amber
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posted on April 3, 2008 06:07:57 PM new
I had a buyer purchase some yarn, and send me a check, which took 3 weeks to arrive, of course, Easter was in there. The check arrived and I wrote and told her that it takes 3 weeks for an out-of-country check to arrive (I live in Canada). This is the reply I got from her.
"I am absolutely disgusted that you think I would send you a bad check. If I would have known this transaction was going to take six weeks I would have never made the purchase. The yarn is for a baby blanket I am making for my daughter's baby. Next time, tell someone that if they send a check it will take 6 weeks for the transaction. I am mortified."
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pixiamom
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posted on April 3, 2008 06:55:20 PM new
I would answer her sympathetically - 3 weeks IS a long time for mail. Tell her that you are mortified, too - especially because you have no control over it and how it affects your business - you work at break-neck speed to serve your customers only to have it fouled by sluggish postal service. What is your average selling price and what is your rate of NPB's? I sell relatively low-ticket items to a very honest market. I usually ship to folks who have taken the time to complete eBay checkout even if their check hasn't arrived yet.
[ edited by pixiamom on Apr 3, 2008 06:58 PM ]
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amber
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posted on April 3, 2008 07:02:28 PM new
pixiamom, I sell low price items also, but I sell yarn, and people buy several skeins of course. I have been burned a couple of times with checks bouncing, so I like them to clear. I have told her that I will make an exception and mail her package tomorrow. I amazes me that she thinks I think she might send a bad check, I don't know her, how can I tell how honest she is? I think our banks are very good for changing US checks, but it does take time. We have lived in 3 US states, and we know that US banks that we have dealt with, will not even change checks in foreign currency.
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cherishedclutter
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posted on April 3, 2008 07:02:31 PM new
Have you shipped the yarn yet? I agree with Pixiamom's general idea, but if you haven't shipped it yet, I'd also give her the opportunity to get out of the deal. (that is if your main objective is to avoid a negative).
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/ceeceescollectibles
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sthoemke
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posted on April 3, 2008 07:10:31 PM new
I would just say that you are sorry for the postal service being slow, and that you will mail the yarn as soon as possible.
I agree with cherishedclutter - offering for her to opt out of the transaction would also be a good idea if you really do fear a neg.
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rhpepsi
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posted on April 5, 2008 09:08:55 AM new
I guess you can still leave negatives for buyers.....
Knew I was gonna get one back on this one...
International seller of purses bought a purse from me in Jan. Within 7 days or so, she is complaining that the merchandise has not arrived. Needed for a birthday party(hmm...sell purses herself, but you buy an international one for a gift..)...where is it. Explained that sometimes it may take 30 days or so. She ends up refusing it when it arrives. Says that an employee signed for it and now she doesn't want it. MY MISTAKE...I issue refund and am told that she sent it back. 42 days later, still no merchandise, so I posted a negative on her today. Immediately got one back. Glad I got my discount, I guess we will have to pick every other billing period if we want to hold these buyers accountable. Sacrifice our discount those months.
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amber
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posted on April 5, 2008 09:14:34 AM new
I think I have avoided a neg. Offered to cancel auction, but she still wanted it. I found someone traveling to the US this weekend, so I have asked them to mail it to her, she should get it much quicker that way. She now seems quite happy!
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merrie
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posted on April 5, 2008 09:29:36 AM new
Wow, you guys do jump through hoops for your customers, very accommodating. I would not have gone to all of that trouble. My hat is off to you for going the extra mile. People that send checks or echecks need to realize the time it takes to clear is out of our hands, the same goes for shipping times. Buyers shouldn't cut it so close if their transaction is time sensitive.
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deichen
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posted on April 5, 2008 09:41:15 AM new
Wow, you guys do jump through hoops for your customers, very accommodating. I would not have gone to all of that trouble. My hat is off to you for going the extra mile.
Your not alone Merrie, neither do I. I stand firm on my waiting period for checks and rarely send international anymore. On the other hand most of my customers give me great ratings and so they seem happy.
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merrie
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posted on April 5, 2008 09:53:19 AM new
deichen: My customer's generally seem happy, also, but you do get a very demanding buyer sometimes. I answered very nicely but do not change my TOS.
I was especially put off by the buyer's use of the word, "disgusted." It would have taken me wayyyyy longer to send something when someone talks like that to me. If they were nice, I might take pity on them, but not when someone is demanding and rude. "Mortified" my a**.
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amber
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posted on April 5, 2008 10:12:33 AM new
I only do it to avoid a neg. I just got back to 100% feedback. May not mean much, but I love to see that 100% there!
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profe51
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posted on April 5, 2008 12:05:39 PM new
Mortified means humiliated or feeling extreme shame. Your buyer is not only a crank, she's illiterate to boot.
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amber
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posted on April 5, 2008 03:14:09 PM new
I think she did mean mortified. She was humiliated to think I would even suggest she might send a bad check by holding it. As I explained to her, I deal with hundreds of people, and how can I possibly know whether or not they are honest, several have not been.
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roadsmith
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posted on April 5, 2008 07:09:58 PM new
Amber: One thing I noticed in your first message to her:
"...told her that it takes 3 weeks for an out-of-country check to arrive." Did you mean for an out-of-country check to CLEAR? That may have confused the buyer.
_____________________
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amber
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posted on April 6, 2008 04:33:49 AM new
Sorry, that was a typo, I did actually say "clear". I always tell buyers that, and that packages can take up to 3 weeks to arrive from Canada to the US. They can arrive in a week, but at least then it is a nice surprise, and if it takes longer, they are prepared, well, most of them.
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agate18
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posted on April 6, 2008 05:13:40 AM new
amber Is the canadian postal service the problem .?? or is the u.s. postal system a problem.?? it would seem that whenever i ship a parcel to canada, it seems to take twice as long as the u.s.a.
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amber
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posted on April 6, 2008 06:10:36 AM new
agate, I am not sure. I can mail a package to England, and it gets there in 4-5 days. A package within Ontario, where I live, can get there the next day. It may be a border problem, mail is often held up there for random checking, especially since 9/11. Letter mail is much quicker, it's just the packages that are taking so long. We mail every day, but after that we are helpless to speed up the shipping time, something a lot of buyers just don't seem to understand.
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agate18
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posted on April 6, 2008 07:40:54 AM new
Thanks amber. your right some buyers dont understand. i posted a parcel to canada from australia on 19 march. and he just wrote and wanted to know when it was getting here. even though he was told before i posted to allow 3 weeks at least. i sent it by airmail.
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on April 7, 2008 07:18:38 AM new
After 10 years on Ebay, for this very reason I have stopped taking check. I hated doing it but it seems every time I get a check - they wait a week to mail it and then blame me if it takes 4 weeks to complete the transaction.
I'm going to see how this discount thing goes and I may have to stop taking money order as well. There you go - isn't that what you wanted Ebay????
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rhpepsi
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posted on April 7, 2008 10:10:28 AM new
I am enjoying the money orders and checks...it is actually saving me on those outrageous PayPal fees per transaction.
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amber
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posted on April 7, 2008 10:29:17 AM new
I agree, I especially like the money orders because I can mail right away on receiving them. The problem is that because for US buyers it means buying an International money order, some would rather send checks.
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tomwiii
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posted on April 7, 2008 11:17:59 AM new
Ever since Check 21 went into effect (2004), holding checks longer than 24hrs seems kinda meaningless:
http://www.federalreserve.gov/paymentsystems/truncation/faqs2.htm#ques1
If a check is gonna bounce, it's gonna bounce within about 36hrs...
Holding shipment longer than 2 days doesn't seem to make any sense anymore...
(above applies ONLY to USA sellers accepting from USA buyers...MPHO is that one should NEVER accept a NON-USA personal check -- NEVER for NO REASON...EVER)
Tom & Ralphie
GRAND OPENING of RALPHIE'S EMPORIUM of EARTHLY DELIGHTS~All Vd'ers get 50% DISCOUNT!(except electronics)
JUST IN: Stunning IMMITATION handbag from BURBERRY of LONDON!
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amber
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posted on April 14, 2008 07:10:40 PM new
Well, the package arrived quickly because I got it mailed in the US, and she was delighted and gave me excellent feedback. It was worth the extra effort, I only just got back to 100% feedback!
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pmelcher
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posted on April 14, 2008 07:42:19 PM new
good to hear that!
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roadsmith
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posted on April 15, 2008 09:17:49 AM new
Such a relief, isn't it!
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amber
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posted on April 15, 2008 09:46:36 AM new
It sure is! I often find myself bending over backward to please buyers and keep my feedback and DSR's up.
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