mamadutch
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posted on August 28, 2002 01:24:55 PM new
A customer won 4 auctions destined to go to Hawaii. I combined shipping costs and sent him a total. Today I get 4 Paypal payments, one for each auction with the shipping amount and insurance cost quartered. How should I handle this? I mean, what do I say to him when I e-mail him back asking why he paid this way. Has anyone had a customer do this and how did you handle it? Thanks for any input.
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inot
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posted on August 28, 2002 01:33:11 PM new
I have had a few customers do that when I have combined shipping for them.
I don't understand what problem you have with that? You are paid the correct total are'nt you?
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KarenMx
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posted on August 28, 2002 01:39:48 PM new
No, she wasn't paid the correct total as Paypal subtracts their fee from each transaction--which the buyer probably didn't realize would happen.
I would refuse the Paypal payments and ask the buyer to send the amount due in ONE payment, and explain why.
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mamadutch
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posted on August 28, 2002 01:40:35 PM new
No, actually he paid me some over the amount, and then requested I refund him the overage. I guess my concern is whether or not my Paypal fees are higher with 4 payments instead of 1. If they are higher because of being paid 4 times, I want to make sure that I get paid the full amount due me. I don't want what's not mine, but then I am not wanting to short myself.
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mamadutch
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posted on August 28, 2002 01:45:01 PM new
Ahh...KarenMx..that's what I was afraid of..thanks! In 4 years of eBay, I have never had this happen and just couldn't understand why someone would do it this way.
I shall refund all four payments and request the proper amount. That way, there will be no questions as to overage or underpay. Thanks again!
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blueyes29
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posted on August 28, 2002 01:47:16 PM new
As I understand it, PayPal charges a certain percentage of the total amount plus 35 cents for EACH transaction. So...you'd be out about a dollar with your buyer paying with 4 transactions as opposed to just one.
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Toptwo
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posted on August 28, 2002 01:48:17 PM new
I don't see a problem here. Yes, you WILL pay more to paypal for 4 seperate transactions, but me thinks you are being greedy.
If you had 4 seperate buyers, and all 4 had paid by paypal you would have incured 4 seperate paypal fee's also.
If you have not been reading all the threads here about the TONS of deadbeat bidders you should be HAPPY that you had a bidder that not only bid on 4 auctions....BUT PAID FOR THEM AS WELL!
Toptwo
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mamadutch
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posted on August 28, 2002 02:13:33 PM new
Well, thank you for the character assasination!
Greedy, you say? Nope, just want what's mine. I give up enough in postage errors due to the new zoning rates already...and I don't charge for packing materials because I get them free. I'll swallow any error if if it's my mistake, but I won't kiss someone's a$$ because they can't read.
I was asking for a tactful way to handle this. I certainly didn't want to alienate my bidder, otherwise I would not have bothered coming here to ask for advice.
inot and Toptwo...you can absorb all the fees you want to...YOU don't pay my bills!
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sn0bbish
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posted on August 28, 2002 02:25:03 PM new
i have had bidders pay this way on a few occassions. never understood why tho. i usually just suck it up and am thankful that i got paid instead of dealing with the headache of a deadbeat, but to each their own. i would just politely email them and explain why you are refunding the payments and how you would like them to pay all in one payment. if i was the buyer i wouldnt mind fixing it.
you need to excuse some of the people on this board. some are rather quick to crucify rather than offering assistance. which is what this board is for.
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uaru
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posted on August 28, 2002 02:29:28 PM new
by paying you with 4 instead of 1 PayPal payments there's a difference of 90 cents (3x$0.30). How much effort are you prepared to go through and risk upsetting the buyer to recover 90 cents?
[ edited by uaru on Aug 28, 2002 02:30 PM ]
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mamadutch
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posted on August 28, 2002 02:35:57 PM new
uaru...thanks for breaking it down for me. I had also thought there was a difference in the percentages that Paypal took for small amounts as opposed to large amounts. Something like eBay's scale of fees. Or would it work out to the same amount?
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sn0bbish
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posted on August 28, 2002 02:36:40 PM new
its 2.9% + $.30 for each transaction
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Libra63
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posted on August 28, 2002 02:35:03 PM new
Maybe your buyer wants a PayPal transaction for each eBay transaction and that would be the only way they could get that. If there is only one transaction then the buyer wouldn't have proof of the other transactions. Instead of coming in here asking that question, why not email your buyer and ask why they did it that way. There is probably a good explination one that can help you understand why they did it that way or maybe you can ask them to do it the other way. Communication is the best way to go. Just don't refund without emailing them.
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mortis3
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posted on August 28, 2002 02:49:47 PM new
Do you have the paypal links in your auction that the bidder can pay instantly by paypal at the end of auction. If thats the case, alot bidders just don't think and use those on each auction because they think its easiest.
My suggestion is:
Email the bidder and explain about the fee struture and refund their money. Then send them an invoice with their correct amount. That way they don't have to think.
Most bidders willl understand, just give them a simple explanation and a simple solution and they will go for it. Remember alot people don't like using thier brain when shopping.
Mortis3
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baylor45
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posted on August 28, 2002 03:26:43 PM new
I have had it happened on several occasions and always refund the multiple sales and create an invoice for one sale. Saves me money and for the paypal customer they have a charge that more accurately reflects our transaction. No complaints yet.
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tooltimes
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posted on August 28, 2002 04:58:53 PM new
I had a lady on Yahoo win 8 auctions and sent we 8 PayDirect payments. On PayDirect the seller has to either accept or refuse each transaction before fees are assessed and payment amounts are added to your balance. I refused all 8 payment and placed a kind note in each refusual form and sent her a PayDirect bill for the correct total amount. I wish PayPal would adopt that same policy.
One of the newer problems with PayPal is there is a feedback rating for PayPal users and many may try to inflate their rating since all transactions count on the total.
One note: You only have 5 days to refund the PayPal funds without penalty.
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uaru
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posted on August 28, 2002 05:44:50 PM new
One note: You only have 5 days to refund the PayPal funds without penalty.
At one time that was true, they raised it to 14 days a few months ago, and it's been raised again. It's 30 days now.
One of the newer problems with PayPal is there is a feedback rating for PayPal users and many may try to inflate their rating since all transactions count on the total.
You get a reputation point for each verified member that sends you money. Only 1 point per member, so if a person sends you 8 payments, that's still only 1 point. There is also a 30 day delay before you get those points.
[ edited by uaru on Aug 28, 2002 05:50 PM ]
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capefeartrading
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posted on August 28, 2002 06:02:21 PM new
This has been happening to me fairly often in the last few weeks. I have a couple of items that I list regularly and alot of folks want to buy one of each. Well, I think my problem is the stupid Checkout! When a buyer buys or wins each one, I guess they think they have to pay for them seperately, thus making more fees come out of my pocket. However, my items are not very expensive and I can afford to "eat" the .35 cents or so...(eBay Payments of course!)...Blahh!!! Even though I say in the descriptions that I will combine shipping, it doesn't seem to help - I guess they are not reading the entire auction...For me, it's better to suck it up and not say anything - on these items, I'm still making great profit, so believe me, at least for me, it's not worth the hastle or the potential problems. If I were you, I would not mention it, unless the extra fees add up to a large amount for you...
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jrb3
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posted on August 29, 2002 05:15:15 AM new
This happens to me so often I have a form letter for a response, and have this in my Auction TOS
"Combined Items Need To Be Paid For In A Single Payment."
I had to start doing that when I had a few bidders insist on paying for each item seperately for some unknown reason and this was before refund option.
This happens for two reasons Most bidders don't realize sellers need to pay a per transaction fee and most bidders don't know how to pay for multiple items together.
The fees can add up if the items are under $10.
Just politely email them back with note.
Or send them an invoice for failsafe way.
Joe B
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mamadutch
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posted on August 29, 2002 12:22:17 PM new
jrb3...what an outstanding idea! Thanks..I will incorporate that into my auction ad immediately. Appreciate the helpful suggestions from everyone.
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sanmar
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posted on August 29, 2002 01:47:32 PM new
I had my first one just yesterday. I had emailed the combined shipping for 4 items. I had packed them, weighed them & gave her the amount for her Zip code plus $1.50 for box & packing. She divided it by 4 & paid me 4 times. I know it cost me about $2.00, but hey the money is in the bank. Not a real big deal. I guess I am not as greedy as some.
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chathamsue
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posted on August 29, 2002 02:46:52 PM new
I have had people do this several times. I have emailed them & explained that I get charged multiple fees vs. a single fee. I explain that it is part of the cost efficiency of combining winning bids. No one has ever been annoyed or refused to redo the transaction. In fact, they just figured they had to split payments when purchasing multiple items. I will definitely be adding the line to my TOS about paying for combined items with one single payment! Great idea!
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