Whats your policy on abandoned orders?

[Mr Tees!!]

We have a couple of small orders that the customer never came to pick up, and I'm sick of it taking up my shelf space. What's your policy on this? How long do you keep stuff, and how do you cover your ass should the customer ever ever show up? Do you include it in email notices, and how do you word it?

Case in point, one order of 12, 1-color prints, deposit paid, goods printed....due date came and went ( supposedly for an event, but no date on the shirts themselves). Still owes half. I could use the test prints, but need to CYA.

[Frog]

Obvious question, have you called the guy?

[mimosatexas]

I am currently sitting on about 30 dickies shirts a guy paid retail for and paid a deposit on and has never approved artwork.  I printed the first half of his order (slightly different art) which he paid for and picked up in a timely fashion.  This half has been here for about 2 months now.  Called, emailed, etc and he has basically stopped responding.  I have no idea why he would abandon like $1000 worth of blank goods that he already paid a deposit for printing....

[Gilligan]

I have a client like that.

They just get busy and it's the last thing they are worried about for their business.  When they are working on 40k jobs, 1k of shirts isn't a high priority.

On the other hand, we have one client that is just plain dragging her feet in getting her stuff.  We got half of the final half the other day... it's more than we had before and job is printed, so I'm happy.  We technically made money at this point.  We just want that box gone... and as many of you know, a box in my shop is valuable real estate.

[bimmridder]

I've seen sign in numerous businesses saying something to the effect of "Not responsible for goods left over 30 days" Adding this line to you paperwork they sign off on might be a help?

[royster13]

Based on things that happened in my life when I was young, I became quite generous in my old age....Personally I would just deliver or ship the goods and ask them to pay when they can...And if they not pay, not tell him do not worry about it....It would make me feel good to pay forward some favours I can never to return to where they came from...And I know my dearly departed "Grammy" would be smiling down at me....

[3Deep]

Royster your one good guy or have a fat bank account, I'm not in the biz of giving away product to many people here would line up at my door if I even thought about being nice like that.

darryl

[prozyan]

We give two calls the week the goods are due, one call each week after that for a month, for a total of 6 calls.  All documented.  After that, we "warehouse" the order and if six months passes, we re-purpose the goods.  Usually as shop rags.

[royster13]

Royster your one good guy or have a fat bank account, I'm not in the biz of giving away product to many people here would line up at my door if I even thought about being nice like that.

darryl

When I was young, foolish and selfish I did not have a "pot to piss in"....I am now older, wiser and more generous and do quite well....Believe it or not, you "reap what you sew" and when you do good it comes back to you....And do you really think there are that many folks out there that would take advantage of you?.....Certainly not the case here in Canada.....

[3Deep]

Royster in my area sad to say but yes people would take advantage of being over nice, back in our early days we would not ask for a deposit and would do art up front and got burn more times than I would like to say.  It would be nice if all area's in the world would work the same, but sadly it does not, although we do have certain people we work with and have been ladies /men of there words.
 

[Rockers]

We have a couple of small orders that the customer never came to pick up, and I'm sick of it taking up my shelf space. What's your policy on this? How long do you keep stuff, and how do you cover your ass should the customer ever ever show up? Do you include it in email notices, and how do you word it?

Case in point, one order of 12, 1-color prints, deposit paid, goods printed....due date came and went ( supposedly for an event, but no date on the shirts themselves). Still owes half. I could use the test prints, but need to CYA.

You don`t have any terms and conditions on your website?
Is that still legal to run a business without having them visible for the clients?

[Frog]

Mr. Tees, I'm still wondering what he says when you call him to remind him of his shirts.

The three times this happened to me in 24 years, I got the same story; "I'm sorry, but (fill in a reason for not having the money) and I'll get to it when I can. I still want the shirts, especially since I paid half already".

All three came through, but one took nine months! Point is, we knew where we both stood because at least we talked. Not unanswered email, but really talked.

[Mr Tees!!]

...Sorry AndyMan, been a BUSY day. The customer has been called several times, with no answer. He has also been emailed several times with no reply. Now that I think of it, Im pretty sure this guy was never actually IN my shop. He called in for quote and placed the order, and gave CC# over the phone. Invoice was approved via email, along with art proof. Everything went smoothly, but he just never showed for the goods, and stopped communicating.

...I have an additional order that has been here even longer, but that client at least calls and says he will get here when he can, we are okay with that as long as we stay in communication.

..Rockers, we have terms and conditions for many things, probably more than others...I'm a great big fan of CYA (you should see my wholesale price list  ). However, this has not been an issue before, so we are adding it in, hence this thread. 

[Get Shirts]

What would happen if you charged his cc for the remainder?