OK - you are gonna think I am crazy and I think I have learned my lesson with these 3 dolls.
There are these 2 ladies (mother and daughter) who have purchased a few dolls each from me in the past and had no problems. They didn’t have a lot of money and I allowed them to order customs and pay in (MANY) increments until the babies were paid up. They did that. However, Lady #1 put a down payment on her last purchase in March of 2013 but still owes me $50 to be paid up. (still holding onto the baby)
Lady #2 (daughter) I sent her baby to her in April 2013(she had previously ordered and paid for 2) and she still owes me $100. She says she will send me something, but is out of work right now.
Lady #3 made her down payment in September 2013 but in December she said she had been very sick and could I hold onto this baby as she still wants her. (still holding onto the baby)
SO - how do I get these 3 to make their final payments? I know you are going to say I originally should have given them a time frame to pay up or lose their baby and that will be one of my policies in the future. Truthfully - I am tired of looking at these babies all these months and want them gone.
Well, just a suggestion but you could email or communicate telling them you need to clear out your work space for the new year; and if they can’t manage some payment within (a specified time) you will have to consider the money they have given you to be forfeited. It would be up to you to decide whether you want to refund them the money they paid, and freeing up your dolls for re-sale; or to tell them the money is non refundable.
I wish you luck, it is hard to ask for payment, but you have been kind enough it sounds, and at least some contact should have been attempted on their part - JUST MY OPINION.
I think that you are just going to have to make a judgement call on whether their return business is worth the hassle or whether you can afford to wait or whether your sense of charity would allow you to just cut your losses and give them the dolls (assuming that the one lady is really sick and the other is out of work) I have the opposite problem, I have to finish a few dolls for a lady that is trading me reborns for some of the stuff she was getting rid of. I know I’m not making a profit and am losing money but hey, she can’t afford them otherwise and I’m doing this for the fun of it.
thank you, ladies. I probably am not going to bug them anymore and give them the benefit of the doubt that they truly are having a rough time of it. You know, it’s like the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other - both telling you what you should do. I think the angel is winning this battle!!
Melinda-
That is what I finally did. I gave them both until the end of February to pay - one lady will pay - the other I haven’t heard from. If she doesn’t pay I told her I would refund the price of the kit only.
I think your decision is perfect Judy. You are giving them some time yet and it perfectly fair. You have a right to the funds that are
essentially sitting tied up in those babies. Good Luck and let us know how this turns out.
My sister and I share our business/hobby “Until Forever Nursery”. We each make and sell our own dolls, but do fairs and manage our FB page together. This past Christmas, a good friend of hers wanted one of my dolls for her daughter. Since the doll was in my sister’s possession at the time, she was handling the sale, shipping, payment, etc. The woman was supposed to come into town to pick the doll up and pay for it at that time, but said she couldn’t due to sickness. So my sister mailed my doll to her without a payment in order to get it to her in time for Christmas, telling me not to worry as she was a good friend. When no check came in the mail, I began to get concerned. When contacted, she said she DID send a ck, but of course, I never got it. Again we contacted her and again she said she sent another check, which never came. So now it’s the beginning of Feb and still no payment, but her daughter has had the doll since Christmas! The customer acted apologetic due to the problems with her post office (yeah, right) and said she was coming into town on Saturday and would bring the check to us personally. When she cancelled the trip yet again, I asked her to please either send the doll back or bring me cash when she came the following week. She said she was horribly upset because we didn’t trust her and I had insulted her beyond measure. So in the end, she shoved the doll in a box with no packing or care and returned him to me. He actually came back in good condition, despite the bumpy ride home through the mail. Lesson learned… get payments first and you can’t always trust your “friends” when it comes to money!
My sister and I share our business/hobby “Until Forever Nursery”. We each make and sell our own dolls, but do fairs and manage our FB page together. This past Christmas, a good friend of hers wanted one of my dolls for her daughter. Since the doll was in my sister’s possession at the time, she was handling the sale, shipping, payment, etc. The woman was supposed to come into town to pick the doll up and pay for it at that time, but said she couldn’t due to sickness. So my sister mailed my doll to her without a payment in order to get it to her in time for Christmas, telling me not to worry as she was a good friend. When no check came in the mail, I began to get concerned. When contacted, she said she DID send a ck, but of course, I never got it. Again we contacted her and again she said she sent another check, which never came. So now it’s the beginning of Feb and still no payment, but her daughter has had the doll since Christmas! The customer acted apologetic due to the problems with her post office (yeah, right) and said she was coming into town on Saturday and would bring the check to us personally. When she cancelled the trip yet again, I asked her to please either send the doll back or bring me cash when she came the following week. She said she was horribly upset because we didn’t trust her and I had insulted her beyond measure. So in the end, she shoved the doll in a box with no packing or care and returned him to me. He actually came back in good condition, despite the bumpy ride home through the mail. Lesson learned… get payments first and you can’t always trust your “friends” when it comes to money!
— End quote
And AMEN to that. I know I have learned my lesson. Business is Business I guess.