Using One Cc for Multiple Orders

[chefcindyp]

I have a unique situation....customer called me today to place a $300+ order. Wahoo!! Obviously we're going to turn it into a catalog show for her. We're breaking it out into multiple orders, one for each of her children that she's buying the gifts for. She's using her credit card to pay for it all.

Can I put it the total amount as one charge? Or does it have to be charged per order? Also if there are four orders, is this going to be an authorization problem if we have to do five charges (theirs plus hers)?

TIA for your help!!!

 

[esavvymom]

I've done all the charges on one credit transaction (host) before. But I don't think I did it after the CC authorization changes, so not sure if that would effect it (doubt it would).P3 will "flag" that some orders have not payed- but it won't stop you from putting them through since the show total is covered.

 

[chefcindyp]

Okay, I got the flag and got nervous it wasn't going to work. Let me go back and try again just continuing through that message. Thanks so much!!!!!

 

[magentablue]

I just learned this tonight! I am happy to pass along the info I learned on the chat on here.In the payment, instead of check or credit card, pick "not paid yet." Put the total as the total they owe. For you, it will be easy, since all the money from the show is owed, and the host will pick it all up. For me (and maybe for someone else reading this in the future), some guests paid, and some didn't. Worse yet, some guests made partial payments (because they paid at the show with check, and added onto the orders later through the host). When I was done marking not paid yet for all the outstanding amounts, I went to the Payments tab, and looked at the outstanding balance. That is what I put on my host's credit card.Hope that helps you or someone else in the future!

 

[chefcindyp]

YEA, it worked! Thanks again, and I really appreciate your quick response!!

 

[chefcindyp]

Thank you also, magentablue! I'll keep your hint in mind about using the payment screen when a future host decides to pay for other guests orders. I've always just written it down then tallied it up to get a total when she writes one check for them. Your way is so much easier and error free. (Leave it to me to do things the long way sometimes...LOL)

 

[gailz2]

Ah ha! So I'm not the only one who does this. I was given a hard time by the home office yesterday when I said the hosts debit/credit card I was using was paying over $1000. The woman said it was against our policy (p. 4 or 7) to pay for more than one or two of the guests orders together. I told her it made no sense to me for the host to have all the checks written to her, deposit in her account and send me a check just so it could go through my TPC account. Why bother???

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Ah ha! So I'm not the only one who does this. I was given a hard time by the home office yesterday when I said the hosts debit/credit card I was using was paying over $1000. The woman said it was against our policy (p. 4 or 7) to pay for more than one or two of the guests orders together. I told her it made no sense to me for the host to have all the checks written to her, deposit in her account and send me a check just so it could go through my TPC account. Why bother???

I had the same thing happen once. A lady was doing a catalog show - long distance - and she wanted to put the bulk of the show on her CC, since most people had paid her. The show got put on hold, and the CS person told me the same thing. I had to argue with a supervisor to get them to allow the show to go through. I asked her was I supposed to now get the host to mail me a check, since she lived over 3 hours away from me, and the guests had paid her, and she was paying for her personal order with the same card...it just didn't make any sense. Still doesn't.

 

[gailz2]

I know. At first I thought it might be a usage charge to PC somehow--but it isn't. They are out nothing if someone doesn't pay their credit card--I cannot for the life of me figure out why they are so behind the times in their thinking on this. There is nothing they gain from us running all payments through our TPC account. Do they realize how many business related trips we have to make to the bank, as well as other places???

 

[NooraK]

I know. At first I thought it might be a usage charge to PC somehow--but it isn't. They are out nothing if someone doesn't pay their credit card--I cannot for the life of me figure out why they are so behind the times in their thinking on this. There is nothing they gain from us running all payments through our TPC account. Do they realize how many business related trips we have to make to the bank, as well as other places???

Actually, there is a per transaction charge in addition to the percentage that PC (or any other merchant) pays for each credit card transaction. Now, it's not a huge amount, and for a business like PC it probably isn't about the money.

Personally, I think it has to do with combating fraud. PC probably has some sort of clause in their agreement with the credit card issuers (Visa, MC, AMEX and Discover) about how many transactions can be run on one particular card. Also, multiple charges to the same company increases that chances that the customer will dispute the charge, and since it will be a Mail Order type charge, PC has very little rights in countering the dispute.

That being said, can't we total up all the dollar amounts of those multiple orders and key it as one payment under the host order? Solves the problem on both sides: Host pays for the orders, but there's only one transaction on the credit card.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Actually, there is a per transaction charge in addition to the percentage that PC (or any other merchant) pays for each credit card transaction. Now, it's not a huge amount, and for a business like PC it probably isn't about the money.

Personally, I think it has to do with combating fraud. PC probably has some sort of clause in their agreement with the credit card issuers (Visa, MC, AMEX and Discover) about how many transactions can be run on one particular card. Also, multiple charges to the same company increases that chances that the customer will dispute the charge, and since it will be a Mail Order type charge, PC has very little rights in countering the dispute.

That being said, can't we total up all the dollar amounts of those multiple orders and key it as one payment under the host order? Solves the problem on both sides: Host pays for the orders, but there's only one transaction on the credit card.

That's how I do it. Often a host will pay me for all the outside orders on her card or if it's a catalog show, the whole thing. If that's how she's comfortable with doing it then that's what we do. I've never had a problem doing it. It's when we put the same card on more than 2 orders (entered separately) that a problem occurs. It used to be that the written policy was a guest could pay for their order and one friend on her card but that was dropped a while back.

On another note, at first I wasn't sure I liked the new CC verification system but I discovered how much I did like it when it got taken away over the holidays. It is so nice to KNOW that it's all good and if a card IS denied we have way more options (like adding another order in place of that one...) than if it's already in PC's hands. LOVE, LOVE it!!

 

[gailz2]

Actually, there is a per transaction charge in addition to the percentage that PC (or any other merchant) pays for each credit card transaction. Now, it's not a huge amount, and for a business like PC it probably isn't about the money.

Personally, I think it has to do with combating fraud. PC probably has some sort of clause in their agreement with the credit card issuers (Visa, MC, AMEX and Discover) about how many transactions can be run on one particular card. Also, multiple charges to the same company increases that chances that the customer will dispute the charge, and since it will be a Mail Order type charge, PC has very little rights in countering the dispute.

That being said, can't we total up all the dollar amounts of those multiple orders and key it as one payment under the host order? Solves the problem on both sides: Host pays for the orders, but there's only one transaction on the credit card.

That is what I do, one transaction fee. And it wasn't like we were trying to beat the shipping--I don't do that--there were 37 orders, I believe.

 

[tiggerhale]

Just want to make sure I understand. In this scenario, the host is paying for the show or several orders (because the people paid her) with her credit card as opposed to a check.The total required is paid on her one payment line and the other orders that fall under that are marked "Not paid yet". There is a flag b/c of no payment on those orders but because the show total has been met, it will go through the system.Is that correct?I can understand about the fraud piece but really, if the host is doing that w/checks, it's really the same difference. I did run into this once where the host was paying for a friend's (who was paying her directly) b/c the friend found our website 'difficult' LOL! SHe ended up sending me a check b/c I couldn't figure out how to make her CC work on both orders. Now I know!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Just want to make sure I understand. In this scenario, the host is paying for the show or several orders (because the people paid her) with her credit card as opposed to a check.

The total required is paid on her one payment line and the other orders that fall under that are marked "Not paid yet". There is a flag b/c of no payment on those orders but because the show total has been met, it will go through the system.

Is that correct?

I can understand about the fraud piece but really, if the host is doing that w/checks, it's really the same difference. I did run into this once where the host was paying for a friend's (who was paying her directly) b/c the friend found our website 'difficult' LOL! SHe ended up sending me a check b/c I couldn't figure out how to make her CC work on both orders. Now I know!

I don't mark them as "not yet paid" because when you do that, it takes their payment off the total owed for the show.

 

[gailz2]

I don't mark them as "not yet paid" because when you do that, it takes their payment off the total owed for the show.

Right, I just leave their orders with no payment on them, and put the total that has not been paid to me with cash, or via their own credit cards, on the host's charge or debit card. It is virtually the same as having the host send you a check, only now y ou don't have to deposit it and wait for the funds, then have the show submitted and funds taken from your TPC account.

 

[NooraK]

Just want to make sure I understand. In this scenario, the host is paying for the show or several orders (because the people paid her) with her credit card as opposed to a check.

The total required is paid on her one payment line and the other orders that fall under that are marked "Not paid yet". There is a flag b/c of no payment on those orders but because the show total has been met, it will go through the system.

Is that correct?

I can understand about the fraud piece but really, if the host is doing that w/checks, it's really the same difference. I did run into this once where the host was paying for a friend's (who was paying her directly) b/c the friend found our website 'difficult' LOL! SHe ended up sending me a check b/c I couldn't figure out how to make her CC work on both orders. Now I know!

That is the proper way to do it, yes.

What HO has an issue with is when you take that one credit card number and enter it separately under each of those guests who paid to the Host. This causes multiple transactions.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

That is the proper way to do it, yes.

What HO has an issue with is when you take that one credit card number and enter it separately under each of those guests who paid to the Host. This causes multiple transactions.

Nope - they had issue with the fact that the host was paying for most of the show with one card. I had it as one transaction, not multiple. I was told that this was against policy.

 

[yankfan24]

Nope - they had issue with the fact that the host was paying for most of the show with one card. I had it as one transaction, not multiple. I was told that this was against policy.

It's 2011...time to change the policy!!!

 

[NooraK]

Nope - they had issue with the fact that the host was paying for most of the show with one card. I had it as one transaction, not multiple. I was told that this was against policy.

Did you have any other payments? That's just weird, I agree.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Did you have any other payments? That's just weird, I agree.

One other person paid with a CC # - the rest had written checks or given cash to the host. She had ordered cookware and knives for her half price items, so the $$ on her CC was large - but a good amount of that was her own order.

No one (And I talked to a supervisor too) could give me a good explanation of this policy. She did end up making an exception - it was the end of the month, and I would have to call the host and ask her to mail me a check instead...blah blah blah...BUT she let me know that it was a ONE TIME exception, and not to let it happen again.

 

[babywings76]

One other person paid with a CC # - the rest had written checks or given cash to the host. She had ordered cookware and knives for her half price items, so the $$ on her CC was large - but a good amount of that was her own order.

No one (And I talked to a supervisor too) could give me a good explanation of this policy. She did end up making an exception - it was the end of the month, and I would have to call the host and ask her to mail me a check instead...blah blah blah...BUT she let me know that it was a ONE TIME exception, and not to let it happen again.

Well that's just very odd! Because I know most of us do this all the time. I've never had trouble with shows where everything pretty much was put on one credit card. Never a warning or anything. Just the red dot saying that it looks like some people haven't paid. But since it all equals out with the host's payment, it goes through fine.

I thought that was the way we were supposed to do it. I do remember in the policy guide it mentioning that the host could cover the expense on a card for a friend who (for example) forgot their wallet or something.

Guess I'll go back and read the guide and see what I can find.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Well that's just very odd! Because I know most of us do this all the time. I've never had trouble with shows where everything pretty much was put on one credit card. Never a warning or anything. Just the red dot saying that it looks like some people haven't paid. But since it all equals out with the host's payment, it goes through fine.

I thought that was the way we were supposed to do it. I do remember in the policy guide it mentioning that the host could cover the expense on a card for a friend who (for example) forgot their wallet or something.

Guess I'll go back and read the guide and see what I can find.

I had done it before too - and I mentioned this when talking to the supervisor. She told me that it doesn't always get "caught", but when it does, the show goes on hold.

 

[babywings76]

Okay, so this is what it says in the Policies Handbook:Only one customer order can be charged per payment card number, except in the following situations Direct Shipment – For example: A customer places an order for herself and a second order to be shipped to her sister.o A Friend in Need – For example: One customer forgets her checkbook; another customer helps her out by putting both orders on her payment card.o Outside Order Received After the Show – For example: A host collects an outside order paid with a check and places the order on her payment card along with her own purchases.In these cases, fill out a separate sales receipt for each order. Provide the payment card information for the total of these separate orders on the sales receipt belonging to the payment card holder.I don't see any information about restrictions and how many "friends in need" the host could be paying for. And it did say outside orders could be put on the host's card.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Okay, so this is what it says in the Policies Handbook:Only one customer order can be charged per payment card number, except in the following situations Direct Shipment – For example: A customer places an order for herself and a second order to be shipped to her sister.o A Friend in Need – For example: One customer forgets her checkbook; another customer helps her out by putting both orders on her payment card.o Outside Order Received After the Show – For example: A host collects an outside order paid with a check and places the order on her payment card along with her own purchases.In these cases, fill out a separate sales receipt for each order. Provide the payment card information for the total of these separate orders on the sales receipt belonging to the payment card holder.I don't see any information about restrictions and how many "friends in need" the host could be paying for. And it did say outside orders could be put on the host's card.

I KNOW! That is exactly why I was so frustrated when talking to the supervisor about this show. She said it was because it was almost the entire show on one card...and you can't submit payment for the entire show on one card. And I was thinking of all the people who turn individual orders into catalog shows - and there is only one guest and the host. That would always be the whole show on one card. It was the most frustrating conversation ever. We just kept going around in circles. I kept saying that technically, with a catalog show - ALL of the orders ARE outside orders. There are no orders taken at a show. Grrrrr....

 

[yankfan24]

I know of at least PartyLite that does it this way. I'm sure that other DS companies do it also. We just need to get with the times!!! It makes no sense that you would need to have people write checks, to have the host have to deposit or the consultant have to and then another check from the host and more trips to the bank just to close out an order that coming from their checking account!!! If we have this wonder CC authorization program, why wouldn't we want to KNOW that it's all there right then?!?!? A lot of people don't write checks anymore.

 

[pcsharon1]

When I first started this wasn't in the consultant policy guide at all. The host or guest could pay for whoever and however much they wanted on one card. It has been added since then, although it was many years ago it was added. I agree, I don't see the point. If a host collects all the orders and money and pays for the entire show on her card because she wants to get airline miles or whatever, that has nothing to do with me or PC as long as the card clears. But that's just my thoughts. I'm sure there is a reason they added this but since it wasn't explained we may never know what it was.

 

[gailz2]

When I first started this wasn't in the consultant policy guide at all. The host or guest could pay for whoever and however much they wanted on one card. It has been added since then, although it was many years ago it was added. I agree, I don't see the point. If a host collects all the orders and money and pays for the entire show on her card because she wants to get airline miles or whatever, that has nothing to do with me or PC as long as the card clears. But that's just my thoughts. I'm sure there is a reason they added this but since it wasn't explained we may never know what it was.

I can't imagine any reason that makes any sense. You'd think that HO would be trying to make things easier for the consultants--after all we aren't sitting in cozy offices all day--we run to the PO to mail packets, to the office supply, grocery and bank for other needs, lug around bags full of products, cook in front of people and make them happy, etc. Why try to enforce something that makes no sense and more work for us??

The reason this was "caught" for me, was that my host (with 0ver 35 guests, and who lives one hour from me) used her debit card, which was not going through for me. So, it gave me a warning that I had to wait 24 hours to try again. After I found out from the host (after she called her bank) that her debit card expenditure limit was only $500/day, and we needed it to cover $1009, they changed it for her. Once we knew this I called HO to see if they could lift the restriction before the 24 hours was up. I guess if we don't point it out to them, it may not be a problem. I've done this a LOT of times.

 

[lt1jane]

My guess is they don't want us to change large individual orders into catalog shows because there are incentives for us for getting shows in but generally no incentives for individual orders. Large individual orders do not count as a party but do count toward total sales in a month when we have incentives directed at monthly sales. Reality is they cant tell if we have a "true" catalog show or we are taking a large order and making it a show to get a sales incentive. That is on us

 

[gailz2]

My guess is they don't want us to change large individual orders into catalog shows because there are incentives for us for getting shows in but generally no incentives for individual orders. Large individual orders do not count as a party but do count toward total sales in a month when we have incentives directed at monthly sales. Reality is they cant tell if we have a "true" catalog show or we are taking a large order and making it a show to get a sales incentive. That is on us

My show that was an hour away was an actual cooking show, and I donated the 3 food items as it was an elderly apartment complex with 38 individual orders--6 of which came in a few days after the show, which was held open for them.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

My guess is they don't want us to change large individual orders into catalog shows because there are incentives for us for getting shows in but generally no incentives for individual orders. Large individual orders do not count as a party but do count toward total sales in a month when we have incentives directed at monthly sales. Reality is they cant tell if we have a "true" catalog show or we are taking a large order and making it a show to get a sales incentive. That is on us

Mine had several orders on it - and one of them had paid with her own CC. So it obviously wasn't an individual order.

 

[SpiritdancerIA]

One thing I was told (by Financial at HO) a couple of months back is that the multiple charges on one card with one show gets flagged/declined by the CC processing company - something that is referred to as "velocity". Basically, lots of charges showing up in short order looks like credit card fraud to the processing company & their computers. I was told I could have the same card used not more than two times for one show.

Still doesn't explain why there's a problem with everything with the show on one charge/one card ... unless it is a similar flag by the CC processor - a big charge out of the usual pattern of charges for a given cardholder. There is _probably_ a set amount that will trigger a hold on the CC account, and a big show could hit it.