Help Needed NON Bicycle Related

[jrisles]

Hi Guys

Not being a citizen of your great country i would like some assistance with regards to an online purchase i made recently with an American online Computer Store.

I recently made a purchase for some computer RAM for my Dell Dimension 8250 PC and ordered the memory online from an online computer store Computer Memory Store (http://www.computer-memory-store.com)

When i made the transaction they quoted me a figure of $574.15 (Which included a $17.95 International Shipping Fee) but they actually b illed my Credit Card for $607.11. They claimed that because i lives so far away that the shipping fee was more than was stated on their online store. Now i don't know about you but shouldn't they have at least informed me first before making the increase?? I gave them my email details but i never received an email from them regarding this matter.

What i am wanting to know from anyone of you guys is if there is some sort of Conusmer Advisory Body that i may be able to make contact with to complain about this?? As i said not being a U.S citizen i am not too sure of what institutions exist over there to make a consumer complaint regarding an online transaction. It may sound as though i am whinging over a paltry sum of $30.00 but really this is not the point.

Apologies for this thread being non bicycle related. I am a regular poster on this forum and thought that some of you might know what i can do.

cheers
Jeff
Brisbane, Australia

[Kevan]

your position and the monies involved the best you might hope for is the Better Business Bureau located nearest the business. It doesn't do much for you, but retailers like to keep their record clean so who knows they might wish to reconcile. :confused:

[dave thompson]

Hi Guys...Apologies for this thread being non bicycle related. I am a regular poster on this forum and thought that some of you might know what i can do.

cheers
Jeff
Brisbane, Australia
Jeff:

You could file a dispute with your credit card company and try to get it resolved. If, in fact, the shipping to Australia is their claimed amount, you'll have to make the decision whether or not to pay it. Your call.

[Dekonick]

for memory upgrades - (in future at least) use www.crucial.com

hard to beat em.

Yeah - as far as what the others are saying - Better Business Bureau (or call your CC)

Good luck!

[jrisles]

Jeff:

You could file a dispute with your credit card company and try to get it resolved. If, in fact, the shipping to Australia is their claimed amount, you'll have to make the decision whether or not to pay it. Your call.

Dave this is my point. The "stated" shipping charge to Australia was quoted as $17.95 - no problems i was prepared to pay that amount. My beef is when they billed my credit card an extra $30.00 for which i did not authorise during the online transaction - they just took it upon themselves to bill me an extra $30.00!! Surely, billing your credit card without authorisation has got to be an illegal business practice?

cheers
Jeff
Brisbane, Austalia

[dave thompson]

Dave this is my point. The "stated" shipping charge to Australia was quoted as $17.95 - no problems i was prepared to pay that amount. My beef is when they billed my credit card an extra $30.00 for which i did not authorise during the online transaction - they just took it upon themselves to bill me an extra $30.00!! Surely, billing your credit card without authorisation has got to be an illegal business practice?

cheers
Jeff
Brisbane, Austalia
Not necessarily. Let's suppose they are correct about the shipping. They could charge your card the extra $30.00, because you 'authorized' them to when you purchased the items. However, if the shipping charges aren't that amount, then you have a dispute with them. I don't know how it works it Australia, but here in the U.S. we can file a dispute with our credit card company, and the payment is suspended until the dispute it worked out.

I would tell you to keep all the records of your transaction with that company. You might want to make a 'dummy' purchase for the same goods to see what the shipping charges would be. In other words go through another transaction, up to, but not including the payment, to see what they charge you. If the charges for the 'dummy' purchase are the same as the original stated price, see if you can capture a screen shot to further bolster your claim.

[Needs Help]

All products come with a lifetime warranty provided by ComputerMemoryStore.com and the manufacturer. No extra extended warranty plans necessary.

How the heck can they do that? Anyway back to your shipping costs:

Frequently Asked Questions

International Ordering:
Q: Do you ship to foreign countries?
A: Yes! But please read our International Ordering Policy for additional information.

Outside the US, Canada & European Union:

Orders that are shipped outside the US, Canada and the European Union are shipped via USPS Global Priority Air Mail at $17.95 for up to six items or four pounds. Delivery time usually takes up to 21 days. Each item (or pound) thereafter is $3.00. Buyer is responsible for all taxes, duties, tariffs and customs laws in Buyer's country.

I don't know if that helps you or hurts you. If they charged you more for shipping because you had more than six items or four pounds (or there were tariffs or duties imposed by the people you elected in Aussie land) then they are within their rights. I would think someone ordering internationally would carefully check the shipping charges first.

If you ordered 6 items or less than 4 pounds(and there aren't any duties or tariffs) then call your credit card company and reverse the excess charges on your card.

[caffeine power]

Some states (Wisconsin anyway) have Consumer Protection Departments. Sort of an offshoot of the BBB but as an actual state agency they have the power of the State Attorney General to back them up... good luck.

[jrisles]

Hi Groovers

Just wanted to let you all know that the Computer Store in question have reimbursed the overpayment. They admitted fault and also agreed with me that i should have been contacted prior to the "extra" shipping payment.

I think the clincher was that i informed them that i found their website on the Dell forum from other users recommending them as being price competitive and that i wouldn't be so flattering with my comments should this overpayment not be rectified immediately. Like i said i was happy to pay the price that was stated in the confirmation email sent to me after payment was made .. but to bill a person more than they expect to pay is i think not good business practice.

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions.

cheers
Jeff
Brisbane, Australia