Complaint Review: emporium - Internet

DO NOT BUY FROM EMPORIUM!!  ON SEP 6, I placed an order online for items. I agreed to their down payment $36.41, I agreed to the withdrawal monthly of my money $153.67directly out of my account each month for 1 year until items paid off.  I was advised it would take 3-5 days to ship. I needed these items for a special occasion in a week.  2 days before I called and they advise me that the down payment bounced and they were waiting on approval for ACH withdrawals.  I check my statement which I have attached and there was no bounced amount for this , only their withdrawal. I requested item was shipped immediately. They said ok, then 3 days later I check again still not shipped. I call they say they are still waiting for ACH approval. I  call my bank , the bank says they don’t fill out forms they just submit the ACH..  I call back and tell them and they act as though they knew that. But they say again they cant ship it out yet. I tell them I really don’t need it anymore at this point, but ok. 

So after 2 weeks, I call and the order still hasn’t shipped and I advise them that the down payment did not bounce, because I showed it in my account. They transfer me to billing and I speak w/ someone there specifically going over the fact that when this does ship I will not have had the items the 30 days so to NOT bill me on 10/5 instead 30 days from the day it ships. They assure me this adjustment was made in the system and I would not get a charge for the first payment on Oct 5.  Another week goes by and I get emails from billing advising of my contract and that they will deduct ACH etc, I check my account and see that now 61.47 was withdrawn from the account. I call and advise again I never received anything. They say I have to talk to customer service because they cannot  see the orders.  The Billing dept cannot help verify when this will ship but it take 3 days normally.  Customer service says they will check and get back to me. No response, I send multiple emails requesting cancellation and refund, with no response.  I start calling we are now getting closer to the 30 day period.  I am not needing my money back and do not care what so ever about the items on order.  The manager in Billing, Moses , decides he will check on my shipment and get back to me on Monday Oct 3.  He assures me and that he will research the billing issue and refunds. Monday comes and goes w/ no calls or emails.  I call and ask for Moses and I am hung up on several times by the reps and advised there is nothing they can do and there are no managers there until later in the morning to call back. I do call back several times before 10 and at 10, the rep checks to find Moses and he will not take the call. Instead I have to call customer service. Billing can only see charges and has nothing to do with shipping and cannot cancel the orders. I advise I asked for cancellation days ago , and they assure they are cancelling now.  I am transferred several times to Customer Service and it rings and goes to a voice mail that is full.  Finally customer service tells me they have cancelled the order, but it twill be 7-10 days before I get a CHECK in the MAIL for my refund…. I advise that is not acceptable this wasn’t my fault. They say there is nothing they can do and once again no managers are available. 

The next day I see the charge for the 153.67 pending in my bank account. I call the customer service dept on 10/5 and they advise that billing took the $ out, they did their job by cancelling. And If I will just send my bank statements then within 72 hours I will hear back from the escalated servicing dept.  I explain but I need this $ it has caused other things to bounce. They tell me that this is not their problem but rather billing dept.  I have to check w/ them. I completely have lost it by now and begin a claim with BBB and start typing this letter.  I send my bank statement in, the email has no auto reply, so I call again to verify it was received. I am told they can’t do that.. someone will let me know;…  In the middle of call we get disconnected.  I call back and then I’m told the billing dept. is who has it and is responsible for refunds I must speak to them.  I get a different answer every time I speak to these people.  I request from Customer Service a manager AGAIN, and I am sent to someone named Joel who claims to be a team lead… He says I can reference him a s a point of contact, however his hands are tied and he cant tell me if the email was received nor can he tell me if my situation can be escalated .because “things take time to process”…

It is not Oct 7, the money is still not in my account , I still have no items, and I have heard nothing.  THIS IS THE WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVERY EXPERIENCED DO NOT DO BUSINESS YOU WILL REGRET IT FOREVER. Between Moses, Joel, Jose, Perla, and many others I would’ve thought someone would care but NO ONE DID.

Sincerely,

 kRYSTAL