posted on April 4, 2002 08:04:45 AM new
REceived a payment today, one of those non-descript 7-11 type money orders, with a totally eliglible name on it, no address, but an auction number. Unfortunately the auction number does not match up or even come close to any of my auctions. No return name or address on envelope. Payment amount does not match up with any closed auction I can figure up (with or with-out insurance, etc.)The payment was mailed out of a state that I do a lot of business with, so I cann't really narrow it down that way, as well as the time frame was in a period when hundreds of auctions closed.
posted on April 4, 2002 08:21:32 AM new
I use excel to track my records. I filter out everything excpet unpaid items prior to the date of the money order. Then send an email to everyone on that list (I use bcc to do that). I explain that I received an unidentified payment from City, State. I ask them to email me if they think the payment is from them. I ask them to tell me the type of money order and the amount to verify it is from them and to please include the item(s) #, their name and mailing address. WORKS FOR ME! I actually only had to go that far one time - but I had the owner in 24 hours.
posted on April 4, 2002 09:02:13 AM new
Well the way I see it is that you can do one of two things. First would be that you make a copy of the m/o for your records and go ahead and deposit it. When you get an email from the mystery customer you would then have the record of payment and you can get the address from them. I have done this in the past, mostly because I was worried that if I didn't deposit it I was more likely to misplace it.
Second idea would be to hang on to it and just wait and see if you get an email from the buyer. There isn't much else you can do really. I know it is an unsettling feeling to know that someone is waiting for an item that they think is paid for and here you are ready to mail what is owed but have no idea where to send it, but there isn;t a whole lot you can do until the person emails you.
posted on April 4, 2002 09:16:24 AM new
I got one of those last night too! Don't you love them? Mine said "Thanks for the book!".
Sadly, I had over 100 books sell recently and none were for this amount (including or not including postage..).
I am on my way to the PO to send it back. I always add a note that says "Thanks for the payment! Sorry I could not fill your order but I don't know which item this payment is for. Please resend with the item number or full name of the item. Please also enclose your Ebay ID so I can give you your well deserved feedback. -Thanks so much-Kym"
They always resend and I've never had bad feedback from it..
posted on April 4, 2002 09:37:42 PM new
I hate these. If I can't track them, I hold them and wait for the buyer to contact me. I never cash something that I can't ship...Sometimes narrowing down the final price helps, othertimes not.
posted on April 5, 2002 11:48:27 AM new
When I use to get these I would just set them aside for a couple of weeks. By then you will be able to narrow it down or you will have someone asking where their package is. Now I put a 4 digit number with each auction and show it as part of my address
Name
Dept.0000
Street or PO box
Town,State,Zip
As long as it goes in above your street address or post office box number it will not hurt a thing.
posted on April 7, 2002 09:19:03 AM new
The "Dept." idea would work for small sellers but not for people who send out over 100 EOAs a day (or those whose EOAs are automated).
After years of wrestling with the mystery payment issue, I simply pull the contact info on any auction over 15 days old. Typically this resolves about 50% of the mystery payments. For the rest, it acts as a not-so-subtle reminder that they need to get into gear and mail a check.
