Box Scraper Is this SOP in the industry?

[WranglerX]

When I want something I want it now...I see lots of dealers with stacks of quality implements sitting in their yards...what makes one brand worth waiting over a month for?...please don't say "quality"...I'm not talking about cheapo blades and Chinese knock offs etc...

My tendency with fair to large purchase is to go to a "dealer/retailer" lot see the item and purchase it right there......... I am sort of kick the tires person.... Really have a lot of reservations about online car buying like "VROOM" and "Car GURUS" and such....

Dale

 

[ovrszd]

I think it's becoming more common. I don't like it and have complained about it twice. One vendor shipped the next day, overnight freight, on their nickel. The other vendor simply said that's how we do it.

 

[Reb954]

If a company lets the customer know upfront, during the ordering process, they will charge the customers CC for the full payment, then there isn't a problem because the customer knew before finalizing the order and it is safe to assume agreed to the upfront charge.

If the company doesn't let the customer know of the 100% CC charge on a product shipment that is out a few weeks, they are in the wrong and I would be suspect of them. Using current sales to finance future shipments suggests a cash flow problem, even if there is no cash flow problem.

 

[Fuddy1952]

That's interesting. In nearly 60 years of booking cars and hotel rooms I've never had them charge my card except when it was explicitly stated that a deposit was required. I understand that when I actually check in some place a hold on the card, but not when booking.

We're talking semantics. I assume you and others get the gist of my reply, and I write fast avoiding minutia. My point is/was the motel, agency, retailer, etc. wants a valid card number. The actual amount may not be charged except upon completion. After all, a room when checking out may have to add room services, etc.
Just yesterday I ordered parts online and my card was charged right away. I paid, although haven't received anything...possibly will never receive it. I can and have done a chargeback on merchandise long after order was placed, merchandise not received.
It's not unusual for a cc charge to occur once order is placed.
Copied online:
"Expect to have at least the estimated amount of your rental and an extra $200 put on your card for incidentals. Companies almost always put a hold on a debit card, but they may not place one on your credit card depending on your available balance and their policies. A hold or block means you can't use the funds until the car is returned and paid for. If your estimated cost of renting the car is $100 for two days, the rental company may block your card for $300 or more. If you only have $300 of available credit, you can't use the card until the car is returned or you use another method to pay the bill."

 

[Diggin It]

What you're talking about is an 'authorization'. It isn't a charge applied to your card, but it can affect your available credit for other charges. Gas stations used to do it (maybe still do) They'd 'authorize' $100 or so when you enter your card at the pump. You only pump $20 in gas and that's all that hits your card. BUT, if you have a card with a low limit, or you're near your limit, that $100 'authorization' might put you over the top and cause your next charge to be rejected.

 

[Ford850]

Some hotels charge in full to my card, and others for at least one day, at time of reservation even if done months in advance. Airlines? Yep, pay in full when you book your flight many months ahead of time. And with airlines, I've had my flights changed multiple times after booking and paying for them, between the time of booking and the actual departure date. Sometimes they add a layover, change departure and arrivals times, etc.
I've had local dealers charge me for attachments when I ordered them, but usually they charge when I pick it up. I think EA is a little unique since we're buying direct from the manufacturer. It might be easier to bill for all orders when they are placed, whether or not they have them in stock or need to build. Sometimes accounting practices dictate a process.

 

[Doug62]

As I mentioned earlier, it's great for the business, not so much for the customer. The customer is taking on all the business risk by paying 100 percent in advance for a company to build or acquire a product to send to them. It might be the "my way or the highway" business owner doesn't care because he has all the business he can stand. Good for him if that's the case. That doesn't make it smart for a customer to deal with them though.

Normally, this sort of requirement is because the business doesn't have sufficient cash flow and needs the customer to help finance acquiring the wholesale merchandise to transfer to the customer.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Or it could also be because the the business is tired of getting burned by people ordering stuff and not following through with the sale.

Tons of wishy-washy people in the world... "Oh, I found something cheaper", or "different". Or my neighbor's ex dog groomer had an old one they weren't using, etc, etc.

Or they're ordering stuff they can't afford, and their card gets declined when they're ready to ship.

There's more than one side to a story.

 

[ovrszd]

In those cases a partial payment would cover EA. And I don't think anyone would complain about a partial payment.

 

[Fallon]

Another sort of "rub" at least for me is the, "your order has shipped" e-mail..... But when you check tracking number you get " tracking number issued and carrier awaiting item".....

Dale

Thats usually the shipping department printing the shipping label, slapping it on & dropping it at their loading dock. They have shipped it. However UPS or whoever has yet to show up & load the item on the truck. So they haven't taken possession of the package to update it in their database. Just a difference between dropping it on the loading dock being counted as shipped & the actual shipper grabbing it.