[jsaliga]

I buy a lot of Rhino reissues on vinyl.  By and large I think they do a great job and I have had a very good experience with them.  But I have never ordered direct from Rhino until now.  They had the John Coltrane Heavyweight Champion 12LP 180g vinyl boxed set on sale for $179.00 on their web site.  It was listed as being in stock, so on November 28th I placed my order.  Other than the original order confirmation I have not heard a peep out of Rhino since placing my order.  They charged my credit card (not authorized...charged.)  A charge posted to my credit card account about 5 days after placing the order.

I called Rhino today and asked them what gives.  First, I was misled by the website.  It showed the product was in stock and customer service told me today that it was back ordered. So I was charged for an order that had not shipped.  I did not receive a satisfying explanation but I was assured that my order would ship by the end of the week.  I am not sure I believed the customer service rep but I will give it until the end of the week, at which point I expect to be calling them to ask that they cancel the order and issue a refund.

I will still buy Rhino vinyl, but I will go through my regular sources: Acoustic Sounds, Soundstage Direct, and Elusive Disc.

--Jerome

[Wayner]

Jerome,

Being to lazy to look up the price anywhere else, was the price from Rhino any better then the other vendors you mentioned? As a side note, but with the same sideline, perhaps it's better to use some of the vendors to do the quality control on some of these re-issues, with things like scratches, warps, etc. My latest from Music Direct came opened. I'm sure they have started to screen before shipping.

Wayner

[jsaliga]

The price was lower by more than $100, Wayner.  It sounds great, but only if they actually have the product to sell.  I was more bothered by Rhino charging my credit card and the lack of communications than I was by the error on the website.

--Jerome

[TONEPUB]

So if you have had good experience with them in the past and it's only been two weeks, at the busiest time of the year, why are you even posting this? 

This is always such bad form to be out on an internet forum complaining that you aren't getting your butt kissed fast enough.  If they charged your credit card five days after you placed your order that would make it about Dec 3 or 4.  So, it's been about 6-8 working days actually.

It would be one thing if they took your money, sent you junk (or nothing at all) and won't refund your money.

This is why audiophile records cost so much.  And this is why so many record stores don't want to deal with it...

Ugh.

[jsaliga]

So if you have had good experience with them in the past and it's only been two weeks, at the busiest time of the year, why are you even posting this?

You and I just don't seem to be able to get along.  You can't resist bringing your crap into every thread I start.  My complaint is that they charged my credit card but haven't shipped my order because it was not in stock in the first place.

I never ordered direct from Rhino before and I made that very clear.  If you actually cared to read what I posted instead of picking a fight with me you wouldn't need me to correct you.

Putz.

--Jerome

[srb]

My complaint is that they charged my credit card but haven't shipped my order.

Since the item was in fact backordered, it could be a week or it could be 3 months before it comes in.  It is bad business practice to charge credit cards on backordered items.
 
Steve

[Mike Nomad]

~

[jsaliga]

Guys,

I don't think Rhino is out to rip me off.  So I have no worries there.  And they have changed the website on this title and listed it as a special order with a two-week delivery time.  But that isn't what it said when I ordered; it said "Available Now."

It isn't like I am going to stop buying Rhino vinyl.  I'll just order it from dealers who I have been doing business with for years, even if it means I have to pay a bit more.  My motive for ordering from Rhino on this occasion was to save some money.

Generally speaking I don't like getting charged for stuff before it has shipped.  I have my credit card statement and this purchase is on it.  It has nothing whatsoever to do with them not kissing my butt fast enough.  It has everything to do with me being charged a transaction fee/interest on a purchase that has not been shipped.  There have been situations in the past where back orders have become more or less permanent, and I have an aversion to paying credit card fees on orders that are never fulfilled even if the original purchase amount is later refunded.  Sure, customer service said the order should ship by the end of the week...but the person making that statement wasn't very convincing when he said it.

--Jerome

[dmckean]

Don't most places charge your credit card and then ship it later??

[srb]

Don't most places charge your credit card and then ship it later??

Most charge when it ships.  Some will charge immediately, then ship it days later - if it's in stock.  But on backordered items, it is a generally accepted good business practice not to charge until they are in possession of the item.
 
Steve

[jsaliga]

Don't most places charge your credit card and then ship it later??

No, they typically don't.  They usually authorize your credit card when you place your order.  This puts a hold on the funds and takes away from your available credit, but this this not the same thing as a charge.  An authorization hold is usually valid for a period of up to three to five business days and if a charge is not submitted then the hold will come off automatically.  A charge is typically submitted when the products ship.

--Jerome