Friday 13th iPhone RAGE, O2 leave me 500 quid short and no phone...
 

Friday 13th iPhone RAGE, O2 leave me 500 quid short and no phone...
I ordered my iPhone 4 from apple on the 30th of July, waited 2 weeks and was getting a little impatient. Yesterday, O2 went PAY & GO with the iPhone 4 and had stock.
So, I cancelled my apple order, and placed my order with O2 which showed 'In-Stock' and gave me the option of Saturday delivery.

Last night I received 3 emails. One confirmed my order, the second it told me it was processing, and finaly one to tell me it was processed and preparing for dispatch. So I checked the status this morning and it still showed 'In Progress' 11am I decided to contact O2 through their online chat to see what was happening.

Funds were taken last night so I presumed it was on its way, how wrong was I. The following is my conversation with O2, despite the RAGE I somehow kept calm and died a little inside.

[SIZE=1]Gayle: Hi I'm Gayle from O2 Online Chat. How can I help you today?

Kevin: Hi there, I placed an online order from you yesterday for the iPhone 4. I chose saturday delivery, but I haven't received confirmation of shipping

Gayle: I'll definitely check this for you.

Gayle: Could you help me with the order number ?

Kevin: yes it's on-XXXXXXXX

Gayle: Thanks for waiting, Kevin.

Gayle: I've checked the order for you and I can see that it's currently out of stock that's the reason you've not received any confirmation for this.

Gayle: If you want you can wait until the stock arrives or if you want I can cancel the order for you and the amount will be refunded to you within 14 days.

Gayle: Should I do that ?

Kevin: Oh dear, it told me it was in stock yesterday. Any ETA?

Kevin: I will wait for stock to arrive please.

Kevin: What concerns me is funds were removed from my account

Gayle: I'm sorry for the delay, the system wasn't responding.

Kevin: no problem

Gayle: Kevin, I completely understand that you're eager to use the iPhone 4 on our Pay & Go network. *Are you for real, I just want the phone*http://forums.macrumors.com/images/smilies/mad.gif

Gayle: However, there is no update as of for the iPhone 4 on Pay & Go.

Gayle: You can purchase one from the Apple store or from a carphone ware house. *Yessss I think I just cancelled that*

Gayle: You can get a Micro SIM for the iPhone 4 from our O2 store and you can start using it immediately. * I don't care about the sim!*

Kevin: OK, well I waited 2 weeks for apple, canceled as your online store said that it was 'in-stock'. So now I have been left waiting and waiting. I think I would like to cancel the order and I will look elsewhere. Thank you Gayle. *must stay calm*

Gayle: I totally understand but you can also try at our O2 store nearest to you. As of now I'll cancel the order for you and submit a refund request, this will be refunded within 14 days. *14 days...@#$#@ 14 days, you crooks not only did you take funds for an out of stock phone, you now expect me to wait 14 days!!!!*

Kevin: Thank you

Gayle: Kevin, I've successfully cancelled the order for you. *Wow really, you managed that?*

Gayle: Is there anything else I can help you with? *do you sell guns?*

Kevin: No thank you. *I think you've done enough damage*

Gayle: You're most Welcome.

Gayle: It was a pleasure chatting with you today. *I really wish I could say the same*

Gayle: Bye and you have a pleasant day.*It's raining, I am 500 pounds out of pocket, I have no phone... yes I think I'm loving today*

I have learnt a few things today.

1. Be patient
2. Never order things on Friday 13th
3. More importantly, never trust O2.

What grieves me is that they took funds for an out of stock phone, and yet displayed it as in stock? Then to ask me to wait 14 days for my money back, surely this is not legal? If anyone has any advice here I'd be happy to hear it.

Now no disrespect to Gayle, it's not her fault.

Right, my rant is over, I feel slightly better now after mashing the keys with suitable force. http://forums.macrumors.com/images/s...blackapple.gif keys feel so good.

Should have waited for the order from Apple. The site says there is a 3 week wait for delivery so you would only have had to wait another week for it to be shipped! In fact might you have even got it sooner. Mine was delivered in 2.5 weeks. And then you'd have an unlocked phone.

I know, I'm kicking myself now lol. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/laugh1.gif Problem was I sold my 3GS 3 weeks ago so I was desperate to get one.

Funds always have and always will be taken from your account for online purchases at the time of purchase, not the time of delivery. It's a pain, but save yourself the hernia from going mad about it http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/smile1.gif

Ugh, what a nightmare! http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/mad1.gif Hopefully you get it all resolved swiftly.
Here in the US, most items are charged on the date of shipment.

If it's not in stock they shouldn't take the money. Most places don't

I'm pretty sure the same applies here, usually.

I would assume so, this company seems to be an exception. [thumbdown]

Although, I have also seen companies make a soft charge to ensure that funds are available but they clear the next day, until the item ships to the purchaser.

I tend to make a habit of calling the company or store before or directly after making an order to confirm they have stock, most don't have accurate stock indicators so you can oftern end up disappointed, especially when buying items like this.

But yes taking funds right away is normal, maybe get an Android phone? http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/laugh1.gif

The waiting times on iPhone's are ridiculous, got my Galaxy S next day, in fact the day after they were released here in the UK. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/tongue1.gif

The hardest part is going from iPhone 3GS to iPod Touch 1st gen.
It feels so damn slow, I can't help but stare at it in contempt. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/laugh1.gif
Should I be worried that my O2 order still says 'In Progress' after the delightful Gayle said she has cancelled it. [help]

Gayle: Kevin, I've successfully cancelled the order for you. *Wow really, you managed that?* Computer says no?

*update*

O2 website stock checker says 'In-Stock' [thumbdown]

Same thing here, whenever I preorder something the money gets drawn from the account when they actually ship it. This goes for everything that isn't in stock afaik.

Oh boy, I got another email today saying my order will soon be dispatched... yes the one that O2 said they cancelled?
If I'm lucky they will charge me for another phone that they won't send me. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/laugh1.gif

No it doesn't Bungle. Payment is taken when the order is finalised, not shipped. There are various reasons for this, but the main one is that UK websites require all online payments to be athorised in full before an order is fulfilled. If I order something that is out of stock now when I have xx in my bank account but it's not paid for straight away the provider might find that there is not enough money in my account to cover the item when it is back in stock.

Before some idiot tells me that I should keep enough money in my account, I should point out that I was just making an example and what I said should not be taken literally.

I'm not sure that is correct. I've ordered plenty of stuff that wasn't in stock and I wasn't charged until it was in stock and ready to be shipped, like Amazon and when I bought my iPhone for example.

Personally I'd take a dim view of any company that charged me for something before it was in stock.

I think that you are getting your wires crossed. Most companies will tell you something isn't in stock and allow you to finalise the order when it is (not automatically though), but once you have finalised an order the money is taken from your account.

"Finalise the order"? What does that mean?

Every online purchase I've mad has worked the same: you place an order, and they charge you when the item is in stock and ready to be sent out., eg. I ordered my iPhone a couple of weeks in adance and the money was taken from my card the day it was shipped (came out the day after actually).

They will already have pre-approved the transaction with your bank at finalisation though.

Finalisation is when you commit to the order.

But the money didn't actually come out of my account until the product was shipped, this is not what happened with the OP.

Finalisation is when you commit to the order. I place items in my basket. I click "Place Order" or whatever. I fill in my card details etc and that's it. Usually any time until the item is ready for shipping I can can cancel or alter the order. That's the only option there is, so I dunno where this "finalisation" business comes in.

Jesus Christ. Surely, somewhere you have heard the word finalisation before in your life? It's when you make something final. Use a bit of common sense and replace it with a synonym like completion.

When you finalise an order it means that it's been placed and you have to have the provider update the order rather than being able to make changes to it yourself.

I knew it wouldn't be long before you started getting uptight. Of course I know what "finalised" means!

When you finalise an order it means that it's been placed and you have to have the provider update the order rather than being able to make changes to it yourself. But that only happens when the item is in stock and ready to ship, and I have nothing to do with it.