Fraudsters

[roobyroo]

In our business we take customer service very serious so it really bugs me whenever encounter another online store who are blatantly going around ripping people off.

This recently happened to me, I purchased items from an online store which looked legit, had all contact us details ect, then a few days after I placed the order I received an email informing me that the items were out of stock and asking if I'd be prepared to wait a week or so until the new stock arrived.

Over 2 months later I still haven't received my order and have been chasing the company for a refund for well over a month now.

Spoke to them again yesterday and now they are claiming that as I had left a negative review at a certain review website, they are not prepared to give me my money back!!! After checking other reviews on the same company it appears that they have pulled similar trick with lots of other customers dating back a few years. I cannot beleive they are getting away with it.

After threatening them with trading standards they basically told me that trading standards will not do anything because of the negative review that I left.

Now I've not exactly studied law or anything (otherwise I woudn't be in ecommerce, lol!) but I'm damn sure this cannot be legal!

[Dave]

John, Leaving a negative review should have nothing to do with not giving you your money back. You have paid and they have not supplied the goods within a reasonable time scale. I would still report them to trading standards and more importantly call your credit card company and ask for a refund.

[MyShinyCar]

I would have to agree with Dave. Reporting them to your credit card company and requesting your money back should get them on their backs too.

Is it an on-line company the rest of us ought to be aware of?

[roobyroo]

Oh god... these people who run the store are nutters! I just re-visited the negative review that I had left as I had a feeling they would have something to comment on it, and indeed hey have... “false feedback left by someone attacking us who is at this very moment in time being investigated by the police for harrasment, threatening behaviour and hate crime.”

This is unreal! I would never hurt a fly and not a violent person in any way whatsoever. It's not a huge amount of money that we're talking about but in my eyes it's the pure principle of it and I'm not going to let them get away with it... especially after i realised that the same thing has happened to many other of their customers.

Anyway, I'm taking your advise guys and have reported it to my credit card company along with filing a dispute with Trading Standards.

Don't really want to mention the store name again incase they try and sue me for slander or something. It's a relatively small store and all I will say is that if any of you are into Sci-fi stuff stay away from a store in Blackpool who's name begins with WHO.

[Red Devil]

Consumer rights.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/?tab=25&dd

[KayJay]

I got ripped off by a fake boot company, if you paid by credit card, take it up with the card provider. You have to supply proof that you have attempted to get your funds back and any correspondence that will back up your claim. They will then investigate and refund your card.

If you didn't use Visa or MC, and used Maestro, you have to go the small claims route as those cards have different rules.

[john]

Sounds like WhoBlackpooldotcom to me see http://www.imperialgunneryforum.com/watch-out-section-f7/who-blackpool-do-not-buy-online-t374.htm

[lewey]

Report them to Blackpool trading standards directly, as if you are in another part of the country and go to your local office - it all just gets lost in the bureaucracy and less chance of anybody being bothered to do anything. You can also go to Consumer Direct, who I understand would then direct the complaint to the appropriate (Blackpool) office.

It is rubbish for them to claim trading standards won't do anything because you left a negative review - simply not true (Trading Standards may not do anything because they can't be bothered or 'its not a health and safety issue', but leaving a negative review does not affect your consumer rights).