Elderdude
Recycles dryer sheets
My wife said I should shop for an item I wanted for my birthday. I shopped around town, and on the web, and found the item in a local store, offering 0% financing for a year. Since we always make mutual decisions on purchases above a certain amount, this one amounting to roughly $700, I told the salesman I’d return later in the week with my wife. When we returned, on my birthday, we found a note on the door, saying that the store had temporarily closed, but that we could obtain the item at a store 20 miles away.
We drove to the other location together, filled out the financing form, (through a major bank,) and were told the item would be delivered free and set up the next day. It was and we have been happy with the product since then.
A few weeks later, the bank card arrived with the store’s logo imprinted across the top, and a promise that the bill would arrive in within a couple of weeks. After another month without receiving the bill, I called the card company’s number on the card, and was told that they had not received the invoice for the item, and I needed to call the store. I called the store and the number was out of service, as was the one for the original store we had tried. A follow up call to the card company resulted in the same result. They told me to contact the store directly. Again the same disconnected message.
It has been six months now, no bill, both stores are empty, all signage removed. No one has tried to contact me, the card company hasn’t either, although I did receive a follow-up letter from them saying I needed to contact the store directly for information.
I searched for the company on line and found out that the local franchisee had declared bankruptcy. No one has attempted to contact me yet. Apparently the bank isn’t out any money or it would be billing me. I can, and would, pay, either under the original terms, or up front, any bill sent to me for the whole amount. But I feel no obligation to expend any money or time trying to track down anyone currently due the original amount.
How do you think this will play out? What is my liability? What would you do? I’m inclined to do nothing and tell my wife she still owes me a birthday present.
We drove to the other location together, filled out the financing form, (through a major bank,) and were told the item would be delivered free and set up the next day. It was and we have been happy with the product since then.
A few weeks later, the bank card arrived with the store’s logo imprinted across the top, and a promise that the bill would arrive in within a couple of weeks. After another month without receiving the bill, I called the card company’s number on the card, and was told that they had not received the invoice for the item, and I needed to call the store. I called the store and the number was out of service, as was the one for the original store we had tried. A follow up call to the card company resulted in the same result. They told me to contact the store directly. Again the same disconnected message.
It has been six months now, no bill, both stores are empty, all signage removed. No one has tried to contact me, the card company hasn’t either, although I did receive a follow-up letter from them saying I needed to contact the store directly for information.
I searched for the company on line and found out that the local franchisee had declared bankruptcy. No one has attempted to contact me yet. Apparently the bank isn’t out any money or it would be billing me. I can, and would, pay, either under the original terms, or up front, any bill sent to me for the whole amount. But I feel no obligation to expend any money or time trying to track down anyone currently due the original amount.
How do you think this will play out? What is my liability? What would you do? I’m inclined to do nothing and tell my wife she still owes me a birthday present.
