Can a Host Put the Entire Show on One Credit Card?

[Christina3891]

I have a host who wants to put the entire show on her credit/debit card. Is that allowed? There are only two guests. The show is a little over 200.00.

 

[MicheleC]

YesChristina,

I just had a similar situation and I put it all on the host's card. As the order has already shipped I'm guessing it's ok .

Michele

 

[DebbieJ]

According to the RFS, it's not okay.

 

[Chef Kearns]

I know in the Recipe for Success it says it is not acceptable, but I have done that as well. PC accepted it without a call.

 

[chefjeanine]

I always hedge my bets on this one and do so only if at least one guest has used a credit card. No problems in nearly 5 years.

 

[agw]

I think I need to read the manual again.

Why would this be unacceptable? If the host does all the money collection and chooses to make a single payment with his/her card, why is that a problem?

 

[DebbieJ]

Because PC pays the CC fees for us. If we abuse it, they will start charging US the fees.

(This advice came from a NED--we shouldn't take advantage of what PC gives us in this regard)

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

I think I need to read the manual again.

Why would this be unacceptable? If the host does all the money collection and chooses to make a single payment with his/her card, why is that a problem?

This was a thread a while back. I have been with PC for over 7 years, it has always been against policy to put it all on one card. Another poster said she had sent a show in like that. I called the HO to double check. The answer I was given is that when a show goes through electronically it sometimes doesn't kick out....mailed in shows will kick out.

The reason is this...if a guest has trouble down the road and needs a refund, it will go back on the host's card and then the guest will have to get the money from them, instead of getting a check from PC. I'm sure there are other reasons but that's the one I know

 

[MicheleC]

The recipe for success does state that a host can put orders on her card when collecting outside orders. On the catalog show I submitted there were only the hostess and her daughter. I don't think if you're doing it for one or two guests even if this is the "whole show" that it is a problem or taking advantage of the credit card fees. Now if you have a $1000 show that may be another issue . What a problem to have!

If there are multiple customers involved that could get really confusing and potentially a significant cost for the company. I know I don't want to have to start paying fees as most other direct sales consultants do.

I hadn't considered the refund issues and how that could be a problem as well!

Michele

 

[heat123]

What are credit card fees exactly? This may sound dumb but if a host puts it on 1 card wouldn't that be avoiding misc. credit card fees? 1 charge as opposed to say 6 credit charges for 1 show? I dont' get it?

 

[stephanieboyd]

In one of my former lives, I worked for Visa. The merchant fees that PC pays for us are usually 2-3% of the purchase values. It shouldn't matter whose credit card it is, the fees will add up to the same amount. This includes using our TPC credit card. Visa/Mastercard charges the same amount regardless of one large purchase or several small purchases. I can't imagine what PC's bills are every month that go to Visa/Mastercard!! 3% of all credit card purchases for a month has to be huge for them!!!

It is not good customer service to do a huge show on one credit card, because of the return issues. Being just two customers (a mother and daughter) shouldn't matter because we can't prevent a mother from purchasing gifts for her daughter in the form of paying for her PC order.

Policy is policy regardless, so we shouldn't take advantage!

 

[Lisa/ChefBear]

other companies charge their consultants when someone uses a CCI've got a friend who sells SU and she really prefers cash or checks as she gets charged a surcharge (that 2-4%) that to cc companies charge, SU doesn't "pick up that fee" the way PC does.

I've always asked for OS orders to come to hostess and she either write me one big check or she personally deliver me the $.

HTH,

Lisa

 

[pampchefmom2002]

I have a friend who sells Longaberger, and they have to pay the company to be able to accept credit cards. Let's not take advantage!

 

[pampered1224]

The other issue as I was told...Is that "what happens if the credit card, the one and only card used to pay for the show, is a dud and does not go through?"
You have an entire show now hanging in the balance.
Example, one show, one credit card, 10 orders. All ten orders submitted and paid for on that card are now in question.
Same show, cash, checks and credit cards and then bad card.
You can get on the phone with the Home Office and cancel the orders attached to that card if you can not get it resolved with whomever and at least the rest of the orders can be shipped.
It is a simple choice of loosing an entire show or just some of the orders.

 

[ChefMommyinOC]

Multiple Checks

Is that "what happens if the credit card, the one and only card used to pay for the show, is a dud and does not go through?"
You have an entire show now hanging in the balance.
Example, one show, one credit card, 10 orders. All ten orders submitted and paid for on that card are now in question.
Same show, cash, checks and credit cards and then bad card.
You can get on the phone with the Home Office and cancel the orders attached to that card if you can not get it resolved with whomever and at least the rest of the orders can be shipped.
It is a simple choice of loosing an entire show or just some of the orders.

This is also why I have my guests write their check to me, not to the host. Sometimes the guests will write their checks to the host, then the host writes one big check. I had a host's check bounce once and we had to wait 2 1/2 weeks to submit her show! I found it very difficult to explain to the guests why their orders were not in yet without making the host look bad. Not fun!

 

[PamperedPrincess74]

Let me tell you why I will never allow a host to use a credit card for other people again - I had a show in which several different people used their cards. The host used her card to pay for some of her outside orders. I submitted the show with the host's card listed on a few of the different orders as she requested. Well, when PC finally charged the cards, there wasn't enough in the host's account to cover any of them. (I've had SEVERAL $ issues like bounced checks, etc from this host before so I don't know what I was thinking). 6 payments (all of her outside orders) were sent back by her bank for insufficient funds - she got charged $39 for EACH one, PLUS for her order. Now, I know that was HER fault as she should have had the $ in the bank, but she didn't and it cost her BIG time ($273). PLUS the whole order was held up. Guess who called me SCREAMING?? She had misunderstood the process and assumed that all of the charges would be submitted as one charge - but she didn't understand that she had filled out separate forms for each person - P.Chef had told me that she HAD to do that because each separate order had to have it's own charge signature. She actually expected me to pay the bank charges for her! I almost did (because I'm such a pushover) but my husband absolutely forbid me to do it. It was, after all, her own fault. But what a mess!! I don't understand why when people place orders with the host, and pay her the $, why the host thinks it's ok to spend that money? Why not just HOLD ON TO IT like you're supposed to??

 

[DebbieJ]

You can submit all the charges for her order and the guest orders as one charge--just overcharge her on her host order. Enter in the total amount owed in the payment amount line. I do it all the time. You don't have to enter a payment for every person. The HO just cares that the entire show order is paid for.

 

[PamperedPrincess74]

That's what I thought, but the girl I talked to at HO told me that since she was basically paying for others' orders, there would have to be an individual signature on each order. Maybe so that the host couldn't later say that those customers got ahold of her credit card and used it without her consent?? I don't know, I thought it was kind of dumb at the time, but I was new so I did what they said to do.

 

[DebbieJ]

Hmm....that's interesting.