FYI. GovPlanet no longer allows partial payments on items $5k+

[kfrosty]

The short version, you can't make $5,000 partial credit card payments on GovPlanet anymore for anything with a value over $5k

The comical long version.

On a whim I bid on a LMTV because nobody was bidding on them. I think this is my 11th vehicle through them and I always pay with CC because quite frankly I don't fully trust their reports or practices when push comes to shove. (Nor do I any company anymore outside Amazon.)

I also use it for cash back. At this particular point, I've got something else going on and planned to pay off in Oct.

Anyway, I called to pay $5k, and they said no. Keep in mind the bid was $5,100, ($100 over 5k and then their 10% on top of it.)

Here's the response after I told them they could either accept a credit card or run the item back through the auction.

"
Once again we do apologize for any inconvenience you may be experiencing. However, the payment system is in place for the buyer’s protection and convenience; with this security and convenience comes some restrictions that are now in place to affect the buyer experience more positively in the future. Payments over 5000.00 will only be accepted via wire to mitigate fraudulent activity. We also want to remind you that this information is located in our “Terms and Conditions” prior to you buying, as show below:

3.2. Payment and Payment Schedule. Buyer shall remit the Final Selling Price, applicable taxes, duties, Value Added Tax or Vehicle Registration Taxes, Transaction Fees and any other required fees within three (3) business days after conclusion of the Purchase Contract. At Seller's option, receipt of the purchase price may be facilitated by IronPlanet, in which case Seller (as mandator) would instruct IronPlanet (as a mandatory) so that IronPlanet can enforce the Seller's right to payment vis-a-vis the Buyer, and full payment of the amounts noted above shall be posted to a secure payment account designated by IronPlanet. Buyers from the United States and Canada must tender payments via wire transfer (recommended) or credit card (when full payment is USD/CAD 5,000.00 or less). Any foreign currency exchange fees or charges are the responsibility of the Buyer. BUYERS FROM OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA MUST TENDER ALL PAYMENTS VIA WIRE TRANSFER. All amounts that are due and payable must be paid prior to releasing any Equipment for pick-up or transport.

When it pertains to credit card payments we no longer have the authorization to accept payments over the 5000.00 limit partly because this is through a third party company that is in place for the previously mentioned reasons. What we are proposing the options are at this point are:
"
Convenience and restrictions, used together?

Also, I guess it would be horrible if a "crook" decided to call in and pay $5,000 toward our purchases. Heaven forbid and i'm sure that happens all the time.

If somebody purchases something with a fraudulent credit card, the card owner's bank is on the hook. So that can't be it and again how does that affect honest buyers??

Now maybe the bank makes them eat the credit card fees but that doesn't protect the buyer or make it convenient for them.

I'm also having a hard time understanding how not accepting a credit card is convenient and protects a buyer??? Sounds like Clinton logic to me.

More so I'm thinking they just don't want to pay the 2.5% fees or whatever.

Oh well, no biggie as my account getting suspended will help curb the green addiction.

Anyway, for anybody thinking about purchasing something and putting part of it on a credit card until you came up with the rest, that's not possible anymore.

If you don't pay, I think the minimum default fee is something like $1,500 and your account gets suspended.

 

[mkcoen]

NEVER buy anything from GP. They'll come up with some way to screw you no matter how minor it may be.

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

One of the reasons I dislike GP much more than GL. I've bought one vehicle from GP and 6? from GL..... The only saving grace at GP is Jwade. They're lucky to have him. He must be a workaholic. GP likes to miss a lot of pictures, like Fuel injection pumps leaking, transfer cases broken, ect....... No wonder they don't want you paying by CC. You can't charge it back.

 

[kfrosty]

NEVER buy anything from GP. They'll come up with some way to screw you no matter how minor it may be.

Haha, I'm not saying they are screwing me. Actually stopping me from impulse buying from them probably affects them more than me. It's just the freakin BS emails they send trying to rationalize something like this is what irritates me.

 

[wheelspinner]

Do they take a credit card for that fee?.........

This is ridiculous. I too have made partial payment w/cc before for many of the same reasons. Oh well. Just another case of trying to cater only to large national account type bidders and business owners. Oh and the lucky few that have that kind of change laying in a cookie jar.

 

[kfrosty]

One of the reasons I dislike GP much more than GL. I've bought one vehicle from GP and 6? from GL..... The only saving grace at GP is Dwade. They're lucky to have him. He must be a workaholic.

GL, I purchased two 5 ton hard tops. Got one and looked like somebody ran over it and wasn't mentioned. Filed a claim month or so ago. I was supposed to hear back in 15 days.

It's just about any company now. They say nice things and offer assurances to get the money. But if you have a problem, more times than not it's every person for themselves with a lot of companies anymore.

 

[porkysplace]

Just have your bank put the first $5000 of the wire transfer on your credit card .

I run a concrete construction company and we don't and never will deal with credit cards . It just isn't worth the credit card companies B.S. to take them .

 

[infidel got me]

Nice

 

[Special T]

Just have your bank put the first $5000 of the wire transfer on your credit card .

I run a concrete construction company and we don't and never will deal with credit cards . It just isn't worth the credit card companies B.S. to take them .

I have got to say "the square" credit card readers are a good deal and have helped my company's cash flow. Been pretty painless for me.

 

[kfrosty]

Just have your bank put the first $5000 of the wire transfer on your credit card .

I run a concrete construction company and we don't and never will deal with credit cards . It just isn't worth the credit card companies B.S. to take them .

Thank you for the suggestion but I'm not trying to find a way resolve it outside of them taking the credit card or putting it back up for auction and I'll know the policy next time or they can suspend the account as well.

Also, note they still take credit cards if your purchase is $5,000 or lower in value.

Then additionally, you make it known your policy and don't change it with some fine print somewhere and blame your established customers if they fail to see it.

This isn't the first issue like this with them and I'm pushing back.

They're either going to learn to get their act together or I'll be better off with a suspended account where I won't have the option of making a mistake of dealing with them anymore.

 

[mkcoen]

They're either going to learn to get their act together or I'll be better off with a suspended account where I won't have the option of making a mistake of dealing with them anymore.

If you're not buying 20 vehicles a week from them then they don't give a rat's rearend. Jwade has been helpful on minor things here but that doesn't mean things get resolved. This is actually a good thing because now I don't have to worry about having too many vehicles in my driveway. I bought over 25 from GL but I stop at #2 with GP. Maybe I'll go back to muscle cars.

 

[Gunzy]

Just another reason for private buyers to look on the outside market for trucks rather than screw with the auction system. Opening bids have climbed, A LOT and their system to pay is a pain in the backside. I guess I am done with my addiction unless they get their crap together and become A LOT more customer friendly.

 

[Jwade]

We had a lot of fraudulent activity recently and had to change our policies. I know its a pain in the A$$, not much else I can say.

 

[fuzzytoaster]

Disappointing to say the least, maybe this will cause prices to drop when people can't pay with CC's.

 

[Lionel]

Ok, So you have a legitimate discrepancy and they do want to hear it. You refuse to pay. Aside from suspending your account, what can they really do?

 

[dk8019]

I'm surprised they ever took CC payments at all on lots greater than $5k. GL never has on total sale of a collection of lots over $10k. I can't blame them though, the fees are high on their end, and dealing with CC companies is no fun. It's true it will limit their market reach on buyer that buy on impulse, but I would imagine like most things a business analysis was done, which lead to this decision.

 

[springbok]

Just my thoughts:
They have to pay 2.5% or more for any credit card transaction. That said, if they are going through a third party then it is probably more.
On one sale that is nothing but 400 sales then it adds up. They dropped from 10 to 5K (Make more money)
Also, once the Wire Transfer is sent it is gone, you can't get it back where with a CC you can dispute the charge.
Lastly, it is not only the bank that has to cover in the event of a stolen credit card. If it is an "In Store" purchase then the bank will cover it.
An online transaction is covered by the person/company processing the transaction.
This is nothing to do with us and all about them getting the most out of the sale and covering their a$$ to make sure they get and keep their money.
They are already getting the 10% + whatever % they get from the sale. Supply and demand. They have a monopoly on selling these so it is not like you can fight them unless we all stop buying...
I will start the revolt, I will not buy any more HUMVEEs from GP (OK actually the wife cute me off but it still sounded good)

 

[Action]

But, you can still use a CC if the total is under $5000. I think the problem was more of matching a partial payment from CC to the rest of the payment via wire transfer. I thought there was a post about a payment being "lost".

 

[Gunnermac]

Having bought over $250,000 from GL, I have bought 5 vehicles from GP, two of them took 7 months and intervention from JWade to clear the paperwork Two of the others took 5 months. In addition it took two months to get the tax issues resolved. I can not afford to have $20,000+ tied up for months. I advised GP that I will do no further business with them until they can do business in a business like manner. Some of the EUC problems are out of their hands, but that was not the situation I dealt with. I remember some of the grumbles that I heard about GL, wishing that someone else could get the government contract. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[kfrosty]

Having bought over $250,000 from GL, I have bought 5 vehicles from GP, two of them took 7 months and intervention from JWade to clear the paperwork Two of the others took 5 months. In addition it took two months to get the tax issues resolved. I can not afford to have $20,000+ tied up for months. I advised GP that I will do no further business with them until they can do business in a business like manner. Some of the EUC problems are out of their hands, but that was not the situation I dealt with. I remember some of the grumbles that I heard about GL, wishing that someone else could get the government contract. Be careful what you wish for.

Good to know they don't appear to discriminate based on volume.

My first 6 hmmwv purchases, it took 4 months if I recall tying up 48k. They don't care. Even worse, I ended up bidding for a friend on the road as they couldn't bid on their account.

We won the vehicles and then dug into what was wrong with his account to try and fix it to transfer the vehicles over because he had a tax id.

Turns out he had purchased 2 trailers. Had his father called into to pay for them. They made a mistake and only charged one of them to the credit card. They even admitted they only charged one and tried to respond well we didn't know he wanted to pay for both but yet they didn't ask.

We're like ok that's your fault, we'll pay for them but not your $1,000 late fee or whatever ridiculous amount it was.

I was on the emails and calls or I wouldn't have believed it otherwise. I've had issues with money transfers more than once.

Oh well if they are going to act this way in this situation, then that's it. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences