416 replies to this topic

[craigix]

Hello everyone,

As you may have noticed we have not started the reordering yet for Credit Card orders. This is because of a frustrating new problem caused by this 'world wide banking crisis' crap.

We can't get permission to accept such a large amount of money via credit cards - and believe me we have been trying hard. So because some drunken city traders pissed away all the banks money we get told we can't run a business as we have been running it for the last 5 years. Ie we can no longer accept all orders via credit cards.

So we find ourselves in a strange situation, a product which is a success in hard times but we are not allowed to sell it to everyone who wants to buy it. At least not in the usual internet way.

As you know we have been asking people, where possible, to pay via a bank transfer, and a lot of you have (We owe about 1000 of you a drink), but for some of you this means paying a fee to your bank.

What we need to find is a solution to this, it looks like we may have to take about 40% of the orders via other means, we are allowed to take the rest via credit cards. And it's the same message from ALL the UK banks.

In the future, when we will probably sell 40% to resellers that isn't a problem, but right now... it is.

As you can probably imagine I have a headache over this. I hope we can work together for a neat solution.

There are various companies online who will do an international bank transfer for a much smaller fee than most banks. We should probably start to figure out the best route ahead.

We are willing to discount the bank fee from the Pandora price, as we are charged a fee for accepting credit cards anyway.

Opinions, solutions, ideas? I know it's a bastard, let's just try to work though it, some kind of reward for people going the extra mile to pay via a transfer is possible.

[Grench]

So, would using PayPal once devices are 30 days out from shipping be an option? Or was there another issue with PayPal?

[krooked]

yeah i know paypal had issues, but at this point thats all readily available to me, although i can try for other means

thanks for the update craig

EDIT: if it comes to it, i guess ill just have to hand deliver my money to get my pandora

Edited by krooked, 17 December 2008 - 07:49 PM.

[craigix]

Paypal will be possible, but they are well known for strange behavior, so we are a little wary of them.

[Yigguth]

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't upset about this.

[Prometheus]

Craig, do you guys get slammed with any fees for taking cheques? (That's not really much good as a solution for international stuff, I know...)

[Crunchwrap]

If you use a credit card through a service like Paypal, would the bank still consider it to be a credit card?

[MisterEric]

[quote name='craigix' date='Dec 17 2008, 07:38 PM' post='680366']

As you may have noticed we have not started the reordering yet for Credit Card orders. This is because of a frustrating new problem caused by this 'world wide banking crisis' crap.

We can't get permission to accept such a large amount of money via credit cards - and believe me we have been trying hard. So because some drunken city traders pissed away all the banks money we get told we can't run a business as we have been running it for the last 5 years. Ie we can no longer accept all orders via credit cards.

We are willing to discount the bank fee from the Pandora price, as we are charged a fee for accepting credit cards anyway.

Craig.. Does this include Debit cards, as thats what I would use and it comes directly out of my funds and not the banks.. What about the old fashioned Cheque???

[Bramrash]

Ok, so for bank transfer do i just pay back exactly what I got refunded? It was a pandy and tv out, think it was £217.99 ish

[absolofdoom]

Not trying to be an annoying complainer, as I can see it's not your fault, but I have a prepaid visa card, and there's no other way my parents will let me buy anything online. So if I can't reorder using that, then I'm screwed.

Edit: Well, I stand corrected. My parents finally let me make a bank transfer, so I'm good now.

Edited by absolofdoom, 06 January 2009 - 04:30 AM.

[mazza558]

Definitely PayPal. I know the mess in the first place was caused in part by PayPal, but that was simply due to the 30 day delivery thing. So, I reckon the devs should get themselves into a position where the Pandoras have started rolling off the production line and can be shipped within 30 days, and then start the reorders for people.

This also means that when you put the reorders up on Paypal, people will know that a Pandora is heading their way within 30 days.

Edited by mazza558, 17 December 2008 - 07:59 PM.

[fragglerok]

Before anyone gets upset im not calling anyone involved in the pandora project a crook, in fact ive had good dealings with craig before as i got my gp2x from him, but there is a huge diffrence in using a credit card and a bank transfer and thats the matter of insurance. if ( god forbid) the pandora team went bankrupt, any money taken on a credit card would be repayed to you by your credit card company, any money paid using a bank transfer is gone for good.

[dosteridge]

What a shitty situation for you - the world has really gone insane!

What are you left with - CHAPS, BACS, Bank Draft, Building Society Cheque, Personal Cheque, Postal Orders or Bank Transfer - can't think of any others off the top of my head but the trouble is most of these cost money to the customer or you will have problems with the post and even personal cheques not clearing.

I doubt that you can even get someone to hold the funds in escrow for you, I was asked to do that once for a client (I'm a Lawyer) but not able to. Solely due to the new money laundering legislation and the proceeds of crime act.

Lets hope that a lot more people will simply pay by bank transfer now and reduce the outstanding amount sufficiently to allow the remaining to pay by credit card.

Can evil dragon take the orders for you?

I really feel for you, but I am sure that this will get resolved.

[mazza558]

Before anyone gets upset im not calling anyone involved in the pandora project a crook, in fact ive had good dealings with craig before as i got my gp2x from him, but there is a huge diffrence in using a credit card and a bank transfer and thats the matter of insurance. if ( god forbid) the pandora team went bankrupt, any money taken on a credit card would be repayed to you by your credit card company, any money paid using a bank transfer is gone for good.

Which is why I propose using Paypal. This way, we know for sure that we will get our Pandoras, no matter what (provided the team only put up the order pages when they're ready).

[parag0n]

IF you ask that all UK people re-order through bank transfer (as it'll most likely be free that way), and take cc orders from overseas, would that be enough to cover it?

That way, UK people are covered by THE LAW, and have the legal protection afforded by it, and Internationals will be covered by ther CC companies.

Alternatively, could you get a second bank account in the US to look after the USD balance, and direct US CC payments to there? That way you dont have to keep your money in GBP, which hasnt been doing too well lately