Rip Off!

[LoriNei]

My disabled adult son ordered one of these game machines in October and this company waited the 60 days they knew it would be hard to dispute a credit card charge and issued a refund about $60 less than what he was orginally charged. Then he received an e-mail wanting more money ( a bank transfer that cannot be disputed)! I don't care what the value of the pound is, when you order something and the merchant cancels the order, the merchant gives the customer a full refund. Thank goodness my credit card company is giving us all of the money back. Shame on you people at this company!!!

 

[stustaff]

My disabled adult son ordered one of these game machines in October and this company waited the 60 days they knew it would be hard to dispute a credit card charge and issued a refund about $60 less than what he was orginally charged. Then he received an e-mail wanting more money ( a bank transfer that cannot be disputed)! I don't care what the value of the pound is, when you order something and the merchant cancels the order, the merchant gives the customer a full refund. Thank goodness my credit card company is giving us all of the money back. Shame on you people at this company!!!

It is unfortunate but the details estimated dates etc were made public and because that shipping date is an estimate it means it can change... It did.

It wasnt intentional and the refund given is so you can re-order! if you send the money back that you received you will still get a pandora when it ships at the original cost you ordered it at.

Just send the amount you received back to Pandora team via the bank details issued.

Basically, you WILL still get the pandora for the original amount paid!.

yes there is more hassle but tha was due to unforseen circumstances.

 

[azurege]

This sounds a bit off, I have to say I have never encountered this happening before, (I have worked in retail for over 12 years) could it be a banking error??

I know the $ to £ has changed since you placed the order, but this shouldn't effect your refund.

Strange one this, if it has been done intentionally then shame on the Openpandora team, I would rather believe it's a banking error as I have never had anything other than total professionalism from this team.

It is unfortunate but the details estimated dates etc were made public and because that shipping date is an estimate it means it can change... It did.

It wasnt intentional and the refund given is so you can re-order! if you send the money back that you received you will still get a pandora when it ships at the original cost you ordered it at.

Just send the amount you received back to Pandora team via the bank details issued.

Basically, you WILL still get the pandora for the original amount paid!.

The shipping date was never set in stone and I dont believe this is OP's issue, If the team will let him reorder at the same Dollar value as what was refunded, then I personally dont see a problem with how it was done, If he doesnt want to reorder then he should have been given a full refund in Dollar. That is what he paid.

 

[Alpha2]

It's beenexplained a million times already. The banks freaked at taking in such a huge amount of money at one time for a product whose ship date hadn't been finalized requireing the return of funds at the current exchange rate which because of the world financial issues was a bit less than the original price upon conversion.

They'vesaid on numerous occasions that once they figure out how to rectify the problem you can reorder for the amount you received back.

This is simple as can be, it's the waiting that makes it complicated.

 

[Polossatik]

My disabled adult son ordered one of these game machines in October and this company waited the 60 days they knew it would be hard to dispute a credit card charge and issued a refund about $60 less than what he was orginally charged. Then he received an e-mail wanting more money ( a bank transfer that cannot be disputed)! I don't care what the value of the pound is, when you order something and the merchant cancels the order, the merchant gives the customer a full refund. Thank goodness my credit card company is giving us all of the money back. Shame on you people at this company!!!

I think you're missing a clear point here. EVERYBODY that ordered "upfront" should be really clear this was a UNIQUE project to make something that has not yet done before, trying to make the most powerful handheld device there is based on what people actually WANT.

This is not a ripp off of some kind. you are simply mistaking that this is some kind of wall mart offer.

It's not.

I'm very sure that instead of shouting "ripp off" you took the time to actually contact the people doing this you would find them very helpful and co-operative.

I strongly suggest to actually talk to your disabled boy and see with him if he still wants this unique device, if so he should be able to order it again at the refunded price, preferably trough a bank transfer , something that is quite uncommon in your part of the world but actually quite common in the "old world".
the sole reason for this is not to have a non-disputable way of getting money, it's just that this is the CHEAPEST way to actually transfer funds, helping this project actually happening.

Maybe you did not notice but the reason why this refunding and re-ordering stuff happens is basically the economical meltdown started by your great country. So may I kindly ask to stop making havoc where there is no need to, inform your self and then take proper action based on what your kid want.

Kind regards,

edit: speeeling, damn dysgraphia ...

 

[TaG]

No it wasn't done intentionally by openpandora. They were forced into making the refunds by the bank. They would have received the funds in GBP and refunded in that currency. It is the bank/credit card processors that have applied different exchange rates.

The key point is, if you were refunded and still want a Pandora it is available by repaying the refunded amount, so no one loses.

 

[cosurgi]

Hi,

I doubt that you will reorder, even though that would let you "earn" those $60. Look:

1. your disabled son paid X for pandora.
2. you received refund of X - $60
3. then "Thank goodness my credit card company is giving us all of the money back.", which means that you received remaining $60
4. now to reorder pandora you only need to pay only X - $60, because this the exact amount of refund that you recieved.
5. it means that you keep for yourself the remaining $60

Choice is yours:

1. your disabled son gets pandora and you practically paid for it only X-$60
2. or, you paid nothing and your son won't get pandora

A $60 discount on this piece of hardware is quite tempting, keep in mind that afterwards you still can sell it on ebay for a minimum amount of X ! Which will leat you even earn $60, with a bit of extra hassle. And you already made some hassle, since in order to complain you have just created a new account here.

But also there are people asking if they can buy pandora if there are some free left from canceled orders, just like your canceled order.

my best regards.

My disabled adult son
That´s where i stopped reading. Go stir up drama elsewhere.I have a disabled brother so I probably understand his situation a little, although it depends a lot on the type of disability. However I never mention that my brother is disabled when I write/talk about him, unless thats relevant to current context.

In this thread it's probably irrelevant, and I wouldn't mention this if I were writing such a rant. But OP decided that this is relevant. I don't need to know why he made such decision, I'm not interested.

 

[nightwheel]

lorinei, I agree with every one else here. Your refund problem is most likely not Open Pandora's fault. As people have already stated, there has been some banking issues. And the bank problem hasn't been helped by the current economy.

May I ask which American credit card provider you have and used?

 

[Polossatik]

lorinei, I agree with every one else here. Your refund problem is most likely not Open Pandora's fault. As people have already stated, there has been some banking issues. And the bank problem hasn't been helped by the current economy.

May I ask which American credit card provider you have and used?

I suggest to not discuss this in the open but simply take this up with openpandorasales@gmail.com

Jacquelyn or someone else will be happy to help you out.

 

[MWeston]

I know this has been pointed out before, but I would like to point it out again before this gets closed:


IF YOU WERE REFUNDED, CRAIG NEVER TOUCHED ANY OF YOUR MONEY AT ALL!!!! EVER!!! THE BANK DID ALL OF THIS AND ANY DELAYS WERE THEIR CHOICE.

The money was frozen back on something like Oct. 6th and I haven't been able to use any of it to pay for parts, assembly services, PCB costs or anything.

I get your frustration and I get why you would want to direct it at the Pandora team, but we are victims too. You lost $60 (temporarily and even get to profit here which is pathetic) but we lose $60x3000+ orders...... and we NEVER get that back. All you have to do is reorder at the current dollar and you would be fine.

 

[cosurgi]

The money was frozen back on something like Oct. 6th and I haven't been able to use any of it to pay for parts, assembly services, PCB costs or anything.

Can you now pay for these with those money, are you short on funds due to bank insolence? I tell ya, you should get a lawyer, get the bank to court and demand recompensation for their behavior. You can pay the lawyer as a percent of money obtained that way.

Maybe there is a lawyer among us, who could do this?

This bank really deserves its ass kicked hard + bad publicity in media and newspapers.

The
but we lose $60x3000+ orders...... and we NEVER get that back.

How much are you going to lose?

But the one thing I CAN'T forgive you is that you tell us your son is disabled...

I find that very offensive towards your own son and put a statement to his handicap.

I couldn't find better words for it myself

 

[Eternalodyssey]

My disabled adult son ordered one of these game machines in October and this company waited the 60 days they knew it would be hard to dispute a credit card charge and issued a refund about $60 less than what he was orginally charged. Then he received an e-mail wanting more money ( a bank transfer that cannot be disputed)! I don't care what the value of the pound is, when you order something and the merchant cancels the order, the merchant gives the customer a full refund. Thank goodness my credit card company is giving us all of the money back. Shame on you people at this company!!!

Your son ordered a product that has "potential" to be released on a date that must be left flexible because it is still being developed. This is not AMAZON.COM. Rather then whining about that, perhaps it would be prudent to inquire first, get facts straight, and then state your case on the public forum pointing the almighty finger of blame. If you had done this correctly you would know who to blame (no, you weren't correct). There is no way for me to say this in a less disrespectful way, but shame on you for not taking responsibility for the product you allowed you allowed your handicapped son to purchase and then making a 2nd rate effort after the fact. Do not blame Pandora for your son's purchase and the exchange rate, blame yourself and the economy. Or you could just blame the economy for everything if it makes you feel less responsible. Good luck to you.

 

[Pickle]

Back on the subject.

First the bank screwed up. I believe pandora and co. should investigate legal options, but thats thier decision.

Second im one of the ones that also was not refunded the $60 difference, but ive been told I only need to repay the amount I was refunded.
This means I originally paid $360 then $300 was refunded and when the reorder starts I pay $300.
As you see I personally will not lose anything, but pandora and co. I believe will write off the lost money. Which I have major thanks for. (Although if they didnt it probally would result in many stopments of payment and no reorders)
The only way you lose is if you dont reorder.

If I dont have this right, someone please clarify.

 

[gaterooze]

I think the main point of confusion is this:

You paid in GBP. Not $.

The ProtX payment page *very clearly* said you would be charged a certain amount of British Pounds. It was your credit card company that performed the currency conversion.

 

[pcklee123]

Back on the subject.

First the bank screwed up. I believe pandora and co. should investigate legal options, but thats thier decision.

Second im one of the ones that also was not refunded the $60 difference, but ive been told I only need to repay the amount I was refunded.
This means I originally paid $360 then $300 was refunded and when the reorder starts I pay $300.
As you see I personally will not lose anything, but pandora and co. I believe will write off the lost money. Which I have major thanks for. (Although if they didnt it probally would result in many stopments of payment and no reorders)
The only way you lose is if you dont reorder.

If I dont have this right, someone please clarify.

I agree with pickle that the bank screwed up. However I think most people here do not see the implication of the situation. i.e the bank/credit card companies are not doing their part & getting paid for it. If I pay openpandora what I got as refund in my own currency, then openpandora will get less than what they deserve. If I pay in pounds, I will need to pay more than the refund.(Assuming that the pound remains the same). Due to the currency fluctuations I guess that openpandora will already be paying more than expected for the parts if they are making post payment instead of prepayment as they would probably have to pay for it in USD.

 

[Squidge]

Discussed a million times already. Closed.

OpenPandora received £200 from you. They refunded that full £200 back to you. The dollar rate changed in-between, thus you were refunded less. OpenPandora can do nothing about that.

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Message Forwarded From lorinei via PM. Added here as the 'last word' on this particular thread:

We had no intention on reselling the product. The only reason I mentioned that my son was disabled, was to show that he is easily exploited and does not totally understand good business practice, a person of normal intellegence probably would not fall for a scam. It doesn't matter, to me, whose fault this was. If you buy something and don't receive it, you should get back every dime you spent. Some promise of a later discount is not the equivalent. We have no guarantee of ever receiving a product. If this company's own bank doesn't trust them, then that makes me question their integrity even more. My son does plan on reordering, but he is going to wait until this company gets their product on the open market. I spoke to the credit card company today and they said the the reason stated (by this company) for the lesser amount refunded was restocking fees. I would have responded to the forum, but it appears they locked it. I just wanted to warn people. I stated the facts. If this company lost money, then it has to be their own faults. It certainly isn't the fault of the buyer. Sorry for the "drama", but when I get ripped off, I try to warn others and this website was the only place people would give a care.