posted on August 4, 2001 01:09:57 PM
I both buy and sell on half, and up until now have not had any problems. A few days ago I tried to order something, and my credit card was declined, and then also my debit card. I figured maybe it was a bug, I won't die if I can't order a movie this week. I have not gotten any response (besides the canned one) to my email about this. Today I went in to edit some of my inventory, and my inventory is not showing up anywhere it is supposed to be listed, and I'm not "on vacation" (I checked). Does this have something to do with my credit card being declined? Is anyone else having weird problems with half? Any advice would be helpful, although I will not be able to check back today.
posted on August 4, 2001 02:11:08 PM
Have you recently received an e-mail from Half asking for bank direct deposit info?
I did, and of course, I ignored it until about 3 days later when they suspended my inventory.
Now this week they e-mailed me requesting SSN info because of my level of sales.
It wouldn't rub me the wrong way if they had just been upfront about needing this info when I registered. It's not like I'm selling $500 cameras or computers. I sell books!
posted on August 5, 2001 02:03:41 PM
Half.Com has been having alot of problems latly. They stopped sending out email notifications for the better part of a week. After it got back on line they sent out a message at night saying you had until 5:00PM that day & we are sorry for the delay. We never wait for the emails, we check our account. If you where waiting for them & had a full time job that email was usless. The notifications came for about a day & stopped again.
We got that email twice. We have emailed them 3 times asking what our "limit" was. No response.
Roger, how did you find out your inventory was suspended? Did they notify you or just shut it off?
posted on August 5, 2001 02:24:07 PM
I have not, unless it slipped by me, recieved an e-mail asking me for direct deposit info.
Do you think if I went and changed my payment preferences, my inventory might become "unsuspended"? It might not hurt to try it I guess, except for feeling like I am being forced into direct deposit when I am not sure I want ehem to have my bank account information.
I wish they were easier to get in contact with when there is a problem.
posted on August 5, 2001 03:49:53 PM
1st time I've posted here. I also emailed Half.com this week to find asking about "my monthly dollar limit".
Their first response was:
Hi Michael,
I apologize for the confusion. In an effort to ensure the continued
safety of both our buyers and sellers on Half.com, we require our
successful sellers to provide us with additional information to ensure
that you continue to process Half.com orders without interruption.
This additional information is used to verify your identity and further
ensure that all of our Members have a pleasant experience buying and
selling on Half.com.
I wrote back because they had not answered my original question about the monthly dollar limit.
This is the last email I received from them:
Hi Mike,
I am sorry that you are frustrated at not having your original question
answered. I see that my colleague explained to you the reason Half.com
asks successful sellers to provide us with additional information.
Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what the "monthly dollar amount limit
allowed in your account" is as I am not at liberty to disclose that
information.
Thank you for your understanding about this.
Sarah B. - Half.com Customer Service Team
I have over 1000 books listed there. This is the notice I get when I try to access my inventory:
Categories with high levels of inventory may not be available for browsing. To find a product in one of these categories please search for a specific product below by entering a UPC or ISBN in the search box.
posted on August 5, 2001 07:11:42 PM
Falco - I am having the EXACT same problem. I tried to order something, they said my credit card/debit card was declined. My inventory is not showing up anywhere it's supposed to either. I received the canned response, and then a new one this weekend saying something must be wrong on my end, blah, blah, blah....
But, my credit card works fine on any other website. So I'm pretty sure the problem is theirs. I sent them an email letting them know that my card is fine, who knows when they'll get back to me?
posted on August 6, 2001 06:30:02 PM
Spittingcamel,
After I had confirmed a sale a red notice on top of the page stated that my inventory had been suspended and that I had reached my sales limit.
Mtmountains,
I have had the the exact same e-mail responses to my questions concerning the "monthly sales limit."
I have come to the conclusion that the limit is whatever the he?? Half.com wants it to be for that particular month. I've had bigger months earlier this year with no hassle. Whatever the limits are they obviously intend on keeping them a secret.
posted on August 6, 2001 06:50:06 PM
We have now received three messages, stating that since we where having such a good month we where on pace to reach our limit. We responded to all three asking what our limit was & when it went into effect. We got o=no response to the first two. Tonight we got a response to our third stating that if we want to know what our limit is we should look back to the other emails to see how much we had sold up to that point & that is our limit. Three problems here, First we got them at different points in the month, Second the first two emails stated we where on pace to reach our limit, not that we HAD reached it, Third it suggests that there is no uniform limit.
They also stated they need my bank account to make it "A more pleasant expeirience" for me?
I also got an email from them about the lack of email notifications we did not get last week. They state that they fixed the problem as soon as they found it. People where complaining about the lack of emails for 4 daye on these boards.
Tonight I went in and changed my "receiving payment preference" to a direct deposit. The little red warning disappeared and I was able to order, and soon after my inventory was showing up again. I am upset that I never received notice about this.
But the one thing I did notice is that this is the first time I have ever earned over $50 in one month. So I am assusming that this is the dollar amount that is the limit, because I tried to place an order immediately after this last order of the month, and that is when my credit card mysteriously was declined only on Half. I am really trying to not get upset about the lack of customer service over at half, but I am jaded now.
Also after I ordered tonight, a little popup survey came up., so I did not hestitate to tell them what I thought of that little trick.
posted on August 7, 2001 06:39:31 AM
Whenever half.com does someting stupid or inexplicable, I remind myself that they are owned and managed by ebay.
But that is only the explanation, not an excuse.
I received two "nearing the limit" emails myself, the first for bank information which required my to opt for direct deposit which I did not want. Funny thing is, I got my August 1 check anyway. (Looks like accounts payable and techies don't talk to each other.)
Then I received another email asking for my social security number, or my sales would be suspended because I had approached my limit.
Funny thing is, I used to have $1,000+ sales every two weeks, and have cut back to maybe $100-300 every fortnight. (They had (and continue to have) some technical and policy problems which really got me miffed - so I have cut back my new listings to almost nothing in favor of other venues.)
You know, I treat their customers better than they do. And that is a shame. Small sellers like me do so much to build their business, yet they undermine our efforts with crummy customer service, inaccurate listings and failure to punish the big corporate sellers who flaunt their rules with impunity.
These unannounced "limits", the intrusive additional "requirements" with the stone-walling and know-nothing answers are just one example.
Good thing I keep my tax filings honest. The next thing we are going to be emailed about is that they have filed an earnings report on us with the IRS and to see this report, fill out this form. (I am being sarcastic, but would not be really surprised if it actually happens!)
