Buying online from W H Smith

hansi

I placed an online order last week and was emailed to say the items were on special order but that my CC would not be debited until the goods were dispatched. However, when I checked, my online CC statement showed that they HAD debited my card with the full amount, as well as two small test amounts. I rang them and they said they always do this to see if there are sufficient funds, but that it would be removed. My answer to this was that I had to pay my account very shortly and I would have to pay for the goods without having received them,and in any case it did not guarantee that the funds would be there at payment time. They just re-iterated that the amounts debited would "drop off" within 48 hours. I have not come up against any other retailer doing this. I agree regarding the "test" amounts, but not the total order cost. I won't be buying from them again.

Ivory_Tinkler

Many retailers do use the test - it is to check that the card is valid before going ahead with processing the order (Tesco's garages do this for instance). I'm assuming that you are looking at an online account and this is not on a printed statement? As WH Smith has said, these amounts should disappear soon. As for the full amount being debited, have they actually debited the funds or are they simply "on hold" to be properly debited at the point that your order is ready?

hansi

My statement is due and the WH Smith amount is showing on my online account. My statement is only online, I do not get one posted, so if it is still on there at the statement date, I have to pay it. Is that right?

Ivory_Tinkler

You'd be best to check with your credit card company but I would say that if the charge is still there on the statement date then the payment is due to your card.

hansi

Exactly. I checked with my CC company and they said I would have to pay it if it's still there on my statement date. I have spoken to WHS who are adamant that they have not charged me even though I have sent them a copy of the CC transaction! I'm just being pushed from pillar to post!

RadoJo

Whilst I can appreciate the frustration, is it really that big a problem if they are still going to deliver the goods you wanted? I often pay for things up front (and debiting a card on despatch is still effectively paying for things before you have received them due to delivery times) and it has never been a problem. Unless the goods aren't due to be despatched for some weeks, I can't see how this is really going to inconvenience you that much? Or am I misunderstanding something here?

hansi

Yes, it is a problem, because of this, I cancelled the order on Friday, and the amount is still on my CC acount.

RadoJo

Ah I get you now. Apologies - I didn't realise you had cancelled the order! In which case I'm guessing they have an upper time limit for processing refunds (usually 14 or 28 days), so they probably won't do anything until that period has elapsed, but good luck appealing to their better nature as they seem pretty unwilling to budge. What does it say in their Ts and Cs about refunds?

hansi

Ah, this is where the problem lies! WHS tell me that they have not debited my card so they cannot refund. My CC company say that WHS have not contacted them to take the pending amounts off, so they say it stays till they hear from WHS. I'm bashing my head against a brick wall here:mad: I even sent WHS the transaction showing the amount debited but they say the never received it!