Dealing with ripoff experts.

March 29, 2006 10:20 AM

What's the best course of action after being ripped off by an online retailer?

I ordered a motorcycle helmet from an online retailer based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. They immediately withdrew funds from my checking account via a debt card. They took about 2 weeks to tell me the item was out of stock. I was given the option to cancel my order, order another similar product, or wait until the item was in stock.

I opted to cancel the order, that was almost a month ago. Since then they've stopped responding to emails and phone calls. Obviously, I've not gotten my money back.

What's my best course of action to get my money back now? I have the company's address and phone number, they have a website that is well designed and professional looking. Everything pointed to them being legit... I've submitted a complaint to the Utah BBB, but there is not even a guarantee that this company is listed with them. Is there anything else I can or should be doing?

posted by clunkyrobot to shopping (15 comments total)

Have you tried calling your bank and requesting a chargeback?
posted by Maisie Jay at 10:21 AM on March 29, 2006

Have you done a whois and called the number of the site's owner?
posted by pieoverdone at 10:24 AM on March 29, 2006

Yeah, dispute the charge with your bank. You have 60 days from the date of your last statement to do so, and they have 10 days to investigate before giving you your money back.

Nolo on Debit/Credit card chargebacks.
posted by Laen at 10:25 AM on March 29, 2006

clunkyrobot - out of curiousity, what kind of helmet were you ordering? I heard not two days ago that certain Arai helmets were in short supply these days.
posted by TeamBilly at 10:29 AM on March 29, 2006

I have a similar situation. I bought a DVD from a company, not realizing that buying the first meant that I was subscribing to a monthly DVD subscription. When I got the second DVD, I called the company, they said return the DVD, and they would refund me the amount.

A month and three phone calls later, I still don't have the refund. I finally called my bank, and they're going to send me the paperwork I need to file a dispute with them. I'm going to fill it out, call the merchant one last time, and if they don't send me my refund, file the dispute.

That's a long way of saying file the dispute through your bank. The merchant gave you the option to cancel your order, and hasn't issued you a refund.
posted by Fat Guy at 11:26 AM on March 29, 2006

Thanks guys, I should have done the chargeback already.

Yes, I did a whois, it gives the same number and address I already have from their website.

TeamBilly: No, it was one of the cheaper Shoei. I ordered, and recieved, the same helmet from a more reputable retailer 2 weeks ago.

And just for information's sake, I found another unrelated dude who got ripped off by these guys... Of course, I found this after my troubles started.

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff179141.htm
posted by clunkyrobot at 11:28 AM on March 29, 2006

Better Business Bureau?
posted by stratastar at 11:53 AM on March 29, 2006

check.
posted by clunkyrobot at 12:06 PM on March 29, 2006

If they didn't deliver the product within 30 days of taking payment, they're in violation of the FTC Mail Order Rule. Threaten them with that and you should be able to get a full refund pretty much instantly.
posted by solid-one-love at 12:06 PM on March 29, 2006

You can try making a post about it and having a whole community turn against the retailer ... PriceRightPhoto
posted by Sonic_Molson at 1:08 PM on March 29, 2006

Three words: Better Business Bureau. Works like a charm almost every time, unless they're serious fly-by-nighters, in which case you're #$%ed anyway.
posted by gottabefunky at 1:24 PM on March 29, 2006

Yeah, all I need is for them to threaten to break my legs.
posted by clunkyrobot at 1:24 PM on March 29, 2006

If they didn't deliver the product within 30 days of taking payment

They contacted him within the 30 days and gave him an option, that does not apply. Their failure to credit him based on his selection, however, does.

If you've already bitched to the BBB you may as well do the chargeback. Normally you want to threaten them with it first, as it's less hassle for you if they just refund it and chargebacks are a pain and enough of them impacts your discount rate. However at this point you've made a good-faith effort and may as well just shoot the works.
posted by phearlez at 2:00 PM on March 29, 2006

I wisked out a bunch of emails today to this comapny...
it seems the FTC page was the only one to elicit a response, they said they'd credit me "ASAP." but... I'll believe it when I see it.

Also, from the FTC page:
"If, after taking the customer’s order, you learn that you cannot ship within the time you stated or within 30 days, you must seek the customer’s consent to the delayed shipment... if the customer has expressly refused to consent -- you must, without being asked, promptly refund all the money the customer paid you for the unshipped merchandise."

It seems like it does apply, from that wording it seems like they have 30 days to ship it, if they tell me it's going to take longer, and I refuse to consent, they must at that time issue a refund.

thanks for the ammunition guys, at least I got a response from them.
posted by clunkyrobot at 2:40 PM on March 29, 2006

1) Deluge them with incessant, hounding e-mail and, if possible, phone calls. Go ahead, be obnoxious. Shouting helps.

2) File a complaint with their local Better Business Bureau. This really works--I was in a year-long stand-off wiith Apple Computer over a defective Powerbook G4 and, in desperation, I filed a complaint with the BBB following a friend's advice. Within one month I had a brand new MacBook Pro and found out through the process that Apple had 650 similar complaints against it that year alone. You'e supposed to check with them before you buy--you can look to see if there are any complaints on file that would tip you off.
posted by Toolshed at 8:50 PM on April 4, 2006