What to do...free ering?

luckyme502

So, we bought my ering online.  I love it and am very happy with it.  It took about a month from the time we ordered it until it arrived due to various issues.  When we first  purchased the ring, it was shown as "on hold" on  our account. After a few days, it went away.  I was talking on the phone with the company about twice a week trying to get the exact ring and diamond I wanted.  They have never charged me for the ring.  I have called them twice and told them that we haven't paid them, they tell me they will look into it, and never get back to me.  At what point should I stop contacting them?

arbolita

When in doubt, go with the number 3.  I would make 3 attempts to contact them, and then leave it alone.

JessAndTrav

I would probably call once more. There's not much else you can do.

AdeleDazeem

lucky you, luckyme.

louisvillebride21

I would be worried about them discovering it later down the line and charging you without letting you know. Personally, I wouldn't always have the money in the bank to cover it (depending on the time of the month), so I'd be worried about an overdraft...

luckyme502

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dofree-ering?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:133cf95f-1f9a-4de5-a5b1-f3a2ec3e9ce4Post:fbd72729-50c0-43ce-8969-49898ac95207">Re: What to do...free ering?</a>:
[QUOTE]I would be worried about them discovering it later down the line and charging you without letting you know. Personally, I wouldn't always have the money in the bank to cover it (depending on the time of the month), so I'd be worried about an overdraft...
Posted by louisvillebride21[/QUOTE]


We have the money in the account to cover it.  I'm not worried about that, but it is a good chunk of money.  I'm just thinking about done the line.  What about like six months from now, or a year? 

janedoe1113a

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dofree-ering?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:133cf95f-1f9a-4de5-a5b1-f3a2ec3e9ce4Post:d94ccb6b-f0af-48bb-a390-a746dbb90ee6">Re: What to do...free ering?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What to do...free ering? : We have the money in the account to cover it.  I'm not worried about that, but it is a good chunk of money.  I'm just thinking about done the line.  What about like six months from now, or a year? 
Posted by luckyme502[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure they can charge you that far down the line.  I would call them again and then follow up with an email.  That way, if they still don't charge you, you have proof that you tried to tell them.

squirrly

Do you have a receipt for it?  Proof that it shows as paid?  I agree that I would try calling again, at least once more. 

Is it your checking account or a credit card? 

luckyme502

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dofree-ering?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:133cf95f-1f9a-4de5-a5b1-f3a2ec3e9ce4Post:23640bd8-b753-4eec-bff7-ac5f0d930609">Re: What to do...free ering?</a>:
[QUOTE]Do you have a receipt for it?  Proof that it shows as paid?  I agree that I would try calling again, at least once more.  Is it your checking account or a credit card? 
Posted by squirrly[/QUOTE]

I do have a receipt "proving" it was paid.  This is our checking account. 

janedoe1113a

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dofree-ering?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:133cf95f-1f9a-4de5-a5b1-f3a2ec3e9ce4Post:6ff79b50-99b4-49ba-b857-d3edf91e422d">Re: What to do...free ering?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What to do...free ering? : I do have a receipt "proving" it was paid.  This is our checking account. 
Posted by luckyme502[/QUOTE]

If you have a receipt, then I don't think they're legally allowed to charge you.  Their screw up, not yours.

baystateapple

I agree with calling them one more time, and then leaving it be.  But make sure you have the money in the account to cover it in case someone finally wakes up and puts the order through.

Also -- did you order a warranty through the company?  I would probably get it insured as soon as possible, because if something happened to it, I wouldn't want to send it  back through a company that doesn't even keep up with itself enough to charge for what it sells!

squirrly

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dofree-ering?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:133cf95f-1f9a-4de5-a5b1-f3a2ec3e9ce4Post:b2c7adc6-e61a-4725-97de-43a9407c4c86">Re: What to do...free ering?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What to do...free ering? : I'm not sure they can charge you that far down the line.  I would call them again and then follow up with an email.  That way, if they still don't charge you, you have proof that you tried to tell them.
Posted by navybaby1113[/QUOTE]

They might have to rescind the charges, but that wouldn't prevent them from going through right at first and causing havoc.  My mortgage company double drafted my December 1 house payment once - I overdrew myself 20 times in two days before I realized it, racking up $500 in O/D fees -- I was Christmas shopping, and every purchase was another fee.  I had to do a three-way call with the bank and mortgage company to get it squared away, but it meant I missed out on a bunch of shopping time and then I couldn't get what I wanted for some of those gifts I had to wait to buy. 

If it's against your debit card, your best bet would likely be to see if the bank will cancel your current one and issue a new one - that way, they wouldn't be able to bill against the old card number and would have to call you.  You'd be able to make the payment on the account of your choosing with fair warning that way.

But I still think I'd try to call at least once or twice more, and try to speak to somebody else about it before resorting to all that. 

T1+T2

Unfortunately, I would try to escalate to a higher-up.  Even if it would not be legal for the company to charge you in a year and without notice - they still CAN.  And a large charge on your bank account like that can screw other payments up.  I wouldn't chance it, as tempting as getting a free e-ring due to their stupidity would be. 

T1+T2

Squirrly and I posted at the same time - and she said it so much better than I did.  )

I never pay ANYTHING with my debit card, I always use a credit card that I pay off every month but at least I'm assured that there won't be any funny business with my accounts.

tgirl06

Be forceful (but polite, of course). Tell them this is the last time you are contacting them. Tell them you will stay on the line while they "look into it" until they put it through. Document the call, if at all possible.  It would be nice if they just never charged you for it, but it would be awful if they eventually put the order through when you didn't have the money. The awfulness of the latter possibility outweighs the niceness of the first one in my mind anyway.

luckyme502

I will call them again tomorrow.  One of the two people I have spoken to about this is the owner. 

luckyme502

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dofree-ering?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:133cf95f-1f9a-4de5-a5b1-f3a2ec3e9ce4Post:b57d3cf1-8202-49da-86ca-8db4af62b8a6">Re: What to do...free ering?</a>:
[QUOTE]I agree with calling them one more time, and then leaving it be.  But make sure you have the money in the account to cover it in case someone finally wakes up and puts the order through. Also -- did you order a warranty through the company?  I would probably get it insured as soon as possible, because if something happened to it, I wouldn't want to send it  back through a company that doesn't even keep up with itself enough to charge for what it sells!
Posted by baystateapple[/QUOTE]


No, no warranty through them.  I have already had it independently appraised and insured. 

tenofcups4me

You've tried twice. I think that's sufficient. Seriously, you're TRYING to pay them and they don't want your money. I think you've done what you morally need to do and at this point, I wouldn't pursue it.

My  health insurance company credited me a month and a half that I knew I hadn't paid. I called, they insisted that I had paid it, I told them that no, I had not paid money in advance, and they told me there was no way for them to look into it any further. At that point, I said fine. I tried, but I'm not going to try to force a company to take my money when I've already done the right thing.

polichik

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dofree-ering?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:133cf95f-1f9a-4de5-a5b1-f3a2ec3e9ce4Post:3512c915-2f3d-4c09-93b4-32cab80c0414">Re: What to do...free ering?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What to do...free ering? : They might have to rescind the charges, but that wouldn't prevent them from going through right at first and causing havoc.  My mortgage company double drafted my December 1 house payment once - I overdrew myself 20 times in two days before I realized it, racking up $500 in O/D fees -- I was Christmas shopping, and every purchase was another fee.  I had to do a three-way call with the bank and mortgage company to get it squared away, but it meant I missed out on a bunch of shopping time and then I couldn't get what I wanted for some of those gifts I had to wait to buy. <strong> If it's against your debit card, your best bet would likely be to see if the bank will cancel your current one and issue a new one - that way, they wouldn't be able to bill against the old card number and would have to call you.  You'd be able to make the payment on the account of your choosing with fair warning that way. </strong>But I still think I'd try to call at least once or twice more, and try to speak to somebody else about it before resorting to all that. 
Posted by squirrly[/QUOTE]

Excellent idea.

katiewhompus

I'm sure you would have noticed if it was a chunk of money, but is there a possibility they took the money out of your account (or maybe a credit card account) and you didn't see it? If you spoke with the owner I would hope he would have realized by now, especially with you telling him....

Either that or the ring is hot and they are trying to get rid of it without a paper trail!

luckyme502

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dofree-ering?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:133cf95f-1f9a-4de5-a5b1-f3a2ec3e9ce4Post:dcda233f-1819-4043-98e6-15686c6baf26">Re: What to do...free ering?</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm sure you would have noticed if it was a chunk of money, but is there a possibility they took the money out of your account (or maybe a credit card account) and you didn't see it? If you spoke with the owner I would hope he would have realized by now, especially with you telling him.... Either that or the ring is hot and they are trying to get rid of it without a paper trail!
Posted by katiewhompus[/QUOTE]

No, it is enough money that I would most definitely notice.  LOL about the ring being hot.  I mean it is possible that the diamond is hot.  I would have no way of knowing that. 

gailpete

Had a similar situation.  Ordered a laptop online.  They sent two of them.  I tried many times via phone and e-mail to find out what to do with no response, so we now have an extra computer.

squirrly

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dofree-ering?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:133cf95f-1f9a-4de5-a5b1-f3a2ec3e9ce4Post:94e9eb15-bc98-4ee6-8b7a-795c18f25f14">Re: What to do...free ering?</a>:
[QUOTE]Had a similar situation.  Ordered a laptop online.  They sent two of them.  I tried many times via phone and e-mail to find out what to do with no response, so we now have an extra computer.
Posted by gailpete[/QUOTE]


I had that happen with my Ipod!  They sent me THREE.  I called to ask about it after I got the second one, and they said they'd overnight me one - they misunderstood.  I tried and tried and tried, but they never figured it out, sent the third one, and several phone calls later to get a return shipping label, I gave up.  They did charge me for the original one, though.  I gave two really awesome Christmas gifts that year. . .

katiewhompus

I wonder if a person who's name is just after yours in their system keeps calling them going "wtf is this charge for a ring? I didn't buy a ring?" "M'am, you called three days ago to make sure we charged you, and we did" "I didn't buy an effing ring!"

tlv204

Ha kristi that would be funny!

Yeah I think I would call or email one more time, then give up.

cukimerrydoll

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dofree-ering?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:133cf95f-1f9a-4de5-a5b1-f3a2ec3e9ce4Post:d94ccb6b-f0af-48bb-a390-a746dbb90ee6">Re: What to do...free ering?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What to do...free ering? : We have the money in the account to cover it.  I'm not worried about that, but it is a good chunk of money.  I'm just thinking about done the line.  What about like six months from now, or a year? 
Posted by luckyme502[/QUOTE]
Well, it is coming up to the end of the quarter, so I would give it to the end of next quarter to hold onto the funds.  But check a few more times by the end of the month.