Cross border Rant

[qualabear]

On Wednesday I talked to someone on the phone who had advertised a horse for sale. She wanted a bank wire for deposit, she wanted me to call her vet and pay the health papers. Thursday I told her I might not get the bank wire because my car was in the shop but did phone her vet with my Mastercard to get that underway ($200)

I had forgotten the Friday was Remembrance and Veterans Day so went to the bank on Saturday...which meant a trek since my branch was closed I had to drive to another 45 minutes away. When I got to the bank they told me I should send a money order because a bank wire in Canada takes 4 business days and costs both parties, $35-40 for me and $25 for the receiver, whereas a money order would only cost me $15 and I could convert to US funds for her which was like cash. I decided to do that and went home right away and phoned and emailed her to tell her.....her phone was busy but I left a message to check email.

The next morning (Sunday) she answered my email to say the deal was OFF because she could not wait...a deal was a deal and we had agreed on a bank wire and that was that...no room for discussion. This cost me money to buy a money order and now to lose on the exchange twice, long distance to her vet and her, time gas....etc Petty but I don't think she ever planned to follow through now.

I had never done a bank order but could not help this taking 4 business days - she didn't tell me that and seemed to know about it. The money order bought Saturday which I scannned as proof would have got there by Tuesday or Wednesday, less than a week. I did ask if she had Paypal etc and would not have given my card # the Vet if I did not intend to purchase the horse.

My question is Who is being unreasonable here? We were disappointed aout the horse, but I told her I was more disappointed in the way she treated us.

 

[Relic]

l'd have to side with you the other party was being a jerk.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

There are always two sides to every story. Without hearing the other parties take on it I am unwilling to comment.

 

[Ashley]

I am guessing your are in canada? I sold 2 horses there this summer. She overnighted the money to me. Which I didnt need it right away as it takes 2 plus weeks to get all the paper work done for a horse to cross the boarder.

 

[qualabear]

Ashely, How did you get the money overnighted to you? The very earliest I could with a bank wire was 4 business days - which in this electronic age is a bit unbelievable but what the bank said. Express mail is 3 days.

ANyhow I could not believe the impatience...if I had been able to pay the entire amount Mastercard I would have, but like I said...absolutely no room for discussion.

Yes there are 2 sides to every story - these are the facts from both sides. I have good references, paid her vet and spent extra money trying to get $ there fast. It was her call on how to pay, and misinformation about how long a bank draft would take and also would have taken longer, and cost her. I really tried...a person can't wait from Thursday to Tuesday? because of circumstances not in my control.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Take it as a learning experience and move on- next time get it all in writing and signed- that alone will take more than four days!!

 

[Minimor]

I've had people want to pay by internet transfer, but that generally doesn't work for me because I bank at the credit union, & their system is not compatible with that of the "regular" banks. I can get a bank transfer in/out but it does cost more and when I checked with my branch about it the lady I spoke with there wasn't keen on that method of payment. She told me I'd be better off to deal with a money order, rather than a bank wire.

I don't have a Paypal account set up and am not really all that keen on using Paypal--I just prefer using a money order, and if the seller won't accept a money order (or a check written on my US account--I really like those sellers!) then I prefer not to do business with them. Likewise, when I am the seller, I'm just as happy to be paid by money order--that is my preferred method of payment.

In Canada I like Express Post--it's cheap, fast, & you can request proof of delivery. Sending Express Post to the US does take longer than you'd expect, but there are also the various courier options--FedEx, Purolator...they do cost more but are faster (not sure how long it takes to get a Purolator envelope from Canada to a US destination but for a price it must be fairly quick?).

If a buyer were to tell me they'll buy the money order on X date & send it off by Purolator that same date, so I should receive it by Y date at the latest--I'd be fine with that. I do appreciate receiving an e-mail from the buyer after he/she has actually sent off the payment--just a note to tell me that yes, today the money is on its way to you--then I know it's coming, and should be in my hands by a certain day; if it doesn't show up I can contact the buyer & ask what's happening, please check with tracking & find out what the problem is. I have had a buyer say she's sending the money tomorrow, so I turn down other offers. I never hear anything more, then 4 weeks later, still no money & the other potential buyers are long gone. If there's some delay, I like to know about it, and if the buyer changes his mind, I appreciate being told that too. Likewise, if I'm the buyer in the transaction, if the seller is in such a hurry that he/she cannot wait 4 or 5 days for the payment to arrive by courier, well, that's too bad then, I don't really need to buy the item that badly. It also makes me wonder what the rush is.

I do hope that you're able to stop the vet from going ahead with the coggins test & such, so you're not out that $200?

 

[qualabear]

Yeah I was able to phone the vet and cancel that. Still cost me exchange both ways and the purchase of the money order for nothing. I have never run into such a ____________person before.(could fill in with many words!) I have bought 2 horses cross border and plenty of tack, but she really left a sour taste and hindsight says just as well but its also emotional getting all excited about a new horse once its underway.