credit card charged but item won't be shipped until mid-November

[retire-early]

I placed an order on Oct. 2.
At the time, the shipment date was listed as Oct 9.
Now, the website lists the shipment date as Nov. 15.
Whether that will really happen is anyone's guess.
My two phone calls to their Denver office and an email have been unanswered. The company manufacturers in China and ships them here.

I will get the credit card statement at the end of October.

I am planning on doing a chargeback then, because according to Chase there is nothing I can do until then.

Thoughts?

 

[ivinsfan]

I placed an order on Oct. 2.
At the time, the shipment date was listed as Oct 9.
Now, the website lists the shipment date as Nov. 15.
Whether that will really happen is anyone's guess.
My two phone calls to their Denver office and an email have been unanswered. The company manufacturers in China and ships them here.

I will get the credit card statement at the end of October.

I am planning on doing a chargeback then, because according to Chase there is nothing I can do until then.

Thoughts?

Is it a "pending" charge or an actual charge? I had this happen when ordering a tool that went out of stock...about 7 days after they figured out it wasn't going to ship anytime soon, the charge dropped off my Discover account.

 

[retire-early]

Is it a "pending" charge or an actual charge? I had this happen when ordering a tool that went out of stock...about 7 days after they figured out it wasn't going to ship anytime soon, the charge dropped off my Discover account.

not pending

disappointed

 

[euro]

You are on the right track. Wait until you receive the statement and then challenge the charge if it actually shows up. It will keep you from having to pay for the item before you actually receive it, and it will serve as an unpleasant learning experience for the seller (chargeback).

 

[Aerides]

Technically, merchants should not charge you until the order ships (unless you explicitly agree when making the order.)

However, the merchant can and will cancel the order if you open a chargeback. If you really want the widget, I'd just wait. A lot of companies are having supply delays due to....everything. It's bad form for them not to reply, but, again, due to everything, a lot of these smaller outfits are inundated with similar calls and emails because of the delays in a never ending spiral that makes it all worse.

I've had a few orders work like that the past few months - they all came through in the end.

 

[retire-early]

From what someone wrote on a message board, the manufacturer only sent out 150 on Oct. 12 and the remaining 1000 units will go out Nov. 15. The guy was apparently able to get information.

I want to cut the manufacturer a break, but I don't want to be left holding the bag for $360 either.

 

[njhowie]

When you order a larger or more expensive item which has to be custom/individually ordered from a manufacturer, it is not uncommon for the retailer to charge at least some amount at order acceptance.

I will get the credit card statement at the end of October.

I am planning on doing a chargeback then, because according to Chase there is nothing I can do until then.

Thoughts?

Chase gave you incorrect information. You can dispute a charge the moment it shows up in the online statement - even when pending. I know this from experience. I happen to be looking at my online account one day and saw a fraudulent pending charge show up for about $2500. I called my credit card issuer and they immediately rejected the charge. Since it was still pending, they didn't even need to open a dispute/chargeback since it had not posted. Now, the company that issued the charge (a well known computer manufacturer) turned it over for collection about 6 months later and I had to send two stern certified letters to the collection agency before they backed off.

 

[retire-early]

When you order a larger or more expensive item which has to be custom/individually ordered from a manufacturer, it is not uncommon for the retailer to charge at least some amount at order acceptance.

The order is $360 and they charged me all of it.

.

 

[JRon]

Do the chargeback like you plan. The last time that happened to me, I did eventually get the part just before my time to chargeback was over. Unfortunately I read on the forum where I found great references for this company, they eventually went out of business and everyone who was charged and out of the chargeback period lost their money.

Companies that charge before shipping usually can't pay their bills - usually only a matter of time before they're gone.

 

[Sarah S]

You also have 60 days from the day it posts to dispute the charge. You don’t have to dispute right now. Do keep a record of your attempts to contact them because you need to show you tried to resolve this

 

[njhowie]

The order is $360 and they charged me all of it.

.

Not knowing what the items are, who the seller is, or the seller's terms on the order, we can't say if it's justified or not. If you believe the seller has breached the terms of the sales agreement, then follow through with the dispute. However, before doing that, if you purchased through a website or a retailer that has a website, I'd check there for their sales terms to be sure that the information had not been conveyed to you previously and maybe you missed it somewhere during the order process.

Having had a credit card merchant account for a business in my past life, I can tell you that chargebacks hurt the merchant and they have to pay significant fees (more than their profit on your order) when it's done - even if the customer was wrong and initiated the dispute by mistake.

 

[retire-early]

Not knowing what the items are, who the seller is, or the seller's terms on the order, we can't say if it's justified or not. If you believe the seller has breached the terms of the sales agreement, then follow through with the dispute. However, before doing that, if you purchased through a website or a retailer that has a website, I'd check there for their sales terms to be sure that the information had not been conveyed to you previously and maybe you missed it somewhere during the order process.

Having had a credit card merchant account for a business in my past life, I can tell you that chargebacks hurt the merchant and they have to pay significant fees (more than their profit on your order) when it's done - even if the customer was wrong and initiated the dispute by mistake.

I know that chargebacks are bad.
But I have not received response to either my voicemails or my emails.

When I ordered it, the date on the website was Oct. 9.
It was changed to Oct. 12 and then Oct. 14 and now it is Nov. 15

I have been more than reasonable trying to reach them.

And there are no terms on the order page. I just went there again.

.

 

[Aerides]

You basically have 2 choices:

1- The day your statement arrives and do a chargeback - expect to never do business with the merchant again and you must no longer want the item - at least not from them.

2 - Wait until your payment due date nears. By then, it should be a few days after the November ship date. You'll either have received communication, a shipping notice, or the item. All is well. Or not, and you'll still have time for a chargeback. Put a note on your calendar today.

If you definitely don't want the item or any further business with this company, lean 1. Otherwise, 2.

 

[njhowie]

I know that chargebacks are bad.
But I have not received response to either my voicemails or my emails.

When I ordered it, the date on the website was Oct. 9.
It was changed to Oct. 12 and then Oct. 14 and now it is Nov. 15

I have been more than reasonable trying to reach them.

And there are no terms on the order page. I just went there again.

.

True - no reason for merchant not to respond to you.

 

[retire-early]

You basically have 2 choices:

1- The day your statement arrives and do a chargeback - expect to never do business with the merchant again and you must no longer want the item - at least not from them.

2 - Wait until your payment due date nears. By then, it should be a few days after the November ship date. You'll either have received communication, a shipping notice, or the item. All is well. Or not, and you'll still have time for a chargeback. Put a note on your calendar today.

If you definitely don't want the item or any further business with this company, lean 1. Otherwise, 2.

Why didn't I think of #2 ?
Excellent advice.

 

[mystang52]

Once it went from pending to a posted charge you have the right to dispute the bill. I suggest you do what I have done in similar circumstances. Thru Chase's website, advise them that to protect your rights, you are disputing the charge because they are billing you, yet cannot give a firm delivery date. In the same note to them, tell them you will withdraw the dispute presuming timely delivery.

 

[RobbieB]

Everything I've ever ordered has been delivered. Even $10 stuff off ebay direct from China.

Yeah if you want it do nothing, it will arrive. If you never want it (never do business again) go ahead and challenge.

 

[retire-early]

Update:

My solar "generator" has shipped!
It is expected to arrive on Friday.