Gift Certificate Issues

So, long story, but I donated a gift certificate for a school fundraiser. The person who won the GC has been very difficult to get info from and changed her order/date several times, not responding to emails half the time. I finally had her send me the GC as her non-refundable deposit to hold her date, she sent that over a week late without even checking to see if I was still available.

Now the deadline for guest count and flavor has come and gone and I am stuck wondering if she still wants this or not or even where I am supposed to deliver. I'm sure I could look up her address, but how do I even know that is where she will be. This is driving me crazy, I have never had a paying customer do this and now, here I am stuck dealing with it for a GC I donated to support my son's school.

Needless to say, I won't be donating anymore GC's, just product.

DH suggested collecting a cash deposit that I would refund upon delivery if I ever do another GC donation (which I won't). I really like that idea, in hindsight. I really thought that the fact she had to turn over the GC would make sure she didn't leave me standing. Now I'm wondering if she changed/cancelled the date of her party and is just not bothering to contact me, because, hey, either way she's doesn't get her GC back (which I would absolutely have made an exception if she had been respectful through this process but then had an issue outside of her control).

Anyway, partial vent, and wanted to share the cash deposit idea in hopes it can save someone else on here some trouble in the future.

Thanks, I do know who the PTA volunteers are, but I refuse to hunt her down - its a large school so they may not know her either. It just amazes me how disrespectful some people can be, especially when they know it was a donation. I guess I've been lucky, all of my customers have been so easy and gracious to work with so this took me by surprise.

My business policy is that if someone seems they wouldn't be a good fit as my customer, I will not take their order, it will save us both frustration. Since she already had the GC, I didn't have that option. I figure, from now on, if I just donate product, whoever wins leaves with that product and I don't have to worry about the customer service aspect of it. Win-win.

I had included a stipulation that the event needed to be booked at least 1 month ahead and was subject to availability, also gave the person clear deadlines for her to finalize her order. She ignored the deadlines.

Just heard back from her today, after the deadline. Technically, I could tell her that I'm sorry, but I can't adjust her order at this point (I had originally said if she didn't chose by the deadline, details would be chosen by us), but its just not worth dealing with more back and forth. I've let her know that this is her final order and I've ordered supplies so nothing can be changed.

Now I have to wait and wonder how this will all work out. I will be so glad when it is done. Good luck with your GC. Sometimes people forget and just don't redeem. If it has gone past the exp. date, I would not honor it (unless the person was very apologetic and it was only a short time past - hey, we all forget things sometimes).

The first time she called, I did turn her down because it was less than one week notice and I truly didn't have time in my schedule. This time, there was notice for the date, but not the final details. You think you cover all angles, but then there are situations you don't expect because most people don't behave that way.

I really don't want to start having all sorts of obscure, what-if rules every time someone books with me. I'm just chalking it up as part of doing business and dealing with the public, there can be 1000 wonderful people but you also will get a few difficult ones. I will walk though, if she doesn't pay me the small balance owed when I get there.

Thanks, Rae. I have heard back from her (no apology or acknowledgment of being late), so at least I'm not left wondering if she cancelled and didn't tell me. Now I have to hope that she actually pays for the upgrade. For small orders, I take a deposit and have the balance due at delivery and have never had an issue with that. I really don't want to be faced with having to choose to walk away with all of her guests (and people in my community) standing there. I did make it clear on her invoice, that the upgrade is considered the final order, may not be changed and must be paid for at delivery, before she receives anything. I googled her name and turns out that she has some negative info out there about her on public record. Wish I knew that before I sent her contract.

I wish I could but I had already sent out my initial contract which states balance is due at beginning of event and that she had until this past week to give a final guest count, at which point if she added anything the balance is due in cash at the start of the event (its for a cupcake decorating party and she added guests above what the GC covered). Her GC served as the retainer. If I knew about what I found on Google today, I would have told her since she was late with the guest count, she needed to pay today or couldn't add, but I already sent the invoice.

Rae, I like that. I did bold print on the invoice that the final guest count may not be changed and is due in cash before the event starts. I will call her to make sure she received the invoice and reiterate that the party will not start until I receive payment. Its not a lot of $, but it certainly is the principle of it all. I would just hate to walk out on all those kids because of what an adult does. Plus, she could go back and badmouth me to my son's school and unless they confront me, I would never know and then my business name is smeared (though plenty of people there know me and know I am reliable and have donated a lot to the school with no issues).