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CHECK ACCEPTANCE
POLICY |
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Due to the unscrupulous practices of a few, we have been forced to
limit acceptance of checks. Checks will only be accepted from known
customers.
However, the good news is that last year we began accepting major
credit cards. We also encourage the use of debit cards. This should
help alleviate any inconvenience caused by our check acceptance
policy.
Now, here are some examples of
why we have had to institute this policy.
In November of 2002, "Bob"* purchased $86 worth of household goods on
Friday, and came back Saturday for an oil painting at half price
($200). Both checks were drawn from a closed account. He has been
turned over to the Dallas County District Attorney's Office -
Fraudulent Check Division.
In February, "Art"* purchased $505 of furniture and appliances on
Saturday, and stopped payment on the check Monday. Attempts to
contact him were unsuccessful.
In April, "Connie"*, a dealer, purchased $168.75 worth of china and
purses at half price. On Sunday, she threatened to stop payment on
the check if we did not refund $62.50 for a gravy boat she claimed
had a hairline crack under our price sticker. (We don't hide damage,
by the way. Never have.) To give her the benefit of the doubt, we
refunded the $62.50. Upon closer inspection of the returned piece,
we discovered not only the crack that was allegedly covered by our
price sticker, we found an obvious repair as well as price sticker
residue on the bottom of the piece! We might have missed a hairline
crack, but clearly would NOT have also missed the repair AND the
sticker residue. We place price stickers inside the edges of bowls
(but NOT over cracks), so there would have been no sticker from us
on the bottom. Furthermore, one of Dallas' most experienced antiques
dealers and estate sale professionals examined the original piece at
the start of the sale (his wife collects the same pattern), and he
did not find a crack or a repair! Clearly, our client's intact gravy
boat was switched for a damaged piece. We attempted to call the
buyer several times in order to resolve the issue. After no
response, we stopped payment on our refund check. (Suddenly, we then
received a call from the buyer!) The switched piece was returned to
the buyer, but only after a number of date-verified close-up digital
photos were taken of it.
As always, we appreciate your patronage, and we will continue to
provide quality sales and fair dealings for all (including the
clients who hire us!).
*Names have been changed
to protect the guilty.
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