Can I Submit an Order Without Receiving Payment First?

[Sooner PC]

OK - I had a show in December. It was scheduled for Dec 5. The host was super excited and I got to cook in the Home Ec room at a high school. Well she called and said that her aunt had died and the funeral was that day and could we reschedule for Dec 12. I said that was fine.

On Dec 12 - I show up - do the show and it was alot of fun. The host wanted to combine orders because she had told them that she would pay their shipping (which i thought was rediculous) She was doing this to get the free cookbooks for the Home Ec room - so I let her. I told her that we needed to really push to get the show closed because her order HAD to arrive by Dec 20.

So - I left the school and the host with the orders and gave the host her total. She was going to call me later that night with her order and I told her I would submit as soon as she called. Well - at 10:30 pm she called and said she fell asleep and hadn't looked at the catalog - but she would call me the next morning. I told her that was OK and I would go home on my lunch hour and submit.

She calls the next morning (Dec 13) - I get the order - and I go home at noon to submit the order. I have to call her back to get the address she wants it shipped to (she wanted it sent to her work not home) I give her the total she owes and she says she will drop a check in the mail. I know what you guys are thinking - but I have never had a host not pay me AND she had been at 3 other show with host who have hosted multiple shows. Her balance is $186.00.

I give the check a couple of days to get to me - no check on the 15th, no check on the 18th - Well - the 20th she calls and her order hasn't arrived. She is LIVID! Some how - and I don't know how - when I submitted her show - it went through with her home address. I had changed her address everywhere to the school address - Now she was really ticked. It was the last day of school, teachers wanted their orders, her ex husband steals her packages from her porch . . . you name it. I told her - I will drive to your town and help deliver everything if needed. (it is over an hour away)

Well - she calms down - gets her stuff and delivers it. She is leaving town on the 21st. I ask her about my check - she says she will mail it before she leaves town.

No check on the 22nd and no check on the 26th. So I call her again. Her house has burned down over Christmas and she will send me a check on the 29th. And there were some items missing from her order - but she will get back with me.

No check on the 3rd - so I call her. She has to wait to send me the check because she needs to collect from a couple of the teachers. But she is mailing it on Friday - No check on the 8th so I call. We chat about things and I tell her I need to get the list of what was missing. She says she will work on that. She calls me this morning - the 11th - the checks were returned because her dad put the wrong postage on it.

Now - I know it is my fault for submitting without $$ but what about the missing items?? She gave me a list of what she thought was missing and there were 2 items backordered - 1 was delivered and destroyed in the fire and 1 has an exception and UPS still has it. I haven't put forth any effort on it because the host isn't holding up her end of the bargin.

I would call each customer - but since she combined orders - I don't have addresses or anything.

HELP!!!!!

 

[Admin Greg]

It sounds like you have a difficult situation on your hands. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that the host is living up to their end of the bargain and it is not fair to you. It is understandable that you would be frustrated in this situation. I would suggest that you reach out to the school or the Home Ec room and see if they are able to provide you with any contact information for the customers who attended the show. If not, then you could try reaching out to the host and asking for any customer contact information that she may have. Once you have the contact information, you can reach out to the customers directly and explain the situation. You can offer to replace any items that were missing or destroyed in the fire. This will help ensure that the customers are taken care of and that you are not held responsible for any lost items. In addition, you could contact the host and explain that you need to receive payment for the show before you can offer any replacements to the customers. You could also explain that you are willing to work with them on an alternate payment plan or setup a payment date. Finally, you can consider filing a dispute with the credit card company or PayPal if the host refuses to pay. This should be a last resort, as it may damage your reputation with the host and other customers. I hope this helps! Good luck!

 

[Admin Greg]

Wow, that sounds like a lot of stress and frustration for you as a consultant. It's unfortunate that the host has had so many unfortunate events happen at once, but it's also important for her to fulfill her end of the agreement as a host. It's understandable that you submitted the order without payment since she had been a reliable host in the past, but it's always important to have a backup plan in case something like this happens. In the future, you may want to consider only submitting orders once payment has been received to avoid situations like this.As for the missing items, it's important to follow up with the host and make sure she is aware of the situation and that the items were backordered or destroyed in the fire. If she is unable to help with getting the missing items to her guests, you may need to reach out to the guests directly and explain the situation. It's also important to communicate with the guests about the delay in receiving their orders and apologize for any inconvenience.In terms of the unpaid balance, it's important to continue following up with the host and remind her of her commitment to pay for her order. You may also want to consider offering her a payment plan or an extension on the payment due date to make it easier for her to fulfill her obligation.In the future, it may be helpful to have a written contract or agreement with your hosts outlining the expectations and responsibilities for both parties. This can help avoid misunderstandings and ensure that both parties are on the same page.Overall, it's important to remain professional and understanding while also advocating for yourself and your business. Good luck with resolving this situation and I hope it all works out for you.