MarsBars Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I recently received a request for samples from a spa. This individual requested samples so they could be reviewed at their meeting a friend had recommended my company.I was a little skeptical because but figured I'd check it out. I googled the spa and couldn't find a thing. Then I looked up the address on google earth and it looks like a neighborhood. I tried a reverse lookup on the phone and nothing either. So I shot her an email asking for some basic information such as Years in Business, Average Quarterly Sales, Tax I.D. etc. I really didn't think she'd reply! She did! She sent SOME of the information but didn't offer up a Tax I.D. and mentioned two lines that they carry and that they are currently remodeling. Do you think I should send her a request for her Tax I.D. or suck it up and send her some samples????? I'm a little on the fence about this. Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrogers397 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 would you mind listing their name, my hubby got such a request from a spa in Florida, I think it sounded fishy.janis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceGirl Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 How much sample wise are they asking for? If we're talking $$$ then you have the right to make sure it's a legit business before sending them a thing. Okay you have that right, anyways, but personally if your out of pocket expense is small (my own threshold would be about $25 but I'm sure yours may be very different). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherl Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 As much as I like free things like fo samples.. they always come after I've spent money with an order. If I was trying to get into some place, I'd probably offer the samples. But a request from nowhere and they can't offer you verifiable info, especially a tax id number..sounds fishy to me. I think they should have to pay something like $25 to get a sample package and cover the shipping. If they place an order, you can credit that off so it becomes a free sample. If they were serious, it is a reasonable amount. Can't think of any [serious] business that would expect to get free samples from a company.I had someone at a show ask for a pink candle for a breast cancer auction. I was busy and asked them to bring me a receipt on letterhead. They said they didn't have anything with them. I wasn't comfortable with the stuff they were telling me but I let a candle go. They were supposed to send info on letterhead so I could have a receipt for tax purposes.. never got it. I think I was scammed.. I don't mind giving to causes or to increase business.. just want to make sure they are legit now before I get involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarsBars Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 Sure thing, it's Crystal Lake Spa in Miami. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrogers397 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 yeah, dh got the same thing, called the lady, she sounded legit but she said she got my number from a big trade show in California, I live in Indiana, I never did a trade show in my life. She wanted soaps, butters, scrubs, power point presentations, etc, etc. I am not sending her a thing, I felt in my gut it was a scam and now I am sure of it. Geeze, this is twice in a week someone tried to scam me, first a scam from e-bay for $1000 and now this. Glad I didn't spend any time or money on it.Janis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarsBars Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 WHewwww! Glad I asked before I sent out the full sized samples she requested! THANK YOU so much~!Mars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrogers397 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 We gals got to stick together, I must say I am so impressed at the level of help people on my forums are willing to share. I had a serious e-bay issue and alot of the gals (on another forum) told me what they would do and how to check it out, I did and found out it was a scam. It was for an item on e-bay that was for over $1000. I would have slit my wrists if I had fallen prey to that (well maybe not slit my wrists, but would have been seriously irritated), I thank God for all my great friends on these boards, they are invaluable.Janis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnS Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I heard of a scam when I was at a craft show.I see the lady every year and she is helpful and we talk.Last fall she was talking about buying candles on E-bay.$500 order she made and paid for and a month later NO candles.I THOUGHT what about me.I would have wholesaled to her.She doesn't make candles but does other things and makes good at craft shows. I will be seeing her in May.Doing a spring show and will approach her.She wanted me to get a booth near her but I was late in calling.Going to see if she ever got those candles.Also see if a certain type jar she likes and certain scents.NO shipping with me.She lives 25 miles. How good is that. NO wonder people can charge so cheap on E-bay.You don't get what you order.LynnS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenScentU Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I get phone calls all the time for donations, samples, blah, blah, blah... I am so sick of it that I am now asking for their TAX ID# or Business ID#. I ask them to pay for the full size item plus shipping than if they want to purchase more than they would get credit for the item purchased. I no longer give freebies. I can't afford to deal with people trying to get free stuff. I am not a Goodwill. I hate it! It seems to get worse around the holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristineG Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Sure thing, it's Crystal Lake Spa in Miami.I received the same phone call on Monday from Crystal Lake Spa in Miami. "Cynthia" said she got my information from someone at a recent show in Anaheim, CA. At first, I wasn't too suspicious since I live in FL and only about 3 hrs north of Miami. She told me that they were pulling all their products to make room for all new products that she was going to present at a board meeting in 3 weeks. She asked me to send her a sample of all of my products and scents. I told her that I offer over 45 different fragrances. I told her that I can either send her brochures and wholesale information at no cost or she is more than welcome to visit my website to pick out the fragrances she's interested in and purchase a sampler pack. She gave me her address which I mapped and it's not a spa, it's someone's home address. I also searched to see if they were a registered business....nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mexitan Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 when we are asked for samples of any of our products, we always offer to sell them a sample at wholesale price. we don't give away any freebies anymore. we learned years ago that people will ask, saying they want to consider selling our products, we'd send some, then we'd never hear from them again. we figured that if we offered to sell one or two at wholesale, we'd quickly find out who was serious, and who just wanted freebies. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarsBars Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 Thanks for all the input! I sent her another email politely asking her for her Business License number and/or Tax I.D. since she "forgot" to put it in the last email she sent. I haven't heard back from her. Also her email address states her last name as Vale but she asked me to send it to Vasquez at Crystal Lake Spa.My DH did a search for me and the address is indeed a home, in fact he found a home for rent two houses down! Heads up on Crystal Lake Spa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Does getting a tax ID really help? I've been given tax ID numbers before, and all I see is a 9 digit number which anyone could have just made up. That is, I couldn't figure out a way to verify that this number is legit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarsBars Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 Actually it does in the state of WA. You can check on a business license by doing a query with part of the business name, UBI/Tax Registration Number etc at the WA state's Department of Revenue's website. It's great and very easy to use. It gives you everything from the ID number, name of legal entity, DBA names, mailing address, busines location, date filed, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 I think it depends on the state. The "tax ID" in question wasn't for WA state, neither was it for OR state (which I would know how to check). I can't remember what state it was for, but after searching for their state's business registry database and not coming up with anything I just gave up. Maybe I wasn't using the correct search term and it was called by some other name than "business registry" in that state, but it made me decide this tax ID wasn't necessarily very useful to check on someone's legitimacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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