Ask HN: Would you refund this customer? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Would you refund this customer?

4 pointsghoomketu7 comments

I run a small SaaS business. A customer bought my software more than an year ago and used it.

The software has a 30 day free trial (no cc) and also a 30 day money back guarantee after purchase.

He used the trial version then upgraded the software. Sent me one email about something not working which I replied to. Never asked for refund.

Then almost after 1 year he files a dispute in Paypal (which Paypal decided in my favor btw) but now he is harrasing me almost every other day about leaving negative reviews if I don't refund him.

He has already left a few negative reviews about my software but I'm okay with since it's just angry abusive non-sense that has nothing to do with my software.

But he keeps on threatning me with emails. Now he is threatning filing police complaint against me and my company.

Part of me wants to refund him and get it over with (just 200 bucks) - though I can't be sure if this would stop his non-sense.

But another part of me is angry and feels that this is not right and I should just fight it out.

Please give me some advice if you have experience with this.

In my experience, people who threaten to get the police involved usually won't. It's usually a threat to cause the exact type of response you are considering - just giving in. The only situation I can think of where they might have a chance is if the customer never used your software after purchasing it. If you have usage data that shows the customer continued using it after purchase, and a communication history that shows no refund was ever asked for, you will likely be okay even if they somehow get this to court. Please note: I am not a lawyer and I am US-based, so this advice may not be useful depending on your location and the legal rules in your country.

The police will not file after they view the e-mails. He is trying to bully you over a trivial matter = he is a nut. Of course, I could refer you to an authority. http://www.sjtrek.com/trek/rules/

All kidding aside, if you can bear the harassment ignore him. $200 is small claims court turf. If he does that, counter file for damages, filing costs, and time loss and other costs, and show the email trail in your submission.

Since you are in India, he has no hope of an international small claims court hearing and he, in fact, has no case.

> Sent me one email about something not working which I replied to

This is not necessarily an irrelevant detail. What does your software do, and what was your customer unhappy about?

You may have ignored the one thing that made your software worthwhile to your customer - do you have usage data to put the above into context?

Thanks, yes that is why I mentioned it. I want to best describe every detail of what happened not just paint a one-sided of the story of events (since I'm looking for some helpful advice).

Anyway, the software makes animated social ads and it used a social API which got removed last year. That feature is not part of the core software but was given as a bonus tool to help avoid some manual work of uploading. The bonus is mentioned on our homepage though.

I do have usage data. The customer created ads (not a lot though). Also used many of our bonuses tools. Plus he has logged in many times too during this year.

I wouldn't. Does the customer even live in the same city, state, country?

Ok thanks. No he is in America. I'm in India.

[Disclosure: I used to work as a customer services rep for a global oil & petroleum org as a 'Shit got escalated to Third line level' of stinks].

Short answer opinion is - Just refund him the money and be done with it, your life will be easier. Not saying that the customer is right (they certainly aren't imo) but for 200 bucks to have that a-hole out of your life? A bargain compared to the stress and hassle it has already caused you.

Some people have nothing going on in their lives (or live in the alternate world of keyboard warriors) and will just keep on and on since it gives them a target to take their misdirected rage and frustration out on.

TLDR; Refund the A-Hole and be done with him.

Sure, it is not right that they are doing this (and 200 bucks is a lot) and also bullies and idiots need to be stood up to but on the other hand think of what it has cost you so far in terms of stress, PayPal disputes etc.

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