Hi, well I didn't read everything through but I will make a few points now and then maybe write more fully when I have more time.
Yes, it's a very tricky issue and one should have a plan for how they are going to conduct business. I can imagine how frustrating it is when you want to please a client but they keep changing their order or try to haggle on price AFTER it was agreed. ...
I agree with this a 100%.
Although I've never engaged in purchasing clothes online, but I've read AngelWings post with great interest because it aligns with my research interests on internet based commerce and consumer trust.
It sounds to me like there's a great need for an E-Commerce 101 type course for the vendors who're doing business online at a small scale. Something that will convey the best practices of online commerce from a business standpoint (the technology part can be handed off to someone who're proficient at a later point).
It surprises me that if a vendor (no matter how small) is expecting to do regular business where the average value of transaction is in hundreds of dollars, there's no website that customers can visit to get a sense of the authenticity of the vendor. Why is there so much email going back and forth for very basic issues? Why not spend a couple of weeks upfront in putting policies, procedures, and expectations on a website? Having a very basic web presence is not a big deal these days.
Secondly, I understand that Paypal is not an option for businesses in Pakistan, but why don't they use credit cards? Again, it's probably an upfront cost of $500 - $800 to get someone to create a standard storefront/shopping cart function that can help with so many payment related headaches. Along with standardized policies and an automated payment mechanism, significant level of trust can be established upfront because the customer is now aware of the policies and would know what to expect. Similarly if credit cards are being used, they know there's a recourse available for non-delivery etc. and they would hesitate less to make advance payments.
To me these things seem like very basic issues for anyone who wishes to conduct business online. Vendors need to make an upfront investment in planning time, formulating policies and procedures, and providing different assurances to the customer to help alleviate their concerns.