posted on January 22, 2002 07:07:09 PM
If someone pays in cash and the total due is say 12.50 and they send $13.00 do you mail the change with the item or keep it?
posted on January 22, 2002 07:32:24 PM
Sometimes I put the change into an envelope taped to their item(inside the parcel). Sometimes Ill include a small item in leu of change or even postage stamps. I dont think they expect anything back but it sure catches them off guard when you return money.
posted on January 22, 2002 07:33:16 PM
Actually I had that happen today. Buyer sent $10 cash and total was $9.47. I always refund the money. But that's just me.
posted on January 22, 2002 07:46:53 PM
I refund it unless they specifically stated "keep the change." The only time I don't is with international buyers since, unless they collect coins, they generally don't have any use for the change.
posted on January 22, 2002 10:18:10 PM
Twice I've gotten payment over what was due to me. Both by men buyers! Once it was 7 cents over, and I did keep it rather than spend 34 cents to return it, and he'd indicated he was going to round off the payment ($7 instead of $6.93) The other time I carefully taped his change (2 quarters) to an envelope and tucked it into the package with his item.
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<br />Underpromise, overdeliver. Right?! It is, as others have said here, the right thing to do, and, as sellers, we don't want to start down some slippery slope of wringing every cent we can from the buyers. JMHO. ~Adele<br />
[ edited by roadsmith on Jan 22, 2002 10:19 PM ]
I used to deliver pizzas. Had one where the order was $9.99. I went to the door and the kid gave me a $10 bill and didn't say "keep the change" or anything -- and I mean kid, like 11 years old.
So I left and made my next delivery.
I 1/2 felt bad that I kept the penny -- yes the penny -- without being told to explicitly. So I went back and knocked on the door and said I was with Dominos. The father said Dominos had already been there. I explained that I'd forgotten to give the change and he opened the door and I have him the penny.
He looked stunned and then yelled at the kid for not tipping me. I guess he had left a couple of bucks for tip too and the kid decided to keep it.
BTW, the other 1/2 of me wanted to make the kid feel bad for stiffing me -- I didn't expect the father to have made it home.
Regardless, if it's not my money, I don't keep it.
posted on January 23, 2002 06:10:20 AM
i send the change but I do it with postage stamps that way it dosen't increase the shipping weight.
I keep a selction of stamps on hand just for this purpose.
spock here......
Live long and Prosper
posted on January 23, 2002 06:57:49 AM
From the way this thread is shaping up... I can tell my response isn't going to be a very popular one.... but, I feel the other side of things should be represented. I, for one, am a seller that will NOT return change for payment made in excess of what I requested. I have several reasons why I do this.
1) I am not a bank. I do not always have the correct change (or postage stamps) to send back
2) I request payment through checks or money orders only. I'm sorry... but it is not that hard to write a check or money order for the correct amount. If the bidder doesn't care to worry about it... why should I?
3) I will also look the other way if I am SHORTED a small amount (usually $.50 or less). It all kinda balances out in the long run.
4) And finally.... about 99 out of 100 times that payment is made over and above what I have requested... the bidder includes NO information in their letter explaining what they would like me to do with the extra money. I'm sorry, but I'm not a mind-reader. If they really wanted to leave me a tip... who I am to begrudge them of that!
I know that these comments are likely to get some flack and distasteful remarks.... but just keep in mind... pretty much the ONLY responsibility that the bidder has in an eBay transaction is to send the seller the correct amount of money. Am I really asking too much from my bidders to expect that?
posted on January 23, 2002 07:05:49 AM
As I usually pay with cash and sending change is not a good idea, I round up to the next highest dollar and tell the seller to keep the change.
OTOH, if the total comes to something like $20.07, I'll just send a $20.00. Works fine.
[ edited by RB on Jan 23, 2002 07:07 AM ]
posted on January 23, 2002 08:11:42 AM
I have never sent change back. My items are packaged when sold and ready to ship when payment arrives and I never cut them open to put in change. No one has ever mentioned it and I have probably had 100 cash payments.
posted on January 23, 2002 09:57:06 AM
holdenrex, Funny, Usually it is international people who overpay a few cents. I like to get them as many different coins as I can to meet their change and send it. It is like a gift... More often then not, the Japanese buyers say, "Please use the extra money to insure quick delivery." I am not sure what it means. The $.07 is not going to make international express mail, and I pack and ship the day I receive payment... Oh well...
I guess I'm just cheap, but if the amount was $20.07 and the buyer sent me only $20.00 without asking, I would wait until payment was made in full before shipping their item.
The $0.07, no matter how small it seems, is NOT yours (or the buyers) to decide whether I need it or not. It's arrogant for the buyer to assume they have that right to make that decision.
Try sending your mortgage check in for seven cents less than is due and see how fast you get assessed a $25-100 late fee. What you owe is what you owe. You should be honorable and pay what you owe.
Likewise, I would never, ever, send a seller less than I owed them. If it were more convenient for me to send more, then so be it, but I would never think I had the right to dictate to the seller that they should take even a penny less than I agreed to pay.
posted on January 23, 2002 08:12:26 PM
Count us in as a seller who does not give change. 99% of the time, if the total is $7.99, (or whatever and .99), we will receive a check or money order for $8.00. We never send change. The buyer sent the money purposefully that way. Now, if a buyer sent cash and it was over $1 or $2, then we certainly would send the excess back with a note. We send e-mails with exact totals, and if the buyer chooses to send a check or money order over the amount by a few cents, we are not going to send it back.
