SECOND & THIRD UPDATE BELOW TOO:
OK so my last post about blog giveaways being a bust sometimes got a lot of response and I am glad to announce that most of the time, people really do get their prizes. There are the odd times they don’t but I guess like anything in this world you win some, you lose some…literally in this case.
Here is what ignited my last post.
I won a giveaway back in February and I did not use the coupon code until months later, August to be exact. I was worried it might have expired but it hadn’t as I was able to shop and use the code and it gave me the 100% discount. I did get charged for shipping which I thought was ridiculous for a blog giveaway as that is usually not the etiquette but seeing that the business cards were a great savings and we started a new business so I thought I would pay the $33 shipping on a lot of business cards. I checked out and approved a $33 payment for shipping and was excited to finally get my business cards. But…
I did not see the forthecoming and if I had any idea it was going to become a big mess I would have never used the code in the first place, nor entered the darn giveaway. I got a call the next morning from the company and got asked about the coupon code I used. I told the representative that I had won a blog giveaway back in Feb. She said she was wondering because she had never heard of the code. I told her it was probably because it had taken me months to use it. I then copied the e-mail I got when I won and she replied “Thanks Tawna!”. She also said they would honor the code, they just wanted to verify where it cam from. No big deal…right…WRONG!
Well the next day I see a charge for $121 and some change in my account from them…seriously. I e-mailed the same lady back and she said “it was a mistake and we will refund you.” I said good because I have a phone bill I am paying on the 10th, it’s auto pay, I will go negative if it’s not put back.”
Well…today is the 10th and no refund showing. It usually takes 2-3 days according to my bank so in reality if the woman really submitted the refund when she said, I should have it. I called the bank and they said they can’t see the refund request til it goes through but I can file a dispute. So I just got off the phone from filing a dispute charge. Now if the refund did not get submitted through then it takes 7-10 days for my bank to go through the process and receive my money. Isn’t this wonderful???? I win a blog giveaway, happy to use it, and it has been the biggest pain in the butt ever. First I had to pay shipping, and second, I get crap about the code, and third they charge an unauthorized charge…really?
So now I hope this will not set a precedence for the future…next time I go to Walmart, Kmart, the grocery, or any store and I buy something on sale…will they be able to charge my card again when I leave because they marked it by accident or have decided they don’t agree with the price? Even though my receipt says XXX amount of dollars, is it OK for a company to turn around and change the charge on something just because they want to? Sounds illegal to me.
I am not posting this today as I am giving the company one more day so I can update below…did I ever get my money? Even if they refund me or the bank’s process goes through, it is utterly ridiculous the hoops I have had to jump through to get my giveaway winnings. Don’t sponsor something you don’t want to giveaway.
FIRST UPDATE: It is now the 13th and no refund. I have had to stop payment my phone bill as that is less then the overdraft fee would have been. Now I may have a late fee on top of that. I am glad I did not wait until today to dispute the charge, I really had a gut feeling I shouldn’t wait. I am pretty sure I am getting the run around and that the company is waiting for me to forget about it. I also e-mailed the lady again and asked her to check into the status. I have not told her I have disputed it yet, but she will find out soon enough.
I am truly bummed about this situation because really I would have bought from this company again in the future as designing business cards is not that easy and after the freebies, why not give them my paid business again. Now, I am not ever using them again and will go back to vista print or another card service I have used in the past. Oh and you want to know who the company is? 1800postcards
Ya not going to give that company any credit in the future. If they ever refund my money and make things right then I will come back and update this post, but if not, it stays as-is. I am ticked! They pretty much stole my money. If I took a card and charged what I wanted I would go to jail…go figure!
UPDATE AGAIN:
Today’s post on 8-14-12
I will update in the actual post too but wanted to share that I did finally get a refund this morning from 1800postcards AND they refunded the shipping too. Yay! I will have to say that I did not get any answers to my e-mails yesterday but I am pretty sure after I told them, via e-mail, that I would have late fees and stop payment fees they decided to refund the shipping. So it was a pain in the butt but I have now finally received my prize and free shipping!
The squeaky wheel does get the oil…right? NOOOOOOOOOO
UPDATE AGAIN: It is now 8-19-12 It was my bank that gave me a temporary refund…not 1800postacards, I just found out yesterday. I had to go into the bank and fill out paperwork etc. I had to dispute it, it has been about 9 days and they still have NOT refunded me…what are they thinking? So I take back anything positive I have said about this situation, I am still in dispute…are you kidding me?!!!!!!!! I have e-mailed the company again, and it was not the nicest e-mail I will admit, I am so mad. I even asked for my shipping costs refunded this time as the bank screwed up and gave me that $33 too so I told the bank that was shipping and the only charge that was legit, so they will take that back probably sooner then later. But I believe that with all the effort I have put into getting this refund that now they should, at the least, refund my shipping on top of the $121.50 charge…don’t you think? Really, I should get more but will be happy with my stinking money!
Again, if I charge someone else’s card without permission I would GO TO JAIL!!! What the heck are they thinking! What kind of customer services is this????
