posted on April 25, 2001 04:52:23 AM new
This all happened while I was sleeping.
Buyer paid me via PayPal very promptly last night. She realizes that she shorted me by 24 cents. She then PayPal's me the 24 cents in a second payment. Apparently she doesn't realize that her 24 cent payment just cost me 35 cents to accept. (Not to mention the original 35 cents, which is fine - that one is to be expected for using the service.)
Now I'm not about to ask her to pay me the second fee, I'll eat that no problem. The question is - do I *tell* her that her initial payment mistake and attempt to "fix" it just cost ME 35 cents, and in the future she shouldn't do this to another seller? Maybe she doesn't understand PayPal fees and thinks it doesn't cost us anything?
Just curious. I'll probably let the whole thing go and be a bit annoyed, but wondering if this has happened to others and how you've handled it.
Edited for monetary mistake.
[ edited by nefish on Apr 25, 2001 04:53 AM ]
posted on April 25, 2001 05:07:04 AM new
I don't take paypal, so this has never happened to me, but I would never waste time with emails over $0.35. I would tend to just let it ride.
posted on April 25, 2001 05:17:55 AM new
This is a very fine line. Some people won't mind being "told" about their mistake & will learn from it.
Others, however, will be highly insulted, take it as a personal attack & you could possibly lose a potential repeat customer.
Only you know the answer but is "educating" buyers over $.35 worth the risk of losing a potential good long term customer?
BTW, I think this is something every seller faces...what is the cut off point where you hold the line & insist on getting the remainder of your money as opposed to just writing it off.
For some, every penny had best be paid. Other's..may let a lot more than that slide by. Everyone has to set their own limit.
posted on April 25, 2001 05:23:24 AM new
Hey! Tell her if she don't cough up the 0.35 pronto you'll send me & my buddy Guido over to her house for a quick game of Bidder Baseball!
posted on April 25, 2001 08:07:32 AM new
I would tell her. BUT...it's all in what you say.
Open with a comment about how great it was to wake up and find out that she had actually sent you the part of the payment she had forgotten. Thank her sincerely. Then go on to say something like, "I'm sure you didn't realize this..." and explain about the fee. Make it clear that you're not going to ask her to send any more money and that you are just letting her know so she can avoid this problem in the future. Thank her again at the end.
Most buyers have little, if any, knowledge of PayPal's fee structure. I would never hold a buyer up over 35 cents, but it doesn't hurt to tip her off to how it works. She sounds like an honest person who wouldn't intentionally stick a seller with an additional fee and almost certainly WOULD like to know this can happen.
After mulling it over for several days, I wrote two similar letters yesterday afternoon, to sellers who I thought had really missed the boat (not about this specific situation). I, too, was afraid I'd get my hide tanned, metaphorically speaking, but both responded that they appreciated hearing about the problem and would remedy it in future. Of course, I could have just as easily gotten a real nasty response...but I didn't, and I felt better having spoken my piece about the problems. And just maybe I've saved another buyer from a similar situation.
posted on April 25, 2001 08:40:45 AM new
I'm with sonsie on this one, I would certainly tell her, but in a very nice, respectful manner. If she happened to do this in the future with another seller, she might get one who will neg her for it (and we all know there are sellers who would) and she wouldn't understand why. I believe it is best to let her know in the kindest way possible.
posted on April 25, 2001 08:57:47 AM new
I wouldn't say anything. I'd figure it would just make her feel bad about doing what was the "right thing" in her mind. Why give an honorable customer a twinge of guilt? Then she'll feel that she needs to pay the extra fee, and probably find the whole deal unpleasant.
My customer's happiness in our transaction comes first, IMO.
