PriceUSA - please help me!!!

[darkorchid]

Hi All

I'm seriously needing some help/advice in this situation - I do not know what to do. Let me explain my situation...
PriceUSA (based in Victoria) is a company that facilitates the ordering and purchasing of products from the USA and then has them shipped to you here in Australia (so basically a forwarding service).

I have been unable to find some specific Neutrogena products here in Sydney so I thought I would try and purchase it from the USA - plus it was going to be hella cheap. Looking back now I probably should have just bought the stuff off ebay but I thought "No Ill give this service a go as it looks like it might be cheaper". So off I went and placed my order for 2 bottles of toner through PriceUSA and I paid my money to them and waited for my package to arrive.

About a month later I got an email from PriceUSA saying that my package had returned to the agent (shipper/buyer person) in the US saying that it was 'undeliverable'. They double checked the address with me and it was all correct, there had been no mistake with that. Then they sent me an email telling me that I would have to pay the shipping costs again in order to get my order.

I was like..."What? Why do I have to repay the shipping costs? I didn't make it return, it wasn't my fault - why am I repaying?"

I replied to them with this and scans of my license showing I had provided correct details and that I didn't feel I should have to repay these costs (especially since I had already paid for the shipping the first time!). Basically a string of emails later PriceUSA told me that it was up to the agent in the USA whether I would have to repay the shipping because I actually ordered the stuff through them, not her...which made me think then why the heck did I pay you and what exactly do you do??? I asked why exactly it was returned and they told me they didn't know and that I would have to contact my post office....But with what?! I don't have any tracking numbers, no date of deliver, no notice of undelivery - nothing!

So then I thought, what can I do? I have since approached the Dept of Fair Trading to see if they can help me resolve the issue - basically I want either a refund (as much as is possible) or I want my goods without having to pay for shipping again.

PriceUSA has ignored/not responded to the contact attempts by the Dept of Fair Trading

At this point I have been told I'll have to apply for like a hearing and stuff in order to force PriceUSA to respond, but when I looked up information on this last night its going to cost me more money! :S

So at this point, I do not know what to do. I have emailled PriceUSA last night requesting a refund for the goods ... but I am sure they will either ignore this request or simply tell me they cannot do that, they have already purchased the products so I simply have to pay. I feel really helpless - I am pretty sure I am being ripped off here and I am so upset there seems to be nothing I can do about it!

Any advice ladies? Am I being stupid? My bf says I shouldn't repay the shipping because what if it gets returned again! Then I'll be so out of pocket...

 

[Lapis]

did you pay with a credit card? I'd contact the credit card company and they will more than likely be able to get your funds, if not call your bank and see what they can do for you

 

[AimeeL]

^Ditto. This is your best bet.

 

[aleksis210]

Aw, I'm sorry hon if I had the money(or any money for that matter) I'd send you big ol box of Neutrogena!

It's such a great brand...if you ever get around to buying more things from neutrogena their original oil-free acne wash is amazing...and they make it in grapefruit scent now! I agree about calling your cc company...they should take care of it!

 

[anita22]

Agree with the above posts. I also suggest if you have any future purchases from the US to Oz, try Fiona at Shopaholiques - she's great!

Home

 

[darkorchid]

Thanks for the suggestions ladies ! But sadly no it was directly into a bank account :S

 

[redambition]

If you supplied the correct details and can prove it... then if they made a mistake on the address label it is their fault and they should suck up the cost of reshipping.

If the item was at the post office and you didn't receive any of those little cards telling you to pick it up - then that's a bit of a grey area, but i think that they should reship for free as a goodwill gesture - the failing of the postal service is not their fault, but then it's also not yours. by keeping you happy it means they might get more business.

It's also concerning that they are ignoring the Dept of Fair Trading. That smells of dodgy to me.

Maybe you should threaten to call Today Tonight. Today Tonight love this sort of stuff.

 

[user79]

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkorchid Thanks for the suggestions ladies ! But sadly no it was directly into a bank account :S

Then you're basically shit out of luck. I know it sucks, but unless you want to escalate it into a dispute with this board, and pay more money, the only thing you can do is write a letter to the head corporate office of this company, or maybe speak to your bank and see if anything can be done to recuperate the funds (probably not if it was a direct transferal into their bank account.)

That sucks, try to make as much bad publicity as you can about them...so annoying.

I had similar shit happen with another online company but luckily I paid with Visa so I am handling it through them. Chock it up to a lesson learned, only go through CC or Paypal next time!!

 

[Lapis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkorchid Thanks for the suggestions ladies ! But sadly no it was directly into a bank account :S

call your bank, dh's car payment went thru 3 times this week

, the finance company told me that they couldn't refund me without a letter from my bank **bs f--k u chrysler financial **, so I called my bank and the girl I spoke with said I'd have to dispute the payments and the money would be back in my account in 7-10 biz days.

 

[darkorchid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by redambition It's also concerning that they are ignoring the Dept of Fair Trading. That smells of dodgy to me. Maybe you should threaten to call Today Tonight. Today Tonight love this sort of stuff.

Yeah it concerns me that they would ignore the letters - yet when I emailed them on Friday to ask for a refund they were happy to reply to that - and basically offer me $10 as a refund.

I should go to Today Tonight hahaha but the products aren't expensive or anything - which kinda bugs me even more because it shouldn't be a big deal for them to just resend it and help me out, seriously it wouldn't be more than $10 for them to send it again @_@ - oh well.

I guess I am resigned to just getting $10 back pft. At least my posts about the experience can serve to any future customers from Aus.

 

[darkorchid]

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL

If you ever, EVER consider buying through this 'company' please do consider it thoroughly beforehand. From my experience, PriceUSA has not provided me with ANY satisfactory customer service whatsoever, and just to be advised if anything EVER goes wrong with your purchase through her, she will put all responsibility for the product, for the shipping and for all correspondence and liability onto an unknown, unlocatable company called iForward in the USA.

Please ladies I would encourage you to think hard before using this woman's service. I have been left very out of pocket and unable to do anything because she is in VIC and I am in NSW.

 

[redambition]

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkorchid I have been left very out of pocket and unable to do anything because she is in VIC and I am in NSW.

I am sorry but that is not entirely accurate - the Dept of Fair Trading offered you an option (for a hearing) but you chose not to take it due to the fact it would have to pay a fee.

I understand that you are peeved that this has not been worked out and I support the fact you are warning us about dealing with this company, but there are options for those that are stung.

 

[darkorchid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by redambition I am sorry but that is not entirely accurate - the Dept of Fair Trading offered you an option (for a hearing) but you chose not to take it due to the fact it would have to pay a fee. I understand that you are peeved that this has not been worked out and I support the fact you are warning us about dealing with this company, but there are options for those that are stung.

NP but let me clarify - you will only be able to recoup if you live in Victoria. Else there are no options for you - hearings can only take place in that state and no other states have jurisdiction to take action. And they won't cover any costs for lodging applications for the Tribunal.

So I would say unless you were lucky enough/unlucky enough to be in Victoria and this happens to you, you couldn't do anything, hence no option.

 

[Traveler]

I'm sorry to hear you had such a negative experience with this company. I've not heard of them. I get most of my cosmetics and sundries either while I'm traveling in the U.S. or through a package forwarding service myus.com. It's nice to have a backup since airfares & surcharges have gotten so high!

 

[ekeller44]

It's too bad that your order from the US had issues.
I have bought MAC make-up and Sephora from the States using a company called BongoUS.com. No problems or complaints thusfar. Rates can be expensive but there are def certain products I am in love with (Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner) that cant be found in AU.