Resolved -- Problems at Fictionwise.com

[foxpaw]

What's happened to Fictionwise? I've been shopping from them fro nearly two years now....but apparently, lately, they've changed to some new kind of shopping cart security system that is highly unreliable.

What happened: over the past few days I've been purchasing a large number of Mobipocket ebooks to load up my Cingular/AT&T 8525's SD card....shortly before I deploy overseas with the military. I've purchased nearly 100 ebooks in Mobi format from Fictionwise as I have been a member there for some time and they give some pretty good rebates and prices for members. And, on volume purchases (over $100, they would give an additional 15% back).

Well, tonight, while making my final selections (and had then planned to download and sync all those new books to my device)....and then went to purchase them by my usual credit card, some kind of security alert came on and said their new system had locked up my account from any further purchases or downloads due to some "unspecified" error in my account!

So.....I cannot make any further purchases.....I cannot download the 100 or so books I have purchased successfully in the past few days....and they have frozen the nearly $200 in MicroPay rebates I had earned. And, of course, it's Saturday....so they can take your money 24/7....but no one is around to take care of any problems. Obviously there is a serious glitch in their security system. I have been one of their best customers for a long time.....using the same reliable credit card (which, by the way, after calling them this evening, they did, in fact, pay Fictionwise or approve the charge for every single transaction with Fictionwise...including tonight's charges....so the problem is NOT with my good credit).

I recommend that purchasers of ebooks steer clear of Fictionwise until they get their new system figured out. Right now, their business plan of taking lots of money from a customer....then locking-up their account.....well, that's a new one to me!

Bottom line: AVOID FICTIONWISE until they get their act together. Or you'll be feeling the same frustration as I am. And my deployment to you-know-where is just a few days away. I suspect I will be carrying hard-copy books instead....and not many, considering the added weight to an already heavy pack! Bummer!

Thanks for reading my diatribe.....but, please, friends, DO be careful over at Fictionwise....they are a complete rip-off these days.

[bbusybookworm]

I think they lock down accounts which have sudden multiple large purchases as they may be consider suspicious activity and possible Fraud.

I believe a couple of members have run into it, and it was usually easily solved with an e-mail or a phone call.

you can contact them through their website here

http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw?t=support

or

Fictionwise Inc.
Private Company, Headquarters Location
407 Main St., Chatham, NJ, United States

(973)701-6773, (973)701-6774 fax,

info@fictionwise.com

http://www.fictionwise.com

While it can be irritating, They are thinking of protecting your account.

[FizzyWater]

Hey, you didn't get this from me, but one of the Fictionwise owners regularly posts on the Yahoo "Fictionwise" group. You could try emailing him directly...

scott at fictionwise dot com

[Seabound]

I remember that, not too long ago, another mobileread member had the same problem. The member called fictionwise, and fictionwise said it was because the member bought too many books. I guess it might be some sort of security precaution. Try calling fictionwise directly so you can verify that you actually bought the books and not some other person.

[foxpaw]

Thanks for the help and advice! It really helps!

[bbusybookworm]

Everybody's always glad to help.

Just keep us updated on what happens, so we know if someone else runs into similar problems

[bill_mchale]

I think I would be careful about ditching a company just because you have one problem with them. Sure they might be a little hard to reach during the weekend, but that is probably true of a lot of these ebook stores.

You have to admit that buying 100 books in such a short span could be seen as suspicious activity. Further, unfortunately, because of the way that credit card companies work, if it was someone impersonating you, they would be out the money for the books.

As a general rule, Fictionwise seems to be one of the good guys in ePublishing. So you might want to cut them just a little slack.

--
Bill

[foxpaw]

Normally, I wouldn't get so ticked-off at a company for such an issue. But, this is my last weekend with any free time before deploying overseas to you-know-where. I was trying to use my weekend time to load up my pocket pc with ebooks to read during the long deployment. Unless FW can unlock my account on Monday....I am out of luck. There is no computer I can use to "process" my DRM'd Mobipocket format ebooks while away from home. My research shows that FW is not real good a quick resolutions to issues.

Ergo....my semi-overreaction to the whole thing. But all of you here have managed to calm me down and hope for the best from FW. They are holding 112 ebooks of mine (fully paid for but not yet downloaded) hostage right now! Those 112 books would be great at filling time during the almost one year away from my home computer.

Thanks again everyone. I'll let you know here how FW handles the issue.

[HarryT]

Calling a company "a complete rip-off" because of a problem with a purchase seems rather more than a "semi-overreaction". It's a completely scurrilous attack on a highly-respected seller of eBooks, especially when you post your "rant" before they have had any opportunity to investigate and rectify the issue. Shame on you .

[foxpaw]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Calling a company "a complete rip-off" because of a problem with a purchase seems rather more than a "semi-overreaction". It's a completely scurrilous attack on a highly-respected seller of eBooks, especially when you post your "rant" before they have had any opportunity to investigate and rectify the issue. Shame on you .

Harry, you are either utterly clueless or utterly heartless! Shame on you! Get a life!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by foxpaw

Harry, you are either utterly clueless or utterly heartless! Shame on you! Get a life!

I'm sorry, foxpaw, but Fictionwise are one of the "good guys" of the eBook business. They have a lot of good-will on this board, and to call them "a complete rip-off" and warn people to "avoid them" before you've given them a chance to resolve the issue is - IMHO - a completely unwarranted attack on the integrity of a very well-respected eBook retailer.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by foxpaw

Harry, you are either utterly clueless or utterly heartless! Shame on you! Get a life!

I find your anger too spontaneous. Additonally, most here on this board will not ditch Fictionwise , even though you have a problem with them.

Fictionwise has always been an excellent company that most ebook lovers turn to when buying ebooks.

Fictionwise will address your complaints when you courteously address your concerns to them.

You haven't even given them the chance to address the issues regarding your concern.

I might also add, foxpaw, that telling someone to "get a life" is argumentative and childish.

In conclusion, foxpaw, I of course wish you success in the resolution of your problem, but my suggestion to you is that respect, patience, and courtesy can sometimes work wonders.

Sincerely,
Don

ADDED for further clarification: I am no angel and I make mistakes. I sometimes will lose patience and act discourteously toward a student - and sometimes the student DOES NOT DESERVE THIS. However, it is then that I make a very strong point to apologize to that student.

[carandol]

If I was about to be sent to a war zone with nothing to read, I might be a bit tetchy too! Hope you get it sorted out before you leave, foxpaw!

[NatCh]

HarryT, Dr. Drib: I can understand your reactions to the original tone of this thread, but I was thinking that the situation had been pretty well handled as far as moving toward a resolution, and think perhaps your reactions might have been a teeny bit overzealous in light of that.

Foxpaw: First, thank you for your service. Secondly I feel for your situation, and while I agree with HarryT and Dr. Drib that it would have been better to give FW a chance to resolve the problem before "going off" on them, I can certainly understand how buying upwards of $100 of something and not being able to actually get it can be as frustrating as all get out, particularly with a major time crunch thrown in, resulting in very little time in which contact FW in the first place.

However, I must also ask you not to taunt the moderators -- while I'm at it: please do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

It seems to me that there's been a bit of overreaction all around, and I hope we all can step back, take a breath, and and return to discussing ways to reach a happy resolution to the situation a bit more calmly.

[JSWolf]

The problem I have is that I have micropay credit and I want to purchase an eBook, but Fictionwise is not stocking it. Yet BooksOnBoard has it in Mobipocket format. I have written to Fictionwise on Friday and I hope for an answer on Monday.