Rasputin IS annoyed (OT RANT)

[Djeta Thernadier]

This has nothing to do with D&D, RPGS, or any manner of gaming. This is just an angry, angry rant and I need advice.

I am having a serious problem with Columbia House DVD club. NO ONE I know has ever had a problem with these people it seems, except me.

So I joined up about 2 years ago. I order once and everything was fine, then I ordered again and they switched up my copy of American Psycho with Rudolph and the Island of Misfit Toys (because, you know, that mistake is SO easy to make). So I say, whatever, errors happen.

But then it literally took me 6 months to get a call tag to return the wrong movie and they NEVER sent me the right one. They still charged me for it and I could not get any one on the phone (they have no humans you can speak to on the phone) and so to avoid getting sent to collections, I wasted $20 on a movie I never got.

Now, you know those stupid movies that they send you every month? I always go online and cancel them. I never get sent the movies, but I ALWAYS get a bill. It has hurt my credit (they have reported me at least once) and despite the fact that I email them, ALL they ever send me back is a form email. I emailed once and asked for a direct phone number to a human and got no response. Eventually they credited my account, but not after reporting me to the credit bureau.

NOW they are sending me to collections again for another movie I canceled, and never recieved that they say they have been trying to get payment for me for.

So I can either pay $27 dollars for nothing and allow this to keep happening, or I can deal with having really bad credit and them writing me off.

I'd cancel my account, except their phone number leads you no where.

Anyone ever have a similiar expereince? If so, how did you handle it and what happened?

Would reporting them to the BBB help?

Thanks,
Sheri

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I had similar problems with the same company back when people listened to things called "audio casettes".

I lucked out though. I got a tape by Ratt. If memory serves I had requested one by The Power Station.

As near as I can tell, sending out the wrong media and hoping you suck it down has been their buisness model for quite some time.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

I had similar problems with the same company back when people listened to things called "audio casettes".

I lucked out though. I got a tape by Ratt. If memory serves I had requested one by The Power Station.

As near as I can tell, sending out the wrong media and hoping you suck it down has been their buisness model for quite some time.

And there's just nothing we , as consurmers, can do about it??

 

[Dimwhit]

I think the FBI or someone has an online scam website you can go to. You could try reporting them there, since you're doing businesss when them online.

You've made me a little nervous. I've been with them for 6 months or so. No problems so far. I forgot to cancel a movie and they sent it to me, but I just returned it and it eventually was marked off my account. Oddly, I marked on the form to send me a different movie, but they never did. You'd think they'd want that business...

Sorry I can't be too much help. Do you have a local TV station that does a consumer alert feature? You could try there. They tend to be good at tracking people down and at least getting answers.

Any other suggestions I could make would probably get me in trouble with the gov't.

 

[Umbran]

I am having a serious problem with Columbia House DVD club. NO ONE I know has ever had a problem with these people it seems, except me.

Funny, but virtually everyone I know who ever had dealings with Columbia House has had problems of one form or another. Same with a number of other book, DVD, and Music clubs (which may all be branches of Columbia house, for all I know).

There is one thing I know of that you can do - fulfill your agreed required purchases as quickly as possible, and then cancel your account. Send them registered mail, or notarized if need be. Then they cannot claim that they didn't recieve it, and you can get yourself off the hook.

 

[Angcuru]

Columbia House is just one notch below Microsoft on my Evil Corporations list.

Umbran's got good advice there. Get out of their clutches as quickly as humanly possible.

I once ordered a set of 5 Monty Python DVDs and got 5 copies of THE BIBLE.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNEW THEY SOLD BIBLES!!!

 

[BrooklynKnight]

Call your credit card company and report the problem to them.

You'll have to do it in writing though.

 

[orchid blossom]

On thier website, Columbia House offers this address as thier customer service address.

Columbia House, 1400 North Fruitridge Avenue, Terre Haute, IN 47811

I would send them a letter, registered or certified mail, with copies of any documentary evidence you might have. (Keep the originals) Dealing online sometimes you don't have much, but even those "Print this page for your records" things might be useful. I would also request in the letter that your account be cancelled. Even if you haven't fulfilled the purchase agreement yet, they certainly haven't held up thier end.

With things like this, I've usually found once you actually reach a human being, things happen fairly quickly.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Thanks all. I think I am going to try and contact my local news because I really think it's high time someone stood up to them. They have apparently been screwing people over for years and I think it's time someone called them on it.

As for reaching a human, still no luck. I send an email to them and am sending a certified letter today.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[Mercule]

Back when I first encounted Columbia House, it was for audio cassettes. I didn't realize they'd send me a "tape of the month" (TotM) and that it'd cost me postage to return/refuse it. I think I only paid once before figuring out an alternative.

I never bothered refusing the TotM beforehand. When it showed up on my doorstep, and I knew it was one I hadn't ordered, I'd just write "Return to Sender" on it. They sent me a couple of messages pleading for me to stop costing them money, then they gave me the boot. I think I only ended up buying one tape at regular price.

Anyway, Columbia can be fairly unpleasant to deal with. Their business model/customer relations are pretty much designed to be intimidating and assumptive. I'm always happy to see rat bastards hit back. Hope it works well.