Online retailer refund problem

[Nozza]

Hi

 

I pre-ordered some goods from http://www.black-eagle.co.uk in Auguest last year. You could order the item at a discount with the promise that it would be delivered a few months later. Well the date passed and I emailed then and found out it wasn't made yet. I did this every few weeks or so.

 

I March I got an email saying "We are working through the orders and have decided to cancel and refund due to the delays. You will receive an update in the day day or so."

 

I didn't get anything.

 

Then I get: "It seems we are not able to process refunds after so long a period. Therefore, we are offering Credit Vouchers that can be used on future orders.

 

We will update all orders during the course of this week to confirm this."

 

I said this wasn't legal nor acceptable and I got another email saying: "Due to circumstances beyond our control, we have cancelled this order. Due a change in our payment providers, we are unable to offer a refund against your order. Therefore, we can only offer you a Credit Voucher to be used against future orders. Please contact us prior to ordering so we can send you your voucher for the value of your refund."

 

I complained saying I wanted the money immediatey and got: "Email me your bank account details and I will see if we can get this done for you over the next week or so. We are not able to do this 'immediately'.

 

Our intention is only to try and offer a solution should customers wish to take an alternative product in the mean time. I can assure you we are not happy with the situation either."

 

I said that a week or two isn't any good given they've had my money for most of a year and got "The problem we have is purely cash flow, as a result of the issues caused to us by the factory, hence the reasons why we are actually slow in being able to provide refunds. That is the reason we offered the voucher, which I hoped may be acceptable to most. So far, that has been the case as has the offer of an alternative when we get a reply.

 

I am trying to help customers with alternative options, that is all."

 

I called CAB and they said write giving them one week to pay up or risk legal action. I've done this but had no response to this or another email.

 

So it seems they lied about the reasons why no goods or money has been forthcoming. Firstly it was down to the factory letting them down. Then it was a "change in payment providers" and now it's "cashflow".

 

What's my next best step other than driving up there and extracting the money from them manually?

[ashmk]

If you paid on credit card contact your card provider and do a chargeback.

 

Their cash flow problem is not you're problem.

[Nozza]

I'm pretty sure it was a debit card not a credit card.

[ashmk]

You could still be covered. Do a little reading on debit card charge backs. If your covered, call the bank.

[ashmk]

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/problem/how-do-i-use-chargeback/