posted on June 29, 2001 10:17:40 PM new
Would you send a payment your CC company, or pay a utility bill without letting them know who you were?
Actually 5.00 sounds better, 5 min to research it and if you can't find what it is for take 5.00 and send it back.
I spend a few hours a week just trying to figure out what the mystery checks are for. Sometimes we will have a few dozen items that ended for 9.99 all with the same shipping and then you get 5 or 6 that don't send the info you need to complete the sale. I usually just give them about 5 minutes if I can't find what it is for I hang it on the wall. usually someone will complain when I file a NPB and they write yelling that they sent payment. ask them to send their name, which they are asked to send at the end of the auction, here it is hanging on the wall with no info. why didn't you call, why didn't send it back, why didn't you email me. like the people are going to send me the info to contact them if they can't send even the auction number with the check. aaaaaaaaa ok why didn't you write the auction number on the check?
posted on June 30, 2001 05:06:05 AM new
I just had to respond to this thread. This topic hits way to close to home to avoid it
Every now and then I get a money order in the mail with the person’s Name and address written on it, usually the writing is not legible. There is no auction ID, no description of the item and in many cases I just can’t figure out what the payment is for. So I cash the check and wait for some word from someone who hasn’t received his or her merchandise. Usually I get an E-mail asking “where’s my widget” I paid you three weeks ago. Now I have to respond to the e-mail asking who are you? What’s your complete name and mailing address, auction number and a brief description of the item you bid on. It just amazes me people will send money with no information and then follow-up with an e-mail with no information.
Occasionally I’m lucky and can at least read the writing on the money order or the return address on the envelope. In these cases I send the bidder a letter stating I received their payment however I have no idea what they are paying for and ask them to e-mail right away so I can complete the transaction. I tell them to make sure in their e-mail to include their complete name and mailing address, item number and a brief description. Most of the people can follow instructions and e-mail me what need and I get them the item out right away. Some are down right rude in their replies and threatening me with negative feedback and reporting me to ebay, the police, FBI and Postal Inspectors if I don’t send them the item they bid on right away. If I had the proper information to begin with they would have had the item long ago. The nerve of some people!
This takes time and effort. While I wouldn’t put any statement in my auction, when I send out my winning bidder notification I do ask them to include with their payment a note, stating Name, Address, Email Address, and All Item #s won”. I ask this because I have received to many payments in my day with little or no information at all. As airguy said “Would you send a payment your CC Company, or pay a utility bill without letting them know who you were?
While I would never charge someone for the time wasted trying to figure out who he or she are and what they paid for or mailing them a letter. I have thought about it. Sometimes it really burns me up when I get a threatening response making me look like the mean old seller trying to scam them out of their money or something when it’s not my fault the transaction is dragging on so long. Sellers deserve the same courtesy as anyone else you send money to. For some buyers they just don’t take bidding or paying for their winning very seriously. Bottom line is I sure wouldn’t send anyone my hard earned money without them knowing exactly what its for.
posted on June 30, 2001 08:05:18 AM new
Colonel-very well put and I agree with everything you said. I rec'd a check this week with no information on it-but the buyer realized what they had done and emailed me before I got it. I also rec'd an unsigned MO that I had to return. I'm very small fry compared to most of you. I can't imagine what it's like for those of you that are big time sellers.
BUT, having said that-I think it's crazy to include things like that in your TOS. I can't believe how rude some of these sellers come across in their auctions. When I read one like that, I just click the back button. I don't care how much I like the item. And that's not good for sellers! I'm a seller's dream buyer. LOL. I always pay for my auctions the very day it closes-many times before I get the WBN if shipping is set. I post positive feedback. I can't imagine I'm the only buyer that is turned away by threats in the TOS. Just not good business to do that.
posted on June 30, 2001 08:08:44 AM new
I think it is a good idea. I can't tell you how many payments I get the have NO identifcation of what they are for. I have posted in my e-mails if they don't give me the item of them name I will just let the payment sit until they contact me and that is what I do most of the times.
posted on June 30, 2001 08:23:05 AM new
Uh, exactly how is this seller going to return the payment less the $2.00 handling fee? Cash the check, then send the buyer a check less the $2.00 amount????
posted on June 30, 2001 08:47:02 AM newrevvassago:
"that is a seller who preys on those who don't read the TOS"
The seller is not preying on anyone--or do you think they're HOPING payments don't have info so he can collect the $2.00? This is a seller who is obviously sick and tired of having to track down mystery buyers---and I cannot blame him!
Susan1232:
"When I read one like that, I just click the back button. I don't care how much I like the item."
If you send the payment as fast as you do AND include all requested info, then WHY would you turn and run from the auction? I would never let TOS aimed at a certain type buyer (which I was clearly not) scare me away from an auction!
posted on June 30, 2001 10:06:23 AM new
Because stuff happens, David. Life doesn't always go the way you planned. When I read a seller saying things like they will neg you if you don't reply in three days-blah, blah-I pass. I have never once not paid the day of the closing-but there's always that chance that something will happen that I won't be able to.
Besides, bottom line is-it's rude and aggressive-I prefer not to deal with those sellers. There are way too many fish in the sea to bother with them.
I've owned a B & M for 13 years. If I ever talked to a customer the way some of these sellers do, I wouldn't have been there for so long. Once you take that attitude that "I don't need your business" it's time to quit.
posted on June 30, 2001 06:37:16 PM new
The countless times I've received payment with insufficient info to process the order, I just file the envelope and whatever came with it, and wait for the customer to eventually contact me.
Now, taking $2.00 out of the payment for a so called handling surcharge, that is called stealing in my book.
posted on June 30, 2001 11:42:43 PM new
I've never had a mystery payment go unsolved for more than about 5-10 minutes.
First thing I do is print to file all my emails in the past 90 days. Then I search the file by amount, by name and even description of suspect items. Frequently in these cases the buyer emails their name and address, enabling an easy trace.
If still not found, the search should now be narrowed down to at least a few items. The last resort now is to pull contact info. This has never failed me at this stage.
So far an annoyance, and even sometimes a game, but never a real problem.
posted on July 1, 2001 12:15:25 AM new
This should really read "THE NERVE OF THIS BIDDER". I sell dozens of the same types of items which have the same shipping amount and most sell for the same price. How is the seller to figure out what you are paying for if you don't let them know. Almost daily I receive a money order or check with a name and address but no possible way to tell what the buyer is paying for or even their email address. I then must spend time trying to match their name to a possible email address (I try and find a email address which has similer names to the sender). I often have to send a letter to the buyer asking what they are trying to pay for. This takes time, effort and my money for postage and envelopes. I know it doesn't sound like much but how would most bidders like to spend a half a hour trying to figure this out only to have to then send snail mail to find out. I think this seller is being VERY upfront and clear. My TOS is clear and consise, but the bidders just bid without reading that we do not ship outside of the United States (the items we sell cost over $150 in shipping alone to Europe/Asia due to the box size). I then lose my listing fee and have to file for a commission refund even though I am clear of the terms. I state we ship only to street address and they want me to mail it. I congraduate this seller for telling it like it is. How could any one in their right mind just send payment but not tell you what for. I even have received cash (the green kind) with no item description and not even a return address. I then have to wait for someone to send me a email asking where their merchandise is, and hopefully they don't neg me in the meantime. You have to remember that the sellers spell out the terms, they are not holding a gun to your head forcing you to bid. In other words if you don't like the terms or the seller...Simply DON'T BID
