Confusion over Classified Ad Payment form
An anonymized email thread illustrates...
-----Original Message-----
From: Advertiser
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008
To: Craig Ragland
Subject: Re: Receipt - Classified Ads
OK, don’t bother with a refund.
-----Original Message-----
From: Craig Ragland
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 9:00 AM
To: Advertiser
Subject: Re: Receipt - Classified Ads
Hi,
Thanks for the feedback. I agree that the language is confusing and your input is valuable as we improve the Beta Release of the website. Here's more information on the current website release in case you are interested:
When the form was designed, we were constrained by the underlying system being used to collect payments. The system was created for non-profit contributions and does not easily accommodate changes to the language on the processing form. Like Coho/US, many non-profits now offer fee-for-services, in addition to accepting charitable contributions. We'll look at this issue again before the website's full release in June.
We have now received your additional payment of $75 and the advertisement is now live:
And can be seen listed in the Classified Ads
I extended the ad's run by 1 month, please let me know if you only want it to run for 3 months and would like a $25 refund.
Thanks again for your order and I hope your Classified Advertisement helps sell the unit. Please let us know if the Coho/US staff can be of any further help.
Craig
On Thu, Feb 28, 2008 at 5:40 AM, Advertiser wrote:
To me the word "contribution" signified an additional contribution to the Cohousing organization on top of the charge for the ad. I was somewhat annoyed at having to make a contribution, but I understand that the organization needs funds to survive. Since I listed the dates as Feb 28 to May 28, I assumed that you would charge me the additional $75, making a total charge to VISA of $100. Your process is confusing. Why don't you say "payment"?
-----Original Message-----
From: Craig Ragland
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 8:34 AM
To: Advertiser:
Subject: Re: Receipt - Classified Ads
Hi,
It appears that you missed the fact that there is a 3-month minimum period for Classified Ads, as you paid a total of $25 for your Classified Ad.
To run a Classified Ad on the cohousing website currently has a minimum cost of $75.
If you would like to run the ad for the minimum 3 months, you can go directly to this secure payment form and pay an additional $50:
https://www.cohousing.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=4
I'm sorry for any inconvenience that our payment process may have presented.
Craig
On Thu, Feb 28, 2008 at 4:35 AM, <advertising [at] cohousing [dot] org> wrote:
Thank you for placing your ad!
Please print this receipt for your records.
===========================================================
Contribution Information
===========================================================
Amount: $ 25.00
Date: February 28th, 2008 7:35 AM
===========================================================
We've had a lot of
We've had a lot of successful payments go though - I'll l;ook again at changing the word Contribution, but since this person did figure out $25 and not $75 we may want to change THAT language to be more clear?
My interpretation is that
My interpretation is that she thought she was "automatically" be billed $75 for the ad, since she specified the minimum 3 months and many online order forms do all the calculations for you, and that we were requiring an additional contribution. Not a biggie, but we have not had that many Classified Ads entered and we have no idea how many never submitted. There have been a few that were entered but not paid for - but they appeared all to be aborted ads and a couple of SPAM ads.
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