Customer Service etiquette (Sales)?

Question

My friend's cousin sells "Party Lite" Candles and other products. I bought a box of individual soaps from her. When it arrived, she told me to pick it up at her house. We were never home at the same time. So, she left it in her mailbox for me to pick up. I got it today. The soap came in 2 boxes. On the outer box, she wrote my name in large letters with bold ink. This soap was a gift for my Mother's birthday in 2 days. I liked the elegant looks of the 2 different boxes. I am considering just using the inner box. It is too late to reorder new soap. I used to sell Avon. I would never write the customer's name right on the box of their merchandise. I also delivered the Avon directly to the customer at home, or work. I know it was an oversight. But tax included, the soap was $30.

Should I...

1. Ask for an even exchange. When it arrives, give it to someone else for Christmas?

a. Would she think I was being difficult?

2. Forget it and not order from her again?

Answer 1

forgive  her  this  once  but  specify  your  requirements  beforehand  if  you  do reorder. the  outer  box is  a  shipping  box  and shipping  info is  often  written  on  them.  how  is  she  to  know you  were  the  one  person  who  needed  that  extra  box? if  you  dont  tell her who will?

Answer 2

I would let it slide this time. but if you order from her again just mention that it's a gift and that you would prefer she not mark the box it's in.

My mother ordered alot from Avon and she always picked it up at her suppliers house, though I can't recall it ever having anything written on it.

I don't think it's a huge deal, it probably just didn't occur to her.

Answer 3

Well, I think it was nice that she brought it to you with the price of gas these days,

But, I would let her know that I was disatisfied.

Answer 4

Explain the situation in a nice and polite way and ask for an even exchange, mainly for her good.  In ther sense that she's lucky to be dealing with a nice, reasonable customer this time and you are helping her to be better at her job so that she can make more sales in the future, whereas other people might get angry, or just not order from her in the future.