posted on May 17, 2001 06:50:28 AM
This one really has me stumped. I'd rather spend the time telling you about it than keep laborously trying to match this MO to whatever outstanding auction it is supposed to pay for!
It has the person's name and address, but apparently they never emailed this info to me because none of my books awaiting shipment have the same name.I have another pile which the buyers have not contacted me about, it might be one of those, but a check of my email records hasn't brought up anything yet.
I just don't get it, why is it so hard to simply write the name of the item they are buying on the MO, if they don't bother to include a note?
I've posted this before and I'll post it again. Maybe it will help in the future.
I put an end to my mystery payments once and for all. Here's how:
My payment address is something like this-
First Last
IN-1234
Anystreet
Anytown, Anystate, 12345
The IN stands for Item Number.
The 4 digits after the IN are the last 4 digits of the actual auction item number.
Now it takes a max of 3 or 4 minutes to match up my "mystery payments" to the auction.
Since I started doing this a few months ago, mystery payments have ceased to be a problem, and I used to get several of them a week. They drove me nuts!
Every so often everyone gets one of those MYSTERY MO'S! And you are right, they are a pain in the derrière. Over the last 6 years we have gotten many of this type of MO.
Someone on this board recently suggested that when you give them your name and address you put it this way:
John Smith
Dept. E-3968
100 Maple
Anytown, Texas
They suggested that the Dept: E-3968 refer you, the seller to E=ebay as the auction, and the last 4 numbers those of the specific auction. I thought this an outstanding suggestion and started to use it, but alas, just got a MO, and they didn't use the Dept. coding. In fact of the last 10 only a few put that portion of the address in.
What I do if I don't immediately recognize the amount, is set the MO to the side, and sooner or later someone will complain (hopefully). We have 2 posted on our packing room wall that are 2 years old, and one for more than $100, and we never heard from the buyer, and still have no idea what they are for.
Moral of the story is, don't sweat it, either you will sooner or later recognize the amount, or the buyer will complain, or none of the above.
We have way too much to do to play detective for every MO that the buyer cares so little for that they send with no reference.
We can find any if the address, or something is on them because of the way our AT program files them, but we have gotten a few with NOTHING and I mean nothing, no name, no address, so signature!
Go on with your life, it happens to most of us, and it will probably happen to you again.
posted on May 17, 2001 07:08:31 AM
I once received 3 rolls of quarters in a priority mail box. The return address had an address but no name. I sent 2 letters to the address asking for a name and auction number but never received a reply. I didn't have any outstanding auctions for $30 (or anything even close) and I never did figure out who sent it.
posted on May 17, 2001 07:15:33 AM
The reference number sounds like a good idea in theory, but we have not found it very effective.
Our winning bid cofirmations provide our refernce numbers along with a 4 line form which can billed filled out by the customer, if desired. The customer is asked to either print a copy of the form and provide it with payment or simpy to include the auction number with their payment. This information can also be provided to us by returm email. These options are provided in a simple straight forward manner, so as to not confuse our winning bidders.
Most of these "mystery payments" are attributed to people who are either are always in a rush or folks who refuse to allow any detail into their lives. The truth is that you and I, as sellers, can provide as much detail as possible, but it will not help or make a difference.
My experience with the reference number has been nothing less than amazing. Since I started doing this, I have received probably 30 - 40 mystery payments. Every one of the payment envelopes has had the reference number on it. But I do it a little differently than you do. I just put the payment address in my EOA's. No forms or anything like that. Maybe that's the difference? Maybe it's the categories that we sell in? Who knows?
Has anyone else tried using a reference number since I first posted it? If so, what are the results? Good? Bad? So so?
posted on May 17, 2001 08:08:05 AM
I mail them back with a very polite note saying that I do not know what they bought from me and could they please check and send it back with the information. -- I used to tear my hair out trying to match figure them out but one day I spent 3 hours at it and thought that was pretty crazy -- and that it was better to utilize my time listing or packing etc -- So far they always come back with a note and the item information -- dee
posted on May 17, 2001 09:32:15 AM
I mailed a mystery money order back once. Never again! Guy sends me the auction info. in the second mailing, but neglects to include the money order. Then he accused me of having kept it. I had to email him then and state emphatically that I did not have the money order, he did because I had returned it to him and he wasn't going to get his order unless I got that money order or some other form of payment. So, a couple of days later he emails me apologetically claiming that he just found the money order where it had fallen behind his desk.
So, I know it's tempting to mail those mystery payments back, but you see what can happen.
posted on May 17, 2001 11:57:34 AM
dubyasdaman
that is so simple and brilliant!!! glad i looked at this post, i have had the same problem. not anymore!
posted on May 17, 2001 02:17:25 PM
I had to laugh at what happened after I posted this. The buyer emailed me! She very nicely told me the MO was in the mail, and gave her address. Still no auction ID! It was sent to several people, so I guess she does that with multiple purchases. I picture several buyers scratching their heads over naked MO's. Anyway, I just emailed back and said I was having trouble figuring out what she was paying for, and she answered.
I will have to look into the "dept" idea. Thanks for the tip!
posted on May 17, 2001 02:25:04 PM
We got one of those this week too. Since our end of auction states "your bid amount was xxxx. Please send $yyy postage total $zzzz, I was able to do a 'find' on my sent notices in Microsoft Outlook for $zzz for the amount of the mystery mo. There were 4 emails for amount $zzz. One had already paid, two ended after this mo was purchased, so emailed #4 and sure enough that was it.
