posted on April 29, 2002 11:49:33 AM new
I'm sure some here have experienced this before: But, as it's my first exposure, I'm sure you'll understand my jaw hitting the floor at receiving a two-stamped white letter envelope containing twenty-four, one-dollar bills and three dimes taped to a piece of paper, which read: "Here's my money - thanks!" No name, no auction ID, no item title, nothing!
After much work I was able to match the return address up with an eBay Id and finally figured out what it was supposed to be for, but -- BROTHER!
posted on April 29, 2002 11:58:58 AM new
That has happened to me too and after making the match, I send the guilty party an email as if I was sending to a huge list and ask the correct person to please send me the necessary info. They always think I've sent to a massive list. tee hee.
Mean huh? It does work like a charm and makes me feel sooooo goooood.
posted on April 29, 2002 02:05:11 PM new
Awww - that's mean. And I like it! What kind of responses do you typically get? I mean, do they ask why you didn't just "somehow know" it was from them? Or are they contrite? Nasty?
Forgive my curiosity -- it's just so hard for me to imagine what goes through someone's head while they're putting dollar bills in an envelope. Maybe they pay their utility bills this way, too...?
posted on April 29, 2002 08:47:17 PM new
I always write that I have had many bidders bid on items that were the exact same price. Most of the time I can figure out who it is from, but from time to time, I do have to send it for legite reasons. So far it has always worked. Then I always let the person know after they respond that they need to include who they are to receive an item.
posted on April 29, 2002 10:00:11 PM new
The last email I sent was when I got a M.O. with just a name on it, no item number, no auction site etc. It did have the name of the item, one that I sell about 20/wk. on various venues.
I wrote this letter:
I received a payment today in the form of a Money Order with the words *name of item* on it and I don't know who it belongs to so I'm sending this email to all that have ordered from auctions or website and not paid in the last 2 weeks. Sorry for the intrusion if this does not pertain to you.
If this is your M.O., please respond with your name that would appear on the M.O. so I can verify owner, cross check with my records and ship.
Thanks and sorry for the trouble,
The response:
i am one of the high bidders and my name is ***** thanks hope this matches because i have not recievced mine yet thanks again
Who knows if it worked - maybe she does it this way all the time.
posted on April 30, 2002 08:46:05 AM newAfter much work I was able to match the return address up with an eBay Id and finally figured out what it was supposed to be for, but -- BROTHER!
Including an item number with payment is one of our strict conditions of sale. If there is no item number, I don't do "much work" to try to figure out who the yoyo is. I set the payment aside for a month or so. Sometimes these idiots self-identify eventually, sometimes not. Just had one yesterday where it was finally revealed that a THIRD PARTY was trying to pay for an auction that ended in 2001. Morons.
I used to return the payment if there was an address attached, but that costs time, envelope and stamps. No more.
posted on April 30, 2002 10:07:07 AM newWhy drive yourself nuts?
I'm not sure why bdunique does it, but when putting the customer ahead of all else, don't you think you should exhaust all avenues before depositing a M.O. or accepting cash for an item that you don't ever deliver?
Sure customers can be a pain sometimes, there is no denying that, but it's all part and parcel of the mail order game. They can be a pain and we smile sweetly and thank them for their business and perhaps have some fun with it.... and then come here to vent.
Makes me want to send you a book of stamps and some envelopes. On the rare occasion of not been able to make a match, I didn't and won't hesitate to use the stamp and envelope and my precious 30 seconds of time to send it back. I treat the money of others as I treat my own.
posted on April 30, 2002 10:54:53 AM new
Actually I didn't drive myself nuts and it really wasn't much work. It amounted to comparing auctioned items matching the approximate dollar value, then checking the specified region for each associated eBay Id. It took maybe 5 minutes, if that.
I told my business associate about this yesterday, and he told me the following story:
"I listed an early (mid-1500s) Bible in an Ohio antique newspaper in the late 1970s. A woman called to ask if I still had it, and I told her yes, the ad just came out. She said she would send me the money and to hold it for her, so I did. The book was priced at $500 - so I got a plain white envelope with childlike printing on it holding a thick wad of $5, $10, $20, $50, and a couple of $100 bills. No wrapping, no letter, just the return address on the envelope. Our mail delivery person could clearly see that it was cash. He thought it was funny. I carefully wrapped it and shipped it double-boxed, insured with return receipt the next day. Scared me half to death!"
These are our customers. They are children dressed as adults. I suppose we all are.
posted on April 30, 2002 11:34:34 AM new
[i]when putting the customer ahead of all else, don't you think you should
exhaust all avenues before depositing a M.O. or accepting cash for an item that you don't ever deliver? [/i]
Try reading what I wrote with an eye towards comprehension this time. Specifically...
[b]Including an item number with payment is one of our strict conditions of sale. If there is no item number, I don't
do "much work" to try to figure out who the yoyo is. I set the payment aside for a month or so. [/b]
posted on April 30, 2002 01:20:10 PM newI used to return the payment if there was an address attached, but that costs time, envelope and stamps. No more.
