Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!cornell!batcomputer!riley From: riley@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Daniel S. Riley) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Mail order blues/guide (LONG) Keywords: IMPORTANT for ALL Message-ID: <6591@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> Date: 14 Oct 88 02:50:01 GMT References: <55@cs-spool.calgary.UUCP> Reply-To: riley@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Daniel S. Riley) Organization: Cornell Theory Center, Cornell University, Ithaca NY Lines: 24 In article dwl10@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com (Dave Lowrey) writes: >Another remedy to the "They charged my card, but I waited 9999 weeks before >the product showed up..." problem is to order COD. You pay a fee, but >if your order is several hunderd dollars, the fee is less than 9 weeks of >interest on your money! You also lose a lot of leverage if the product proves to be defective. If you have a problem after delivery, and payed by credit card, you can notify your bank of the problem and withhold payment until the problem is resolved. If you pay COD, the money's gone as soon as it's delivered. There is a limit on how far in advance they can charge your credit card. I forget what it is offhand, but it's of order one billing cycle, so you can withhold payment for goods you have been charged for but have not received. Also, a credible threat of legal action after that time limit has expired can be dramatically effective at stirring otherwise recalcitrant companies to action. -Dan Riley (dsr@lns61.tn.cornell.edu, dsr@crnlns.bitnet) -Wilson Lab, Cornell U. -Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, and this should not be construed in any manner as legal advice. I try to be an informed and prudent consumer, and this is my best understanding of the federal consumer protection laws relating to credit card purchases. No warrantees expressed or implied.