Charged Three Times for Book

Ninjalawyer · 11-22-2011, 01:09 PM

This is a little frustrating.

On Saturday I tried to buy the book "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" from the Kobo site. The first time through, the site gave me an error and told me the order didn't go through. I updated my credit card info and tried again, and had the the same error come up. Foolishly thinking that maybe the issue was my credit card, I tried to buy via Paypal. Paypal said the order went through, but then when I was redirected back to the Kobo site, I got an error message.

You can probably see where this is going. About 10 minutes later, I got 3 order receipts and today my bank's website is telling me I was charged three times for the order. It's a little bit my fault for trying to order 3 times, but even if I hadn't, I still would have been charged once for a book I never received.

The ordering issue isn't really the frustrating part though. The frustrating part is emailing Kobo customer support Saturday and not getting a response for days on end and not being able to call their tech support phone number. Every time I try to call, I get a half-ring followed by silence.

/sigh

kiwipippa · 11-22-2011, 01:11 PM

Not good - I'm sure you'll get a refund, although with the current backlogs at Kobo support it may take a while.

Maybe you just need to be a very squeaky wheel.

filmo · 11-22-2011, 02:11 PM

Call your credit card company and explain they should give you a refund. Paypal should also give you a refund. This can take at least a month.

Ninjalawyer · 11-22-2011, 05:09 PM

Update

Managed to speak to a live human being, and Kobo customer care really went the extra mile to disappoint. From being subjected to broken hold music for 10 minutes (I now have a catchy "blerp" sound running on an endless loop through my head), to the rep with an accent that could best be described as "mouth full of marbles", to call sound quality that would have made Alexander Graham Bell blush, the whole experience transcended awful and became almost magical.

Oh, the solution the rep could provide? My issue will be escalated to the "hrmphred" department and I'll receive an email within 48 to 72 hours. So exactly the position I was in on Saturday when I sent an e-mail.

On the plus side, short of putting sugar in my gas tank, Kobo customer care has surely reached the limit of their ability to disappoint.

Edit

I should also note that after having me spell my name out and looking through my account, the rep dubbed me "Norm". That's not my name, not a variant of my name and in fact shares only one letter with my name. I can only assume that in the rep's culture, "Norm" is a sign of deep respect and honour.

RolandD · 11-22-2011, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer

Update

Managed to speak to a live human being, and Kobo customer care really went the extra mile to disappoint. From being subjected to broken hold music for 10 minutes (I now have a catchy "blerp" sound running on an endless loop through my head), to the rep with an accent that could best be described as "mouth full of marbles", to call sound quality that would have made Alexander Graham Bell blush, the whole experience transcended awful and became almost magical.

I just called Kobo Customer Service for the first time today also.

If anyone from Kobo is reading this, change the hold music and turn it down. It was the most horrid hold music I've ever heard.

I, also, had trouble understanding the CSR with whom I spoke, not only accent, but call quality. I did get a prompt email requesting photos of my issue. Whether they follow through with good service remains to be seen.

Ninjalawyer · 11-22-2011, 08:29 PM

As one last update, I can confirm that Kobo was in fact able to disappoint me a little more tonight; I should never have doubted them. The book I was reading, purchased last week from the Kobo store, just happens to be missing the last chapter. Okay, so not customer service related, but funny timing anyway.

BrowseTheStacks · 11-22-2011, 10:29 PM

Kindle has the best customer service in the business. When i had a issue they called me on the phone no waiting on hold at all.

Ninjalawyer · 11-23-2011, 03:39 PM

Posted my issue at www.getsatisfaction.com/kobo, got a response within 5 minutes and my account credited within an hour!

exNookie · 11-28-2011, 12:46 AM

I had issues with kobobooks and was charged 2 times for a single purchase. Then the book never downloaded for me. So I'm out $15 and have no book.

I called customer service the same day, told I would hear back or receive an email within 2-3 days. I haven't heard a thing since.

Bullshit.

taming · 11-28-2011, 05:03 AM

exNookie. You have alternatives for follow-up. See the post right above yours.

Ninjalawyer · 11-28-2011, 09:58 AM

Oddly, the book that Kobo added to my account disappeared a few days later, leaving no trace in the "purchased" section of the Kobo website.

SameerH · 11-28-2011, 12:42 PM

Hey Ninja, sorry to have to ask, but please send me your ticket # shasan at kobo dot com

exNookie · 11-30-2011, 03:01 PM

I have good news to report. Perhaps Kobo is improving their customer service. Yesterday I received an email that the book I bought (twice due to a website error) and never received is now available for download. I was able to download it successfully.

I need to check my credit card now to see if they gave me a refund for the second purchase.

So far so good.

Thanks kobo!

xendula · 11-27-2012, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer

Update
I should also note that after having me spell my name out and looking through my account, the rep dubbed me "Norm". That's not my name, not a variant of my name and in fact shares only one letter with my name. I can only assume that in the rep's culture, "Norm" is a sign of deep respect and honour.

xendula · 11-27-2012, 08:38 PM

I will never understand why Amazon does not sell ebooks in Canada. They have a US store and a French store, so what the heck? They would put Kobo out of business if they only tried - best customer service ever. 7 day return period on ebooks. I am not even Canadian and find it aggravating that they are dragging their feet like this!

11-22-2011, 01:09 PM	#1
Ninjalawyer Guru Posts: 826 Karma: 18573626 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Nexus 7 (2013)	Charged Three Times for Book This is a little frustrating. On Saturday I tried to buy the book "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" from the Kobo site. The first time through, the site gave me an error and told me the order didn't go through. I updated my credit card info and tried again, and had the the same error come up. Foolishly thinking that maybe the issue was my credit card, I tried to buy via Paypal. Paypal said the order went through, but then when I was redirected back to the Kobo site, I got an error message. You can probably see where this is going. About 10 minutes later, I got 3 order receipts and today my bank's website is telling me I was charged three times for the order. It's a little bit my fault for trying to order 3 times, but even if I hadn't, I still would have been charged once for a book I never received. The ordering issue isn't really the frustrating part though. The frustrating part is emailing Kobo customer support Saturday and not getting a response for days on end and not being able to call their tech support phone number. Every time I try to call, I get a half-ring followed by silence. /sigh

11-22-2011, 05:09 PM	#4
Ninjalawyer Guru Posts: 826 Karma: 18573626 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Nexus 7 (2013)	Update Managed to speak to a live human being, and Kobo customer care really went the extra mile to disappoint. From being subjected to broken hold music for 10 minutes (I now have a catchy "blerp" sound running on an endless loop through my head), to the rep with an accent that could best be described as "mouth full of marbles", to call sound quality that would have made Alexander Graham Bell blush, the whole experience transcended awful and became almost magical. Oh, the solution the rep could provide? My issue will be escalated to the "hrmphred" department and I'll receive an email within 48 to 72 hours. So exactly the position I was in on Saturday when I sent an e-mail. On the plus side, short of putting sugar in my gas tank, Kobo customer care has surely reached the limit of their ability to disappoint. Edit I should also note that after having me spell my name out and looking through my account, the rep dubbed me "Norm". That's not my name, not a variant of my name and in fact shares only one letter with my name. I can only assume that in the rep's culture, "Norm" is a sign of deep respect and honour. Last edited by Ninjalawyer; 11-22-2011 at 05:44 PM.

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11-22-2011, 01:11 PM	#2
kiwipippa Fanatic Posts: 578 Karma: 613022 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: kobo glo, kobo touch (dead), kindle touch, android phone	Not good - I'm sure you'll get a refund, although with the current backlogs at Kobo support it may take a while. Maybe you just need to be a very squeaky wheel.

11-22-2011, 02:11 PM	#3
filmo Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 1077205 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Kobo Touch, Sony T1, Kobo Mini	Call your credit card company and explain they should give you a refund. Paypal should also give you a refund. This can take at least a month.

11-22-2011, 08:29 PM	#6
Ninjalawyer Guru Posts: 826 Karma: 18573626 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Nexus 7 (2013)	As one last update, I can confirm that Kobo was in fact able to disappoint me a little more tonight; I should never have doubted them. The book I was reading, purchased last week from the Kobo store, just happens to be missing the last chapter. Okay, so not customer service related, but funny timing anyway.

11-22-2011, 10:29 PM	#7
BrowseTheStacks BrowseTheStacks Posts: 127 Karma: 24316 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Tampa FL Device: Kindle 3 3G + WI-FI	Kindle has the best customer service in the business. When i had a issue they called me on the phone no waiting on hold at all.

11-23-2011, 03:39 PM	#8
Ninjalawyer Guru Posts: 826 Karma: 18573626 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Nexus 7 (2013)	Posted my issue at www.getsatisfaction.com/kobo, got a response within 5 minutes and my account credited within an hour!

11-28-2011, 12:46 AM	#9
exNookie Member Posts: 20 Karma: 90 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Calgary, Canada Device: Kobo Touch	I had issues with kobobooks and was charged 2 times for a single purchase. Then the book never downloaded for me. So I'm out $15 and have no book. I called customer service the same day, told I would hear back or receive an email within 2-3 days. I haven't heard a thing since. Bullshit.

11-28-2011, 05:03 AM	#10
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	exNookie. You have alternatives for follow-up. See the post right above yours.

11-28-2011, 09:58 AM	#11
Ninjalawyer Guru Posts: 826 Karma: 18573626 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Nexus 7 (2013)	Oddly, the book that Kobo added to my account disappeared a few days later, leaving no trace in the "purchased" section of the Kobo website.

11-28-2011, 12:42 PM	#12
SameerH Product Manager Posts: 487 Karma: 590887 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura H2O	Hey Ninja, sorry to have to ask, but please send me your ticket # shasan at kobo dot com

11-30-2011, 03:01 PM	#13
exNookie Member Posts: 20 Karma: 90 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Calgary, Canada Device: Kobo Touch	I have good news to report. Perhaps Kobo is improving their customer service. Yesterday I received an email that the book I bought (twice due to a website error) and never received is now available for download. I was able to download it successfully. I need to check my credit card now to see if they gave me a refund for the second purchase. So far so good. Thanks kobo!

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11-27-2012, 08:38 PM	#15
xendula eBookworm Posts: 2,300 Karma: 4525746 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: East Coast brrrrr Device: Kindle 4B/K ~ Nexus 7 ~ Kindle Paperwhite 1&2 ~ iPad Air	I will never understand why Amazon does not sell ebooks in Canada. They have a US store and a French store, so what the heck? They would put Kobo out of business if they only tried - best customer service ever. 7 day return period on ebooks. I am not even Canadian and find it aggravating that they are dragging their feet like this!