Disputed an overcharge AND filed a complaint with the BBB!!

[David Lambert]

I know it might seem premature to complain, when shipments are supposedly around the corner, but the issue of credit card overcharges is something entirely separate, and this whole process was handled horribly, and it just keeps getting worse.

Back about 2 weeks ago I discovered that I was double-charged on 8/5 for the MSCL set, like so many of you before me. That discovery was made on 8/17.

Justin Martin, AU's web admin, told Home Theater Forum members to send notes to AU CEO Ross Rojek and AU COO Mike McCollough about these overcharges. I did so same-day, cc:ing Justin and even Jason (since he's partnered with AU) and Gord Lacey (since he was helping while Jason was honeymooning).

I never got a reply. I gave them more chances, with a deadline of last night (Aug. 30th, the end of 10 workdays it should take for a credit to appear), and nothing happened. I got no reply from the e-mails, even though later I threatened to call Master Card and dispute the charge. Even filling out the e-form Gord wrote for Jason's DryGrass site had no effect. My complaint was never even opened or read!

I see no reason to wait longer for a response or a credit when I am being ignored. I've contacted my credit card and disputed the charge. That is in the works right now. I encourage anyone else who hasn't received a prompt credit to do the same. MAYBE I will see a credit, or at least an e-mail, from AU before the form arrives by snail mail to sign and send back. But I doubt it.

At the same time, my more-than-a-decade of retail experience has shown me that this is the sort of thing that just cannot be ignored, nor should other consumers be allowed to fall into the trap of dealing with this garbage. With agreement - even urging - from my credit card company, I decided to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

Here is what I told them:

AnotherUniverse (AU) was set up to sell limited edition DVD sets of the entire TV series "My So-Called Life". AU acted as retailer, taking the money, and a company called BMG presses the sets based on how many orders AU takes. $20 down, $69.98 balance for the version I ordered. 3/18/02 $20.00 charge to my MasterCard (MC). 4/3 $69.98 for the balance, understanding that its now paid in full, but the item ships in the summer/fall. Okay.

But on 8/5/02 my MC is billed a 2nd $69.98 charge! On 8/17 I discover that, and e-mail Ross Rojek, CEO of AU, and Mike McCullough, COO of AU, and Justin Martin, AU Website Admin, about the overcharge. No reply. On 8/22 I filled out an electronic form (http://www.drygrass.com/mscl/index.cfm) used to handle these complaints, with automatic e-mails whenever the item is opened, read, or processed. No responses even from that!

So on 8/28 I e-mailed Ross/Mike/Justin again, giving them until end of business Friday 8/30 to respond or for a credit to show up on my MC's internet statement. No reply. On 8/30 I e-mailed them again, stating it was their last chance. No reply, no credit. I JUST contacted my MC's bank to dispute the charge, and they agreed with me that I should file a BBB complaint.

The My So-Called Life set is a topic of discussion at internet sites like The Home Theater Forum (http://www.hometheaterforum.com), and it's widely reported that many are being overcharged for this set. Justin Martin participates in these (it was there he provided Ross & Mike's e-mail addresses), and he states that overcharges will be handled promptly. Most consumers complain that they are not handled for long periods of time, if ever, and some report MULTIPLE extra charges. I have no faith left that they will respond to me very soon.

Justin Martin reports that the set will start being manufactured & shipped in Sept., but that not all pieces will be delivered at once as originally agreed (custom "lunchbox" case and bonus disc to be shipped "later"...will there be a later?).

You will see that I'm not the only one who has complained to the BBB about Another Universe.com - their report simply says this:

Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaint(s).

So AU is ignoring that stuff, too. Well, at least let the BBB know. If credit card companies get enough disputed charges, and if the BBB gets enough complaints, then they automatically forward that information to the appropriate state's Attorny General's Office for review, just as a matter of course.

I have been urging you all to be patient with AU. I regret that. Perhaps it took my own personal, fustrating experience to make me see the light here. As I told the BBB, "I still want the item I purchased, at the price I purchased it at. I just want my extra $69.98 back, which the dispute of the charge will probably make happen, and to be reasonably assured no further attempts to bill me for more than I agreed to will occur."

I think that's what we all want. But AU is not handling the matter correctly. It looks like that if we keep giving them enough rope, they will hang themselves. I hope we all get what we paid for. We'll get the show discs soon, I guess. Will the bonus disc be with that? With the lunchbox? Or will we even ever get everything we paid for?

Oh, well...a fool and his money are soon parted.

[Also filed with the BBB]

I think we have all gone a little crazy. We allowed AnotherUniverse.com to jerk us around for many. many months. We accepted the double charges as though it was something to be expected!!!!!!

Tell me this: In your history of buying online have you ever dealt with a company that doublecharged you and took MONTHS to refund your money????? Can a company like that expect to stay in business???

I was thankful to AnotherUniverse.com for bringing the DVDs to us, but why should we be thankful??????? We've paid for it with our own money!!!! I paid 3 times for it and I am still waiting for a refund and some sort of email from AnotherUniverse.com to show they that know I exist!!!!!

Everyone needs to register a complaint with the BBB. This will put pressure on them to refund our money and also make sure that we don't get screwed when it comes time for us to get the DVDs!!!!!

Brian

[Jason R]

David, in your post, you say you quote the BBB:

Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaint(s).

I am not an employee of AU.com, but I do need to know about things like this when it comes to future projects and the retailers I work with. And they do need to answer BBB complaints unless they have a deathwish.

Just know that I take this very seriously and I believe that it is inexcusable and an embarassment. I once bought from a company that falsely sent me refurbished goods and I was furious when I waited for a refund. I understand why people are writing furious emails to me when they are not getting a response from AU. I don't see why the customers for this set should feel any differently than I would in the same situation.

Just remember that the site built by Gord was created as a service by my company. He did this for me so that it would free me up from acting as a go-between (and an apparently ineffective one at that) all day. We are not responsible for how it is used and may discontinue it if it makes us look bad. In other words, what Gord built would work perfectly if used as intended. Right now I am getting a lot of complaints that the site is not working. I must defend the products and services provided by my company. They work very well if used properly. For example, at any given moment I can tell you the average time to respond to a problem, the number and types of each kind of problem, and the amount of time since the last login by a rep at AU. This system totally kicks ass compared to the emails I was sending. However, it has to be used properly to be effective.

Best
Jason Rosenfeld

[David Lambert]

David, in your post, you say you quote the BBB

Jason, you or anyone else is free to visit http://www.bbb.org and look up the company "Another Universe.com" to verify the truth of what I posted that the Better Business Bureau reports about them. It is a fact, not subject to interpretation. It is a matter of public record, not requiring you or anyone else to take my word for it.

There is a separate listing at BBB.org for AU's address in Virginia. Noone has filed a complaint against it yet. I know they are connected to the same AU, because the phone # listed in my credit card charges is the same one BBB uses in the listing for the AU Virginia address. I will consider whether or not I should file the same complaint against those offices as well, so that the Sacremento BBB office is not alone in investigating this mess!

[Jason R]

Thanks for pointing out the site. I obviously knew the BBB exists, but I am interested in how they provide the BBB seal to businesses with good practices. To cover my ass in the future, I will make sure that all retail partners have this seal.

David, in your post, you say you quote the BBB

Jason, you or anyone else is free to visit http://www.bbb.org and look up the company "Another Universe.com" to verify the truth of what I posted that the Better Business Bureau reports about them. It is a fact, not subject to interpretation. It is a matter of public record, not requiring you or anyone else to take my word for it.

There is a separate listing at BBB.org for AU's address in Virginia. Noone has filed a complaint against it yet. I know they are connected to the same AU, because the phone # listed in my credit card charges is the same one BBB uses in the listing for the AU Virginia address. I will consider whether or not I should file the same complaint against those offices as well, so that the Sacremento BBB office is not alone in investigating this mess!

[unsatisfied]

I've also filed with the BBB. I've noticed in another thread someone has linked to two other sites where you can submit a complaint. Are there different sites for people not from the US? (I'm in Canada)

I have never before encountered a company that refuses to communicate. I have phoned & left messages and have sent many, many emails to Mike and Ross. Forget trying to solve my problem, I just want them to even acknowledge I exist!

Jason and Gord have been great at answering emails and trying to solve problems. If only AU were the same!

-Colene

[Guest]

[quote="Jason Rosenfeld"]Thanks for pointing out the site. I obviously knew the BBB exists, but I am interested in how they provide the BBB seal to businesses with good practices. To cover my ass in the future, I will make sure that all retail partners have this seal.

For clarification, anyone who pays a certain fee can use the BBB logo. Like Chambers of Commerce, they have to become members. Working in the business world, I find a lot of rather disreputable companies when they first start out join them just to play off the name value, which really isn't much.

Local chambers of commerce are a much more reliable source as far as telling if a company is reputable. The BBB name doesn't really hold weight among people who know how easy it is to be a member.

[David Lambert]

I will agree that simply seeing that a business is a BBB member does not mean much in and of itself. The man is right; anyone can buy that membership and display the logo. It stays there until there are enough complaints that go unanswered so that the BBB takes the "right" to show the logo away. And then many companies go on using it anyway, or never paid to use it in the first place.

I recommend that you first find a company that displays the BBB logo, and THEN check with the local BBB chapter to make sure they are current members, and ask for how long they have been members in good standing. Anything under a year is suspect for sure. Anything over 5 years is outstanding. In between is subject to interpretation, but is probably just fine.

[Justin at AU 2]

David,

I talked with the office, and found out that your credit was issued sometime last week and will be showing up tonight or tomorrow on your card. The Labor Day holiday held up the usual 7-10 days. I just know they are woriking through them as fast as they can, and I am sorry yours took a little longer.

Justin

[Claire Sheppy]

I too have been double billed. Being 3000 miles away in England , UK, makes it very difficult for me to sort out. Jason Rosenfeld has said in the MCSCL.com pages that such double charging is "inexcusable". It is indeed. I even have a paper receipt dated 12-April 2002 from Another Universe showing that I had paid for the DVD box set in full. Is this just bad management, or is there some sort of sharp practice going on here?

[John Duesenberry]

I have also been double-charged and when I called last month was told I would be given a credit "IMMEDIATELY." fat chance... if my mstrcard statement this week doesn't show a credit, I'll be on the line to the BBB also.

[David Lambert]

David,

I talked with the office, and found out that your credit was issued sometime last week and will be showing up tonight or tomorrow on your card. The Labor Day holiday held up the usual 7-10 days. I just know they are woriking through them as fast as they can, and I am sorry yours took a little longer.

Justin

Unbelievable. This is how I find out. By happening to look in on a discussion in a public forum.
* NO e-mails communicating the status to me, or ever showing that my "case" was opened or processed.
* NO telephone calls or voicemails assuring me that I have nothing to fear.
* NO written communication of ANY sort (hardly surprising).
* Oh, and at least as of today right this minute, NO CREDIT YET!!


Inexcusable. Unacceptable. In-friggin'-credible.

[David Lambert]

P.S., Justin: I neglected to mention that 7-10 days were available for that credit to appear BEFORE the Labor Day holiday hit. Don't bullshit a bullshitter.

[kimincali]

Wow, this is horrible that people are having so much trouble with the company. While I was away in Europe these past weeks I received an email from AU saying my order had been canceled, even though I had received [b]2[/b] confirmation emails for my payment. Now i am sort of glad that this happened. I will wait until they get their act together and then buy the set.

[Krakolano]

ri-goddamn-diculous. who do these jokers think they are?

you know if steven segall had gotten the shaft from AU he'd have already flown out there, kicked their asses, and gotten us all our money back by now.

what's the flippin' problem?

maybe if they hadn't double charged so many people it wouldn't take so friggin long to credit it back.

i hate AU
i just want my dvds.



Krak