Porsche Parts/Manuals orders

[red-beard]

Just a question:

Do you think it's acceptable to charge a customer's credit card before the order is shipped?

James

[targa80]

I would expect the credit card to be billed when the item is shipped not when the order is placed. I would not be happy with the supplier if that happened to me.

[Dantilla]

Most companies have separate shipping and accounting departments. Who knows which happens first? The departments sometimes have very liitle communication between them. As long as everything is handled in a timely manner, does it matter?

[Elombard]

Timely manner is key. I got a bill the other day for a book I ordered from one of the large online book sellers. The book was back ordered but my credit card statement had been charged and arrived several weeks later. I still dont have the book and it is a little annoying. I guess the size of the purchase would correspond to the level of angst.

[red-beard]

What I'm talking about is an order placed well in advance, credit card then charged last Wednesday.

I was told yesterday it shipped out last week (Thursday or Friday). WhenI questioned the practice, I was asked, by a manager, kinda snottily, if I wanted to cancel my order as lots of other people wanted the item.

I get an automated e-mail today that it was scanned for shipment, yesterday, a long time after I talked to a manager.

Is this acceptable?

James

[Wayne 962]

I'm going to respond to this one.

James placed an order for my engine book on March 25th, when we started taking advance orders for the book. Then on Wednesday evening, at 5:37PM, I personally charged his card (and about 300 others in one fell swoop) before packing the books into envelopes. As it happens, we have been working overtime to ship the books out as fast as possible. Your shipment was packed and sealed on Friday - apparently it didn't make it into the mail until this week.

FEDERAL LAW states that you have up to 30 days to ship the product after charging the credit card. There is nothing wrong with charging the card and then shipping out the product a few days later. In fact, MOST websites do realtime charging of your credit card when you place your order. Pelican is the exception to the rule in that we only charge the credit card right before the product is shipped.

Normally, we don't charge the credit card until the package is ready to ship, but since we had so many orders, we did a large batch charge. Otherwise, it would have delayed the shipment of EVERYONE's book until later on this week (if we had to do it manually).

What I take exception with James, is that you called up our customer support line and proceeded to *yell* at my customer service manager for quite a long time. He got off the phone and stated (in email) that he was surprised at how rude you were! You insisted that you wanted to talk to me, so I called you at work and left a message and called you at home and left a message. So far, you have yet to call me back! Instead you posted this message on the board.

I understand that you are very anxiously awaiting the book, however, I feel that this is a serious over-reaction on your part.

-Wayne

[fogcity]

Wayne - I'm enjoying your "101 Projects..." book very much. Am planning on making trip to the Sears tools section this weekend so's that I will be prepared for when I get dirty.

[red-beard]

Wayne - I called from my own office from where I work. I take complete exception to your statement that I yelled at Ely. It did not happen.

However - I will discuss the rest of this directly with you and have deleted what I was going to type. I will contact you tomorrow after my Morning meetings.

James Tomlinson

[scottb]

Guys, take a deep breath. It's just a book, and it's not a fortune. Keep this in perspective.

[agabriel]

Wayne charged me the day before he sent it. Who cares - the bill still isn't going to be paid until the end of the month .


Wayne - if its quicker that way, you have my support!

Anthony

[Bill Douglas]

This is probably an appropriate time to say THANKS to Wayne and his team. It is not always easy to send things to New Zealand (figuring out different shipping etc), and it has been done without me having to pay extra for the time, and for emails back on alternative shipping methods. Also the parts fit! I realised after the event you guys figured out my car would be a Euro and sent me Euro fittings fuel filters.

[john_colasante]

It's not you James, it's the book's fault. It's sooo good that people just get crazy about it and loose their minds. Even Wayne has turned into a psycho.