Desperate Measures to Meet Sell-A-Thon Deadline!

[ChefinHarmony]

Okay, so I submit my final two June shows late last night/early this morning - I hit over $3300 in sales. So, I'm gone ALL day at a fair for my son's 5th Birthday celebration. I come home and happen to check my email at 10:15pm (EST) tonight.... one of my shows I submitted early this morning is on HOLD due to a credit card! I called HO this is what she told me.....

I only had until 10pm (CST) to clear this up or the show DID NOT count towards my June Sell-A-Thon!! She tried to run the cc - declined again. Something about it being a debit card and the bank won't let it go through. I could have finance run it manually, but they are CLOSED since 5pm!

It was a $703 show!! I told her it was SUBMITTED today and asked her if I had a case to fight it tomorrow and have it count towards the sell-a-thon. She said "No chance" Shows have to be released by 10pm (CST) for them to count towards the sell-a-thon.

So what were my options?!?!? Call the customer at 10:30pm and ask for a new credit card? NO WAY - I don't know her that well! Pay for it via my debit card and get the money from the customer via check!?!?!

I was struggling mentally.... my Host was great - show held last Friday and she called me last night (on the 4th of July) to close out so I could hit the $3000 level of my sell-a-thon. Well, this customer with the declined cc is the Host's daughter and is actually purchasing one of her Mom's 1/2 price specials. I know she should be good for it - they are a great family.

Anyway, what did I end up doing?!?!? I decided to call HO back and have them put it on my PC debit card in order to get the thing released. So, I call. Remember the first customer service rep above says I only have until 11pm (EST) or 10pm (CST) to resolve it. I call at 10:45pm (EST). I'm on HOLD for over 10mins. So, while I'm holding, I call from my cell at 10:55pm EST. AND GET RIGHT THROUGH! Now, I'm mad. Anyway, she released it. She ASSURED me it will count towards my sell-a-thon and that I hit level 2. Oh, I got her name, time, etc.

Now here's the thing... I already covered the Host $900+ in checks that she is dropping in the mail this morning, just so I could enter this thing today. Now, I have to call her daughter and I covered an additional $120+ for her order! Let's say... I'm scared!!!!! I NEVER do this - I always get the money upfront, deposit the checks asap, wait almost a week to close so I know if checks bounce, etc.

I'm not going to be able to sleep until I get all the money due!! UGHHH!!!!

Thanks for listening - and I want to warn others that per HO your show can't be on Hold for it to count towards a sell-a-thon! I NEVER knew that!!!

Joanne

 

[Tara1021]

Breathe! It'll all be ok. I've covered shows to get them in before, when I know the checks are on the way. I've never had a problem, but have stressed until they come in the mail! You made sellathon, the checks are on the way, and it's time for bed. :0)

 

[ShanaSmith]

That is scary, I had a couple of shows that I had to float to catch the end of the TPC year. One thing I do when I know that I will have to submit the show without payment is have the show shipped to me, and then I can always return it if I didn't get paid. I haven't ever had to do it, but it's always an option. I'm sure the host will send the checks right away, and then you can breath again.

 

[Tara1021]

I never thought of that Shana....will have to do that if it happens again!

 

[DebbieJ]

Don't worry...it will work out.

But, like Shana, I almost ALWAYS have shows shipped to me if I'm waiting on payment.

 

[Shawnna]

Most likely it will be okay. But, you are going to have to get a check or cash from your credit card customer. Don't forget. And, yes I always have shows sent to me if I am waiting on payment.

 

[PampMomof3]

I'm sure it'll be fine. Heck, it's 1:30 my time so I'm sure you're sleeping now!

 

[Christ Follower]

That happened to me at the cut off of the Spring/Summer sell a thon too. HO said it would still count towards my incentives because I submitted it by the cut-off date (even though it was on hold). Don't know if that's the norm but it worked for me!

 

[dannyzmom]

Oy - same/similar thing going on here this morning. I suddenly and very suprisingly realized at 10:30 last night that I had JUST enough in sales to hit the $3000 level (literally - $3010 in commissionable sales)...I had already resigned myself to the fact that I was only getting level 1. So, anyway, I wake up this morning to see on my IPT that one of the shows is on hold. I have not heard from HO yet to tell me WHOSE card was declined though - so I am stuck. And there were like 8 CCs used on that show!

 

[ChefKrisB]

I just went through this too! I had submitted the show on July 5th, 2 cards on hold. Had them both run throught Finance manully (they were debit cards) on Friday. Well, I never heard back. I called this morning, one cleared, one didn't. When the initial decline came through, I asked if the show still counted for the sell-a-thon. They told me it would. I made the $3000 mark by $22...now I'm a little concerned...should I call and make sure??

 

[quiverfull7]

This may sound snotty but all our paperwork and fine print reads "held and submitted" ... Isn't it possible that the cust. rep. was mistaken and this can be taken up with someone higher up at HO?

 

[AJPratt]

How did you make out with this?


In response to another poster, someone also mentioned to me that HO isn't calling her about declined cards, either, that she noticed it online and called the cust & then HO.

 

[missydivine]

I hadn't thought about having the show sent to me when I cover a pmt. Great idea!

 

[ChefinHarmony]

Update on my post... I called back that night at 10:45pm EST and was on HOLD for over 10mins. I started to panic a bit (the rep said by 10pm CST) so at 10:55 I called from my cell, while on hold on my home phone, and got right through! Then I was mad. Anyway, I had them Debit my PC account. I didn't want the show keep me from the $3000 mark.

Next day, the Mom's/Host's checks arrived for the remainder of the show owed - yeah! So I called the customer (her daughter) and told her the cc was declined and I had to cover it with my personal account - emailed also asking for her to mail a check.

I gave her a day, and then called the Mom/Host. I told her that I received her checks, the show was submitted, etc. Then I mentioned that her daughter's cc was declined. She said she would "remind" her daughter to mail me the money. And then she commented, "if she doesn't send it, let me know and I'll mail you the money." Whew! I mailed the PP receipts and put a "reminder" note that said "if you haven't already mailed payment, please do so".

I figured I would wait until the show ships - if I don't here from the daughter (it's her cell too!) then I will call the Mom and explain she needs to Hold her order until I receive payment - then the Mom will probably mail it.

About it counting..... I called my Director and she said she never heard of such a thing! She said I could probably have argued it and she would have backed me up, but I didn't want to take that chance. Also, I noticed on the "Top 50" thing on Consultant's Corner there is a blurb "Shows placed on hold will be included based on date show is resolved."

I don't see it on our sell-a-thon though. So, yes - I would call and check about the Level you reached!

Thanks!!
Joanne