Do I have any rights?

[[wcip]Angel]

Hello

My name is Eirik Jakobsen and I live in Stavanger, Norway. I've purchased items from your website, www.play.com several times including one transaction January 26th of this year where I ordered some games including Resident Evil 2 for the Gamecube. You were out of stock, and I had to wait for your supplier to deliver you a new set of games. Since january the british currency has gone up, thus making the game more expensive in Norwegian Crowns. (NOK). I'm not worried about the few extra bucks I have to shell out for the game, but the price I now have to pay is over 200NOK, and I had to pay an ADDITIONAL 200,- to get the game through customs.

Seeing as I bought this game at a time when this wouldn't have happened, I feel cheated. Had I known it would have taken you this long (2 and half months!) to restock your inventory, I would've cancelled the order.

I haven't gotten the game already, but I would like to return it when it arrives for a full refund of the 400+ NOK this game cost me.

- Eirik Jakobsen

----------

So, what do you think? Am I screwed or what?

[Lady Vashj]

I have no ideas about what British or Norwegian law says, but I can see three things happening:

Someone really kind at www.play.com gives you a discount, cutting the price back under 200NOK, which if I understand you correctly is the reason for the increased duties. You can get the game without shelling out 400+NOK.

They do as you ask. You send the game back, and they refund all the money.

You send the game back, and they refund you the 200NOK that you actually paid for the game, but you're permanently screwed re duties. If they're really evil, they'll make you pay duties to get it back into Britain.

The first is unlikely. Since you've dealt with these people before, you would know better than I do which of the other two is likelier.

[Artega]

If you return it unopened, they should refund you the 200 you originally shelled out for the game. That is, if their refund policy works that way.

They do not owe you 200 for whatever you had to pay for customs, unless it is directly related to their sales. If by "customs", you're referring to shipping costs, you'll probably need to take this up with the shipper(s) to get that money back.

Again, this is really all dependant on Play.com's returns policy.

[[wcip]Angel]

The shipping is free, but whenever a foreign product exceeds 200 NOK, there is an additional customs tax. I never realised it was this high though.

[[wcip]Angel]

I got this in my inbox today:

Hi there

Thank you for your email.

You should not incurr these customs charges. Please could you fax or email us with the receipt for these charges including the original invoice for the order. We will then refund the full amount back to your card.

Fax: +44 (0)1534 631 580
Email: info@play.com (Please indicate "Customs Charges" in the subject line)

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused to you in this matter, and thank you for your patience and valued custom.


Kind regards

Play

---

So it looks like I'm going to get my money back, unless I misinterpreted the mail?

[Lady Vashj]

I think they may be paying your customs.

[Nightwind]

you realise, that this represents a rather large amount of positive press for play.
Is this the fabeled word of mouth advertising that makes good companies to quietly popular, that no amount of telivision advertising can buy? I belive so.

[feign]

I've actually always found play.com very good and fair minded. I'm in the UK and regularly they have the cheapest priceforonline game ordering. UT2K4 was £17.99, almost half price, with free delivery.

The thing was, they underestimated the number of people ordering, and had many more orders than product, so when they sent out the late orders (by a few days, that's all) they emailed everyone with a £2 voucher off their next purchase, which is just teh sort of good will gesture that gets people ensuring they'll always look at play first for their next purchase.