50.00 - $100.00 or morerabbit, can you save it for a number of weeks or will you have it in say, a month, if a person decides they don't want the rabbit anymore.

Your policy should reflect what you can do and want to do.

People will buy rabbits without understanding how to carefor them properly or understand what is involved and then they have the rabbits for a couple of weeks and decide thatowning that cute littlebunny isn't any fun anymore because of the smell, care needed, it doesn't behaveliketheir dog or cat, the buck isspraying everything,it bit, etc. Or like in the case that started this thread they found out they were allergic.

For my situation, I don't have cage space so if someone were to return a rabbit to me it would have to come with a cage and accessories. Also, money is very tight (I am sure it is with everyone) and I may not have that $50.00 in two weeks to give back to the owner. I would take back rabbits if I got the feed, cage, water & feed equipment, but I may not give a refund if it is over 1-2 weeks since the sale. My policy states this because this is what I can do. I will only do exchanges on rabbits if I sexed it incorrectly and they got the wrong sex of rabbit than what they asked for and only if I have a rabbit that is of equal value. I will not refund money for a rabbit that died or it got sick because of something the owner did or did not do. Deposits are not refunded after a specified amount of time, with me it is 2 weeks after I recieve the deposit. I did look at my policy to give you this advice and noticed I need to add some things though.

Some reasonable policies might be those already mentioned.

1. Give them two weeks to make a decision and as long as the rabbit is still healthy you will give them a refund. Anything after that time period and they can return the rabbit with no refund and a rehoming fee.

2. You will refund their money, but the rabbit must come with it's cage and accessories with no additional money given for these items.

3. Let them know that if the rabbit is not in good health that no money will be refunded and that you may have to put the rabbit down if they return it.

4. You will take back the rabbit, cage, accessoriesand not refundthe money.

Above all, if youwant lessproblems to arise, make sure that you let the buyer know what your policy is and why you have to make it. That way at least you have some ground to stand on and the buyer will have a little more information to go on. It will help them to make the decision on whether or not to buy the rabbit. If I knew that I wouldn't be able to get my$50.00 refunded (or whatever) I will think about my purchase a little harder.

Better yet, if it is a new rabbit owner give them lots of information about the rabbit and find out what they know about rabbits before they take it home. This way they have no excuse to say that they didn't realize this and that about rabbit ownership.

Also if a problem arised where they didn't know that they were allergic to the rabbit, and they should know fairly quickly, you could make a special circumstance in their case. Again, if you want to do this make sure you put the money aside until the time limit is up and put it in your policy you do this within a certain amount of time.

Think your sales policy through, put in what you can do and stick to it. If you can't seem to stick to your policy, change it or don't have one. There is no sense in telling someone you don't do this or that and then turn around and go against what you said. People will either not believe you, think that other breeders don't enforce their policies either or take advantage of you.

There's my 2 cents

God bless, Dawn

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I agree with the above post. Decide what works for YOU and stick to it. No one is right or wrong- if it's in a sales policy, the new owner knows BEFORE they decide to purchase from you.

 

[Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears]

Any update?

 

[whaleyk98]

well, shes decided to sell him for $25 on craigslist then return him. She thinks it was about greed as to why I wouldnt refund her money.

 

[Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears]

So your sister didn't manage to get him then.. That's sad that she wouldn't hand over the bunny

 

[whaleyk98]

No, but its hers to do with what she wants. Im bummed about this.

 

[bunnygirl4jc]

I don't know if it would help now or next time, but maybe you could explain why you don't refund money. It's not that you are being greedy obviously. Let her know about your costs as a rabbit breeder and that it might be hard to rehome the bunny or that someone else might have wanted it (if this is the case) and that you have to feed and care for that rabbit until you find it a new home and you have to put the time, effort (& money for ads?) into finding it a new home.

That's why I think it is very important to tell prospective owners about your sales policy before they buy and why you enforce that policy. You are not being rude and greedy, but you do have time and money obligations into your rabbits and you have obligations to meet. Kind of put them in your shoes nicely so to speak.

Sorry about your situation. We all live and learn.

God bless, Dawn

 

[whaleyk98]

Thanks Dawn, that helps a lot and I will definitely explain next time. Im going to overhaul my sales policy and explain, telling them that if there are any questions to please ask BEFORE the sale.

 

[pla725]

Is there anyone who can buy the bunny back for you? It might be the only to get him back. That is if you want him back.

Here is the ad: http://binghamton.craigslist.org/pet/1202161094.html

 

[bunnygirl4jc]

That was a rude post. I just read it. Obviously this person doesn't realize alot of breeders won't refund their money. Too bad it wasn't a forum. Then we could post messages about people not respecting sales policies and why we have to make up these policies in the first place.

 

[whaleyk98]

Well, my sister tried but she didnt respond back. I thought that post was quite rude also. She didnt have to post it like that.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Yikes that post is rude. I bet she's gotten some e-mails from other breeders (and not just rabbits) about the whole "not refunding - greedy" thing. Sounds like she's the one being greedy in wanting her money back and not understanding why you won't give it back to her, Kate.

Emily

 

[whaleyk98]

:tears2: Well, hes gone. She sold him. **Sigh**

Well, this was a learning experience.