Is it illegal for online merchant to charge your CC before they ship?

[kt]

Not sure if I am correctly informed, but I thought online merchants aren't supposed to charge your credit card until they ship out your order.

 

[Mill]

No it isn't illegal one bit.

 

[Eli]

Of course not.

What business ships and then charges your CC?

It's always the other way around.

 

[beer]

Most places charge your CC the same day it ships. I think that's what he means, Eli. Not, for example, charge you when you order, then wait a week for it to arrive in stock, then ship.

It isn't illegal, but it isn't a good practice either. Most reputable retailers will charge the same day they ship, but it's a matter of preference.

 

[kt]

From my experience buying online, my CC is charged the same day that my order is shipped. This order I placed has been charged to my CC for 3 weeks now, and it hasn't shipped yet.

 

[DurocShark]

Illegal=no
Unethical=yes

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: kt
From my experience buying online, my CC is charged the same day that my order is shipped. This order I placed has been charged to my CC for 3 weeks now, and it hasn't shipped yet.

Is it a charge or a hold?

If it's actually a charge contact your CC company.

It's not illegal, but it may be against their rules.

Viper GTS

 

[Gravity]

Depends on the FOB arrangement. Normally, you are responsible and charged prior to shipping. THere could be an arrangement where you are charged after it arrives but that isn't normal.

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: kt
From my experience buying online, my CC is charged the same day that my order is shipped. This order I placed has been charged to my CC for 3 weeks now, and it hasn't shipped yet.

Is it a charge or a hold?

If it's actually a charge contact your CC company.

It's not illegal, but it may be against their rules.

Viper GTS

I doubt it.

I ordered a dip belt from a shady online retailer (later found out). He charged me in October and it didn't ship until December. He repeatedly ignored my requests to cancel the order, too. Mastercard was worthless. Amex may have helped more.

 

[xospec1alk]

babygear.com used to charge before they ship. even if the item was OOS they'd charge and not ship for months. sigh...that company sucked.

 

[Regs]

You can always dispute the charge. Not like you signed a contract.

 

[Ness]

Why should they charge AFTER they ship? I mean, what if they ship it out... and then your card is bad? Sure, they can check beforehand, but what's to stop you from cancelling it after it's approved?

Charging the day before or on the day of shipping is usually a good policy, but charging at time of order is not.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: kt
From my experience buying online, my CC is charged the same day that my order is shipped. This order I placed has been charged to my CC for 3 weeks now, and it hasn't shipped yet.

Is it a charge or a hold?

If it's actually a charge contact your CC company.

It's not illegal, but it may be against their rules.

Viper GTS

right.

I thought the CC company's had a policy that the business was to ship the item within 24hour of charging the card.