Quote: Originally posted by Zorro01 on 31/5/2006
I was informed by a man who works for Barclaycard that it is illegal for a retailer to debit the card account before despatching the goods or services, and that card facilities could be withdrawn from a retailer for doing so.
Papadore - glad your stuff arrived.
Geetee - in the post (again!). The Post Office have guaranteed delivery tomorrow or Thursday, that I can track from here. Sorry about the wrapping, the woman at the counter almost choked on her tea when she saw how much tape I'd used!
Zorro - We do not debit cards unless we expect to be able to fulfill the order in the expected time. The problem that the Barclays legal people had with your original post was the inaccurate implication of fraud on a public forum, particularly by citing a member of their staff. Consider flights and similar such advance purchases. The situation is different but the legal principle is the same. The intention can be there, but the flight company do not have the means to provide the service at the specific point of transaction, or 'on the same day'. If someone orders and pays in advance for a wedding cake, the baker does not have to have the flour, sugar etc. in their fridge at moment they cash the cheque.
Re. your last point: although the trade community works on the basis of purchase orders, temporary credit and invoicing, I have never heard of anyone supplying on this basis in the retail context (they'd be mad to, given the extent of on-line fraud).
TOWSURE.....its still crap practice to take someone's money before you know you have actually got the goods. Sorry, but you should be paying the interest on the credit card, not your customers who are still waiting for goods.
Jenny
PS: a speedy reply to the query I sent to you in 2004 would be appreciated.....
Quote: Originally posted by Dorset Belle on 06/6/2006
TOWSURE.....its still crap practice to take someone's money before you know you have actually got the goods. Sorry, but you should be paying the interest on the credit card, not your customers who are still waiting for goods.
Jenny
PS: a speedy reply to the query I sent to you in 2004 would be appreciated.....
Hi,
We don't take payment unless we have stock or are expecting imminent delivery. To emphasise, this has happened to a handful of customers (out of the 1500 who are calling our sales office each day) - where we have accepted payment expecting imminent delivery but then we have been let down by suppliers.
Most importantly, we are looking at revamping our systems, partially due to the comments of some UKCSers, to avoid this happening to even a small number of customers.
Quote: Originally posted by Zorro01 on 31/5/2006
I was informed by a man who works for Barclaycard that it is illegal for a retailer to debit the card account before despatching the goods or services, and that card facilities could be withdrawn from a retailer for doing so.
You were informed wrong, there is not a company in the world who would dispatch somthing then apply for payment, Myself included as I retail Menswear. I know its dissapointing when you are waiting for somthing but we have to protect ourselves as well.
Chindley - sorry, I was not precise enough. What I meant was essentially what happens when you present your card at the petrol station, or the supermarket. You have the goods or services in your sitcky paws before parting with the dosh. If you order, say theatre tickets over the phone or tents over the web, it is fraudulent for the retailer to debit your card without the means to fulfill the order the same day. And, millions of businesses exist by dispatching goods and then applying for payment, usually by invoice on 30 days credit.
After being in retail for 43 years I think i'm right in saying you only get 30 days credit from a company if you hold their store card, in that case it is actually the finance company who you are paying, as the retailer gets his money from them whether or not you pay on time, or if you are a retailer like me and have an account with a Manufacturer/Distributor. I dont know of any company that retailsto the public over the internet, then sends an invoice for payment 30 days later. perhaps i'm wrong.
In my opinion The practice of charging for goods that you do no have is your possion to sell yet is very shoddy, & if it isn't it should be illegal.
Deliveries from suppliers get fouled up all the time and estimated date of delivery can not be relied upon, Towsure know this already and choose to ignore it anyway as most of the complaints on here seem to be about the same thing.
The example used by Mr T about airline tickets is an entirly different case as that is a service you are buying. Would you expect to go into Tesco and pay for you weekly grocery shop to then be told that the item you just paid for was out of stock and you could have it in 2-3 weeks time. No you wouldn't.
Why can't Towsure a largish company link their web shop to their stock lists? Loads of other companys manage to do just that and have a salesroom too the tills are also linked to the stock control system too. If an item is out of stock then you web shop should stop the order for it going through. If a customer still wants to order that item then they would have to do so over the phone and no the card should not be debited until you have to goods in your warehouse.
In my view Towsure are obtaining money under false pretenses and I will never order online from them.
I admire you fighting your corner but as far as I am concerned it's bad practice & I will not condone it by placing an order.
Flagpole - our internet systems are linked to stock control, which is why there are occasional glitches but why thousands of orders go through fine. This is an important issue but one that only affects a very small number of customers.
I've got a busy couple of days and might not be able to pop on - please e-mail me if you have any other comments. I pop on here primarily to help out with practical and technical advice - although I recognise that someone who works for a retail company is likely to attract people's discontents as well as positive comments. On that note:
MandP: everything has gone out today, with you tomorrow.
Geetee: tracked parcel, guaranteed with you tomorrow or Thursday.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Towsure -- not for me.
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