arewyn
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:22:24 AM new
Lots of international sales lately and I'm delighted. BUT...
Out of all my recent sales to Canadian buyers, more than 50% have sent me a money order as payment. A Canadian Postal Money order. For the amount as it would be in US dollars, not at the exchange rate.
At first I thought that there was an exchange happening, but my bank said 'nope, that there's Canadian currency. Sorry.'
So, okay. No big deal, right? The exchange rate isn't so great, but it was smallish amounts of money... I can live with it, and I hate to make a big deal out of it.
But can someone suggest a way of mentioning to the buyer (as soon as I know they're Canadian) that they must pay in US dollars, not Canadian? I can't think of a way to phrase it that doesn't sound like I think they must be idiots. I mean, eBay makes it pretty clear that $$$ mean US dollars, doesn't it?
Any suggestions?
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avaloncourt
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:30:14 AM new
Many countries use their own "dollar" as a form of currency. If you're not specifying the form of payment then you don't have much recourse. Yes, ebay does have the one-liner about auctions being in US Dollars but you should cover your own butt and have the TOS displayed right on your auction.
I accept payment from anyone in all parts of the world. My TOS is quite specific. "Non-United States payment may be made with International Postal Money Order or Certified Bank Draft in US Dollar(US$) funds only."
I've never had it fail me yet.
[ edited by avaloncourt on Oct 23, 2001 08:37 AM ]
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bunnicula
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:34:14 AM new
It *is* pretty obvious, but some people just don't think when they buy MOs. 
Why not include the URL of a currency exchange calculator in emails to foreign buyers -- tell them you include it to make things easier for them when sending payment. Your Canadian would know, then, that (for example) $20 USD equals roughly $31.50 Canadian.
BTW, the post office will cash MOs from Canada & Japan.
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wowwow85
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:37:31 AM new
i sell to canadian ebayers as well and i have never received a postal money order in canadian currency.it is always us currency.
do you email them after auction closed?i know when you list an item on ebay and opt for willing to ship overseas,your item is viewed by overseas bidders .
they are either newbies or trying to get away with paying less.
how do you cash these money orders??
does the post office give you us dollar equivalent?
with some banks,if you depoit it,there is a clearance charge which could wipe out your profit.or put you in the red.
you can tell from their email addr that they are not us bidders and specify you want us dollars.
none of my ebay bidders assume from my email that i will accept non us currency,dont know why yours are different.what is their feedback and how long have they been registered?also pick one or two and see if they are mostly bidding on ebay canada?
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arewyn
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:45:19 AM new
bunnicula, I had no idea that the PO would cash them. Never occured to me to ask them, either.
avaloncourt, when I was reading your reply, I had a BFL (blinding flash of light). I live very close to the Canadian border, and all of our shops & places of business have signs regarding the current exchange rate. I think that deep down inside I was thinking 'well, gee, doesn't EVERYONE know about the difference between Canadian & US dollars'.
Stupid me, I forgot that way up in Northern Ontario, they probably don't think about it much, just like Americans who don't live near a border probably don't think about it much either.
Dang, just when I think I'm gettin' to be a worldly person, my small-town, small-world roots come sneaking to the surface!
Thanks for your thoughts! I like the way you state your terms, avaloncourt!
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naru
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:46:11 AM new
How small an amount? The exchange is quite a lot, the Canadian dollar is worth half the US dollar and if I got paid in Canadian funds for US (I am a Canadian seller) , you can bet your bippy the MO would be mailed right back for a replacement. Everybody makes mistakes, but you shouldn't have to eat the loss. I always specify US funds in my listing and again with the final charges.
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clancey99
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:49:41 AM new
Any check or MO from Canada has to be in US funds drawn on a US BAnk- US Funds drawn on Canadian Bank cannot be cashed excet for a $40.00 fee from the US bankI have stopped accepting PAYPAL on all but international deals because that simplifes the transaction
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Zazzie
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:54:22 AM new
Look closely at that Canadian Postal Money Order. They are absolutely identical whether isssued in Cdn funds or US funds --except for the tiny print that says
"US DOLLARS"
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naru
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:55:04 AM new
Poppycock!
I have been issuing refunds in US funds via check drawn on my US Canadian based account for over 2 years and I am 100% positive if my customers had been charged $40.00 I would have heard about it.
Perhaps this is individual to your bank but the charge sounds outrageous for any banking institution.
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jmho2
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:56:44 AM new
I specify US funds or US dollars with Canadian Postal money orders. My old bank used to charge me $15 to put the money orders through the clearinghouse, even though they were in US dollars and they always came back no good. Take them to the post office. They have to honor them.
If they arrive in Canadian dollars, send them back to the bidder, saying you can only accept US dollars. They know better than that.
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engelskdansk
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posted on October 23, 2001 08:58:32 AM new
Your bank sounds pretty clueless about the money order. From your post I would conclude that your buyer's money order IS IN US DOLLARS. The Canadian post office issues money orders in US dollars -- you can take it to the USPS to be cashed.
[ edited by engelskdansk on Oct 23, 2001 09:17 AM ]
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blacklabel
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posted on October 23, 2001 09:01:35 AM new
I've received plenty of MOs from Canada and all have been in US dollars. I've also cashed those MO at the Post Office (one for $500). I would not go first thing in the morning since they are low on cash at that time.
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vinniegambini
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posted on October 23, 2001 09:21:34 AM new
Tell them to send US greenbacks in a well secured envelope. They can get their hands on US currency. Just an option.
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Zazzie
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posted on October 23, 2001 09:25:35 AM new
--oh sure---and when the empty envelope arrives--what then???
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sadie999
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posted on October 23, 2001 10:14:33 AM new
You don't have to sound harsh. Generally, once you find out you have a Canadian/International bidder, you have to recalculate shipping charges anyway, so why not something like:
Your total is as follows (all amounts in $US)
Winning Bid: $20.00
Shipping: 5.00
Your total: US$25.00
Payment options: International Postal MO, Whatever other options you take.
I haven't had a problem with this, but if I did, I'd just send a nice email asking if they wanted to send a new MO for the difference, or have me send this one back and have a new one reissued.
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Eventer
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posted on October 23, 2001 10:35:00 AM new
Poppycock! I have been issuing refunds in US funds via check drawn on my US Canadian based account for over 2 years and I am 100% positive if my customers had been charged $40.00 I would have heard about it. Perhaps this is individual to your bank but the charge sounds outrageous for any banking institution.
naru,
My credit union doesn't charge $40 but it does charge $15 to process checks drawn even in USD on Canadian banks.
So consider that you've now heard about it.
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jollylad
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posted on October 23, 2001 09:35:18 PM new
I have had this problem MANY times. my bank will not take anything that says Canada anywhere on it. I had to send a MO back and they sent registered cash. I once recieved a check drawn on a US bank with a US address, but because the buyers address was Canadian they said no way. (this was a bit extreme I thought and I was not happy about it!) I later found that the Post Office will cash Canadian money orders ONLY if they are of POSTAL origin.
So, buyers have two options. US cash via registered mail, or very clearly a POSTAL international money order. I always explain why and all have understood.
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wranglers
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posted on October 23, 2001 10:12:22 PM new
so they send you 20 dollars Canadian and you put 2000 on the customs form. oops I must have forgot the decimal............sorry
eBay fees are like being slowly pecked to death by chickens!!!
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Zazzie
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posted on October 23, 2001 11:36:52 PM new
jollylad---you need a new bank. Lots of Canadians have opened US Bank accounts at banks located in the USA (but no USA mailing address)....and those checks are legal tender in all USA banks
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jollylad
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posted on October 23, 2001 11:56:14 PM new
Yeah, that wasnt hard to figure out even for me, and I threw a fit over it, but......
Still, I'll take my small credit union over
ANY of the big ones anyday.
....Been there done that.
Its just easier to request US cash or Postal MO on US funds. Most Canadians I have dealt with in the recent past are aware of this problem.
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Zazzie
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posted on October 24, 2001 12:13:22 AM new
Well--I got my USA bank account so I wouldn't have to pay out extra money for money orders or chance having cash lost in the mail.
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