what do people do when someone is paying on pickup and is a few dollars short of the auction price

[hoppsterau]

Hi everyone,

 today i had 2 people collect their auctions and fall short of the sold price by $2.20 & $1.80. Not large amounts, but very frustrating as to demand the correct money means arranging another pick up time and date.  Never had this happen before, have other people experienced this? what do you do when this happens.

Thanks for your feedback

[repentatleisure1952]

Are you saying the buyers did not bring enough cash to pay for the items?

[hoppsterau]

yes

[shoppingbag*]

Sounds like they are trying to get out of it cheaper. It definitely sounds deliberate to me. You are lucky they didn't turn up with a credit card or personal cheque.  That happens also.

As for what to do? If it was a $50 plus item, I would let them have it for the lesser amount, and be glad to be rid of them.  However if it was a $5 item, I would make them come back with the correct money.  You may then want to put them on your blocked list to avoid a repeat of this.

[wide-world-of-stamps]

Good advice.

[brerrabbit585]

I'd probably wear it if the shortfall was more than or close to the amount of paypal fees I saved.

[buttercuplinens]

Hi. 

Just a suggestion. Are they paying you in cash?  Could they be taking the PENNY5 discount that Ebay is offering into the final amount and paying you that amount. If so they might not realise they are paying you less than they should.

Some-one with more experience would probably know if this was likely or not. 

[the_2nd_zoo]

Get it a lot with gumtree buyers. They just give you the wrong and say it said $120 not $130.

I say It is $130 as i just looked it up and did the invoice for you.

Then they click around on their phones forever looking it up trying to get me to say OK just take the lesser amount.

But I wait and they say ok it was $130.

If they want to negotiate it needs to be done way before handing over the cash.

I think I need a new policy - if you want to scam me then I charge more  or  you can go  .  .   . 

Also like the guy who rings me up and says you charged me $220 last time - I say I don't think so - he says yeah $220.

           - idiot move as I have never even bought that item for that low and am not running a charity. 

           - also apologies to the guy on these boards months ago who thought selling for higher than you bought was a crime.

[springyzone]

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@hoppsterau wrote:

Hi everyone,

 today i had 2 people collect their auctions and fall short of the sold price by $2.20 & $1.80. Not large amounts, but very frustrating as to demand the correct money means arranging another pick up time and date.  Never had this happen before, have other people experienced this? what do you do when this happens.

Thanks for your feedback

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I think it sounds plain rude.

Sure, it is not a large amount but how much was the item?

If it was a small price, I'd be inclined to explain you'll need the full amount as you have to pay fees on the sale.

Hopefully the item would still be in your hands so you would have control of the situation.

I've picked up a lot of items as a buyer and wouldn't dream of going without the right money but on the other hand have sold things where the buyer comes in & hands me eg $100 for a $60 item. They expect change & I always suspect they hope I won't have it so will hand back a $50. I've always had change but if at any time in the future I didn't, maybe I'd just laugh and say nope, sorry, got no change, $100 it will have to be. I bet they would soon find they had a spare $10 on them.

The nearest to your experience i have had was at a garage sale. We had a cardboard box of old tools & a man asked how much. My sister said $10 the box. He quickly handed her $8 and walked away, saying over his shoulder it was all he had on him.

What do you do in a situation like that with a slightly aggressive customer? The last laugh was on him, as he passed by the fence and saw a man's jacket, new condition, asked how much it was. $5, said my sister. We could tell he wanted it but didn't want to admit he had the money.

[shoppingbag*]

That's what I call "poetic justice"