The Exclusive Pointclick Thread: All Warnings, Moans & Musings Here and Here Only!!

[Midnight Rambler]

Hopefully the mods will allow this post as an exception to the rules as so many deals posted here have been predicated on using the PointClick system ...

It appears that PointClick is experiencing major financial woes and is unable to pay rebates owed at this time, per this most recent email I received from them :


<< Dear Member,

PointClick would like to apologize for the delay in sending your
reimbursement check. The checks were marked &quot;Paid&quot; in our system when
they shouldn't have been. During this time of transition, please understand that the things PointClick is dealing with now are similar to what most startup companies deal with. We are working hard to put things in place so you can be paid as quickly as possible and so there will not be delays in the future. We will keep you informed as things develop regarding payment of your check.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

PointClick >>



Though under strict and unwavering orders to the contrary, we Mods feel your pain, and will allow this thread to stand.

Many of you feel that we Mods are heartless and inhumane. This is only partly true. We have hearts. They are just not exactly like yours. For the record, ours are purple and have three aortas.

We ARE, however, inhumane.

AnandTech Moderator

Thanx A.M.! You are now on my Christmas Card list.

 

[android]

Yeah, I got the same email for one of my accounts, and this not so honest one on the other:

Thank you for your email. Your pending check amount is $24.02. Checks are automatically held until the reach the minimum of $25.00. We are financially doing well and you will be paid. We apologize for the rumors that are going around. If you have further questions please feel free to contact us again. Have a great day.

Sincerely,

Doesn't bode well....

 

[JJordan]

I have $305 from purchases in August and my wife has $110. We will be major league screwed if they go under. Of course I over paid for the Asus GeForce2 from McGlen just to use up the $300 in credits I had accumulated this year. Now, even if I tried to return it to McGlen, they have a 10 % restocking charge, so by the time I do that and order a cheaper one, I am still S.O.L. Oh Well, my sig says it all. Hope for the best.

 

[AndrewR]

I am waiting on my check for the PIII-700 I bought back in July, and the screwy part is that I submitted the wrong price and had to resubmit so I probably would have been paid if I had done it correct the first time. Stupid me.

Mods: You might have hearts, but DO THEY BEAT?

 

[Rudee]

Yup, I got over $300 coming to me too. I don't know if I'll ever see it now.

 

[dvdchance]

It sure seems that $300 is the magic number. I waiting for around that amount myself.

I just emailed them Sat regarding my check, wonder what reply I'll get from them??

 

[kly1222]

I wouldn't count to heavily on Pointclick discounts from now on when I make my decisions to buy something until they get their act together. They've come through for me for over $800 in the past...put good things never last.

 

[tck]

Could somebody repost the phone number for a PC CSR, I can't find the post from last week. By the way, I have a pending check for $270 (from 07-31) and still hope to get the money eventually.

Thanks

 

[XNice]

I have only a $47 check coming to me. But its $47 nevertheless. I hope they get their act back together cause from now on no more PC deals for me.

 

[Socool]

Glad the Mods allowed this one to run - I tried to provide similar info a week ago before everyone tried to cash in on the last of the 10% days - Contact info for PC also.

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=40&amp;threadid=225691

 

[JJordan]

Here is my e-mail to PC and their response....... Hum .....



<< -----Original Message-----
From: xxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 9:36 AM
To: support@pointclick.com
Subject: Change TO 5 %


I have $54 in my account that I would like to spend before the change to 5 %, but I have been reading that Point Click has no money and is not going to be sending out checks. I need some assurance that if I purchase through your site, I will get the reimbursement and WHEN. What can you tell me ? You site still says checks are going to be sent out at the first of the month after the purchase. If that is not true, your site is misleading a lot of people. I am due in September a reimbursement for my August purchases also. When can I expect that check ?


Dear Jeff,

Thank you for your email We understand your concerns and hesitation. Checks will be sent out. During this time of transition, please understand that the things PointClick is dealing with now are similar to what most startup companies deal with. We are working hard to put things in place so you can be paid as quickly as possible and so there will not be delays in the future. We will keep you informed as things develop regarding payments.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

PointClick
Customer Support >>

 

[kly1222]

What did you expect them to say? We don't have any money left, so stop visiting our site? I dunno...we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[IBhacknU]

If they file for chapter 11, all of us have a legitimate right to claim money stilled owed.

Who's gonna represent us?

 

[Wagner]

Here's a pretty important first principle when it comes to rewards programs:

DO NOT EVER, EVER WASTE YOUR TIME WITH A REWARDS PROGRAM, IF IT STARTS TO CHANGE ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS MORE OFTEN THAN IT SENDS OUT CHECKS.

What this means is that the rewards program is changing its terms and conditions in a way that will minimize its payouts right before the checks are issued. This can only mean that the company in question is in deep financial trouble.

Pointclick started going downhill at right about the end of January. I'm honestly surprised that they are still in business, at least technically so.

- Wagner

 

[PolaroidPaul]

Call PC directly. The number is 801-492-9200. They do not show this number on the site and none of the search engines I could find listed them. So, I finally realized that the direct method usually is the best..... I called directory assistance.

I did call this number and it is the correct one. If you press 5 for customer service, you will be told to use e-mail. I suggest you ring through to the operator and tell them you need help with a missing check..... the one you didn't get yet.

Get a name to call and don't take no for an answer!

I'll let you know if I get a call back on Friday.

PointClick.com, Inc.
629 East Quality Drive
American Fork, UT 84003
801-492-9200

 

[Bob61]

I was wondering, has anyone contacted the various vendors that are listed on Pointclick and let them know of this issue? I know a lot of people used Onvia and Pointclick. I was thinking that if Onvia knew what was going on, and stressing that this is giving Onvia a blackeye since their partner isn't meeting their obligation, this may bring some pressure to Pointclick.

I'll be sending out some letters tonight -- before I pen something, anyone already wordsmith some strongly worded letters that might be used?

 

[kly1222]

Bob, if they have no money, they have no money. Pressure isn't going to make pointclick stay in business. They need money from advertisers. If you make the companies aware of pointclick's problems, and that pointclick really does help increase their sales, then that may do more than telling them to bully pointclick around.

 

[Bob61]

If they have no money then they need to be OUT OF BUSINESS. Allowing them to continue to sucker others into the allure of getting a rebate is unethical. The continue to run their website as though nothing is wrong, they should stop taking reimbursements that they can't match.

I'll take my loss and spare others from being swindled by this pond sucking company. You can bet that mangement there is cashing their weekly paychecks!

 

[Midnight Rambler]

Bob61,

Telling Onvia will not do any good. All the merchants on the PC network who &quot;reimburse&quot; actually pay PC for a portion of the rebates that PC is supposed to be paying, it's a form of advertising for them. That's why you would see some sites only available for a limited time each day, they wanted to keep their costs down.

 

[PolaroidPaul]

I agree with Bob61!

They cannot continue to advertise rebates when they have not paid the rebates they already owe.

I got no return call from Pointclick today so I called them again. I will keep doing this until I get an answer.

 

[Bob61]

Midnight Rambler: you said

<< Telling Onvia will not do any good. All the merchants on the PC network who &quot;reimburse&quot; actually pay PC for a portion >>



That's exactly the purpose. Onvia is paying Pointclick, but Pointclick isn't meeting their obligations to Onvia's customers. If Onvia knows about it (and other merchants as well), they may be able to either put some heat on this or get it shut down ASAP. This is FRAUD plain and simple since Pointclick has no estimates to make payments on past obligations let alone future reimbursements that they are still accepting.

 

[chiwawa626]

damit, i want my cash!
i have about 200 pending in my 2 accounts

 

[becat]

Bob61,
Are you going to give us all of our money back if pointclick is down? Bring it down won't do us (shoppers) any good, so please stop laying off people, in this case company. That isn't the solution. I don't mind they (companies, onvia, mobshop...etc.) work together since they are in some kind of partnership, to resolve the problem (assuming if it is the $$$ problem).

I suggest what pointclick can do is that(well assuming if they really have the $$$ problem which so far I haven't seen anyfact been posted from this forum), they may temporalily stop issuing the reimburstment until they have finished paying what they owned us, and have come out with a system, a solution that can prevent the same situation in the future. I think that will be the best solution for them. After all, we (shoppers) do get benefits.

 

[Bob61]

becat:

Wake up -- my hunch is Pointclick is dead in regards to making payments. The manner in which they have handled this situation points to this. Just look at other internet companies who have gone belly up, including Value America. Those who are owed money won't see anything. My feeling is Pointclick is pouring in any last minute revenues they can to meet other obligations and then they'll be &quot;closed&quot;.

 

[slaman]

My reimbursement request was approved last month and I still have this check pending. I emailed PC earlier this week and have gotten no response as of yet. I am owed something like $70 USD. I honestly think they should temporarily remove that reimbursement offer until they can pay off the backlog of checks pendings.

If the money is APPROVED and the check is PENDING, does this mean its still a way from being issued? I mean, those of you with larger amounts from further back mentioned that the status of your checks were PROCESSED/PAID. Let me know...