Re: Being Ripped Off By Online Sellor
 

Hey, anybody want to buy some DS9 CDs? Caveat emptor. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: Being Ripped Off By Online Sellor
 

By the way, I think maybe your complaints are having an effect with Amazon. I went to the site and cannot find any listings by that guy. Unless I am just lokking in the wrong place or something. So maybe they are taking you seriously and trying to prevent anyone else from getting ripped off in the short term. Not that it helps you much now, but it might make you feel a little better.

Re: Being Ripped Off By Online Sellor
 

i dunno, the form letters that AT reposted from Amazon dont sound too promissing.

"we will send your complaint to the right department, but wont tell you what department that is, and we wont tell you the results of our investigation, if we actually decide to have one."

Buying direct from Amazon, I still may do. Buying through their merhcant program, well, not without taking the same care as purchasing through e-bay, or some other unscrupulous source.

Re: Being Ripped Off By Online Sellor
 

For Amazon to keep their good name they should satify AT, but being a big company that could take some time.

I've only ever purchased 3 things off the Internet, SE 4, SE4G and a computer, from Ebay. And I only purchased the computer after I found out that is was from a valid Australian company, got their address, spoke to the dealer over the phone and spoke to another person who had prevoiusly dealt with them.

I might be paranoid but I'd prefer that than being ripped off. Just my 2 cents.

Re: Being Ripped Off By Online Sellor
 

I just got off the phone with Amazon Customer Service. It took me a while to get the number so I will share it with any one who needs it.

They are aware of the problem, but must stick to policy and not help people reclaim their money until 30 days after the order date and only after they fill out the A to Z form. I was assured that the A to Z form would get my money back, but I must file it before Jan 31st. *looks left to right and back* Why?

Well because Amazon can only refund money for purchases made between Nov X date, and Dec 31st if the customer files a return/refund notice by that date.

A Catch 22.

The guy I talked to at Amazon was very unhelpful, almost skittish to be talking to me and answering my questions. He was evasive and unwilling to provide me with his name or a contact person at Amazon that could help me.

In all honestly, I feel like never doing business with Amazon ever again. This whole affair has left a very bad taste in my mouth.

Re: Being Ripped Off By Online Sellor
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">i don't think your paraniod. paraniod is wondering if the person you talked to was paid off. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Being Ripped Off By Online Sellor
 

Atrocities, you may want to relay your story/experience to a media outlet, local or national, that blows the whistle on Companies with bad Business practices.

I don't know what's available in Portland or in the US, but here in Ottawa we have a local TV Station that you can relay stuff like this too and they'll do an investigation on it, and then relay their findings to the public.

...And then there are shows like MarketPlace (Wendy Mesley, rrrrow!) that air on the CBC that go after large Companies & Scamers to warn everyone about them, and to hopefully get the offending Companies to clean their act, and to get the Police at the doorstep of the Criminals.

One thing you can definetly do is report Amazon to the Better Business Bureau (or the US equivelent), and encourage everyone who posted complaints on Amazon to complain to the BBB aswell.

Make no mistake though that Amazon won't do anything different for you or anyone else in the future because of this experience. Large Companies want to make money, not spend it, and defiently not lose it. If their Marketplace Vendor thingamabob is making them money, they won't change a thing unless some negative press hits a major US Network (CNN would be good).

The fact that they hire & train support Staff to be evasive & misleading is a sure sign of where their true priorities lie.

Re: Being Ripped Off By Online Sellor
 

A lot of us have been there Atrocities, (bad experience with inet purchases) the only way I managed to clear things up was with the CC company. It took about a year and a half, but it eventually got fixed. (for some strange reason the target company's address was bouncing all over the US)

In your case, giving the CC company all the info you got, to show that this is a fraud should help to clear things up faster.

Your CC company might also contact Amazon to have them remove the 'fraudulent' company from their list.

I hope things get cleared up for you soon, Cheers!

[ January 13, 2004, 12:17: Message edited by: David E. Gervais ]

Re: Being Ripped Off By Online Sellor
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">So let me get this straight. If you were more like me who quite possible would have waited until after Jan 31 to complain (I just now e-mailed a different company about an order i placed Dec 8) Amazon would have told you to go to hell???!! Waiting a month before complaining does not seem unreaonable to me.

I started avoiding Amazon a long time ago due to the shiping charges. Luckily in Canada we have chapters.ca (although i can't say for sure if they are any better but my few orders have went ok)

Re: Being Ripped Off By Online Sellor
 

Atrocities, my 2 pence (worth about 3 1/2 cents at today's exchange rates) for you.

Point 1 - Amazon do have a point, in that you do have to give someone a reasonable time to perform their end of the contract. Frustrating acts may mean that the sellers ISP is down, or he is just busy, or even just delayed in sending you the goods. I would watch and wait till nearer the 31/1 and then raise hell;

Point 2 - the US does have sale of goods legislation similar to what we have in England. You should have recourse to Amazon if the package does not arrive. Use their AtoZ guarantee first. If that doesnt work, raise hell.

Point 3 - you paid this on credit card. Your credit card company will have to reimburse you for the fraud.

Summary - You are 99% likely to get your money back.

For what it is worth, I have been stung several times on Amazon and Ebay. Amazon in each case refunded my money. In relation to Ebay, sellers kept my cash on 3 occassions. On each occassion, my credit card had to refund the cash spent and Ebay kicked the people of the sight.

On one the occassions, the seller sent me an email from his work, but didnt realise that his firm's server or whatever stuck a message on the email giving its name, address etc. Complied documents, got the CEO's name and personal address from Companies House, sent the bloke a letter saying "wouldn't normally trouble you but as this bloke (the seller) did send an email from work and has tried to stiff me, a lawyer etc..."

Got a cheque and an apology from the CEO on behalf of his employee (what a nice bloke) and a promise from the CEO that he didnt like the idea of his staff being crooks, and would therefore have words with said ****.