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Wholesale customer hasn't paid


Sharon in KY

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She will not answer the phone and I have left many messages. She closed her store and ordered about $2,000 worth of tarts, she paid for them with a CC. Almost intimidate she ordered another $500 of tarts. When ready I called and she asked if I could wait to charge for a few days. I did, I know, charge denied, denied, denied.... This has been since Nov 1st. So what's the next step? I know what I should have done but what can I say? OK I'm a dumb ass. Any advice? She is in Floyd, VA.

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She will not answer the phone and I have left many messages. She closed her store and ordered about $2,000 worth of tarts, she paid for them with a CC. Almost intimidate she ordered another $500 of tarts. When ready I called and she asked if I could wait to charge for a few days. I did, I know, charge denied, denied, denied.... This has been since Nov 1st. So what's the next step? I know what I should have done but what can I say? OK I'm a dumb ass. Any advice? She is in Floyd, VA.

Do you mean intimidate, or immediately? You haven't shipped anything, have you? Why did you wait so long if this started alittle over 3 months ago? Jut trying to understand first.:tiptoe:

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She paid the $2971.07 for the first order with her Credit Card. It was a very large order and it was after she had closed her shop.

Almost immediately she ordered another $500 worth of tarts. And I sent them, I know that was stupid. She asked if I could just wait a week before I ran the charge. I trusted her, she has been a customer for 10 years.

"Why did you wait so long if this started alittle over 3 months ago?" Oh honey, I have been calling since the Credit Card didn't go through, day and night, no answer. She only has a cell phone now. Wish I could get her husbands cell phone number. Both Credit Cards say DENIED, guess she cancelled them. Do you think calling the local police, telling them she hasn't answered her phone, and I'm worried something might have happened to her, would go over big? My daughter is a 911 operator maybe I should ask her first.

Just wondered what to do next...short of driving from KY to VA and visit my dear sweet x-customer.

Sorry this was so confusing.

Edited by Sharon in KY
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Im not going to beat on you for this. She's been a loyal customer for 10 years, and she had just placed a 3k order that was paid in full. I dont know if many , if in that situation, with her loyalty and long time business, and a previous huge paid order, wouldn't have tried to make her happy.

All I got is : 1. You can chalk it up to experience and curse under your breath .. a LOT. or 2. Take her to small claims court. Also,, contact the Chamber of Commerce in that are. I wouldn't bother with the BBB because she could open something else and it wouldn't show up, but .. if you talk to the Chamber, word WILL get around town about how she did you.

One thing I didnt see ... was the 500.00 order sent to her ? Or do you still have it. If you didn't ship it out, the best you can hope for in small claims, is the cost of materials pretty much :(

Good luck sweetie.

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I had an avon customer once who wrote me a check from a closed account...after repeated calls and no resolution, I called local police and they paid her a visit at her job! Needless to say, she paid up. You can go through small claims court too, make sure you include court filing fee and processor fee in amount owed...wish you the best

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Wow! I feel for you Sharon! That really sucks. I think you have to bite the bullet on this one and call the police and file a complaint. Do you have an attorney? Get them to send her letter asking for your money. Maybe you can settle out of court. If not, you may have to go to court on this one.

I once had one CC sale go bad with a wholesale customer. Took me a month to get my money but I finally got it by being persistent. Wasn't the amount you are out but it hurt me just the same. We worked it out and she stayed a customer for a while longer but from that point on I only accepted cash from her.

I sure hope you can get your money!

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I agree that you need to involve the police, or small claims court now. It really stinks, but it angers me that she must think it's ok to take $500 worth of product and just walk away. In my opinion, there is no difference between that and her walking into a store and taking that stuff and walking away. It's theft, no way around it, and that is a LOT of product. I'm not sure what the laws are in your area, but I think $500 is an amount that is a felony, and not just a misdemeanor. Does she have voice mail? Maybe you can call and leave her a message stating that if she doesn't contact you in say 7 days you will have no other option than to seek legal assistance.

I'm so sorry for you that you have to go through this. A 10 year business relationship is a LONG time and I know this must hurt you tremendously. :( But you need to do what's right for YOU, and that is getting your HARD EARNED money back!

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This is not a plug for nor a solicitation for business for any company but I'm an associate (I sell the services part-time) as well as a card carrying member of a company called LegalShield (formerly Pre-Paid Legal Services). They offer legal service plans for individuals and small businesses including home based businesses and one of the things they do is write letters and make phone calls on your behalf. When and if something like this ever happens to me all I have to do is pick up the phone, call the attorney, and they will write a demand letter on my behalf telling them to pay up or face legal action at no additional cost to me (my wife and I are covered under one membership which we pay a monthly fee for). That usually gets their attention. We're covered in all 50 states so if I have an issue with a vendor/wholesaler in a state other than Texas all I have to do is call the attorney in Texas who will contact a provider attorney in the state the vendor/wholesaler is in and that attorney will contact me, again at no additional cost to me other than my monthly membership fee.

You've received a lot of good recommendations to your dilemma but to be honest there's probably no one on this board who is an attorney and it sounds like that's what you need.

Again, this is NOT a solicitation but rather an explanation of why it's important to have access to an attorney when you need one. You have tried in vain to contact this person to no avail. All we do when we do that is invite more stress into our lives and I'm sure you don't need anymore than you already have....lol.

Just my two cents.

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Well, called the police in her town and asked what to do. He said there wasn't much he could do since it was a civil matter. Then he said he would call her and tell her I was trying to get a hold of her. She called within 5 minutes and said that policeman scare her to death. It was her husbands fault, he forgot to mail the check and she is so sorry. So supposingly the check will be in the mail tomorrow.:waiting:

Edited by Sharon in KY
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Well, called the police in her town and asked what to do. He said there wasn't much he could do since it was a civil matter. Then he said he would call her and tell her I was trying to get a hold of her. She called within 5 minutes and said that policeman scare her to death. It was her husbands fault, he forgot to mail the check and she is so sorry. So supposingly the check will be in the mail tomorrow.:waiting:

ummm... you have called her how many times since November and I am sure left messages. But suddenly a cop calls and she realizes "the husband" forgot the mail the check? Sure.

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Yeah I'm thinking the same thing. This has been going on since November with numerous calls and I'm assuming messages and she's just now realizing that

this hasn't been handled. Ok blame the man, that I get, but, whose balancing the checkbook to NOT have noticed that payment hadn't cleared??? Is that the hubby's fault as well?? Sounds like she tried to get one over on you and when the cops call she realized you weren't gonna let her get away with it and suddenly remembers how to use a phone. I really hope you get your money.

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