A Heads up re B&H Photo Video for non U.S. buyers

[columbus]

Originally Posted by Fbone

columbus, I suppose your credit card company was unable to remove the transaction fees?

It was said to be between me and the merchant & I should contact them for the refund. After I had the unsatisfactory response to my Email to B&H I did then open a dispute with Visa to say I thought it was not my problem to do so. I have heard nothing further as yet.

I never asked for the *gift card* only all along that B&H should clean up their mistake at source. Which for some reason they seem unwilling to do.

Even were I able I had no intention of trying to make use of the offered gift card before getting a final response from Visa. I obviously don't expect to be refunded twice.

[bandhphoto]

Originally Posted by columbus

I said I would come back and post when the B&H $25.00 gift card arrived, it did this morning to my CC billing address.
(I’ve obviously obscured personal & security info)

I said we'd send it, and we have. Thank yo.

I’ve said before a gift card is completely useless to me as recompense for the fees charged to my CC as a result of B&H’s actions.

I was not aware that this would be the case when I generated the card. I am sorry it will not prove useful.

Now the more cynical among you may question why they bothered to send this gift card at all when I have no way to collect on it, (first class letter rate cost to them $0.98c), but it does not take a rocket scientist to work out the answer!.

It does not. In my first post here, I said, "I appreciate this is not the same as a refund but it is the very best I can do and I hope will be received in the spirit of reconciliation with which it is being sent." I was sincere then and am now.

BTW, to Stitchawl -- Thank you!

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by bandhphoto

BTW, to Stitchawl -- Thank you!

Henry Posner

Stitchawl

[roger the rabbit]

Originally Posted by A Nonny Mouse

I have to say, reading this thread I am absolutely amazed that the merchant concerned even allowed this error to occur in the first place. Let alone become an issue here, with getting on for 1,500 views so far. If this was a member of my staff they would not be for much longer.

It is clear from posts that the error was completely of the merchant’s own making. The original poster appears to have made reasonable, and by the merchants own responses factual statements.

The customer placed an order for goods, payment for which complied with the merchant’s terms and conditions in force at that time.

The merchant charged the full sum to the customers credit card and the order was accepted and confirmed by them. However it seems they subsequently applied a further and new condition to card payment, withdrawing their acceptance and canceling the order.

The issue seems to be that by fully charging the card then making a refund they have incurred costs and fees to their potential customer. Who has quite rightly asked to be refunded. Instead of just doing so at source they responded by saying they would give the customer a gift card against next purchase, but repeated they would still not accept the customers credit card, as *The billing address* was not in the same country as the card provider. How ridiculous!

It seems to me all they appear to have done is try to cover their mistake and limit damage by obfuscation, not to make recompense. The offer of the gift card is quite obviously as outrageous as it is useless.


There are a few post saying that the merchant’s customer service is exemplary, that is blatantly no so in this case.

Very succinctly summarised I think!

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by A Nonny Mouse

There are a few post saying that the merchant’s customer service is exemplary, that is blatantly no so in this case.

I don't think the problem relates to customer service. B&H Customer Service was right there to try to deal immediately with the problem that arose, using the means it had at its disposal. The customer service was exemplary. Unfortunately, it was not able to satisfy Columbus in this situation.

There is an old saying that goes;
"You can't satisfy all of the people all of the time."

It would be nice if we could satisfy everyone all the time. I'd love it. You'd love it. That's just not reality. Sometimes reality sucks.


Stitchawl

[John F]

For some reason I have problems reconciling this post:

Originally Posted by columbus

I said I would come back and post when the B&H $25.00 gift card arrived, it did this morning to my CC billing address.
(I’ve obviously obscured personal & security info)

(As the thread has gone off track a bit, would anybody unsure of the facts read from the first post.)

I’ve said before a gift card is completely useless to me as recompense for the fees charged to my CC as a result of B&H’s actions. As B&H continue to refuse to accept my valid CC for an obscure and invalid reason not mentioned in their T&C’s, or supported by Visa, I am unable to buy anything from them.
(Their cheapest shipping charges to Spain are $49.00, international mail).

Now the more cynical among you may question why they bothered to send this gift card at all when I have no way to collect on it, (first class letter rate cost to them $0.98c), but it does not take a rocket scientist to work out the answer!.


So I’m still currently some $25.00 out of pocket through no fault of my own or my CC provider. The only thing I did wrong was to choose B&H Photo Video to buy from.


Make up your own mind about B&H customer service.


click image to enlarge, (Date on the envelope is a bit curious)

And this post:

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I don't think the problem relates to customer service. B&H Customer Service was right there to try to deal immediately with the problem that arose, using the means it had at its disposal. The customer service was exemplary. Unfortunately, it was not able to satisfy Columbus in this situation.

There is an old saying that goes;
"You can't satisfy all of the people all of the time."

It would be nice if we could satisfy everyone all the time. I'd love it. You'd love it. That's just not reality. Sometimes reality sucks.


Stitchawl

IMO opinion, so far, customer service at B&H has dropped the ball.

FWIW, I've used B&H in the past and have had no problems (I'm in the U.S.).

[columbus]

Originally Posted by bandhphoto

I said we'd send it, and we have. Thank yo.

I was not aware that this would be the case when I generated the card. I am sorry it will not prove useful.

It does not. In my first post here, I said, "I appreciate this is not the same as a refund but it is the very best I can do and I hope will be received in the spirit of reconciliation with which it is being sent." I was sincere then and am now.
Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

You emailled me on the 21st Sept, out of the blue, a gift card notification. I replied immediately (within 1 min) to say it was of no use if you would not ship (goods) to me.

You also posted here (30 mins later post 17) saying you were sending me a Gift Card.

I had both automated & personal email replies to my email 23 mins and 61/2 hrs later respectively.

The usability or otherwise of the gift card has been discussed here several times, well before the card was posted.

Now I really can't believe you are not sharp enough to consider - . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . - "If we are not accepting his credit card he won't be able to use the gift card."

Come on Henry! Really.


So here we are back to square one with me still out of pocket $25 for just choosing to buy from you, and you saying again your error is not your problem.

I was sincere then and am now.
Henry Posner

Do you really want to keep refusing to correct your error. The viewers of this thread will judge the value of your comments.

[columbus]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

There is an old saying that goes;
"You can't satisfy all of the people all of the time."

It would be nice if we could satisfy everyone all the time. I'd love it. You'd love it. That's just not reality. Sometimes reality sucks.


Stitchawl

Oops' Is that the Royal or the Corporate 'we' Stitchawl ?

[Fbone]

I think now it is in the credit card company's hands now. It is their transaction fees so they may have the ability to remove them since the customer's card was not accepted at point of purchase.

[columbus]

Originally Posted by Fbone

I think now it is in the credit card company's hands now. It is their transaction fees so they may have the ability to remove them since the customer's card was not accepted at point of purchase.

The transaction fees were a direct result of B&H's error - clearly identified in earlier posts, and substantiated by B&H's posts.

Why do B&H expect someone else to pay for their error?

Or Fbone do I take your comment to imply that B&H have finally told their card services provider to sort it out? as they should have done in the first place!
If so quite how do you know?

[vaughnmr]

Originally Posted by Fbone

I think now it is in the credit card company's hands now. It is their transaction fees so they may have the ability to remove them since the customer's card was not accepted at point of purchase.

I tend to agree, the fees were imposed by his credit card bank, not by the vendor. The vendor's actions were in place to reduce fraud, and they made absolutely no money from this transaction, in fact they lost money, and unlike many other companies, they responded and tried to work with the customer. If the bank is charging fees for changing the money, he should go after them, B&H can do nothing about that.

And I'm going to stand up for B&H Photo once again, in my opinion, they are the best in the business.

[Angst]

If the merchant had voided the original charge, (must happen same day), no charges would have been made to the customer's credit card. It looks like the merchant refunded the charge which results in the unnecessary charges to to the customers card. That's the merchant's fault, not the banks fault.

[Angst]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I don't think the problem relates to customer service. B&H Customer Service was right there to try to deal immediately with the problem that arose, using the means it had at its disposal. The customer service was exemplary. Unfortunately, it was not able to satisfy Columbus in this situation.

There is an old saying that goes;
"You can't satisfy all of the people all of the time."

It would be nice if we could satisfy everyone all the time. I'd love it. You'd love it. That's just not reality. Sometimes reality sucks.


Stitchawl

I think I may have missed something. Which part of

Tough!! it’s your problem not ours.

was exemplary customer service?

[vaughnmr]

"Tough!! it’s your problem not ours."

That was spoken by the OP, not the vendor.

Again, he should have been dealt better with by his bank, but I'm not familiar with the goings on on the other side of the pond, so to speak. In the US it probably would have been taken care of.

Banks love to take our money, IMHO... Over here they just love the "fees" they can apply to your account!

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl View Post
There is an old saying that goes;
"You can't satisfy all of the people all of the time."

It would be nice if we could satisfy everyone all the time. I'd love it. You'd love it. That's just not reality. Sometimes reality sucks.

Oops' Is that the Royal or the Corporate 'we' Stitchawl ?

It was the Brotherhood of Man 'we.' Wouldn't you like to satisfy all the people all the time? I know I would. But I'm realistic enough to know that can't happen.

B&H made the effort to satisfy even though it was your credit card bank that took your money from you. Perhaps your anger is misdirected?

Hey, I wouldn't be happy about this outcome either, and I don't blame you for being upset. I would be too. But focus that anger at the ones to took your money, not the ones trying to give some back to you.


Stitchawl