View Full Version : Have you ever had something like this before????
Squirrel God
02-08-2002, 4:21 PM
It's the first time I'm using Atlantic DVD (http://www.atlanticdvd.com.au/). I placed two orders a few days ago (1 DVD per order) and today I received the following email:
Before we process your order we will charge your credit card a small amount in $AU(Between $0.00 and $1.00) Then you will need to contact your bank and find out this amount. Please forward the amount to us via email. (this system is used to verify your credit card) You will only need to go through this process once. After you forward us the amount, the orders will be processed.
As they do not store credit card details, if this is something I have to go through each time I order, then they can stick their DVDs where the sun don't shine :rolleyes: If it's just because I've never used them before, then fair enough.
I am also assuming the amount they have charged is not an additional charge on top of what I have paid for the DVDs!
Has anyone else ever had to do anything like this before? :confused:
Confucius
02-08-2002, 4:26 PM
Not with DVD orders. The closest I've come was when registering with PayPal, where they charge you a dollar to activate the account, then refund it when you send them the transaction code.
stevegreen
02-08-2002, 4:48 PM
I had to do something similar after ordering from Family DVD (i think) where they charged my credit card then i had to email the converted amount or reference number to them.
As it happens they were about the same price as EzyDVD but i couldn't be bothered to wait for my credit card statement to come through. I emailed them saying that i applauded their security system but it would have meant me waiting for about a month to get my DVD dispatched.
As far as i am aware, once you verify the account you dont have to do this again.
Good idea gone horribly wrong in my view!
Squirrel God
02-08-2002, 4:59 PM
EzyDVD are my preferred choice for Region 4s (unless cd-wow are doing them cheaper). But Atlantic had the 2 titles I wanted a few quid cheaper and from what I could find out about them, they are a reputable supplier.
If it's just once in my lifetime, as you say, then I can live with a few days delay to get the DVDs a few quid cheaper. :) I agree with you though Steve and I wish they would leave this sort of thing to the card issuers. :rolleyes:
Originally posted by Squirrel God
I can live with a few days delay to get the DVDs a few quid cheaper. :) Why not wait a little longer, get them in the sales and save a few more quid. ;)
jrwood
02-08-2002, 5:44 PM
Sounds like a good place to buy from imho. At least they are trying to look after their customers and treat fraud with the contempt it deserves. I think most places should'nt really keep your credit card details online, as soon as you type your details in it should be processed offline and any information about your credit card should be completely <gone> from the internet. A good friend of mine has had to change credit cards quite recently because a certain online ecommerce operation do not take their security seriously and he was £3000+ the worse off.
Its amazing what people buy with other peoples credit cards in a completely different country.
Originally posted by freebird
Why not wait a little longer, get them in the sales and save a few more quid. ;)
Why not save even more by not buying them at all and watching the pile of unwatched films that you already have :grin:
Bone Daddy
02-08-2002, 6:53 PM
Imagine, the sales of dvd`s would grind to a halt overnight if we all did that,I don`t know of anyone who has watched everything they own,I have stuff I bought in New York over 2 years ago still unwatched :rolleyes: but hey they look nice on the shelf :grin:
bob007
02-08-2002, 7:10 PM
Originally posted by Bone Daddy
I have stuff I bought in New York over 2 years ago still unwatched :rolleyes: but hey they look nice on the shelf :grin: Look nice on the shelf if they're all the same cases, when you have a mixture of Amaray, Snapper, Jewel and Tin cases it starts to look untidy. :grin:
Squirrel God
02-08-2002, 7:59 PM
Originally posted by freebird
Why not wait a little longer, get them in the sales and save a few more quid. ;)
These are in the sale - that's why I bought them :devil: Been waiting for the price to drop for ages :)
Originally posted by Ian J
Why not save even more by not buying them at all and watching the pile of unwatched films that you already have :grin:
I've caught up a bit actually. Currently have only 10 unwatched DVDs :grin:
Originally posted by jrwood
At least they are trying to look after their customers and treat fraud with the contempt it deserves.
Unless of course they forced me to tell them my password at gunpoint and have access to my credit card Internet account. :grin:
Originally posted by jrwood
I think most places should'nt really keep your credit card details online, as soon as you type your details in it should be processed offline and any information about your credit card should be completely <gone> from the internet.
Nice idea in theory but even when the details aren't stored within your Internet account, they must still be stored by the company for processing and for their records (how else can they give you a refund? ;)). And these computers are networked. It's impossible to keep details completely offline.
Personally, it doesn't bother me whether they store my credit card details or not. In my entire life, I've only ever found one transaction on my credit card that I personally never authorised or even knew about. I told my credit card company and the money was refunded to me immediately - no arguments.
I read an article once that said that most recorded Internet fraud actually arises because people use their credit cards to gain access to porn sites. :eek:
jrwood
03-08-2002, 3:19 AM
Originally posted by Squirrel God
Nice idea in theory but even when the details aren't stored within your Internet account, they must still be stored by the company for processing and for their records (how else can they give you a refund? ;)). And these computers are networked. It's impossible to keep details completely offline.
Personally, it doesn't bother me whether they store my credit card details or not. In my entire life, I've only ever found one transaction on my credit card that I personally never authorised or even knew about. I told my credit card company and the money was refunded to me immediately - no arguments.
I read an article once that said that most recorded Internet fraud actually arises because people use their credit cards to gain access to porn sites. :eek:
Its possible, some ecommerce firms do this by having an internal network which cannot be seen from the outside world using complex firewalling rules. It just makes it a bit safer than your average windows ecommerce server 'naked' on the internet. Credit companies dont really care about fraud because at the end of the day the consumers end up paying for it, not them.
Squirrel God
03-08-2002, 8:02 AM
Originally posted by jrwood
Its possible, some ecommerce firms do this by having an internal network which cannot be seen from the outside world using complex firewalling rules. It just makes it a bit safer than your average windows ecommerce server 'naked' on the internet.
Yes, I know. Bit safer, as you say, to use a secure intranet but still has to connect with an external network or else the credit card companies won't get the transaction details for processing. :)
With regards to the technique that Atlantic DVD are employing, I don't know why they don't just ship the DVDs *only* to the address registered on the credit card - many on-line retailers employ this method (at least for the first one or few orders). Then only I will receive the goods, which defeats the purpose of an fraudster using my card details. They could also contact the card issuer and see if the card is registered stolen (seeing as credit card companies take an age to otherwise cancel credit cards). Atlantic's approach is unnecessary IMO.
stranger
03-08-2002, 2:13 PM
sg, i may have missed something (again) but doesn't it mention in your first post quote that you'll only have to do this once.
Squirrel God
03-08-2002, 2:15 PM
Originally posted by stranger
sg, i may have missed something (again) but doesn't it mention in your first post quote that you'll only have to do this once.
Yes it does.
Why? :confused:
stranger
03-08-2002, 2:27 PM
Originally posted by Squirrel God
if this is something I have to go through each time I order,
this.
Squirrel God
03-08-2002, 2:30 PM
Originally posted by stranger
this.
Are you telling me to shut up moaning then? http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/images/smilies/lol.gif
As I said, don't mind doing it once, but I think it's just plain daft. http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/images/smilies/brickwall.gif
stranger
03-08-2002, 2:56 PM
Originally posted by Squirrel God
Are you telling me to shut up moaning then? http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/images/smilies/lol.gif
http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/images/smilies/brickwall.gif
I wasn't but as you mention it I wouldn't waste my time:grin: :grin:
Squirrel God
03-08-2002, 3:04 PM
Originally posted by stranger
I wasn't but as you mention it I wouldn't waste my time:grin: :grin:
Makes me feel better, at least until I found out what the amount was - very cathartic :grin:
wurzel
03-08-2002, 3:13 PM
Originally posted by bob007
Look nice on the shelf if they're all the same cases, when you have a mixture of Amaray, Snapper, Jewel and Tin cases it starts to look untidy. :grin:
I think that DVD manufacturers should be made to issue all of their cases with matching artwork so that they do look nicer on the shelves.
I have all of mine on display in the lounge and find the cacophony of colours to be disturbing.
Squirrel God
09-08-2002, 3:13 AM
Well, the amount came through to my credit card. It was a very insignificant amount of just a few English pennies but I am now an "Approved International Customer" apparently :grin: I did ask if I would ever have to go through this again :rolleyes: and they answered with a resounding NO. Yipee!!! :grin:
As an online retailer, BTW it's not just the consumer who pays for fraud, we pay too... how that works out I'll never know. Maybe that's why your co. wants to know all about you, ie your card works and no comebacks. Wish I'd thought of it once or twice, but as you say, it can put off the odd customer.
BTW we have the card details sent to us by encrypted email from our secure site, and process them with a PDQ on my desk right now, then delete the email, for your protection. That's what the banks make us do, new biz's can't process online without a fraud free record for 10 000years. That must be roughly the procedure these guys are doing, though sounds like they must keep records to me, what's to stop you nicking a card and using it to get goods sent to a new address otherwise. Many companies retain your card details if they expect repeat biz. We find it unnecessary, and many customers are twitchy about it, I see their point. Trust goes both ways....