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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jul 25, 2018 15:00:21 GMT -5
Last night, I tried to make an appointment online for a spa I had not been to yet. I had about $70 in services added to my appointment. When I tried to set the appointment, they wanted a credit card number for me to pay in advance. I balked, backed out of the website and this morning received a text message from them wanting to know why I bailed. I've not yet responded, but will.
Looking back, anytime I have ever made an appointment (whether online or by phone), I nave never, ever paid in advance. Hair cuts, massages, pedicures, etc. all were paid after the service was rendered. Looking at other services, the only time we have paid for house stuff getting done (painting, re-decking, furnace, roof, etc.) a deposit for materials was asked for up front, but not the whole bill until the job was complete. Even the plumber dropped off a bill before he was done and we just dropped a check into the mail.
I'm not sure why this bothers me so much.
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hoops902
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Post by hoops902 on Jul 25, 2018 15:14:06 GMT -5
Do you know you were PAYING in advance? Or is it like a hotel where they want a card on file because they don't want you to set up an appointment online, then back out without paying or showing up? That's the only scenario I can think of off the top of my head where I'm giving a payment method up front for a service.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Jul 25, 2018 15:33:10 GMT -5
For simplicity's sake? I have some clients that like to pay me the first week of the month for a full week of lessons. It's easier for them, because one check written when they remember to. I don't like it because that's more for me to keep track of.
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bean29
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Post by bean29 on Jul 25, 2018 15:33:17 GMT -5
Last time I had a Massage the Masseuse worked out of my Chiropractor's office. I did pay in advance, but I basically pre-bought a certificate to lock in a sale price - Idk if you have to always pay in advance. I was not worried about the service not being performed/not getting the service.
It is possible they have issues with no-shows, so want upfront payment?
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jul 25, 2018 15:33:26 GMT -5
Do you know you were PAYING in advance? Or is it like a hotel where they want a card on file because they don't want you to set up an appointment online, then back out without paying or showing up? That's the only scenario I can think of off the top of my head where I'm giving a payment method up front for a service. I thought it was kind of interesting that I was adding services to a cart on the website, just like you would at Amazon. They wanted a credit card number, CCD and expiration date so I could 'check out' my cart. Those terms were used, so I assumed that I was needing to pay upfront.
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shanendoah
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Post by shanendoah on Jul 25, 2018 15:33:55 GMT -5
There's a spa here where you pay when you enter - both for access to the soaking hot tubs and for any services you want to add on, but I don't think you can make appointments online. You have to be there standing in the lobby, and you pay to enter and add any services you want.
But even at the Disney Grand Californian when I booked a massage and facial at their spa, they didn't have me pay until I was leaving, though I did give them a credit card number for a no show fee.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jul 25, 2018 15:35:51 GMT -5
For simplicity's sake? I have some clients that like to pay me the first week of the month for a full week of lessons. It's easier for them, because one check written when they remember to. I don't like it because that's more for me to keep track of.
I used to do this for my PT sessions too. It was easier to write a $600 check once/mo than write a bunch of $50/session checks.
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milee
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Post by milee on Jul 25, 2018 15:39:35 GMT -5
For simplicity's sake? I have some clients that like to pay me the first week of the month for a full week of lessons. It's easier for them, because one check written when they remember to. I don't like it because that's more for me to keep track of.
I would love it if I could convince my son's Oboe instructor to let me pay him monthly. I'd be happy to pay 100% in advance and do all the tracking (of course in a way that he could see the tracking) of it. He prefers that I pay him cash at the end of every lesson for simplicity's sake so that's what I do because he's awesome and it's not worth rocking the boat. But it's very inconvenient for me because other than for this purpose, I don't really carry much cash and if I go to get cash for the lessons, it's not in denominations that are easy (ATM gives $20s and the lessons are $50, so either he or I need to come up with a $10). Total First World Problems, but it really would be so much easier for me to hand him $200 cash at the beginning of each month for the four weekly lessons. But as for the OP, I wouldn't pay in advance for a massage like that and I would only be willing to do it for something where I know and trust the provider and it's low risk.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 15:44:27 GMT -5
I buy all DS's piano lessons in packages of 12 and pay by credit card ahead of time.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jul 25, 2018 15:50:36 GMT -5
But music lessons and PT appointments are reoccurring appointments. I have no plans on coming back to this spa for another 8-12 weeks, if I find the services satisfactory.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 16:00:29 GMT -5
I'm headed to the hospital to once again argue my bill that they were going to take care of back in March. My next appointment is in a few weeks. If I don't have THIS bill resolved before that, I'm cancelling and getting a new doctor. This is just too much screwing around.
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Jaguar
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Post by Jaguar on Jul 25, 2018 16:04:21 GMT -5
I paid in advance for my PT sessions as well when I broke my right elbow in two places.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 16:18:30 GMT -5
We have to pay for our annual termite inspection in advance. You pay to renew it in April, and then they call to tell you when they will be coming.
We have an annual service contract (not a home warranty) on our HVAC system. They come every six months. On the second visit for that year, we are expected to pay for the next year's contract.
If I remember correctly, you essentially prepay for a month's service with satellite or cable. That's what makes the first month's bill so high.
That's all I could think of. I had to prepay my daughter's piano lessons by the semester, but that was because they were at the local college.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jul 25, 2018 16:21:02 GMT -5
Its a deposit which they will take if you no show
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jul 25, 2018 17:03:08 GMT -5
I have never had to do that for a massage and I wouldn't.
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Artemis Windsong
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Post by Artemis Windsong on Jul 25, 2018 17:37:01 GMT -5
In December, one of my fitness centers has buy $25 in gift certificates and get $30. We use the money to buy tennis coupons. Last December I funded the account for what I thought would be our annual use of tennis. I was injured in February. From the balance, H. hasn't been buying the coupon books. We used to use one per month in the winter. I won't return to that center after the trash the tennis pro laid out on me.
No refunds on accounts and cannot transfer to another center. I might buy the tennis coupons to close the account and sell them to friends. There are levels of membership so that can be dicey, also.
I have a pre-paid annual membership to Movie Pass. A friend of mine bought a pre-paid package at a chiropractor in AZ. When I was in college, I went to the local Y for massages. The masseuse talked me into buying a package, which I did. She then talked me into another package deal. After I paid, I found out what different levels of membership were. I didn't have the one to get the massages. I was told to buy the upper level which I didn't have the money for. No refund from the Y. They made me out to be in the wrong when I had no idea of the membership levels. Really taken on that one.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Jul 25, 2018 18:47:59 GMT -5
I've never had to pay in advance. Both my massage therapist and the spa by my house require a credit card to charge if you don't show up. But I've never had to pay in advance. The massage therapist allows you to pay in advance if you want. I never do.
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on Jul 25, 2018 19:20:33 GMT -5
I had to pay in advance for weekend AC service on my credit card. I figured could dispute if he didn’t show.
If it’s a place you trust I wouldn’t have an issue with it.
I do hate when doctors offices ask for money upfront because they don’t know how much your insurance company will charge. Then if you overpay you have to ask for refund. If you are sure on copay that’s fine. But last year DH reached OOP max on heart surgery, I told him to insist on not paying his copay for follow ups.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jul 25, 2018 19:35:38 GMT -5
I had to pay in advance for weekend AC service on my credit card. I figured could dispute if he didn’t show. If it’s a place you trust I wouldn’t have an issue with it. I do hate when doctors offices ask for money upfront because they don’t know how much your insurance company will charge. Then if you overpay you have to ask for refund. If you are sure on copay that’s fine. But last year DH reached OOP max on heart surgery, I told him to insist on not paying his copay for follow ups. Your husband should not have been paying for appointments for 3 months following his surgery. This is the global period, where his post op treatment is included in the surgical cost. The offices can charge for X-rays and other tests, but not your appointment.
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on Jul 25, 2018 20:33:53 GMT -5
I had to pay in advance for weekend AC service on my credit card. I figured could dispute if he didn’t show. If it’s a place you trust I wouldn’t have an issue with it. I do hate when doctors offices ask for money upfront because they don’t know how much your insurance company will charge. Then if you overpay you have to ask for refund. If you are sure on copay that’s fine. But last year DH reached OOP max on heart surgery, I told him to insist on not paying his copay for follow ups. Your husband should not have been paying for appointments for 3 months following his surgery. This is the global period, where his post op treatment is included in the surgical cost. The offices can charge for X-rays and other tests, but not your appointment. It wasn’t surgeon, it was other doctors. He has several.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Jul 25, 2018 20:49:05 GMT -5
I had to pay in advance for weekend AC service on my credit card. I figured could dispute if he didn’t show. If it’s a place you trust I wouldn’t have an issue with it. I do hate when doctors offices ask for money upfront because they don’t know how much your insurance company will charge. Then if you overpay you have to ask for refund. If you are sure on copay that’s fine. But last year DH reached OOP max on heart surgery, I told him to insist on not paying his copay for follow ups. Yeah I figure my DH is going to have a hard time getting money back from the X-ray place. They charged him the rest of his deductible for the year. They supposedly priced it. EOBs showed up Monday and he overpaid by $80ish. And insurance paid pretty much what was submitted. I've found you have to keep harping on them to get a refund and he's not going to be good at that. I forgot the last time I went to Lab Corp they demanded a credit card for copay/balance. I don't know how in the world that doctor coded it but I ended up owing all of it because I hadn't met the max out of pocket and it was under any copay amount. I've had tons of blood work for allergy tests, panels to check WBC, IgEs and not owed a thing. Oh well I fired him.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 20:53:41 GMT -5
I've never been asked to prepay for a massage/facial etc. and would not do that.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jul 31, 2018 11:28:56 GMT -5
I have just received my 4th text from this business wanting to schedule me for services since I backed out of prepaying.
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chen35
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Post by chen35 on Jul 31, 2018 12:14:42 GMT -5
My spa requires 50% down before the appointment. If you cancel more than 24 hours before you supposedly get that back, but I've never cancelled before.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jul 31, 2018 15:39:18 GMT -5
I have just received my 4th text from this business wanting to schedule me for services since I backed out of prepaying. This would annoy me enough that I would block the number.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2018 16:33:20 GMT -5
I have just received my 4th text from this business wanting to schedule me for services since I backed out of prepaying. This would annoy me enough that I would block the number. I would block them after explaining in very straight, easy-to-understand language why I wasn't a current or future customer.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jul 31, 2018 18:52:36 GMT -5
Better idea than my idea.
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Jul 31, 2018 19:57:58 GMT -5
This would annoy me enough that I would block the number. I would block them after explaining in very straight, easy-to-understand language why I wasn't a current or future customer. This is what I would do also unless I really did want to go there. In which case, I would explain why I backed out and see if they would allow payment after I received the services. What did you end up doing, The Walk of the Penguin Mich?
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jul 31, 2018 20:03:46 GMT -5
I’ve not done anything yet. The spa has limited hours and was closed.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2018 16:10:15 GMT -5
I'm late to this, but my response would be- it depends on how much I want the service and what the competition is doing. I've already booked and paid for two plane trips and put down a deposit on a cruise in 2018. My airfare to Scotland next month and my Airbnb apartment are also fully paid for. That's the way those businesses work (unless you want to pay about double for a non-cancellable airfare).
Something like a massage where there's plenty of competition- no, unless I got some sort of discount for buying the services up front. I'd be OK with them taking a credit card number to charge after the fact if I didn't show up, though.
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