Anyone know if it's legal to charge credit card before despatching goods?

[Platypus]

I ordered some furniture on t'interweb. The company charged my credit card the same day. A week later (today) I phoned them to enquire on progress, and they said "ah, the item is out of stock, back in stock in 10 days"

Was it legal for them to take my money so long before despatching the goods?

I've cancelled the order on principle. Now I'm wondering if I can get them in tulip with trading standards

[xoggoth]

Certainly. Nobody sane would contract to supply the general public until the card had been debited, it's the normal procedure. However, the company would be bound by agreements with the card suppliers as to conditions for refund. It should have those stated on the website.

[Doggy Styles]

Certainly. Nobody sane would contract to supply the general public until the card had been debited, it's the normal procedure.

That's not quite true. When Platypus ordered, they would have obtained authorisation from his bank for the transaction, which protects them. His account will have that amount "reserved" for the merchant for some period (I've forgotten how long), but not actually paid until shipping.

(For delayed delivery transactions, the merchant should not deposit the balance until the goods are shipped.)

Platypus, if you think they are doing something wrong, I suggest contacting your bank. If they agree, they can file a compliance complaint against the merchant's bank.

[MarillionFan]

I take payment to reserve goods all the time. All furniture shops do.

Harveys is terrible. They will take payment and delay you anything up to six months. By not taking payment, a retailer could purchase the goods themselves or make them only for you to change your mind on a whim.

You pay up front, you get the goods some time after.

As has been shown here, the OP is a petulant shopper that retailers can do without.

[Doggy Styles]

As has been shown here, the OP is a petulant shopper that retailers can do without.

BTW I'm sorry, I was talking about credit cards, and Visa in particular. It's Visa rules, not the rule of law.

[Platypus]

As has been shown here, the OP is a petulant shopper that retailers can do without.

I take exception to that!

When delivery is quoted at 3 days at the time of order, and the item is shown as "in stock". Then a week later the item is out of stock and not due in for another 10 days, I'd call that breach of contract.

[Doggy Styles]

I take exception to that!

When delivery is quoted at 3 days at the time of order, and the item is shown as "in stock". Then a week later the item is out of stock and not due in for another 10 days, I'd call that breach of contract.

Did you use a Visa card for the purchase?

[Platypus]

Did you use a Visa card for the purchase?

No, mastercard

[TestMangler]

When I had a computer shop back in 2001, the rules (and by that I mean merchant account rules from Cardnet) were that you were not allowed to charge the card until the 'items were available for dispatch'. This obviously only applied to 'Cardholder Not Present' transactions.

[xoggoth]

His account will have that amount "reserved" for the merchant for some period (I've forgotten how long), but not actually paid until shipping.

Can't see how it can work like that, they don't know if it has been shipped. We take card payments online, or rather we send them to the RBS Worldpay page which does. At no point in the procedure is there any confirmation from us to Worldpay that the goods have been dispatched. The various stages of acceptance and confirmation depend only on the communications between Worldpay and the card provider. If there is a problem with the goods supplied the buyer has to request a refund.