I hope this website is no use at all

By | April 27, 2015
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Another useful website this time… but, actually I hope it’ll be no use to you whatsoever

The “Track my crime” website
Obviously, you hope you’ll never be the victim of a crime. But if you are, you may want to be able to stay up to date with how the police are getting on trying to catch whoever did it.

You can ring them up – but it might not be easy to get hold of the right person to ask. After all, we’d all rather that person was actually trying to solve the crime!

And several of the police forces have got together and set up a website so you can log in and see how they’re getting on.

Don’t worry, not just anyone can log in and see how the investigation is going. You need to have the relevant details.

But if it happens to you, go to www.trackmycrime.police.uk
You can log in with your details and the crime reference number (you should be given this when you report the incident).

And you can see how they’re getting on – easy to check from home without having to ring up, get put on hold, told the relevant person is busy or whatever.

As I say, I hope you’ll never want to use it. But if you do, it’s worth knowing it exists.

A question from a customer – is this something you’d want?
Last week, someone asked about paying for books they’d ordered on a free trial – they wanted to pay online for them.

At the moment, there’s no way to do so. You can only pay online if you do it when you order the books, not if you get them on free trial.

Funnily enough, as far as I know, no-one’s ever asked this before. Laura and Louize aren’t in the office yet this morning (I’m up bright and early… well, early if not always bright… – they’re not in until 9am – they start early some days but not usually Mondays…) so I can’t ask them if anyone’s asked them, but I’m sure they’d have mentioned it to me.

So I’m not sure if no-one’s asked because no-one else would be interested, or whether it’s that other people never thought of it or didn’t get around to asking.

It wouldn’t necessarily be a huge effort to set up, so I thought I’d see whether anyone else would find it useful. You’d be able to go to a special webpage on our website, type in your details (your name, email address and the amount you need to pay… maybe your order number) and then pay with your card. You wouldn’t need to set up an account or anything.

Is that something you might find useful?

Let me know – the easiest way is to go to the web version of this email, scroll down to the comments at the end of it and click to add yours.

It’s not something I’m going to have up and running by next week, but if it looks popular, I’ll put the wheels in motion!

And thanks to Eric for the idea!

40 thoughts on “I hope this website is no use at all

  1. cliff barber

    books on approval, what a superb idea. I read a lot of art books some of which I might have bought h.ad I had chance to see them

    Reply
  2. Kishor Gandhi

    YES please, hate writing Cheque then posting it at your expense. Just think how much postage you will be saving. GOOD LUCK

    Reply
  3. Brian

    This is a question I did asked a long time ago, but was told not at the moment, it could be useful if you have a job getting through on the phone, not that I have ever had a time when that has happen, would it save your staff time? Though it is always nice to speak to them.
    Many thanks. Brian.

    Reply
  4. John Layton

    Yes please, pay on line. Far easier for the one that pays, and think of the saving in your postage. You might even not bother sending out return envelopes – just include the freepost address on the invoice for those who prefer to send a cheque.

    Reply
  5. Jay Burgoyne

    Better still, why not save your card charges altogether! If you provide your bank sort code & account number, any customer can send you a ‘Faster Payment’ (BACS). You could even include a pro-forma invoice with the books sent on approval.

    Reply
    1. Richard Gedye

      Yes I completely agree with Jay Burgoyne. I would much rather pay by BACS direct into your bank via online banking. So much easier. That’s how I pay the guy who services my computer and most of the people who do work in the house these days.

      Reply
  6. liquidphantom

    liquidphantom would appreciate paying on-line in this way, please. What of ‘pay pal’ arrangements perhaps?

    Reply
    1. Richard Gedye

      I wouldn’t pay online if PayPal was the only method offered. Too much hassle with them in the past and too much effort sorting through genuine PayPal marketing spam and real scammers. But direct payment via BACS would be fabulous.

      Reply
  7. Monica

    Oh yes, yes, yes. I do it immediately on receipt, so you would get instant payment. Instead of a week to write the cheque, a week carrying the envelope around and not passing a Post box.
    I would also rather pay on ordering, which is something you don’t cater for….. Strange.

    Reply
  8. Margaret Millar

    I have paid for your latest books (which I am delighted with) by telephone, which is no problem.
    I would pay online if it was available.

    Reply
  9. John C

    Yeah Tim I think this would be most helpful Like Margaret I have paid via the phone without any probs,but I would use an Online payment system.
    Good Idea.
    Regards
    John C

    Reply
  10. Cec Neale

    I think being able to pay online is a great idea. Louize may have told you that one of my cheques, in your prepaid envelope, didn’t arrive recently and we had to cancel it and send another.

    It would also save you the cost of the postage, printed invoices, etc.

    Reply
  11. Roslyn Chamberlain

    Would like to be able to pay on line, so much easier than having to send cheque by post.

    Reply
  12. Norman H

    Hi Tim,
    Yes, I would much rather pay online. Much more convenient and faster than writing a cheque and then having to physically go out and post it. Would be cheaper on you too, saving on cost of paper, ink and pre-paid envelopes.

    Cheers,

    Norman.

    Reply
  13. Marilyn

    Sounds good to me,saves postage for you, time and phone call cost for customers, and providing your online setup is secure (which I am sure it would be) we are all winners.
    The option to pay by cheque might still be preferred by some.
    I think Cliff has not picked up on this referring to your excellent books, not book orders generally!

    Reply
  14. Angus Murray

    Pay by bank transfer. Thought of it but never bothered to tell you, Tim. Helpful Books would/should get the cash promptly and the buyer is saved writing a cheque, using a postage stamp and going to the pillar box. Hope it is commercially viable.

    Reply
  15. Heather

    Hello. I must admit I don’t often buy stuff but, yes, I would appreciate being able to pay online 🙂

    Reply
  16. Bryan

    I’ve become used to all methods, Tim, so if one system is inapplicable I can fortunately use another. In any event I find too many cards a nightmare and thief’s dream – so avoid.

    Reply
  17. Tony

    Definitely agree with majority above, I pay for just about everything online, so why not this? Tony

    Reply
  18. robert

    Sorry but I am going to be the awkward one. I prefer to pay by phone. It is good to speak to such friendly people. My recollection is that I sometimes pay when ordering.

    Reply
  19. Michael Judge

    Yes, so much easier paying on line and as others have said, cheaper for you too!

    Reply
  20. Kathleen Oyediran

    Yes, I would prefer to pay online if this was possible – faster and better for you too.

    Reply
  21. geoff

    Seems a good idea online payments. How about using Paypal as well?

    Reply
  22. Eric C. Smith

    The facility to make all payments online would be very useful, and I would welcome it. I recommend that you set it up.

    Reply
  23. Bronwyn Nowitzke

    I agree with Eric’s idea. I had the same one myself, but was too busy to take it any further!

    Reply
  24. John

    I have asked the question before, not necessarily for online payments but for an alternative other than phone.
    I have ordered recently on trial but I will not meet up with the books any time soon, definitely not before end of trial period.
    I also live Vietnam and work offshore so there are time zone issues and periods of no phone contact.
    Trial period is not an issue for me. I will not be returning the books so an online set up would be ideal.

    Cheers

    John

    Reply
  25. Mr Kelvin Perry

    Yes please. It would be much easier to pay on line, although I would miss talking to the girls in the office who are always so polite and helpful.

    Reply
  26. Iain Bennie

    Definately much handier & useful. Easier to make prompt payment & saves writing a cheque & having to get to a post box.

    Reply
  27. Gwenda Deal

    I, too, think BACS the simplest way to save us all time and money.

    Reply
  28. Anita McLean

    It would be so useful if I could pay on line I am extremely forgetful and many a time when I thought I had paid, only to get a ‘reminder letter’. that makes me feel anxious, as I don’t like owing anybody money
    Anita

    Reply
  29. Val Tarling

    Yes, I also would like this facility, especially if PayPal was included. I can then do it while it is in my mind. Easier than getting out the cheque book, envelope and stamp,

    Reply
  30. Eunice Quinlan

    Much prefer to pay online as I live Overseas and don’t have a British bank account. Paying by phone doesn’t work well for me either, so paying by credit card online would be fantastic.

    Reply
  31. bernard hatswell

    “Seconding” the proposal/suggestion about paying for your products online. If/when this comes about, those who register to pay this way will not expect to receive one of your “freebie” return envelopes that come with the bill/reminder, thus saving your company’s print&postage budget £”x”s overall. A wee bit of “savings” advice reciprocated…. The customer is also saved a trip to the pillar box, and the possible loss of an envelope in the post — and a payment delay — is avoided too.

    Reply
  32. Peter Cane

    I am not exactly living in the past Tim but I do not conduct banking on line. I guess I am like Margaret Miller(27 April) ,should I order material requiring payment I should be happy to pay there and then whilst on the phone.

    Reply
  33. Tim Post author

    Phew – thanks to everyone who replied!
    It sounds promising – I’ve answered in a bit more detail in the next NL, but watch this space for something new…
    Tim

    Reply

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