REAMOND
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posted on February 26, 2003 03:27:17 PM new
Got a check out message from buyer- I am mailing check today and will include paid overnight Fed Ex envelope to ship item to me overnight.
I replied less than 2 hours later- If you want the item overnight, send a US Postal Service MO. If you send a check, I will have to wait until the check clears before sending item and your overnight fees will be wasted.
The reply- I already sent the check and Fed Ex overnight pre-paid envelope. Hold the item if you must but send it as soon as the check clears.
Now this buyer has a business name and address. Do you think they send items out on an out of state check to someone they have never done business with?
[ edited by REAMOND on Feb 26, 2003 05:48 PM ]
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meadowlark
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posted on February 26, 2003 03:35:17 PM new
REAMOND,
I doubt it. Hold the item until the check clears. Don't change your terms at the whim of a buyer. I assume you normally take personal checks and hold merchandise until they clear?
Patty
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REAMOND
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posted on February 26, 2003 05:49:36 PM new
I always wait until check clears. A check is nothing more than a IOU until it is honored and paid.
[ edited by REAMOND on Feb 26, 2003 05:50 PM ]
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Greengate
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posted on February 26, 2003 10:02:34 PM new
It is generally a standard business practice for one business to except another business check. Ive been doing it for over 20 years and never had a business check overdraft.
However on a regular retail sale a personal check gets looked at fairly carefully. We always ask for ID, phone a verification on any checks with numbers under 100.
If you have any doubt you can call the check holders bank and tell them you have a rush order and ask if the funds are available. Not sure if they still do this but I always called when I had big checks and rush orders. Banks can't reveal personal info but they can tell you if your check is covered at the time you call.
I take personal checks from all my customers on ebay and I haven't had a problem so far.
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REAMOND
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posted on February 26, 2003 10:06:13 PM new
I don't have a problem accepting checks, and my TOS says checks are fine, but no shipment until the check clears.
If I were dealing with a business in the same state I would not wait for the check to clear.
It is nearly impossible to deal with bad checks when you're out of state.
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sparkz
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posted on February 26, 2003 11:06:00 PM new
I state in my auctions that personal checks may take up to 14 business days to clear, but I have never held up a shipment waiting for a check to clear. Still, I keep the option open just in case I get one that doesn't feel right. I don't see why a dishonest person would risk going to prison or getting hit with trebble damages by writing a hot check when it's so easy to screw a seller through Paypal with no legal repercussions.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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msincognito
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posted on February 27, 2003 02:29:51 PM new
They might want to include the express envelope so they can charge the shipping to their business account (or their employers' account - more likely) instead of paying you directly for shipping. I had a co-worker who tried this scam a few times until he got caught and royally reamed by the management.
Did they say how much the check was for? Does it cover S/H or just the final bid? Because they may have assumed you would accept a check for just the bid price if they give you a pre-paid shipping envelope. That'd probably be OK with sellers who only charge exact shipping, but for those who have a handling fee, problem.
[ edited by msincognito on Feb 27, 2003 02:32 PM ]
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REAMOND
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posted on February 27, 2003 03:50:57 PM new
They paid the shipping and are sending a pre-paid OVERNIGHT Fed Ex envelope.
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msincognito
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posted on February 27, 2003 05:54:16 PM new
how weird. They'll pay shipping twice (probably 3-4x if you compare priority shipping vs. FedEx overnight) and yet they won't stir their lazy bones to get a money order. Good luck with 'em. Hope nothing else strange develops.
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shop4shoes
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posted on February 27, 2003 06:09:23 PM new
It is generally a standard business practice for one business to except another business check
In the footwear and apparel industry it is not standard practice at all. You pay COD cashiers check, credit card, factoring or cash in advance.
Many companies will allow you to bay COD business check after doing business with them for SEVERAL YEARS.
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REAMOND
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posted on February 27, 2003 07:04:43 PM new
I don't have any problem not waiting for a check to clear if it is local, but a bad check from another state is too costly to even begin to collect.
I think I also forgot to mention- 0 FB and the buyer registered on eBay the day they bid on the item. It could be a secondary ID, but under the circumstances I doubt it.
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Greengate
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posted on February 27, 2003 07:33:52 PM new
zero feedback = red flag....
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REAMOND
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posted on March 3, 2003 07:11:38 PM new
Update 3-3-03.
The buyer who wants the book overnighted sent the check and Fed Ex overnight envelope via snail mail !!!
Now here is another question about the Fed Ex envelope. It says on the label to bill the recipient and has an account number.
I have read other threads stating the seller ended up paying for the shipping when the recipient refused to pay- is that possible ?
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kraftdinner
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posted on March 3, 2003 08:57:25 PM new
Reamond, if he already paid for shipping, wait till the check clears then send him the item and the ppd. envelope back with a simple, honest explanation.
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sanmar
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posted on March 3, 2003 09:20:18 PM new
In 5 years on eBay I have never taken a check. I don't have the space to store things for 10 days. I haven't any problems because my TOS states "I do not take Personal Checks" I have sent 2 checks back because the idiots can't read my TOS, which very plainly states this.
[ edited by sanmar on Mar 3, 2003 09:29 PM ]
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REAMOND
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posted on March 3, 2003 10:56:14 PM new
I just noticed on the Fed Ex envelope, it says "bill to" the recipient, not "paid by" the recipient.
If they refuse to pay, Fed Ex comes back on me for the postage.
I'm going to return the envelope and just ship the book regular mails. This one smells all around.
I have read here on AW of several people getting stuck with the postage charges after they sent Fed Ex with one of these "bill to" labels.
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meadowlark
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posted on March 4, 2003 03:47:14 AM new
REAMOND,
I have been through the "bill to XXXXXX account number" situation before, but not on Ebay. Fedex will ship the item before they check to see if the account number is any good. If the account number is bad, the person who shipped the item gets a bill. Fed Ex will send to collections if not paid. I had one that was a problem for a year at the last "real job" I worked at.
I bet you could call FedEx's 1-800 number with your concerns and find out if it's a valid account number. Since it's not your account, they may not give you much data, but you can probably find out if it's a valid number at all. Then you'l know if this buyer is up to no good.
Patty
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barbarake
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posted on March 4, 2003 04:19:11 AM new
Assuming the account is good (i.e. it's a valid account), can the buyer simply refuse the bill for that particular shipment??
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meadowlark
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posted on March 4, 2003 05:24:22 AM new
I believe the account holder can refuse the bill, then it would be billed back to the sender. I think I see where you're going here and I'd considered that.
If a dishonest buyer uses someone else's valid FedEx number or just refused their own shipping bill the sender would be charged back. I've seen as well a buyer using an account that has gone to collections and won't be honored anymore for further charges. And the buyer insisting to FedEx that they be billed instead of the company I worked for that sold the item. FedEx said no, because the buyer's account was closed due to non-payment. So we kept getting the bill for a year until the buyer handled their delinquent account and finally paid our shipping bill.
The weird way FedEx handles it is even if you don't have an account with them , they will open a new one for you to bill you for shipping chargebacks if they occur.
Patty
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shirsc
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posted on March 4, 2003 06:48:01 AM new
I just got a strange email on an auction that ended last night (3/3). He requested that I mail item on 3/4 since his fiance's birthday was 3/7 and he wanted it by then. He advised he was mailing a check on 3/4. This is not a newby! Has anyone ever mailed item before they get money??? I don't think so. Not to mention that an out-of-state check needs to be held, as mentioned in ad, until clearing.
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meadowlark
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posted on March 4, 2003 06:57:52 AM new
Not a chance. Tell him, sorry, please follow TOS, and although he may be honest, you have been burned before.
If you take Paypal, tell him you will only ship that fast if he uses Paypal instant transfer or Paypal via credit card NOW. As soon as you get the PP funds in your account, you can ship.
If he's honest, he'll likely shut up and realize he's a dork for buying his girlfrind a present so late on Ebay. If he's dishonest, likley expect shouting email about how you don't trust your buyers.
WE all have TOS for a reason - to prevent losses and wasted time. Stick to it.
Patty
[ edited by meadowlark on Mar 4, 2003 07:20 AM ]
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