Internet rip-off merchants suck!

[whatadaftgame]

I don't tend to purchase much from internet traders. I use Amazon a lot, plus a couple of the larger golf chains that sell online (cheap balls, clothes etc).

Have now been ripped off twice in recent months. First was on some horse equipment that I purchased for my wife, the other on some vitamins.
Same story with both: big glossy website that looks great, big range of products, major credit card accounts and secure on-line payment.
However: first problem ithat you get is nothing is delivered. So you end up exchanging lots of mails "out of stock", "waiting for stock" "we sent it! Did you not get it? Oh, must be a postal delivery service problem/error" blah blah blah.
So then you pull the plug and demand a refund. And get the standard "Is being dealt with by our accounts dept".

Now. All of this is actually my error. Because:
1. I assume big glossy website = legit trader.
2. I failed to check out feedback on these merchants via the various forums. If I had, I would not have wasted time nor money on these fraudsters. Because both have looooong lists of people who have been ripped off exactly like me, same story and run-around etc.

Moral: check them out first.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

The internet can be a cesspool. I have always looked at internet shopping as "buyer beware". I limit my online purchasing to only a handful fo sites, Golfsmith & Golfworks for clubmaking products and Mortons Golf for Ping related products. I have bought a few things from Amazon. I buy some older putters off of ebay but never anything new there. Deals to good to be true are to good to be true.
I also have 2 credit cards, one I use all the time in person and another, as a cash account that I use online. The only money in that account is whatever I transfer over into it where you can't spend more than what is in the account. If the scammers get that number, they are not going to get much if anything.
The world is a nasty place...

 

[Tmex]

That really sucks to hear. You can dispute the transactions through your bank (assuming you used a visa/mastercard) though. Usually the banks will just ask if you tried to resolve through the merchant first. If you don't get products and it's been a reasonable time, you do have recourse. Especially if the company will not refund your money and cancel the order. Hopefully it will get or is resolved for you already!

 

[blugold]

Have now been ripped off twice in recent months. First was on some horse equipment that I purchased for my wife, the other on some vitamins.

I read this sentence a little quick before I had my morning coffee. It really confused me. I was wondering, for just a second, if people can marry horses in France.

 

[Jeanthemachine]

Good one Bluegold

I read this sentence a little quick before I had my morning coffee. It really confused me. I was wondering, for just a second, if people can marry horses in France.

 

[ripper]

I read this sentence a little quick before I had my morning coffee. It really confused me. I was wondering, for just a second, if people can marry horses in France.

hahaha

 

[whatadaftgame]

I read this sentence a little quick before I had my morning coffee. It really confused me. I was wondering, for just a second, if people can marry horses in France.

Don't know about marrying one, but they are certainly eaten (you'll see horse meat on sale in supermarkets and butchers shops:hungry::messed.

 

[DawgDaddy]

I only buy from big names or if it is a previously unknown company it must take paypal, at least through paypal they cannot get anymore from me.

 

[tee it high]

That sucks. I've not experienced this yet but with the increase in internet shopping I guess it is only a matter of time. Like Dawgdaddy I tend to use companies that accept paypal. I tend to do most of my online golf shopping through ebay and have always had positive experiences. A fairway wood that I had purchased was damaged during shipping and I was highly impressed with FedEx's response. Not only did they refund the full cost of the club and the shipping they offered to ship it back and have another one send free of charge. I know that there insurance covers that but they were upfront and did not try and give me the run around in replacing the club.

 

[One-T]

I got ripped off on Ebay just recently. I got my money back but I was not a happy person.

 

[interlooper]

Don't know about marrying one, but they are certainly eaten (you'll see horse meat on sale in supermarkets and butchers shops:hungry::messed.

Sometimes fast food joints serve it in the US too (Jack in the Box in the 80s). In all seriousness, that sucks about being fleeced, man.

 

[pattyblind9golf]

Oh man Whatadaftgame - that sucks! Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience.

Amazon is good, but I hate to say it but they are a behemoth in the internet world. When I try to buy small (even from the internet), I usually try to see who else is selling off of Amazon (they have an associated program that is amazing). FBA (where Amazon ships the product for the person) is really good b/c then you deal only with Amazon for shipping issues and stuff. BUT, the other stuff is pretty good too. So, I check to see who is selling what, and at what price. Make sure you check the little boxes on the right of the screen - as some better deals might be had.

After that, I go directly to the web site to see if they have any specials (or other things I want to order), or I price shop from Bing or Google (shopping). As you can see, we are an on-line internet retailer with a brick and mortar store (see the banner above?) and hate that smaller internet retailers might be giving people the runaround. Gives small businesses a bad name! Also, using a charge-back (calling your credit card company) or taking back your money sent through PayPal or threatening to really gets people going. You have too many charge backs with your merchant processor as a small business and they'll take away your account. For anyone reading this, try not to be a bastard in using that info - but it is very helpful. We get a handful of entitled grumpy people who use it and we're always happy to refund 100% to get the super-complainers to go away.

Sorry again - hope you'll still buy from on line places that aren't just Amazon. Great idea to check ratings of the site. I do try to do this b/f I shop too (or call the store - we get a lot of people who call - fakie places can't be bothered to answer the phone).