Post by "Pop" Stran on Jul 30, 2003 20:39:20 GMT -5
The Moneyback Guarantee
Everyone's favorite con.
Marketers love to splash 'em with Bold type, Gold seals, and "More than you ever imagined" promises...just as much as we love to see 'em.
This promise indicates stability, security, confidence, a free trial, and above all else; Trust.
The con is a simple one:
They Want to tell you that you have nothing to worry about, you can trust us, go ahead and order...NOW!
What they don't have to tell you is that...
A customer complaint is pretty easy to ignore, forever if need be...
or that the Refund Department is non-existant, and Customer Service has no instruction as to how to handle one...
or that their written refund policy is so cryptic that a team of lawyers couldn't make sense of it, let alone comply with all the requirements in the allowed time period...
or (Last, but surely not Least) that a moneyback guarantee is just a sales trigger, and completely pointless because 97% of all online sales are already Guaranteed by a money-back refund policy!
Explaination:
Last year (2002), just under 92% of all online purchases were made with a credit card.
Every major CC issuer provides their customers with a refund policy for purchases, most appropriately referred to by some as a "no scam" clause. This is your assurance that you don't get stuck paying for a rip-off product.
This policy is enforced by a powerful financial tool known to marketers (some more than others) as a "chargeback".
Should you feel that a product or service that you paid for with your CC is not as promised, send 2 copies of your complaint; One to the dealer that sold it to you, and one to your issuer's disputes division (they all have one, most are within Customer service).
Clearly explain your reason for dis-satisfaction, including any sales-copy promises that were broken. (If a dealer puts it in writing they d**n sure better be prepared to back it up.)
Leave your anger out of print; Be rational, concise, and to the point.
Your CC issuer/bank will work with you and the dealer to insure that a refund is forthcoming, within a reasonable period of time.
*Note: This is the fair approach...it gives the reputable dealer a chance to make good. They all know that they can't please Everyone, and most will comply immediately to your request...and seeing that a copy was sent to your bank is a good incentive to work fast.
Many consumers however, simply complain straight to their bank, demanding a chargeback...it works, but it's rude and childish if the dealer was operating in good faith and you simply changed your mind...and will hurt the reputation of an otherwise honest dealer.
The vast majority of sites/companies offering (real) products are honest and reputable dealers just trying to make a living.
There are sharks out there, and a small percentage are outright scam artists...but with websites numbering in the Billions, that tiny percentage holds an awful lot of scammers.
If you've been flat-out scammed, then go the direct route without hesitation...Contact your bank with the full details (ie: company name, site address, order number, amount charged, and name of the company that actually took payment), and you will get your money back almost immediately.
Using your CC to purchase online is further protected if the dealer is using a popular payment processor, such as Paypal or ClickBank.
These companies have no interest in alienating consumers, and scammers will be immediately dropped from their services, and in many cases tracked and prosecuted.
They will also insure your refund in a New York minute if you're scammed, even if you used an online check.
This area of extra protection accounts for the other 5% that i left out above (97%-92%).
Large online companies offer their visitor-traffic to small dealers, and the reputation of these larger companies are at stake in every purchase.
Websites such as Ebay auctions, Ebay stores, ClickBank Mall, Yahoo stores, Yahoo auctions, Paypal stores, Bidz and the like offer further protection against the FlyByNight scammers and Hit-and-Run operators.
They first protect themselves by verifying the identity of the seller, and each has a clear "immediate refund" policy that every dealer must comply with. Most even offer an escrow service, whereby your funds are held "in transit" until you confirm that:
A: You have received the goods in promised condition,and
B: You are satisfied with your purchase.
...Only then can the seller actually get paid. A great service for higher-ticket items, like computers, business software,etc.
» Summary:
Nearly every online purchase is guaranteed. Most offline ones as well...
Putting the "100% Guaranteed or your Money Back!" text on a webpage is a psychological trigger whose sole purpose is to increase sales...and it's just one of the thousands in any good marketer's trick-bag.
Know your rights as a consumer.
Use your creditcards freely at reputable sites¹, and stay away from any website that claims that they have "Never had a single refund request".
Consumers are fickle. We change our minds. We buy on impulse. We spend money we can't afford.
Buyer's Regret is a fact of business life, as are refunds...You simply can't please everyone.
Every reputable online company has a policy in-place to handle refund requests.
Should you feel the need, all you have to do is ask for your money back.
Many will ask why, but it's just part of the process. Your money is already guaranteed. You know it, and so do they.
¹ Note: For those that aren't aware of this, you should already know to watch for a few security points, such as;
The "closed padlock" symbol in the lower-right corner of your browser, indicating a secure (encrypted) connection to the website. If it's not there, don't put CC numbers or personal data on that page.
Also, in most cases, the page's URL will begin with "httpS:" instead of the usual "http:", indicating a secure server. Don't assume it's secure just because they said it was...take a quick peek to confirm it before entering your numbers.
Emailed payments. NEVER send CC data through email. The only safe way for this is through a proxy, such as PayPal or one of it's many newer competitors. These "Pay thru email" services merely invoice thru email, but use secure servers for the actual data transfer.
Use that forgotten link on your START button called "Windows Updates" to get the latest security patches for the MS IE browser. They're free, and will offer better protection against the latest batch of hacker-attacks on your browser.
Thanx for your time,
JB.
Everyone's favorite con.
Marketers love to splash 'em with Bold type, Gold seals, and "More than you ever imagined" promises...just as much as we love to see 'em.
This promise indicates stability, security, confidence, a free trial, and above all else; Trust.
The con is a simple one:
They Want to tell you that you have nothing to worry about, you can trust us, go ahead and order...NOW!
What they don't have to tell you is that...
A customer complaint is pretty easy to ignore, forever if need be...
or that the Refund Department is non-existant, and Customer Service has no instruction as to how to handle one...
or that their written refund policy is so cryptic that a team of lawyers couldn't make sense of it, let alone comply with all the requirements in the allowed time period...
or (Last, but surely not Least) that a moneyback guarantee is just a sales trigger, and completely pointless because 97% of all online sales are already Guaranteed by a money-back refund policy!
Explaination:
Last year (2002), just under 92% of all online purchases were made with a credit card.
Every major CC issuer provides their customers with a refund policy for purchases, most appropriately referred to by some as a "no scam" clause. This is your assurance that you don't get stuck paying for a rip-off product.
This policy is enforced by a powerful financial tool known to marketers (some more than others) as a "chargeback".
Should you feel that a product or service that you paid for with your CC is not as promised, send 2 copies of your complaint; One to the dealer that sold it to you, and one to your issuer's disputes division (they all have one, most are within Customer service).
Clearly explain your reason for dis-satisfaction, including any sales-copy promises that were broken. (If a dealer puts it in writing they d**n sure better be prepared to back it up.)
Leave your anger out of print; Be rational, concise, and to the point.
Your CC issuer/bank will work with you and the dealer to insure that a refund is forthcoming, within a reasonable period of time.
*Note: This is the fair approach...it gives the reputable dealer a chance to make good. They all know that they can't please Everyone, and most will comply immediately to your request...and seeing that a copy was sent to your bank is a good incentive to work fast.
Many consumers however, simply complain straight to their bank, demanding a chargeback...it works, but it's rude and childish if the dealer was operating in good faith and you simply changed your mind...and will hurt the reputation of an otherwise honest dealer.
The vast majority of sites/companies offering (real) products are honest and reputable dealers just trying to make a living.
There are sharks out there, and a small percentage are outright scam artists...but with websites numbering in the Billions, that tiny percentage holds an awful lot of scammers.
If you've been flat-out scammed, then go the direct route without hesitation...Contact your bank with the full details (ie: company name, site address, order number, amount charged, and name of the company that actually took payment), and you will get your money back almost immediately.
Using your CC to purchase online is further protected if the dealer is using a popular payment processor, such as Paypal or ClickBank.
These companies have no interest in alienating consumers, and scammers will be immediately dropped from their services, and in many cases tracked and prosecuted.
They will also insure your refund in a New York minute if you're scammed, even if you used an online check.
This area of extra protection accounts for the other 5% that i left out above (97%-92%).
Large online companies offer their visitor-traffic to small dealers, and the reputation of these larger companies are at stake in every purchase.
Websites such as Ebay auctions, Ebay stores, ClickBank Mall, Yahoo stores, Yahoo auctions, Paypal stores, Bidz and the like offer further protection against the FlyByNight scammers and Hit-and-Run operators.
They first protect themselves by verifying the identity of the seller, and each has a clear "immediate refund" policy that every dealer must comply with. Most even offer an escrow service, whereby your funds are held "in transit" until you confirm that:
A: You have received the goods in promised condition,and
B: You are satisfied with your purchase.
...Only then can the seller actually get paid. A great service for higher-ticket items, like computers, business software,etc.
» Summary:
Nearly every online purchase is guaranteed. Most offline ones as well...
Putting the "100% Guaranteed or your Money Back!" text on a webpage is a psychological trigger whose sole purpose is to increase sales...and it's just one of the thousands in any good marketer's trick-bag.
Know your rights as a consumer.
Use your creditcards freely at reputable sites¹, and stay away from any website that claims that they have "Never had a single refund request".
Consumers are fickle. We change our minds. We buy on impulse. We spend money we can't afford.
Buyer's Regret is a fact of business life, as are refunds...You simply can't please everyone.
Every reputable online company has a policy in-place to handle refund requests.
Should you feel the need, all you have to do is ask for your money back.
Many will ask why, but it's just part of the process. Your money is already guaranteed. You know it, and so do they.
¹ Note: For those that aren't aware of this, you should already know to watch for a few security points, such as;
The "closed padlock" symbol in the lower-right corner of your browser, indicating a secure (encrypted) connection to the website. If it's not there, don't put CC numbers or personal data on that page.
Also, in most cases, the page's URL will begin with "httpS:" instead of the usual "http:", indicating a secure server. Don't assume it's secure just because they said it was...take a quick peek to confirm it before entering your numbers.
Emailed payments. NEVER send CC data through email. The only safe way for this is through a proxy, such as PayPal or one of it's many newer competitors. These "Pay thru email" services merely invoice thru email, but use secure servers for the actual data transfer.
Use that forgotten link on your START button called "Windows Updates" to get the latest security patches for the MS IE browser. They're free, and will offer better protection against the latest batch of hacker-attacks on your browser.
Thanx for your time,
JB.