All Refunds Not Sent Yet
- Thread starter Chip
- Start date
RavenX
Still Fresh
I finally received my refund email today at 12/03 10:15 AM CST. So, unfortunately having ordered with a debit card did not get me in the clear as I had hoped. Still no refund in my account, but they said to give it 3 days.
I was fine with and understood the banking fiasco and had no issue with it until I read the email that was sent to me. I think it was a very poorly worded excuse and seemed to make it out to be some thing that was caused by the additional memory upgrade which totally differs from what I read in the forums, and I think, a very bad way to try to explain it away to those that haven't been following things.
"In order for you to accept this upgrade we will need to refund your
order and ask you to reorder, this is due to our credit/debit card
processor being difficult with us about this."
I think they should have just stuck with the original explanation as I have understood it from the forums and said something like:
"Due to some unforeseen difficulties with our previous bank we have been forced to refund your order and ask that you use our painless process to reorder and you will not loose your place in the queue. As some compensation for your troubles we have decided to double the memory at no additional cost to you."
Also, despite the promises of it being "painless and smooth" I am a little concerned how I will end up getting bitten by the foreign conversion fees. I was charged $11.64 the first time I ordered. Will there be another deduction on the refund, and then, of course, another charge on my reorder? Hardly painless.
Don't get me wrong, I am all in favor of the memory upgrade, the lower memory was one of my original hesitation factors. And, I totally understand that the banking fiasco wasn't their fault. I just wish that things had been handled a little better. We should have received more email communication and much sooner. I would also have appreciated a more up front and honest email and less of a polished turd.
Raven
I was fine with and understood the banking fiasco and had no issue with it until I read the email that was sent to me. I think it was a very poorly worded excuse and seemed to make it out to be some thing that was caused by the additional memory upgrade which totally differs from what I read in the forums, and I think, a very bad way to try to explain it away to those that haven't been following things.
"In order for you to accept this upgrade we will need to refund your
order and ask you to reorder, this is due to our credit/debit card
processor being difficult with us about this."
I think they should have just stuck with the original explanation as I have understood it from the forums and said something like:
"Due to some unforeseen difficulties with our previous bank we have been forced to refund your order and ask that you use our painless process to reorder and you will not loose your place in the queue. As some compensation for your troubles we have decided to double the memory at no additional cost to you."
Also, despite the promises of it being "painless and smooth" I am a little concerned how I will end up getting bitten by the foreign conversion fees. I was charged $11.64 the first time I ordered. Will there be another deduction on the refund, and then, of course, another charge on my reorder? Hardly painless.
Don't get me wrong, I am all in favor of the memory upgrade, the lower memory was one of my original hesitation factors. And, I totally understand that the banking fiasco wasn't their fault. I just wish that things had been handled a little better. We should have received more email communication and much sooner. I would also have appreciated a more up front and honest email and less of a polished turd.
Raven
lizard808uk
Child of the 80s
I didnt receive an email or a refund and thought I was in the clear - I emailled them the other day to confirm my order was ok and got an email back saying I was due for a refund. I recommend if you havent recieved an email or refund then to contact them ASAP to confirm the status of your order.
Excerpt from the email:
QUOTE
In order for you to accept this upgrade we will need to refund your
order and ask you to reorder, this is due to our credit/debit card
processor being difficult with us about this. The refund has already
been processed and should be back in your account now or within the
next 3 days.
Excerpt from the email:
QUOTE
In order for you to accept this upgrade we will need to refund your
order and ask you to reorder, this is due to our credit/debit card
processor being difficult with us about this. The refund has already
been processed and should be back in your account now or within the
next 3 days.
TaG
Fau-fau-faulty software.
I don't recommend everybody email openpandora/gbax asking if they are in the clear unless that advice comes from Chip, craigix, ED etc. If they get hundreds/thousands of emails in one go it could cause chao.
Hopefully Chip will see this and give 'official' advice.
Hopefully Chip will see this and give 'official' advice.
Chip
[Insert Custom Title Here]
Indeed. There are only two people sorting out a couple thousand orders. Since none of this is automated, every single refund and email have to be processed by hand. If a bunch of people start emailing all at once, it will only make things worse (and your email is likely to get lost in the confusion).
If you got the email and the money is back in your account and you intend to pay by bank transfer, go ahead and do that. You should get a confirmation eventually.
If you got the email but no refund (or visa-versa), just wait. Obviously things aren't quite as finished as I was led to believe. Just wait until the dust settles because whatever you're missing is likely to come through soon.
If you didn't get anything, then you might be fine. Again, just wait and see how everything pans out. I hope to know soon when everything is really done.
And before anybody asks again, I still don't have an ETA for CC reorders. I'll post as soon as I do.
If you got the email and the money is back in your account and you intend to pay by bank transfer, go ahead and do that. You should get a confirmation eventually.
If you got the email but no refund (or visa-versa), just wait. Obviously things aren't quite as finished as I was led to believe. Just wait until the dust settles because whatever you're missing is likely to come through soon.
If you didn't get anything, then you might be fine. Again, just wait and see how everything pans out. I hope to know soon when everything is really done.
And before anybody asks again, I still don't have an ETA for CC reorders. I'll post as soon as I do.
Here's part of the e-mail respnse I got when I asked about the price difference in price paid ($350) vs amount refunded ($300)
QUOTE
Yes the difference in price is due the the exchange rate but you
should only have to pay a similair amount to what you were refunded to
re-order (providing the rates don't go crazy in the next few days.)
We'll send you the link to re-order by credit/debit card as soon as
the page is online.
Good to know. Godspeed
QUOTE
Yes the difference in price is due the the exchange rate but you
should only have to pay a similair amount to what you were refunded to
re-order (providing the rates don't go crazy in the next few days.)
We'll send you the link to re-order by credit/debit card as soon as
the page is online.
Good to know. Godspeed
socket
Very Active Member
OK, I already got my email, but I got it before this "All Refunds Sent" post was made. What is going on? I've been very patient, and have basically blindly been praising the team left and right and have been trying to "shut people up" etc etc etc... but basically the "all clear" message was posted, and now a bunch more people are still getting the emails and refunds... What gives?
Yup, got refunded, minus $55, wow.
Wont be re ordering.
I got all excited when I first saw this thing, but I was also excited that it was shipping in or at the end of, November. Now your still waiting for screens, and JUST NOW sent the final design specs for the keypad? If this stuff was still getting done, why even say a release date?
I guess so you could get a few thousand peoples $300 and hope for the best?
I should have gone for modding a PSP. At least then I would have had few decent new commercial 3D games to play on it, along with Atari games. And spent $150 less.
Wont be re ordering.
I got all excited when I first saw this thing, but I was also excited that it was shipping in or at the end of, November. Now your still waiting for screens, and JUST NOW sent the final design specs for the keypad? If this stuff was still getting done, why even say a release date?
I guess so you could get a few thousand peoples $300 and hope for the best?
I should have gone for modding a PSP. At least then I would have had few decent new commercial 3D games to play on it, along with Atari games. And spent $150 less.
j.pickens
Member
Chip explained it very well two posts before yours look up^^^^^socket said:
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socket
Very Active Member
Yeah, I saw the post. I still don't understand there being an "All Refunds Sent" post when they werent all sent yet.j.pickens said:
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Chip
[Insert Custom Title Here]
Craig told me that as far as he knew, they had all been sent. It seems he was mistaken.
BenTolputt
Member
- Joined
- May 5, 2008
- Messages
- 118
QUOTE
Yeah, I saw the post. I still don't understand there being an "All Refunds Sent" post when they weren't all sent yet.
There are two basic ways to look at it.
The first one, which I am inclined to believe, is Chip was misinformed by Craigix & Co. You can decide for yourself whether this was intentional or not, but I find it difficult to swallow that Chip would make an announcement on a vague, misunderstood hand wave.
The second way to look at it is that Chip misunderstood something Craigix & Co. mentioned about the credit card refunds and somehow no-one noticed his erroneous stickied thread announcing "All Refunds Sent".
I'm beginning to think they decided to release some good news given the moods on the board... whether or not it was strictly "true". Given Chip's efforts to date, and the idea of the PR guy lying his first two weeks on the job - he still has some credibility with me. His sources on the other hand.
Yes, I am not happy.
EDIT: Looks like my first assumption is correct from Chip's post. Left full message for posterity
Yeah, I saw the post. I still don't understand there being an "All Refunds Sent" post when they weren't all sent yet.
There are two basic ways to look at it.
The first one, which I am inclined to believe, is Chip was misinformed by Craigix & Co. You can decide for yourself whether this was intentional or not, but I find it difficult to swallow that Chip would make an announcement on a vague, misunderstood hand wave.
The second way to look at it is that Chip misunderstood something Craigix & Co. mentioned about the credit card refunds and somehow no-one noticed his erroneous stickied thread announcing "All Refunds Sent".
I'm beginning to think they decided to release some good news given the moods on the board... whether or not it was strictly "true". Given Chip's efforts to date, and the idea of the PR guy lying his first two weeks on the job - he still has some credibility with me. His sources on the other hand.
Yes, I am not happy.
EDIT: Looks like my first assumption is correct from Chip's post. Left full message for posterity
Alpha2
Heroic Autobot
Essentially he's being told what the bank tells him so as far as THEY're concerned the refunds have been sent even if they havent just because they know it'll take Craig time to discover that it hasnt and by the time he finds out that it hasnt they should have anyway.
So anyway I'm still looking at my credit card info waiting to see if something pops up. I assume there's no specific way to tell what transactions went through before the bank problem right? such as the earlier you ordered the more likely it went through? (I'm thinking that'd just be way too easy.)
So anyway I'm still looking at my credit card info waiting to see if something pops up. I assume there's no specific way to tell what transactions went through before the bank problem right? such as the earlier you ordered the more likely it went through? (I'm thinking that'd just be way too easy.)
BenTolputt
Member
- Joined
- May 5, 2008
- Messages
- 118
QUOTE
Essentially he's being told what the bank tells him so as far as THEY're concerned the refunds have been sent even if they havent just because they know it'll take Craig time to discover that it hasnt and by the time he finds out that it hasnt they should have anyway.
If that is the case, why are the emails coming from "gp2xorders@googlemail.com"? Sorry, but it's the email that's a giveaway, not the fact the money hasn't hit the account.
Essentially he's being told what the bank tells him so as far as THEY're concerned the refunds have been sent even if they havent just because they know it'll take Craig time to discover that it hasnt and by the time he finds out that it hasnt they should have anyway.
If that is the case, why are the emails coming from "gp2xorders@googlemail.com"? Sorry, but it's the email that's a giveaway, not the fact the money hasn't hit the account.
I dont know about the rest of you but this just doesnt pass the smell test for me. For so much to be taken out for "fees" is totally absurd. If all business took place through a proper merchant account, there would be no fees for a proper refund, and any service charge fees should be the responsibility of the seller. I know this first hand because I own and operate a few commerce sites and have dealt with the issue extensively. Very outlandish to expect all of us who wanted this product to take a hit basically for poor decisions made by "those in charge". to be quite honest im not so sure I believe the story of "a bank being difficult" thats not how they behave. either there was a legitimate problem on the pandora teams end, or the whole episode is a ruse. banks are not emotional entities. Im starting my own investigation into what is going on here with the resources I have, and will update later. I expect to get flamed for this, who knows my post may delete, but I cant sit back and watch oh about $100,000 in "fees" disappear. Very Very Strange
Nightwind0
Still Fresh
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2008
- Messages
- 54
What fees??? Are you talking about the difference in amounts that people are seeing due to the changes in exchange rates with UK pounds? That's the only reason that people aren't seeing 100% of their money back in some cases, especially those of us in the U.S.zeropro said:
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paolo
Still Fresh
fees? why a bank should fee SO MUCH for one of it's own service?
If you "take out money" (sorry I don't know the english for that action) from an ATM outside of your bank circuit how much your bank fees you? A thousand dollars? I know fees are ariound 1~3€ for some kind of non-ordinary operations at bank's office (usually when you request human bank's personnel time instead of doing it on your own). I think that many of you just got too much upset for the bad exchange rate ratio at refunding, and lost money, but hey, I did lose money for that as well, but not 100€!
If you mean fees from pandora team, you may be wrong since in the refund mail they explicitly say that there is not any additional cost for customers, and that any extra fee or whatever will be on their charge, not ours.
So, as obvious, I re-ordered the exact amount of money, in the original currency. I paid 262 pounds at october? got refunded a bit less than 262 , but I reordered 262 again. If I were reordering applying the current exchange ratio in order to find out how much was the euro at october and how much is now.. well this is just too complicated for any "unspecified mass of people", then illegal.
If you mean that the barklays are the culpirit for some kind of scam, well it's HIGHLY possible, since just you calculate the amount of interest they got holding for a couple of month that huge quantity of money, locked... Lotsa banks do these kind of tricks in italy as well, for example by procrastinate the whole wages of some hundreds of employees of xyz plant/activity/whatever for a couple of days.. At the end the customers has to wait only one day or two.. but the bank is earning an incredible quantity of funds by doing this. It's not fair, but practical.
If you mean this, I'm completely with you.
If you "take out money" (sorry I don't know the english for that action) from an ATM outside of your bank circuit how much your bank fees you? A thousand dollars? I know fees are ariound 1~3€ for some kind of non-ordinary operations at bank's office (usually when you request human bank's personnel time instead of doing it on your own). I think that many of you just got too much upset for the bad exchange rate ratio at refunding, and lost money, but hey, I did lose money for that as well, but not 100€!
If you mean fees from pandora team, you may be wrong since in the refund mail they explicitly say that there is not any additional cost for customers, and that any extra fee or whatever will be on their charge, not ours.
So, as obvious, I re-ordered the exact amount of money, in the original currency. I paid 262 pounds at october? got refunded a bit less than 262 , but I reordered 262 again. If I were reordering applying the current exchange ratio in order to find out how much was the euro at october and how much is now.. well this is just too complicated for any "unspecified mass of people", then illegal.
If you mean that the barklays are the culpirit for some kind of scam, well it's HIGHLY possible, since just you calculate the amount of interest they got holding for a couple of month that huge quantity of money, locked... Lotsa banks do these kind of tricks in italy as well, for example by procrastinate the whole wages of some hundreds of employees of xyz plant/activity/whatever for a couple of days.. At the end the customers has to wait only one day or two.. but the bank is earning an incredible quantity of funds by doing this. It's not fair, but practical.
If you mean this, I'm completely with you.
