Host Order Mistake: How to Fix Overcharged Pantry Items & Avoid Bank Fees

[pampchefrhondab]

I have a major problem with one of my hosts.

When I totaled her order I forgot to add the pantry items. It made a difference of $8. I had a note to call her, but forgot!

She just called a left me a msg. that it has bounced her checking account and she now has over $200 in fees. She said her overdraft fee was $36. She said she lives paycheck to paycheck.

Please help!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

How did forgetting to add her $8.00 bounce a check that she wrote? Wouldn't you have been $8.00 short? Sorry it's been a long day and my brain is sooo sleepy!

I'm sorry that happened, however!!!

 

[JAE]

How did forgetting to add her $8.00 bounce a check that she wrote? Wouldn't you have been $8.00 short? Sorry it's been a long day and my brain is sooo sleepy!

I'm sorry that happened, however!!!

I'm wondering the same thing. Was she overdrawn by the $8 that you charged her w/o telling her?

 

[pampered.chris]

Yeah really!! did she give you a blank check and you told her one total then changed it?

 

[PamperedDor]

Rhonda - did you over charge her? Not getting it - 8.00 messed her up and its 200 in fees??? that is a little over board - dontcha think?

 

[Flamingo]

I was thinking the same thing... Did she use a CC????

 

[janetupnorth]

That a tough one, but it goes back to HER responsibility overall:1. How does $8.00 cause over $200 in fees????
2. Why is it YOUR fault she lives paycheck to paycheck. (Been there, done that, still do sometimes, but it isn't someone else's fault).
3. Is that overdraft protection fees? That isn't your fault, she has it to not bounce a check...maybe she should choose to bounce a check.Was this a debit card issue??? If it was, it IS your responsibility not to charge the customer other than what they agreed to on their order. If that is the case you do bear some responsibility.I can't judge either way without more information...

 

[pampchefrhondab]

It was a Visa debit card. It is my fault because I gave her a total of $23.45 and it debited $31.45! She didn't have the extra $8 in her account. Her bank charged her $36 for the first overdraft. Then additional things came in and they kept bouncing.

My director says I should pay one overdraft fee to her for $36. I called HO because she did sign the receipt for $23.45, but when I put it in PP it was for $31.45. If she takes the receipt to her bank they would say she should have only be charged $23.45. PC says they take it the way I put it in PP. If that's the case why is the written receipt not valid?

 

[khergatt]

So all the additional things that came in were less than $8?!?!

I really find that hard to believe!

 

[jesusluvsu2005]

I don't have much advice for you except that the other fees would have occured anyways. I mean if she had that many other things come in and bouncing, the $8 wouldn't have made much difference either way, kwim? I would feel a bit responsible for the $36 fee, but that's just me. I'm sorry that this happened.
God bless,
Amanda

 

[janetupnorth]

It was a Visa debit card. It is my fault because I gave her a total of $23.45 and it debited $31.45! She didn't have the extra $8 in her account. Her bank charged her $36 for the first overdraft. Then additional things came in and they kept bouncing.

My director says I should pay one overdraft fee to her for $36. I called HO because she did sign the receipt for $23.45, but when I put it in PP it was for $31.45. If she takes the receipt to her bank they would say she should have only be charged $23.45. PC says they take it the way I put it in PP. If that's the case why is the written receipt not valid?

I'd say you bear some responsibility for the first overdraft for not putting it in as stated on the first receipt without approval.

You could have put it in as "consultant gift" and collected later.

HO has no way of seeing a written receipt - they have to take what we put in.

The other fees are HER responsibility. Regardless of the issue, those other things would have bounced.

A tough lesson! Sorry it happened!

 

[janetupnorth]

One additional thing...I would be curious to see if it would have bounced ANYWAY if charged at $23.45! That would sway me a little bit. At that point, I'd say you owe her the $8.00 mistake and NOT the overdraft fee...

 

[PamperedDor]

Ya - ok you over drafted her 8.00 - but she had additional stuff coming in with no funds?????? HELLO how were they going to get paid? I would personally absorb the 8.00 for the over charge (well you know) and apologize.

 

[pampered.chris]

Probably it would have bounced regardless of if you let her know that it was 30+ or not. I agree that you should pay ONE, just to keep her from running your name in the dirt and possibly to continue as a customer/hostess, but NOTHING more than that. It is HER responsibility to make sure she doesn't pay w/ rubber payments!!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

The problem is it was a snowball. When the $8 wasn't there they charged $36 for a $44 difference.

 

[jesusluvsu2005]

Rhonda, wait a minute. I think I understand. So you're saying that the bounce fee is what caused her other things to continue to bounce and it was just a domino effect?

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Yes - it was a domino. Sorry I'm not thinking clearly. I'm a little stressed!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

I am willing to pay one of her overdraft fees, but not $200. But if I claim responsibility for one wouldn't I have to take responsibility for the snowball?

My Director said they have changed payments for her before and done a credit on someones credit card. They have said they will not make changes as of Aug. 1st. She said I sent my show in on July 31st though. We are going to call our HO rep. tomorrow to see if there is anything we can do.

I just don't know how I can tell her bank the wrong amount was charged when I didn't actually debit the account - the Pampered Chef did.

 

[jesusluvsu2005]

Oh my. That's not good at all. I am not sure what to tell you. If it was the domino effect then technically it would have been due to your error. But to cover that much in fees, I don't even want to think about it. Maybe you could talk to the bank or something and hope for mercy? I'm so sorry. This is a good lesson to all of us to double check amounts on those debit cards. This could easily happen to anyone.

 

[JAE]

Rhonda, wait a minute. I think I understand. So you're saying that the bounce fee is what caused her other things to continue to bounce and it was just a domino effect?

That has happened to me, but the bank took off all but one overdraft fee. If she has done it before, they may not take off the fees.

 

[PamperedDor]

Rhonda - its not your fault!!!

for 8.00 she shouldn't have that much of a domino affect -

Has she ever heard of overdraft?????

Paycheck to paycheck and literally penny to penny - damn that is good accounting - I still can't balance my checkbook! LOL

 

[janetupnorth]

No wait, the domino effect is NOT due to you!If this didn't bounce the next one would!!!! That isn't your fault!

 

[JAE]

I wouldn't pay until you see the statement. Give her the $8, and tell her you'll work with her when you see the whole story from the bank. She may choose to let you see the statement or go to the bank with you, or you both get together and look at her online statement, whatever. Don't offer to pay the overdraft fee until you really know the deal.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

I know this is a new account for her because she had counter checks and asked me if I would take it. Stupid me said I wouldn't since her name was not printed on them. That is when she gave me the debit card number.

 

[legacypc46]

It sounds like she authorized the $23 purchase based on what she knew was in her account. If so, it was a good faith transaction on her part (whether she lives paycheck to paycheck or not). This happened to me once...I accidentally processed a debit charge when I was supposed to do something else (don't remember the details). Anyway, I was at fault and paid the fees. (A lesson learned for me!)

 

[janetupnorth]

I wouldn't pay until you see the statement. Give her the $8, and tell her you'll work with her when you see the whole story from the bank. She may choose to let you see the statement or go to the bank with you, or you both get together and look at her online statement, whatever. Don't offer to pay the overdraft fee until you really know the deal.

I agree! I was just about to type that.

I would ONLY accept responsibility for $8.00. Anything else and I'd demand to meet with her at the bank with one of their representatives. We KNOW you did not cause 20 things to bounce! She's playing games with her account and floating money, that is NOT your fault!

 

[jesusluvsu2005]

I'm not thinking right either I don't think. LOL They are right, if $8 bounced (unless those other things that went in were $1 or so things), she wouldn't have had the money to cover it all (the things that came in after the $8). I'm sorry, I wasn't getting the math in my head straight. Never been good at math. So unless those were very small things that bounced you should only be responsible for the one charge. I hope this all gets straightened out for you. It's a pickle for sure.

 

[legacypc46]

Just read the other posts....my brain is too tired to process the numbers...question is whether your error truly generated the follow-on charges. I defer to the number gurus here...oh, yoo-hoo, Janet, deferring to you!

 

[jesusluvsu2005]

Just a side note here. We live paycheck to paycheck and when I have a small amount in the bank, I am very careful how much I spend. That means I would add my order up and make sure I had enough to cover it. Shouldn't she have known how much her order would have been knowing that she teeters on the edge like that?

 

[scottcooks]

I agree with your upline. Pay the $8 and a courtesy payment of one of the overdraft fees. You might give her a Season's best freebie and apologize ONCE for the inconvenience.

This has happened to this particular person more than once - some of the paycheck-to-paycheck mentality, is her not keeping accurate track and knowing what would debit on her account when. I totally understand how 24-something goes to 31 something and creates a domino problem, but SHE is the one who
-used her debit card for other purchases or
-authorized withdrawals from her own account, and
-didn't keep track...

Also, at some level
- she should be a responsible consumer and add up her own order
- an $8 difference is more than just a simple math error; she wasn't keeping track, and probably she does this in her other finances.

(If it sounds like I speak with any authority on this, it's from personal experience...
been there, done that on the paycheck-to-paycheck thing.)