Worst experience ever trying to order from Microsoft!!!

[hwalker84]

I'm posting an edited email I sent.

I?ve owned the Lumia 900, currently using a Lumia 920, and today attempted to purchase a Yellow Lumia 1020 from Microsoft?s website. I just wanted to share how bad today?s experience was.

I was enticed by a promotion the Microsoft store was offering by receiving a free Nokia Camera Grip accessory with purchase. I was willing to pay full price for the device $708.99 as I?m ineligible for an upgrade.

Qty	Product Description	Unit Price	Total
1	Nokia Lumia 1020 Yellow	$699.00	$699.00

Subtotal	$699.00
Next Business Day FedEx Shipping	$9.99
Tax	$0.00
Total	$708.99

I was told that even though the deal was for people signing new two year agreements they would be able to add the Camera Grip item to my order.

After completing the order and my bank account being charged I was sent a second email.

Dear hwalker84,
Thank you for your recent request, Order# 123456789, for a wireless device.
Unfortunately, we are unable to complete your order because some important information needs to be verified.
Please contact the Verification Department toll-free at (888) 843-2485, Monday-Friday 10am-10pm EST and Saturday 10am-4pm EST. To ensure timely processing, please have your order number available when you call.
Please contact us by 07/18/2013 to avoid expiration of your limited-time discounted wireless device offer.
Thanks again for your business.
Sincerely,

Microsoft Store
Verifications Department

When I call I?m told that they are unable to ship the device to an address different than the billing address on the credit card (my personal card since I?m paying for this out of pocket). Never in my years of ordering phones and devices online have I ever encountered something so absurd. I always have any packages delivered to my work address regardless of the billing address on my personal credit card because there is always someone to sign and the assistant?s will bring it directly to my desk. If it?s shipped to my home/billing address no one will be there to sign and I would be forced to drive and attempt to make it to a FedEx facility after work before it closes (Unbelievable?. why pay for shipping when I have to pick it up??).

The AT&T Premier account that my line is attached to has the same billing address and that wasn't enough. I am one of two people in the company who can authorize changes on the account or order devices and that still wasn?t enough. Then I was told someone didn't add the camera grip and she couldn?t find the item to add it. After being on the phone for well over an hour I gave up and told them to cancel after they said they couldn't put the camera grip on the order or ship it to my work address. Now that the money has been charged to my account it will be several days until it comes off and I can preorder directly through AT&T.... ARGH!?!?!??!?!?!?!

 

[MoggSquad]

The MS Store doesn't actually handle the order, it's a company called Simplexity. When I placed my order it flagged my Discover card as fraudulent. I had to call Discover to approve it.

I ordered in white , yet my order showed as the color black. I decided to cancel which was an easy process but the funds are still held on my account.

Discover gives 5% cash back for the MS Store, but I was starting to doubt it would honor this since I had to re-enter all my billing data instead of using what's stored in my MS account like normal.

 

[lostaggie]

It is frustrating but I have heard other sites have similar policies regarding shipment to different addresses.

 

[gravage]

These idiots canceled my order twice with no explanation. My credit card info was all correct (double-checked) and there were adequate funds. Worst customer service ever.

 

[berty6294]

Like I said in another thread "A lot of banks and credit cards block MSN purchases. You have to call them and tell them you are about to make a purchase for them to allow it to go through. That happens to me all the time."

 

[snguyen10]

This is making me nervous! My status from the MS store says Approved - Awaiting Inventory, hopefully I don't get as much trouble as you gravage.

 

[jt09xlt]

Funny thing is that the phone is $659.99 through ATT off contract. So you are getting a "free" camera grip but paying $40 more for the phone than through ATT. I realize you said it is pain ordering off contract through ATT but why not call ATT and see if they can process over the phone as they I think are charging $59 for grip. So for $19 more and a lot less stress you get what you want.

 

[MoggSquad]

No camera grip via MS Store off-contract. Since the MS Store uses a 3rd party company many states won't charge tax where every state probably charges tax for AT&T.
Not surprised about the issues though.

 

[jt09xlt]

No camera grip via MS Store off-contract. Since the MS Store uses a 3rd party company many states won't charge tax where every state probably charges tax for AT&T.
Not surprised about the issues though.

MS Store does charge sales tax as when I pre-ordered Xbox One they added tax to the bill based on zipcode.

 

[snguyen10]

MS Store does charge sales tax as when I pre-ordered Xbox One they added tax to the bill based on zipcode.

I believe you only get charged sales tax if they have a physical store in your state. At least thats my understanding of how Amazon gets away without charging sales tax, while Best Buy is forced to (at least in Oklahoma).

 

[jt09xlt]

I believe you only get charged sales tax if they have a physical store in your state. At least thats my understanding of how Amazon gets away without charging sales tax, while Best Buy is forced to (at least in Oklahoma).

We do not have a physical store in our state.

 

[gravage]

Like I said in another thread "A lot of banks and credit cards block MSN purchases. You have to call them and tell them you are about to make a purchase for them to allow it to go through. That happens to me all the time."

It was me you replied to and no, my account was not the issue.

 

[gravage]

This is making me nervous! My status from the MS store says Approved - Awaiting Inventory, hopefully I don't get as much trouble as you gravage.

My first order was on that status before it got canceled. And I still have an authorization pending on my credit card from it. Good luck, man.

 

[hwalker84]

Funny thing is that the phone is $659.99 through ATT off contract. So you are getting a "free" camera grip but paying $40 more for the phone than through ATT. I realize you said it is pain ordering off contract through ATT but why not call ATT and see if they can process over the phone as they I think are charging $59 for grip. So for $19 more and a lot less stress you get what you want.

ATT charges tax making the total $700. The Microsoft store was $9 more for the grip.

 

[MoggSquad]

MS Store does charge sales tax as when I pre-ordered Xbox One they added tax to the bill based on zipcode.

You're not actually paying MS Store. It's a company called something like Simplex. I pay tax for regular MS Store online orders, I was not charged tax on the 1020.

 

[xconomicron]

At&t charged me 349$ or something AND the MS Store charged me 299$...I canceled the Att order because I didn't want to pay the tax and I wanted a free camera grip at the MS Store. Att didn't automatically give me my upgrade eligibility back so I had to call them in order to preorder at the MS Store. Hopefully I don't have to call them to get my money back as well -______- as it is still pending on my card.

So, USAA flagged both charges from the MS Store and the Att one and I had to call them to verify that these were mine. Suffice to say, I ran out of money on my card after both preorders. It sucks that I have to wait to get my money back from the first preorder.

Don't get me wrong, I understand preordering makes the sale final, but shouldn't they charge when they are going to ship the phone? It just seems like there would be less headaches involved if they did that...along with waiting to renew the contract at the time of preorder.

But anyway dude, I sort of feel your pain.


EDIT: according to WMPU, ATT orders are all sold out! WTF!?!?!? That is crazy! I hope we don't have to wait for ours.

 

[andybbtt11]

What does your guys' status say from the whereismyorder.com thing?

Mine did have carrier approval checked, then they asked for my shipping info again, and now it's back to only having the first option checked.

You guys any further along?

 

[xconomicron]

What does your guys' status say from the whereismyorder.com thing?

Mine did have carrier approval checked, then they asked for my shipping info again, and now it's back to only having the first option checked.

You guys any further along?

Mine still is pending carrier approval check...which doesn't make sense as I had to call/chat with the MS Store/Att Rep to get it authorized and to go through. I was told everything is "good to go."

 

[andybbtt11]

Yeah mine was through, but then they sent me some mumbo jumbo about the "device being very popular" which I just think is what they say for preorders.

I am under the impression that whereismyorder status is on pause until an actual device is created with our order numbers.

Could be wrong though. I expect to see a status update a day or two before next friday. When I preordered my Surface RT I didn't get shipping info until the day before it was meant to be delivered and it came on time.

 

[xconomicron]

They sent me the same thing. I thought it was an automated message and something that they say just to cover themselves if something went wrong.

Anyway...it sucks that we don't have anymore information.