Sony customer service / inefficiency / red tape

I tried buying a notebook from the Sony Outlet five days ago. The purchase for $1,722.65 was approved by the Sony website. Sony, however, cancelled the purchase 15 minutes later, "because of a recent change in shipping policies. We are no longer able to ship to freight forwarding companies."

I had the item shipped to a courier address in New Jersey, which will then ship it to my address in the Philippines where I live. Anyway, Sony approved the purchase, cancelled the order, and has been holding up my credit for a week.

I have been in contact with Sony's customer service reps for seven days now trying to have them reverse the charge. I have been unable to use my credit card because Sony has held up the little credit that I have left. My credit card company (HSBC) is equally worse and can't help me.

During my conversations with Sony reps, it was my position that they should have blocked the purchase knowing that I was using a forwarder's address. Their policy of not shipping to a courier's address, if it does exist, is also hidden somewhere on their website (if it's there at all).

I received an email from Sony 12 hours ago informing me that that they have faxed an "authorization removal request" to HSBC (my credit card company) so that the charges can be reversed. But when I called HSBC, I was informed that they haven't received a fax from Sony. Neither has the latter called them to confirm a fax being sent.

"We haven't received a fax from Sony. And even if we receive a fax from them, unless they call us to confirm it, we won't be able to process the reversal of the charge." That is HSBC's position.

According to HSBC, my only recourse now is to wait for 21 days, at the end of which the "automatic reversal" will take effect in the absence of action from the merchant (Sony).

Meanwhile, I have applied for a credit card with Citibank (fingers crossed their service will be better) and will be dumping HSBC as soon as this thing passes. I just wanted to share my experience with the worst red tape I have ever experienced — yes, worse than our version of government red tape! I also hope non-US residents will learn from my experience dealing with Sony.

Here's to my favorite merchant and credit card company:

 

Not shipping to a freight forwading might be not a main reason.
The main reason is, you are in Philippines, so your credit card doesn't have US address.
When you are asking to ship to forwarder address, which is not your billing address on your credit card, seller will be put in a risk of fraudulent credit card transaction. They better cancel it to prevent from fraud.
If they ship and then you receive your laptop, you still be able to file a chargeback to your bank, since you say you didn't authorize or receive the order.
Correct me if I am wrong.

 

You are incorrect, if not wrong. He only wishes that his charge was denied for that reason. Sony has made it quite clear to him that it is the policy against shipping to forwarders, not to addresses different than credit card billing, that caused them to un-book the order, after they had put through the charge that tied up his credit line and still does.

Bobet: I been offline for several days and am shocked to hear this is still not remedied. I'm glad you decided to apply to Citibank. I hope they provide the line and that they provide the quality of customer service in Japan that they do in the US.

You are, sadly, but one more in a long series of tales of woe dealing with Sony's legendarily awful customer service. Take hear; the Z you wish for is getting cheaper by the day.

 

Eight days and counting ...

 

I understand where you are coming from. I too do not reside in USA or Canada, and they first cancelled my order because I shipped to a freight-forwarding address (how else am I suppose to get the customized laptop?). I have a US bank account, the FF address is on my credit card file too. But they do not care, as most USA companies do now, due to overseas fraud or something like that.

I then proceeded to place another call, this time over the phone though, using a different freight-forwarder address (but a more concrete one, no obvious po box etc), and it worked. I got that laptop last year december, and sony got their money. No fraud.

But yes, some genuine international will have no business due to policies

Luckily Amazon.com does not have this problem.

~ Caribbean customer.

 

I recently had an order with Sony Europe that was denied, it took them almost four weeks to repay me. And that was after I sent them my bank account details (twice), a proper proof that I did actually pay to them and calling them (five times).

Good luck!

 

I did call them three or four times after they cancelled the order so I could give them a "valid US address" but all customer "service" reps turned me down, saying the transaction had been cancelled and that there was no other way for Sony to process a purchase other than through the website.

And after this protracted disaster, Sony keeps on writing at the end of its e-mails to me: "Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you" and "Thanks for choosing Sony." It's hilarious.

 

Oh, yes, this is Sony's specialty: Laughable (unless you're experiencing it, in which case it's excruciating) Service with a side of Unintended Irony.

You might want to consider the possibility that this is actually divine intervention stepping in to save you from what might have become an even worse experience.

 

It's really amazing when you consider:

1) How popular Vaio computers are
2) How content many owners are with their Vaio computers
3) How horrific the experience turns if you get a defective one and require customer support
4) and, as shown in this thread, that your "reward" for seeking to buy a Sony computer can be a cancelled order and your credit line becoming inaccessible

The moral (and morality is very subjective, based on one's circumstances ) of the story would appear to be:

1) Buy the Sony Vaio of your choice
2) Get the ADH insurance
3) If anything goes wrong with the computer, drop it off the roof of a 10-story building and get a full reimbursement

Corralary:
4) if Sony screws up your credit card without shipping a product, wait until your credit line is restored, buy a Vaio, any Vaio from Sony, take it out of the box and go to step 3, above.