[Guite]

Originally Posted by unknown

Recently bought apparels from french connection store, I didn't like the shirts after reaching home so next day went to their store to exchange, they refused to exchange said we can't exchange during sale, really fed up with them, I made the payment via ciibank card, anything citiank can do if i file a dispute ? Any help would be appreciate.
Thanks !

First, exchange is normally allowed only for defects.

Second, its true that exchange is not normally allowed during sale. That's because sale is usually held to dispose off inventory of items which could not be sold otherwise. One of the reasons it is lying in inventory is that it has a defect.

Third, what is Citibank's role in this? It is a valid credit card transaction, you signed the charge slip. What are you going to dispute?

[unknown]

Originally Posted by Guite

First, exchange is normally allowed only for defects.

Second, its true that exchange is not normally allowed during sale. That's because sale is usually held to dispose off inventory of items which could not be sold otherwise. One of the reasons it is lying in inventory is that it has a defect.

Third, what is Citibank's role in this? It is a valid credit card transaction, you signed the charge slip. What are you going to dispute?

Sorry but you can exchange/refund the merchandise within some time frame ( some offer 15 days & some 30 days) if you don't like the color/design etc
even online retailers can exchange/refund.
I have exchanged several times on sale/without & no question asked.
all i need is original bill & tags must on garment & unused & within allotted time frame.
I'm going to dispute that i'm not satisfied with their service so citbank get in between & help.

[binand]

Originally Posted by unknown

Recently bought apparels ... I didn't like the shirts ... they refused to exchange ... I made the payment via ciibank card, anything citiank can do if i file a dispute

Caveat emptor, mate. Nothing the bank can do for you here.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by unknown

Sorry but you can exchange/refund the merchandise within some time frame ( some offer 15 days & some 30 days) if you don't like the color/design etc
even online retailers can exchange/refund.
I have exchanged several times on sale/without & no question asked.
all i need is original bill & tags must on garment & unused & within allotted time frame.
I'm going to dispute that i'm not satisfied with their service so citbank get in between & help.

This unfortunately does not work in India in most cases. In US, UK and most of Europe, customers really are the kings.

And why do you think Citibank would give a darn if you are not satisfied with some merchant's service?

[Guite]

I received the following message from Citibank today:
"Rs.xxxx was spent on your card xxxx at CPP Assistance. This transaction has been processed without the additional factor of authentication prescribed by RBI".

For the last few years I was availing CPP insurance through Citibank, which was hawking this service. Towards end of last year I received mail from Citibank that their relationship is being terminated. Shortly thereafter I also received letter from CPP that my 'policy' renewal is due in Jan 2014. I thought of informing them that I am not interested anymore, but at the same time wondered how they are going to automatically renew, now that their tie up with Citibank does not exist anymore.

What worries me right now is how a third party can charge my card without my authorisation. Are there certain companies which enjoy such privilege? This particular transaction does not seem to be strictly legal. I have become suspicious of CPP. Maybe I should ask Citibank to revert this transaction?

[binand]

Originally Posted by Guite

"Rs.xxxx was spent on your card xxxx at CPP Assistance. This transaction has been processed without the additional factor of authentication prescribed by RBI".

What worries me right now is how a third party can charge my card without my authorisation. Are there certain companies which enjoy such privilege? This particular transaction does not seem to be strictly legal. I have become suspicious of CPP. Maybe I should ask Citibank to revert this transaction?

I guess when you signed up for the service originally, you'd have accepted some T&C item which essentially said they are authorized to charge your card on every renewal date unless you told them not to, N days in advance.

As for your other question - I do think some merchants enjoy this sort of privilege. I myself have seen this type of message once (at a holiday resort which wanted me to send my card details by fax/scan). It is not clear to me how this sort of thing can happen in the strict vigil maintained by RBI - perhaps there is a loophole in the regulations for MOTO transactions and these vendors slip through it.

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by binand

I guess when you signed up for the service originally, you'd have accepted some T&C item which essentially said they are authorized to charge your card on every renewal date unless you told them not to, N days in advance.

As for your other question - I do think some merchants enjoy this sort of privilege. I myself have seen this type of message once (at a holiday resort which wanted me to send my card details by fax/scan). It is not clear to me how this sort of thing can happen in the strict vigil maintained by RBI - perhaps there is a loophole in the regulations for MOTO transactions and these vendors slip through it.

In fact I found the option of 'skip the PIN verification' on the swiping machine while trying to key in my PIN at a gas station, though did not ask the merchant about the same. Will get it clarified next time when I revisit.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Gokrish

In fact I found the option of 'skip the PIN verification' on the swiping machine while trying to key in my PIN at a gas station, though did not ask the merchant about the same. Will get it clarified next time when I revisit.

That I think is just for the sake of software feature completeness. I doubt if the acquiring bank will let a (debit card) transaction go through without PIN, considering that RBI has mandated it (the bank faces heavy fines if it does so).

[TheTeacher]

Need some advice please! Sorry for the long post.

I have had a HDFC credit card since 2006, but this is the first time I'm in a dispute kind of situation.

I've bought tons of things from Flipkart, Snapdeal, etc. without issues. My very first purchase at Infibeam has gone wrong. Their webpage shows brand x, the invoice in the package says brand x, but the product shipped in the package is brand y - some unknown, faltu brand.

Infibeam is dragging their feet as much as they can, and I literally have to spend considerable time following up with their customer service.

I spent a few decades in the US, and there, when there is a dispute, the CC issuer is on the customer's side, and will keep the charge pending (you don't have to pay that amount) till the issue is resolved. Generally the CC issuers are tough with merchants to make sure the system is kept straight, and merchants dread any chargebacks that CC issuers impose - it's like a demerit.

It appears things are different here. At least with HDFC, they say they have nothing to do with this since it was an authorized transaction and it's my problem with the merchant. They have a dispute form that only covers things like I never got it, I returned it, etc. but for all these you have to provide paperwork from the merchant acknowledging that they owe the customer. This appears to favor the crook merchant and screw the customer. HDFC doesn't care that I'm a long-time customer, have given them business worth thousands (my current statement reads Rs. 90k), I have substantial sums in my, my wife's and my mother's savings accounts with them.

Now my question: is it like this with all CC issuers in India (i.e., no protection for the customer) or is HDFC shafting me? If this attitude is peculiar to HDFC, I will jump ship to another issuer. If not, this sucks.

In the US, you explicitly pay with credit card in dicey situations because of the protection offered (finance websites will tell you not to use debit card because it's like paying with cash - the money is taken out of your account immediately unlike a CC where you get time to pay or dispute).

The HDFC CC Customer Service supervisor (I asked for one) asked me what I would have done if I had paid with cash, and said my current situation was similar, go fight with the merchant, why are you calling the bank.

If this is true for all Indian CC issuers, then that will be a real learning for me, and I will be more careful with online transactions.

Am also now concerned about how much protection I have if I lose my CC.

Grateful for anybody throwing light on all this.

Thanks.

[KPS]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

Need some advice please! Sorry for the long post......



It appears things are different here. .....

Now my question: is it like this with all CC issuers in India (i.e., no protection for the customer).....

If this is true for all Indian CC issuers, then that will be a real learning for me, and I will be more careful with online transactions.

Grateful for anybody throwing light on all this.

Thanks.

In India you need to pay first. If you are in dispute with your suppliers you have to fight with the supplier to get the transaction reversed. But for the Credit Card Issuer you need to make the payment. Credit Card Issuers are only responsible if there is a wrong/illegal billing. It is not in their mandate to explore whether the service has been deficient or not.

I would suggest you pay up first and fight your battles with Infibeam, for reversal. Otherwise you will be listed as a defaulter under CIBIL and credit rating takes a massive beating.

Cheers

KPS

[binand]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

Now my question: is it like this with all CC issuers in India (i.e., no protection for the customer) or is HDFC shafting me? If this attitude is peculiar to HDFC, I will jump ship to another issuer. If not, this sucks.

I can't talk for many banks; my chargeback experience is only with Citibank (multiple times). They follow pretty much what you say - the moment you raise a chargeback, they put the money back in your card account. Then it is up to the merchant to prove that they delivered whatever goods/services you ordered. It will help if you have screenshots/order confirmation emails that show what you ordered, and photographs and other evidence of the (inferior) item that you received. Just enclose all this, along with a print-out of the correspondence with the merchant (I even added mobile bills showing calls with the merchant in question).

Basically once you send them such a set of documents (you can drop it all off at the nearest branch) and you are acting in good faith, after several weeks you can expect a letter saying in essence, "the chargeback you raised on so-and-so date has been resolved in your favour". The merchant would have been fined too - and many repetitions of such cases will lead to their ability to take Visa/MasterCard payments in their store taken away - usually a disastrous turn of events for the merchant.

So vote with your feet. And let them know WHY you are doing so. That hurts more than anything else.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

In the US, you explicitly pay with credit card in dicey situations because of the protection offered (finance websites will tell you not to use debit card because it's like paying with cash - the money is taken out of your account immediately unlike a CC where you get time to pay or dispute).

The HDFC CC Customer Service supervisor (I asked for one) asked me what I would have done if I had paid with cash, and said my current situation was similar, go fight with the merchant, why are you calling the bank.

If this is true for all Indian CC issuers, then that will be a real learning for me, and I will be more careful with online transactions.

Well, the HDFC Rep is spot on, if you had paid with cash, you would have to resolve your issues with the merchant directly and same goes for CC transactions. In India, you have to be very careful in all your dealings, since there is no proper consumer protection forum, anyone and everyone can take you for a ride.

You're still a lot luckier that you're dealing with Infybeam and they sent you faltu unbranded products against your order. Some websites such as pepperfry dont even send you any products after taking your money. Also, had a similar case with Jabong which took my money, then did not send the products, then took its own sweet time to refund the money, again in 2 installments, but heck I was lucky to even get back my money.

So, word of advise, stick to COD wherever possible, and stick to buying from reputed sites like Flipkart etc., keep following up with written complaints to the Infybeam customer service and follow it up with complaints in the press, and then hope for the best.

[TheTeacher]

Thanks KPS, I'll pay off the amount in question, it's not worth tarnishing my credit score for this. My score has been perfect all my life, in the US and here.

Thanks binand, Citibank seems to follow the same procedure here that they do in the USA. Perhaps time to get rid of my HDFC Card and go with Citibank.

Thanks Lalvaz, Infibeam didn't have COD with this product (I guess that should have tipped me off!). I vaguely remember folks here saying Infibeam was reputable. Personally, I don't think so based on my experience.

[condor]

SBI Credit card is getting un-friendlier with time. Over time, they have stopped the (shared) collection boxes that used to be there at various locations including petrol bunks.

Cheque drop-boxes in branches have notices that the boxes are not meant for credit card payments.

The have a machine in the branches where the cheques can be dropped, but most of the time the machines are not working. A recent instance, they charged me interest after sitting with the cheque for a week. (The box possibly went down after I dropped my cheque).

The latest:
A transaction of Rs 1500/- apparently through a payment gateway, PayU Mumbai. I disputed the transaction. They responded that the transaction was genuine - done after verifying my personal details including DoB !! They did not provide any details of the transaction / service / product, and yet say that they are closing the dispute.

I had earlier been thinking of moving away, and may be should have done it.


Guys, does anyone know which merchants does PayU Mumbai service ? At least some of the regular merchants ?

[TheTeacher]

Big Basket (the online grocery store) uses PayU. In fact, I called my card issuer to ask what these charges were. I was told I had done some kind of recharge. I too scratched my head a while before I figured that it was Big Basket. What made it difficult for me that for these transactions, I did not get the customry SMS that I had charge my CC.

RBI has been vigorously promoting the demise of physical instruments like cheques and promoting electronic payments. Down the road, you will be charged for using cheques to pay for things like CC. I have been paying my CC bills online for about 4 years. Easier for me.