The bad news is that I have fallen prey once again to the tacky bookseller scam. After not receiving, in over 30 days, the expensive out of print book I ordered from edies_editions , I emailed them on Friday Aug 14 through Amazon.com and indicated that I wanted an immediate refund, and that if by some strange chance (fat chance!) the book should arrive, that I would return it immediately, unopened. So far--no response.
So then--silly me--I went back on Amazon, and found a DIFFERENT independent bookseller bookshelf12 and ordered the book from them--at a higher price than the original order, much to my chagrin. bookshelf12 indicated on the Amazon website that they ship from TX. edies_editions indicated that they ship from LA. So I thought I was safe. HAH.
This morning while I was perusing my order from Amazon.com through bookshelf12 trying to find out where exactly in TX they ship from, I noticed to my HORROR that the wording on the bookshelf12 seller profile IS EXACTLY THE SAME as the wording on edies_edition's seller profile. They are the EXACT SAME SELLER, just with different names. Amazon.com Marketplace vendors are independent businesses or sellers, so what would be the likelihood that two different individuals would use the EXACT SAME WORDING to describe their business?????!!!??? (if you can call it a business--more like a SCAM).
This morning I cancelled the second order to bookshelf12 via the Amazon.com website, and contacted my credit card company to see if I could stop or dispute payment on this order (I can).
So now I have $400 in charges on my credit card for two items that I will likely never receive. And this was supposed to be my birthday present!! Some birthday! Some yahoo in LA/TX is having a great weekend on my dime and I get nothing but grief! Sheesh!!
If I don't receive refunds as requested, I may contact the FBI's Internet Fraud Complaint Center, the Interstate Trade Commission and anyone else I can find that may be able to do something to stop the creeps. Amazon.com seems to have a completely hands-off attitude toward it's independent Marketplace vendors.
While I don't dispute a seller's right to use more than one name on such websites as Amazon or Alibris, I DO have nothing but disdain for this tacky practice of completing a transaction with an unsuspecting buyer, then relisting the same item under a different seller name at a higher price.
I need to go do some deep breathing now.....
Betty
3 comments:
I am in Australia. I too relied on the same Amazon linked seller edies_editionsto purchase in the first week of July an out of print 1982 Cambridge History at around $US 204. Advised that shipping arrival date was for outer limit of 3 September. No delivery as at September 9
I was told by Edies that they have insured product and will try to track for "mis-routing". I am awaiting developments but am now much less optimistic.
This is the first time I have ever had a bad experience in dealing through Amazon but I guess others should apply the theory once bitten twice shy for future purchasing.
I too have fallen prey to Edie-editions bookseller but unfortunately I didn't get my refund and left and didn't chase the alledged AUTOMATIC refund until it was too late for Amazon to refund.
I'm now trying to lodge a complaint with the Better Business Bureau but without more details about this con-artist I doubt I'll have any luck.
Are you the Betty that has done research on the Faughn family in KY? I am the granddaughter of Bennett Young Faughn. I am interested in contacting you.
Tammy Faughn Carr
Post a Comment