One thing I still don't understand is why didn't those who never received their panels from SlikStik reverse the charges on their CC? After almost three months of waiting, I just contacted my CC company and got my money back. I'm just curious, it seems so easy.
I believe that the answer to your question is that many purchasers did not initiate chargeback proceedings in the appropriate time period allotted under the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA), which governs chargebacks. Under the FCBA, a chargeback must be filed, in writing, within 60 days of the date of the statement listing the questioned charge (NOT 60 days from the purchase date, unless the two dates are the same). Some banks, as a courtesy to their customers, will extend the period beyond 60 days in extenuating circumstances, but that is usually only in the case that the bank believes it can recover the funds (which is probably not the case here).
I was not going to post in this thread again, as I was able to successfully recover the funds I "lent" to Slikstik for a spinner that didn't ship after 30 days of ordering, but I thought it made sense to remind everyone reading this thread that there are ways to protect yourself when purchasing items online -- there are plenty of other Slikstiks out there, and while this thread has done a great job of warning prospective purchasers about the real risks involved with ordering from THAT company, it never hurts for all of us to remember that anytime we do business online, we are usually dealing with strangers.
So, a few tips:
1) Credit Cards. If you can pay with a credit card, do so. In my experience, those banks which do the best by their customers when dealing with disputes are American Express, followed by Mastercard. Visa is third, and Discover comes in dead last. If you are dealing with Discover, make sure that you document everything - in writing - as they will usually default to the letter of the law. Nothing says they can't do this, but be on your guard if that is your card of choice. Credit cards backed up by local banks and credit unions are also pretty good about protecting their members, but YMMV depending on the bank and your relationship (a large account there may help persuade the bank to rule in your favor in the event of a close dispute).
2) Paypal. Paypal inserts itself between the payor and the payee, directing funds from your bank (worst option) or your credit card (best), and slaps fees on top of the process. If you are going to use Paypal, if you can, ALWAYS change the default payment option to a credit card. Otherwise, your funds are IMMEDIATELY deducted from your account, and you lose the protections of the FCBA, and are left only with Paypal's dispute process, which you agreed to be bound by when you opened your account. This process is not as consumer-friendly as the FCPA, and you have little recourse to appeal any decision. If you use Paypal, but use your credit card, you can utilize both processes to pressure the merchant, and you can still initiate a chargeback with your credit company.
** A little note about chargebacks -- they are extremely punitive on the merchant. There is a fee associated with them (charged to the merchant - sometimes as much as $50 per transaction) by the credit card companies, and multiple chargebacks can lead to suspension or revocation of charge privileges. Multiple chargebacks can have the effect of sending a teetering company over the edge because of the fees involved and the loss of banking services.
3) Timing. What happened to many folks in the Slikstik debacle is that they were persuaded to keep on waiting for their panels/parts without challenging the transaction when they had a chance to recover their funds. Sixty days is generally a long time to allow a merchant to deliver goods and services, and most should. In certain circumstances, there may be a perfectly valid reason why goods/services haven't been delivered in the 60 day time frame, but at that point, the burden should shift. NEVER hesitate to intiate a chargeback in these situations. You can communicate to the vendor that you have done so to protect your interests, and you can always withdraw the dispute. What you CAN'T do is initiate the dispute after the deadline (unless the bank is lenient as above). A merchant with good intentions should understand your concern, and should work to either deliver the goods on time, provide a refund for the initial purchase and allow you to "re-charge" to restart the clock, or - best case - agree to charge you upon shipment.
I know this doesn't get anyone their panels or equipment, and for that I'm sorry. But, maybe it will make someone a smarter consumer for the "next time."
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Topic: Slik Stik - Any Word (Read 241013 times)
