how long do you wait for a deposit?

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Just curious.... how long do you wait for a deposit? People leave you hang for it. But 8 days from the promised mailing(that is 3 days after the conversation too, a total of11 days) I am putting the horse back up for sale.

And.... why don't people just email to let sellers know that they changed their mind? Emailing is not threatening for petes sake, you don't actually have to speak with a person. No emotion involved. JUST LET ME KNOW! Its ok!

Robin

 

[Becky]

Welcome to my world!

I have found there are plenty of rude people in the horse business. You just try to weed them out and keep going. I have found an equal or greater number of kind, caring, honest people.

I've had all the same scenarios happen to me. Apparantly it's not regional! OH!

I would definitely put your sale horse back up for sale again after 11 days. And yes, why people can't respond by at least email is beyond me. As you said, it's impersonal so if they don't have to talk to a 'real' person. It doesn't take but a minute or two to send an email.

And yes, those that respond to an inquiry and give information quickly are the ones most likely to make a sale.

 

[Jill]

If I were the seller, I'd email the proposed buyer and tell her/him that you've not received the deposit and tell them you assume they've changed their mind and you will re-list the horse. That will give them a chance to let you know if they did actually send it (which is possible, I know based on my own experience below).

The first horse I bought "long distance", I sent the deposit right when we made the deal and I was working on shipping. It took the check like 10 days to go from VA to KY! I was so embarrassed but the seller beleived me all along and the post mark proved it as well. But now I usually send checks out second day UPS because I was beside myself feeling like I looked like a dead beat.

Another time, Erica sent me Destiny's ribbons from the 2006 Nationals and it took like 3wks? Some kind of crazy time and I was sure a neighbor got my ribbons (just a little paranoid). I was so sad and Erica was sending me some replacements (she is too nice) when the "originals" showed up with a very old post mark. This was a large envelope that went from AR to VA.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

0 days. That's what a deposit does, it takes your horse off the general market. No deposit recieved = no special treatment. Talk all you want, but until I receive that deposit you are just a talker.

Once the deposit is recieved everyone else interested goes on a waiting list and the depositer is given x number of days to complete the transaction, as per whatever contract they signed.

 

[Songcatcher]

I'm with Jill. I would try to email the buyer and ask. I personally sent a check to the electric company that NEVER got there (in the last 3 months). I KNOW I sent it. No doubt whatsoever.

I HOPE the payment I sent on a horse, over a week ago, has got there. Haven't heard yet. I emailed last night to ask.

 

[Riverdance]

I raise dogs as well as Miiature horses. I have seen it all. There seem to be more and more dead beat people out there.

I have lost sales on horses and dogs waiting for deposit checks that have never gotten here. Then when I e-mail to check, either they do not respond, or they inform me that they have changed their minds. One woman informed me that she forgot to send the check, that she was very busy, so she would send it out right away. So I waited for a second week (this was on a puppy), still no check, then she informed me when I called her, that she had changed her mind. I had held the puppy for 2 weeks and had turned several buyers away (who never came back).

I have learned to get contracts signed right away, and I expect the deposit within the next 5 business days. I also let them know that I will continue to market the animal till I get the check. I will explain why too. If I do not recieve it I will call the buyer to find out where the check it. I always encourage a buyer to send the check overnight, or two day delivery. Better yet, have them use PayPal.

We all have to remember we are running a business here. No business would hold something for more than 24 hours without a check. In todays market one can not afford to turn away another buyer waiting for something that you never recieve.

 

[RJRMINIS]

I never take mine off the sales page, I either put sale pending arrival of deposit, and once I have the deposit I just leave sale pending until the sale is final. That way others that inquire, can be reached if the sale falls through. Yes I have played waiting on snail mail only to find out it was never mailed.....it happens quite often. I just can't understand, because when I want something, I follow through with what I tell the seller.... and get the deposit out, because I realize without money down, they don't have to hold anything.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Back in the day....I always said the horse stays "for sale" until I get a deposit..that makes the serious really get going..PayPal is an amazing help in this day's world.

 

[Genie]

I leave the horses "pending sold" until at least half of my price is received.

I am a great one to give advice when I am also sitting with horses that have been spoken for, deposit received and then not picked up when they were supposed to be.

I guess if nothing has been received after 11 days and no followup by the buyer you would likely be right to assume they have changed their minds.

 

[Marnie]

I have been their, I have heard alot of excuses, from the kids dropped fire in the towns drop box to the new post master shredded the mail accidently. If all my past so called deposits ever arrive, believe me, my cup will runneth over and I can go buy a new car! The one thing that a person can do to protect themselves is to tell the buyer to send it 3 day priority. I know that the mail does get lost too, I've had that happen, it can take a month to arrive but I think that the priority mail is taken better care of, jmo. That's a good excuse to tell the buy to send it 3 day priority too and if it's not worth the extra few bucks to send it priority (and give them a deadline for arrival) than they don't want the animal very bad.