Future Host's Credit Card Declined

[Cookin' Mama]

Ok, so I had one of my first shows last weekend and we just closed it out last night. I recieved an email from HO that one of the guest's credit card's was declined on a $21.00 order. Not too big of a deal, but she is a future host and is hosting a show later this month. To make up for the cc being declined she has offered to write me a check. So, I am going to cash it at her bank on Tuesday, someone told me that they will only cash it there if she has sufficient funds.....now here's the question:

Do you think I should only let her pay me in cash at her show or should I wait and see what the check comes out to be? I don't want to embarrass her, but I also don't want to get ripped off either. What have others of you done when something similar has happened?

I know that this is going to happen, I just don't want to get ripped off!!!

 

[Jules711]

Depends on the cause for decline. I've had them decline b/c of some glitch. After the 2nd/3rd try, card went through. Of course, the guest was aware of the issue. I'd never heard of anything like that before that. There is nothing wrong with cashing her check before submitting the show as long as you do it as soon as you are sure. Of course, I haven't been burned yet.

 

[Cookin' Mama]

You are lucky that you haven't been burned. This was only my 3rd show if you count my own grand opening. I just hope that when I get her check and take it to her bank that it goes through without a problem. I would like to keep things as simple as possible for her!

 

[Jules711]

It probably doesn't hurt that I have a well known name in this area...big family. I swear I'm always asked. Oh...do you know...

 

[wadesgirl]

I had the same thing happen. The guest/host knew better next time and just gave me cash. I also had her have her guests write all the checks to be before and after the show and picked them up from her before I would close the show. 1st and only time it has happened to me. Go with your gut!

 

[kspry]

Welcome, Teresa! I'm over on the Kansas side of KC.
I've never had a bounced check yet, knock on wood.

One of my credit cards got declined a few months back because it had expired. THe new one was sitting in an unopened pile of mail.

So, I agree with Jules - depends on why it was declined. If the check bounces, I'd tell her straight up that you're worried about payment.

 

[Cookin' Mama]

You guys all have great advice. I think that my gut instinct was to try and cash the check and definitely make sure all checks clear before I close her show out!

 

[Cookin' Mama]

Welcome, Teresa! I'm over on the Kansas side of KC.

Nice to see someone so close to home! Thanks for the welcome!

 

[PamperedDor]

Personally I would find out why it was declined - I usually will call my customer - tell them that "sometimes I write the numbers incorrect, can we just go over the numbers and expiration date again" then if it is correct, I mention the email and ask them if there is another cc they need to use - Call HO and try to have it sorted out with that - I simply explain that the rest of the show is being held up and would appreciate if they could get payment to be asap -

Just keep everything in a very friendly manner and understand that mistakes happen - she will be just fine with it !! Good luck!

 

[28sal]

Ok, so I had one of my first shows last weekend and we just closed it out last night. I recieved an email from HO that one of the guest's credit card's was declined on a $21.00 order. Not too big of a deal, but she is a future host and is hosting a show later this month. To make up for the cc being declined she has offered to write me a check. So, I am going to cash it at her bank on Tuesday, someone told me that they will only cash it there if she has sufficient funds.....now here's the question:

Do you think I should only let her pay me in cash at her show or should I wait and see what the check comes out to be? I don't want to embarrass her, but I also don't want to get ripped off either. What have others of you done when something similar has happened?

I know that this is going to happen, I just don't want to get ripped off!!!

girl you ask for cash only. dont worry about embarrassing her. if her cards not good her check may not be either. and that will cost you more in fees. run your business like a business.and let her know that . be nice and understanding towards her about it. the same thing happened to me , but i learned the hard way.

 

[fruit76loop]

Actually after almost 500 shows, I have only had 4 bounced checks. Now declined credit cards...that is a different story. But the major reason why the cards are declined is because of the zip code that is put in when you run them. If you aren't typing in your hosts address, then the Pampered Chef runs it with their zip code and many credit unions will not take this! I also have another credit union that will only go through if it is manually ran. And of course this is a pain in the butt! However, since I have started making sure everyone's address is in before I transmit the show..my declined cards have went down to almost nothing!!:thumbup:

On the personal side....I just wrote a $17 check for my Stampin Up products and the consultant went to my bank to cash it and I was overdrawn due to my husband's direct deposit not going in!!:cry: I was so embarrased, I saw it on my online banking that she had tried to cash it at 8:30 am and I caught it at 9 am, so I just called and left her a message apologizing for her inconvenience and told her the funds would be there by 3 pm. Talk about embarrassing!! Now from the advice many of you are giving...she would only take cash from me. But of course, for my next order she still took a check...even though she gave me a hard time about it!

I personally think you should wait and see what the situation is before you embarrass her and suggest the idea of only taking cash!

 

[kspry]

Marlene, it looks like 50/50 on the advice....

Future host may not have another CC, hence the check. If the check clears OK, all is well. If it bounces, something needs to be said.

I am only posting to see if my new signature comes up properly, anyway. It's all about meeeee.


edit - OK, it worked. Sorry for the hijack, glad to know another KC person is on Chef Success, Teresa!

 

[Cookin' Mama]

So, when you call HO can they tell you why the card was declined? Now that I am thinking about it I am not sure if I had her address in P3. I think that I did, but I am not positive.

I like all of the advice that everyone is giving. It seems that just like with everything else in this business, everybody does things the way that works for them! It is always good to hear new ways of doing things though

 

[kspry]

See that's the thing. If you didn't haven't her address in P3, there was no billing address zip code, which is keyed to many CC approvals.

It may be something like that.....I was so embarrassed when my CC was declined for expiry, but it was all easily solved, ya know?

edit- I don't know about calling HO for a decline. I've never had it not go through, except when I didn't write down an exp date and had to call the person back and get it.

 

[fruit76loop]

So, when you call HO can they tell you why the card was declined? Now that I am thinking about it I am not sure if I had her address in P3. I think that I did, but I am not positive.

I like all of the advice that everyone is giving. It seems that just like with everything else in this business, everybody does things the way that works for them! It is always good to hear new ways of doing things though

No, they cannot tell you why it was declined. But you can ask them to run it manually and alot of times it will go through. Before I call the HO I always call my customer and let them know that there has been a problem with their card. Many volunteer to call their bank and see what the problem is. And if I can't get ahold of the customer I always call HO and have them run it manually.

The good thing with a declined credit card is that you can get the issue resolved before the customer gets their products!

And I hope I didn't sound harsh before...I just have such a good customer base that I can't imagine telling someone after one incident that it is cash or nada. Now, if I ever run into someone who does it more than once....:thumbdown:

 

[kspry]

I just have such a good customer base that I can't imagine telling someone after one incident that it is cash or nada. Now, if I ever run into someone who does it more than once....

Exactly. I have a great customer base, too, and I can't imagine second-guessing something that affects a person's reputation like this.

I'm also not going to get stuck with bounced check charges, if it ever happens. I've read a lot of good advice on this board about it.

 

[etteluap70PC]

I have noticed that alot of the CC that get kicked back are Debit cards from smaller banks. I usually call HO first. (why bother the customer and freak them out for nothing) HO runs it manualy Half the time this works and all is well. Other times it is a exp issue or something minor.

I would so much rather this happer with CC's though. At least the show goes on hold instead of finding out 2 weeks later the check bounces and I am out money!


Side note.... there is a gal here in town, used to be a neighbor, who bounced a check to me (she actually "by mistake" wrote it for 2 $ over so I gave her the cash back) I see her at the pizza joint she works at and I can not help but give her dirty looks!

 

[Cookin' Mama]

And I hope I didn't sound harsh before...I just have such a good customer base that I can't imagine telling someone after one incident that it is cash or nada. Now, if I ever run into someone who does it more than once....:thumbdown:

You didn't sound harsh, I posted this question in order to get advice. I am thinking though if her cc is declined and her check won't cash then the only smart thing for me to do at her show is to ask for cash for her order. If she has the money it wouldn't be that hard to go to the bank and get it. I understand that mistakes happen and it could have been a fluke with her credit card, but I am going to try my best not to get burned.

Thanks for all of the great advice everyone...it is always nice to hear what everyone else thinks

 

[BethCooks4U]

I have found that often a declined credit card will go through when re-run and that some of the credit union ones will never go through - some kind of rule with them... (I'd be upset if I was their customer thinking I could use my card and then have it declined. :grumpy: )

When a card is declined or check bounced (5 in 6 years only) I am always amazed when the person isn't surprised but they have always made good with me. I have also had a future host have a card declined - it was a debit card and she was not happy that it wasn't charged the night of the party (I DO tell people that it won't be charged until the show is sent in). She met me with the cash. Things happen. When a host had an issue once with her payment I nicely ask her about the method of payment and discuss it honestly with her. I don't accuse and have never had a problem. If I am at all unsure I have the show delivered to me so there's more time for the money to clear or for me to get the payment.

Thanks for the info on the zip code, I never new that!

 

[etteluap70PC]

Beth... you are so lucky all have "made good" with you! I have more than a couple that have not. I always wnat to say "so how are you liking your FREE PC products?" to the gal at the Pizza Joint. Only reason I don't is it's a small town and I do not want to be known as a snipey b**ch! LOL!

 

[janetupnorth]

Beth... you are so lucky all have "made good" with you! I have more than a couple that have not. I always wnat to say "so how are you liking your FREE PC products?" to the gal at the Pizza Joint. Only reason I don't is it's a small town and I do not want to be known as a snipey b**ch! LOL!

I'd be tempted to ask for a free pizza to make up for the free PC product...

 

[sfdavis918]

Beth... you are so lucky all have "made good" with you! I have more than a couple that have not. I always wnat to say "so how are you liking your FREE PC products?" to the gal at the Pizza Joint. Only reason I don't is it's a small town and I do not want to be known as a snipey b**ch! LOL!

You're much nicer than me! She stole from you!!!

 

[janetupnorth]

Back on the CC topic, trust your gut, but I often will give the benefit of the doubt the first time. I went through a streak with our "well-known" Credit Union in SE Wisconsin and a certain crappy chain called Walmart. Every time I used a CC or debit card there that was a Master Card it would decline and Walmart couldn't tell me why (surprise, surprise). Well, I called our CU and they checked the logs and everytime Walmart submitted it for authentication they would put the date and year in opposite order of what everyone else would (in other words, if it was supposed to be 122009 as expiration, they would submit 200912 to the CU) and make it fail. Finally after repeated times of telling those technically incapable souls at Walmart what was happening they ended up getting it fixed (only took them over a year!).

Needless to say I MAINLY shop elsewhere, but we don't have too much in town...

 

[RebelChef]

I had a debit card declined at my first show and it never would go through. It was on an account she doesn't use often and had specifically made a deposit to cover her purchase. HO tried running that card through 4 times and it never would work although she was able to use it at a store the same day. She went to her bank and they couldn't find a reason either. Sometimes the debit cards just don't work and they can't figure out an explanation. I never assume it's because of shortage of funds after this happened.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I had a debit card declined at my first show and it never would go through. It was on an account she doesn't use often and had specifically made a deposit to cover her purchase. HO tried running that card through 4 times and it never would work although she was able to use it at a store the same day. She went to her bank and they couldn't find a reason either. Sometimes the debit cards just don't work and they can't figure out an explanation. I never assume it's because of shortage of funds after this happened.

I had this happen too. It is a great lesson for all of us and when one is declined I tell this story to the customer and say perhaps this is what happened and let's use a different payment method. Some freely admit they knew there wasn't enough money, or complain that the money wasn't taken out soon enough - lol - but they know I don't assume that they were trying to cheat.

 

[Cookin' Mama]

I am glad to hear that it happens for more reasons than just no money in the bank. I don't doubt that this person has the money, I just don't want to run into any problems in the future.

I think that her card might have been from a credit union, so that could just be the issue. Only time will tell when I cash her check on Tuesday! I think that hardest part about this was calling the person to tell her, I am not one to confront people about things and I would hate it if someone told me that my card was declined for one reason or another. Hopefully it all turns out well!

Thanks for the stories and advice...as a new consultant it is much needed