posted on February 14, 2001 03:28:33 PM
A few months back we had up for auction some Playbills. We always state our terms in the auction. One of which is "No Personal Checks!". We don't feel like dealing with bounced checks(I had one once and it was a real headache esp when people do not want to pay=( ) Anyway one of the Playbills closed and we sent out the EOA's. Later that night I got an email from a buyer saying that they would send a personal check ASAP. I wrote back and told them that as our auction stated we did not accept personal checks. They messaged me back asking why we did not accept checks and could we not make an exception just this once. For about 15 minutes we messaged bakc and forth with this person arguing with me that they were "safe" and we must have really been "burned" with checks. I finally relented and took her check(I was sick of asking her to send a money order or cashiers check instead of personal). She hinted thatshe would rate us negative if we didnt take her check.
posted on February 14, 2001 03:36:20 PM
Was the "hint" to neg if you wouldn't relent and take her check pretty clear? If it was, I would report her to safeharbor for feedback extortion.
posted on February 14, 2001 03:40:39 PM
Agree with julesy...send a copy to Safeharbor. If your auction description stated "No checks", then it's the buyers problem and threatening feedback is against the rules.
On the other hand, I probably would have said I would take the check but that you would not ship until the check had cleared. If someone realizes it might be up to 30 days before they see their item, they might change their minds.
posted on February 14, 2001 03:47:43 PM
What was her feedback like??? Were there any Neg's for bad checks??? Im a buyer that lives a long way from a bank, the post office or any place that sells money orders. I buy several items a week so that would turn into several trips to town a week.(6 miles each way) My checks are good and I will e-mail the seller first and ask, but I refuse to go to town to get the seller a M/O . If the seller will not take the check, I will not bid. There loss as they will get a higher price for the item as I have checked on the sale price at the end and 99 out of 100 items I would have bid more.
posted on February 14, 2001 04:00:37 PM
BB5365...not bidding on an auction because the seller will not accept checks is your right. However, when you place your bid, you agree to the terms of the auction. If the seller specifically says "No Checks" and you bid anyway, then you should follow through accordingly.
The argument was not whether or not the seller will accept a check, it's whether the buyer had a right to demand the seller take their check and then use feedback extortion to get her to comply when the auction description was very clear.
posted on February 14, 2001 04:08:09 PM
I agree with you to the point of they should have asked before they bid or followed the TOS. But, if they had a good feedback with no Negs for a bad check, why turn away a bidder that is willing to pay. If it was me and they asked to pay with a check, I would have said I don't take checks but will take yours if you have no problem waiting until the check clears my bank in about 2 weeks after I receive it and then I will ship.
posted on February 14, 2001 04:24:15 PM
Then why take the check in the first place?? Just void the sale and give him a neg, but you are just asking for a neg in return. I still ask, what was there feedback like before you get into all the threats back and forth????? Its just good business to try to work with the customer instead as saying NO NO NO NO NO I DON'T TAKE PERSONAL CHECKS!!!!!!!!
posted on February 14, 2001 05:13:07 PM
I was just curious to see what other sellers thought. I feel like if I state my terms clearly I should not have to bend to the will of a bidder on something like this. Almost in any other way I will do whatever the bidder requests. Her excuse for wanting to send a check was because she wanted some kind of reciept for the transaction. No other reason. We have no negs, but she felt like she needed some kind of security. She said that she did this with all sellers. Like I said I try to provide all my bidders with great cust. serv. but I hate it when a check bounces. It is your right to pass up an auction that says "no checks" but when you bid and then tell the seller you are changing thier terms to suit you it is kinda diffent.
posted on February 14, 2001 05:35:47 PM
Well it looks like you did not look at her feedback. You explained that you have a good feedback, but again I think I would have looked at hers and tryed to work it out. There are sellers that don't live up to their TOS and us buyers can't do much to make them comply after the seller has our cash!!!!
posted on February 14, 2001 07:05:34 PM
Actually they had only done apx two transactions and maybe not even that many. They were both positive though. I still dont feel like I should have to bend my auction terms because a bidder doesnt like them. I understand what good business is but I DO NOT like being bullied into changing my terms.
So their you have it, a new buyer to e-bay. I really feel that you could have handled it a little different. Most people that are new to e-bay don't read and you could have said that you don't like to take personal checks because of being burnt in the past, BUT you would help them out by accepting their check with a 2 week holding time from the day you received their check and you might have made a new buyer happy and one of your lasting buyers.
posted on February 14, 2001 08:07:16 PM
The issue is not checks or no checks...it is following the TOS. No different than if they mailed you another form of payment that you don't accept, i.e. Canadian funds, rubles, Paypal, Flooz or Betty Crocker points! Sellers set the TOS for what works for them - I've seen lots of high feedbacks for people that accept only money orders and although bidders have the right to pass on TOS they don't like (I often do) - they don't have the right to change the TOS to suit them. By bidding they have agreed to the TOS, like it or not. Feedback extortion is not an option.
posted on February 14, 2001 08:17:10 PM
OK, the seller then has the right to void the deal, leave the buyer a Neg , take one in return and reply to it that the buyer did not follow the TOS , and re-list the item, case closed. So why even talk about it??? The terms were there, stick to them and take the lumps!!!!!
posted on February 14, 2001 10:31:29 PM
The option I don't hear, is to tell the buyer that the only way that you will accept a check is thru billpoint or pay-pal, wichever you the seller prefers thereby eliminating the bad check possability and the service provides them the reciept (the 30cent investment buys a lot of piece of mind). If that isn't acceptable to the seller, then stick to the TOS and point out that a money order provides a reciept.
To answer the excuse you gave for them being new bidders and not reading had nothing to do with it. They said they saw the terms of the auction very clearly but thought if they went ahead and bid and then asked me to change my terms I would. Since I also bid as well as sell I would never think of arguing with a seller for twenty minutes about changing thier terms. There is just no way! I did end up taking her check because I dont want to "neg" a new user and I dont want a negative over something like that. I don't want to bend my terms for one bidder who cant take no for an answer. "No checks" means "NO CHECKS, NO EXCEPTIONS" BB5365 have you ever handled a bounced check before from someone that just will not pay? Besides if I was a bidder and a seller decided to change his terms after I bid I would have every right to be angry. What it sounds like you are saying to me, BB5365, is that as a seller I have no rights and I should do what the bidder wants me to no matter what.
And I also told her a money order would work as a reciept.
posted on February 15, 2001 05:28:07 AM
The issue here isn't whether or not anyone agrees with the Accept/Don't Accept Personal Check option. The issue is a buyer who decided to make their own terms after the sale. I probably would have said I would take their check, but hold the item for 30 days before shipping. Very possibly this would have convinced the buyer to follow the terms.
Since this is a new buyer, by letting them dictate this way just encourages them to try it again on the next seller they buy from. What if the buyer had insisted on PayPal, or Magic Beans?
I would also consider leaving a Neg for this buyer, "Threatened with Neg Feedback if I didn't take their Check" or something of the sort. I wonder if they insist that their local Pizza shop take their personal check as well, even though the sign on the wall states "No Personal Checks"?
I happen to accept checks, and haven't had a problem yet. My terms state that I may hold the item while the check clears, and I have held some things for new buyers. I don't take any online payments though. I would not let a buyer blackmail me into accepting PP or any other payment method I don't use.
BTW, way back when I first started selling on eBay, I said "No Personal Checks". After joining here, and seeing the other side of that coin, I changed my mind. I happen to live a block away from a Rite Aid where I can get a Money Order for .40 cents, but I first have to have enough cash on hand. Not everyone has that convenience. When I buy, I prefer sending a Personal Check as well, for my record keeping, and for convenience. I can have a payment in the mail the same day. Unless I really want that item, I move on to an auction that takes checks.
posted on February 15, 2001 05:29:51 AMI finally relented and took her check(I was sick of asking her to send a money order or cashiers check instead of personal). She hinted thatshe would rate us negative if we didnt take her check.
I am curious, was the check good and did you receive good feedback?
1. I don't bid on auctions where "No Personal Checks" is in the TOS
2. I wouldn't of argued with the Bidder, just one Email and said "I am sorry I do not take a personal check." Then list again the options you do take.
If the bidder continued to email you, just cut and paste that same message again until you hit your limit. And then ask the final question of "Do you want this item or not?"
posted on February 15, 2001 06:55:45 AM
What bothers me most is the "I didnt think you would mind" attitude of most bidders. The check did not bounce and I cant recall if I left feedback. I told her we did not accept checks, she really persisted though. I think that it is your right to pass over auctions of which you do not like the terms.
posted on February 15, 2001 07:11:28 AM
Ki9272649,
You asked if I have ever had to deal with a Bad Check?? Yes I have and its part of being in business. I will say that I have not had to deal with very many, but you have to expect that you will get some. But you learn to deal with it, build it into your profit margin and NOT hold it against you GOOD customers. I have found that working with your customers is a lot better that saying no no no, I will not bend. I did my time, built up a great business, took customers that others did not want and sold it, pulled the plug and retired. I live very comfortable now and do what I like, go where I like and when I like. I worked hard for what I got and did not cheat my customers.
posted on February 15, 2001 07:39:59 AM
Ki9272649,
What bothers you the most is "she said that she didnt think you would mind" and the ATTITUDE of MOST bidders, well let me remind you that with out us BIDDERS you got nothing. You claim that you have "30,000 in sales at one place, a couple of hundred at another" and its us bidders that keep you in business. You now say the check was good, but you don't remember if you left feedback or not but you just want to vent because ONE bidder wanted you to take a personal check. So what did you learn from all of this??? Some take checks and some don't. Big deal, give it up.
I guess I can now say that you have attacked me when you used the remark " attitude of MOST bidders" .
posted on February 15, 2001 08:57:48 AM
You claim that you have "30,000 in sales at one place, a couple of hundred at another"
>
I don't understand this comment. I have never made any such claim.
I guess I can now say that you have attacked me when you used the remark " attitude of MOST bidders" .
>>
I said most bidders not all.I dont feel like I have attacked you at all, I am sorry that you feel that way because I certainly did not mean you.
because ONE bidder wanted you to take a personal check.
>>>
Actually this was the only bidder that actually asked to send one, most send checks and then say "I didn't think you would mind" or "I didn't see that part".
I am so sorry that you feel I have insulted you in some way. You seem to now have hostile feelings towards me which is something that I did not expect. I think it is wonderful that you feel so strongly about this. I feel that is your right. I do try to provide wonderful customer service and work with my bidders when needed. If there is a problem I always try to work it out. With her, it was "Do it this way or I will neg you for not following through with the transaction". If I had been a bidder and bid on an auction with a fixed method of payment and when I got the EOA the seller demanded I use Paypal or they would neg me........would you feel I would have a right to be angry? I cannot apologize enough for whatever comment that made you so angry with me but I was not addressing you as being a bad bidder. I am sorry that you see it that way and you have taken such great offense. If my questions to made you angry I cannot apologize enough.
posted on February 15, 2001 09:22:06 AM
Ki9272649,
You are right and the 30,000 and a couple of hundred was what another seller had posted on another topic that is close to this one. I apologize for that remark.
As for the differance between most bidders and all bidders, I would call most to be close to all. Now a few bidders I call close to none.
Im not angry with anyone but do see what other sellers say about this site and the sellers that are here. I very seldom respond to these boards and for good reason. The fact that I had time on my hands last night was the only reason I even started to look at the site. It has not changed much and I did put my .02 in on a couple of topics and that is my right. You might not like what I said, but its still my right to call it the way I see it.
Again, you could have said that in your TOS, no personal checks, sorry lets void the sale and move on. If she could not accept that, well void it yourself, leave her the neg, re-list the item and then take the neg she leaves for you, respond to it and then move on. What good does it do to bring it up here????
