Buy.com charging me for something I bought nearly two years ago?

[GoldenEagle]

I got this email from Buy.com:

Hello Tim,

We are writing to you regarding your order # 31850560.

At Buy.com (http://buy.com/) we strive to provide the widest assortment of high-quality products at everyday low prices. However, sometimes circumstances beyond our control affect our selection.

We were recently informed that your order was not fully billed correctly at the time your product(s) shipped out to you. There is an outstanding balance of $18.65 which we need to bill.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

The method of payment that you selected for this order will be billed $18.65 on or about 09/22/2008.

If you have any questions, please visit customer support at buy.com/support (http://buy.com/support).

We appreciate your business.

Sincerely,

Customer Support

I thought it was weird. I did not even remember ordering anything from Buy.com. I logged in and checked the order and it was something that I ordered 1/06/2007. I don't even live at the address it was shipped to any more.

Does this sound crazy to anyone else?

[molson]

You actually got what you paid for, right?

Maybe you changed your credit card info (via move/expiration date), they shipped but didn't get paid.

Still, really sloppy, and they should totally let that go.

[GoldenEagle]

Yes I got what I paid for. The products and shipping were charged and paid.

[stevew]

Sounds like a scam of some kind. Did the order numbers match?

[GoldenEagle]

Sounds like a scam of some kind. Did the order numbers match?

Yes.

[molson]

Couldn't hurt to write a quick email of complaint, demand to know exactly what the mistake is.

[Celeval]

Agreed... and probably the best bet. Two years is a long time... email them, and ask for an explanation.

[cougarfreak]

No way does that sound legit to me. If you have a credit card registered with them, I'd delete it pronto.

[PackerFanatic]

If it were that much of an issue, they would have found it LONG before 2 years later. Sounds really fishy to me.

[fantom1979]

I used to have to call customers regarding money owed for past orders for Home Depot. I can guarantee you that for $18, especially after two years, that bill would have been thrown out. There is no way I would have called or mailed someone for that.

[cougarfreak]

I used to have to call customers regarding money owed for past orders for Home Depot. I can guarantee you that for $18, especially after two years, that bill would have been thrown out. There is no way I would have called or mailed someone for that.

I can understand money owed, but they are changing what they charged him if I understand his post correctly.

[stevew]

Send this into consumerist.com. They love stuff like this

[stevew]

Dola

Sometimes they do a good job of shaming companies to a resolution. Although buy dot com apparently has no shame. At least according to some of the feedback I found through google-ing

[DeToxRox]

Damn that OlieGirl

[stevew]

Damn that OlieGirl

Ahem. That was never her fault. It was the shady ex boyfriend. Get it right or pay the price. :)

[GoldenEagle]

Here is Buy.com's latest:

Hello Tim,

Thank you for contacting Buy.com (http://buy.com/) regarding order #31850560.

We are writing you in regards to the recent charge deducted from your account on order # 31850560. Furthermore, Buy.com would like to extend our most sincere apologies for any inconvenience you have experienced.

The billing error which took place during your purchase of order #31850560 was encountered during the billing of your purchase. Although a portion of the charge was placed on your Gift Certificate (#1158319), the remaining balance ($18.65) was never deducted for your Credit Card Account.

On behalf of Buy.com, I again would like to apologize for this technical error on. Should you have any other questions or concerns please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-800-0800 (Press Option #3) to clear up any confusion.

Thank you for your business.

Please let us know if this e-mail resolved your question:

[Izulde]

That number looks awfully suspicious.

[fantom1979]

That number looks awfully suspicious.

A google search of the number seems to confirm it is buy.com

1-800-800-0800 - Google Search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=SKP&q=1-800-800-0800&btnG=Search)

[fantom1979]

You don't seem to be the only one with problems with Buy.com. They have quite an impressive list of complaints

Consumer complaints about Buy.com (http://www.consumeraffairs.com/online/buy.htm)

[Izulde]

A google search of the number seems to confirm it is buy.com

1-800-800-0800 - Google Search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=SKP&q=1-800-800-0800&btnG=Search)

I stand corrected. :)

[Glengoyne]

So they are saying that they just now discovered that they should have billed your CC two years ago, but they didn't.

Sounds like somebody just discovered a more than healthy sized accounting error. If it was just a handful of errors, then they would have written it off. To go through the PR hit of attempting to recoup the funds, there has to be a substantial dollar amount involved.

How bad do your controls have to be in order to not reconcile your cc transactions against the actual receipts/credits? This would be a SOX nightmare....or is it? Is buy.com publicly traded?

[fantom1979]

I was going to call it at first, but I didn't really believe it to be the real number either.

[rowech]

Legally, they can't charge you for that unless the law has changed at some point.

[molson]

That's such bullshit.

To make me feel better, I'm never shopping at Buy.com again. So it's a net loss for them for being such douchebags.

[DanGarion]

Send this into consumerist.com. They love stuff like this

Really should take it up with Buy.com before you blow it out of proportion, like consumerist.com does.

[DanGarion]

Here is Buy.com's latest:

The question is, is this true information, or is it false? Did you actually get charged for the excess amount previously?

[DanGarion]

That's such bullshit.

To make me feel better, I'm never shopping at Buy.com again. So it's a net loss for them for being such douchebags.

Dola*3 but did you ever in the past?