ShopNBC Demands Money For Broken TV
The McKenzies ordered two TVs from ShopNBC three months ago. The boxes arrived damaged and the family sent them back for a warranty replacement, which has yet to materialize. As such, the McKenzies haven’t paid for the tv sets.
From the way the callers sound, it seems like the The McKenzies needn’t fear their bill going to collections. From the way these callers behave, it sounds like they’re already there.
In the final call, the manager slips up and says what sounds like, “Echelon Enterprises” instead of ShopNBC. Wonder if they’re allowed to do that? Wonder if they’re allowed to molest ShopNBC’s customers?
Even if you think the McKenzies need to pay up, ShopNBC’s disavowal of any responsibility for the TV displays contempt for basic customer service. Worse, their calling pattern is harassing, perhaps even illegal. — BEN POPKEN
Nathan’s letter, pictures and more call examples (with transcript) are inside…
Nathan McKenzie writes:
- “They have been calling us for what, 2 months now? What have we done ShopNBC besides trying to get our product?
You kept saying on the night that these 2 TVs (Tatung 37″ and 32″ LCD) how great your customer support was, yet you keep harassing us and calling us every single day trying to get our money when we haven’t received our product!
Yell at us how you’re going to turn us over to the agency to sue us. I feel weak in the knees already. Waking up our family when we’re sleeping, interrupted our peace, but most of all made us want to break our phone are not cool things to do.
You tell us we need to figure out the situation time and time again. We’ve tried this, yet the only thing we get is “Your TV is being shipped, NOW PAY US!”. Well, all I have to say is it’s getting tiring, and we’ve finally decided to do something about it. If you want to harass us, we can play the same game you guys seem to love doing.
Sincerely,
Nathan & David McKenzie
logite2005@gmail.com”
Listen to more of the calls in this one.
TRANSCRIPT:
David: Okay now, because of uh problems that I’ve had in the past with some of you, I the-the conversation will be recorded.
Employee: Okay.
David: And, uh, because I get discrepancies between everybody I tt-alk to-
Employee:Well, you uh-
David: Okay, go ahead- now pardon me?
Employee: I’ll be as accurate as possible. Um, I’m calling about the TV wall mount and the two TVs.
David: Okay I got the, when I made, I got the uh, I have the wal-mart, and, I mean the wal-mart- the wall mount, and the- I only got one of the TVs.One came damaged and it was returned, and every time that I called I got a different story and so after the fifth time that I called, then I cancelled the uh the credit card so that no payment could be taken out until the matter could be resolved because I kept getting the runaround.
Employee: Okay, so these tvs were ordered and shipped to you last month, and you were dealing with the manufacturer, I presume?
David: I did everything that they told me to do and I have the-
Employee: It was between you and the manufacturer that had that resolved, right?
David: No, it’s- I bought it from you.
Employee:Okay, so if you bought a car and it broke down and you took it to the dealership, you’d stop paying the bank your payments?
David: Uh, yes if I thought that I could, yes. Well, I guess basically I’m telling you there will be no payment until I get the TV.
Employee: unable to decipher I don’t understand your stance on this.
David: Well I don’t understand yours, so-
Employee: The thing is right now, you have to pay for it still- you just can’t buy something and stop paying because it was defective. We’ll work with you on that, but if you still have the merchandise and it’s being fixed, and you know they’re doing what they’re doing and you’re you’re sending it back, you’re working with them-so everything’s you know-
David: Okay, well I, basically I guess I, it doesn’t matter what you tell me, basically there will be no more payment until until I get the complete order that I agreed to pay for.
Employee: Sir, but one of the TVs that worked properly you sent it back to the manufacturer to get fixed
David: No, I, what I said, NBC had had me- they’re they’re the ones that sent UPS out to pick it up.
Employee: Okay. So you’re not going to pay for it?
David: No, not until I get the TV. Nor would you.
Employee: No, I would-
David: No you, no you wouldn’t.
Employee: I bought something from Best Buy on my credit card, with uh it broke, I took it back. I didn’t stop paying for it.
David: But if they, if every time you went into Best Buy and you went in five times and nothing was, nothing was done about the situation, why then, I-I think you would. But that’s b- ( employee interjects, unable to hear what he’s saying) that’s beside the point. I’m I’m not., so. You’re not me, I’m not you. So there will- I’m just stating, that there will be no payment until I get the complete order that I- that I was to be paid- that I was to pay for.
Employee: Okay, well I can’t stop ? from going to a collection agency.
David: Well that’s fine, that’s fine.
Employee: Okay, I’ll mark you down as refusal.
David: OKay.
Employee: Good day, David.
David: Alright, you’re welcome.
***
Employee 2: …never arrived?
David: You, you check back. There’s a process going in and, you check back. And and and see what the situation is, then get back with me, okay?
Employee 2: What’s the situation?
David: You check it out.
Employee 2:No, it’s your job to tell me.
David: No, I I’m telling you. It- I we already have, there’s a process in in going. I get the runaround, you check it out, get back with me we’ll settle this-
Employee 2: I don’t know about it.
David: Well then you find out.
Employee 2: From whom?
David: From your company, from your company.
Employee: Well there’s nothing in the computer.
David: Well then I can’t help you.
Employee 2: indecipherable We’ll go to a collection agency and you’ll be responsible for this-
David: Well that’s fine, that’s fine.
Employee 2: Good day, David.
**
David: beginning of sentence cut off -this conversation will be recorded, alright?
Female Employee: I’m not accepting that.
David: Okay then. I can’t, I can’t talk to you.
Female Employee: Why not?
David: Because-
FE: Because why? You owe…
David: Because all of the discrepancies. The conversation is being recorded.
FE: I told you I am not accepting it. Did you hear that? I am not accepting it.
David: Okay, well then don’t talk to me.
FE: Yes I am.
David: Well then it will be recorded. I’ve already-I’ve already- I’ve already given you the warning, the conversation is being recorded. If you do not wish to be recorded then hang up.
FE: No. You need to tell me what the problem is here, sir.
David: I have already talk to somebody about-about it.
FE: You never told us exactly-
David: Yes, I told you exactly- I I told-
FE:And I want to remind you if this is being recorded I am not-I do not accept it.
David: It doesn’t matter, then hang up.
FE: No.
David: Okay, well then it’s going-it’s-you have been told, you have been told that the conversation is being recorded. Now if you don’t want it to be recorded, you can hang up.
FE: No. (Continues protesting in the background)
David: You don’t have the choice, m’am. All I have to do, all I have to do is tell you.
FE: -you, would you like to speak to my supervisor?
David: Sure, sure I would.
FE: Sure, hold on please.
Supervisor: Can I help you?
David: Great, go ahead.
Sup: Can I help you?
David: Uh uh I don’t know, can you? I I’m supposed to be talking to a supervisor, so so you talk to me.
Sup: I’m the manager, Elizabeth. How can I help you?
David: I don’t, the lady said she’s going to turn, wouldn’t talk to me because I’m recording the conversation and she said, “Do you want to talk to my supervisor?” so, so you talk to her and ask her what it was about.
Sup: Okay, you’re David McKenzie?
David: Yes, yes I am.
Sup: Okay, so how can I help you?
David: You called me.
Sup: This is regarding your ShopNBC account?
David: I d-you called me.
Sup: This is regarding your ShopNBC, your 32 inch high-def television.
David: Correct.
Sup: It was shipped to you back on Au-October 16th and you have a payment due of $316 dollars and 56 cents on which your card declined.
David: Right, and as I told the gentleman, uh, this morning that has already discussed the account with me, that the order has not been completed, the order was damaged, it was sent back, and I have not, at this point, the contract with you has not been completed because I do not have the 32 inch TV. And no payment will be made until I get the TV.
Sup:-the TV.
David: Huh?
Sup: Who received the TV? Because it was delivered and…
David: And it was sent back- Well m’am, see this is the problem that I have.
Sup: Sent back when?
David: About a month ago. Eleven, I mean Ten/Twenty-six. Uh I have, I have, I have the tracking number the whole works, but I-
Sup: What’s the tracking number?
David: I’m not going to keep giving it to you guys. I’ve already-
Sup: You’ve never given it to me.
David: Well-
Sup: You’ve never given it to anybody.
David: Well okay I’m not going to give it to thirty people that call me.
Sup: (tries to interject)
David: Do you realize you’re the thirteenth person that I have talked to or that they have tried and I keep telling them the same thing.
Sup: So are you going to provide me with the tracking number?
David: No, no I am not-
Sup: Then I can’t help you sir.
David: Okay, well then-
Sup: Then your account will go to the collection agency-
David: That’s right, that’s what the, that’s what the other gentleman told me and I’ll tell you the same-
Sup: …we don’t need to continue the conversation, correct sir?
David: Pardon me?
Sup: If you’re okay with that then there’s no reason to continue the conversation, correct?
David: It’s up to you, you’re the one that’s calling me-
Sup: Well you’re the one not paying your bill.
David: That’s correct. I’m not paying it because-because you have not completed the order. That’s why it isn’t being paid for.
Sup: So what we’ll do then-
David: Yes m’am…
Sup:-we’ll note your refusal to pay-
David: Yes, and the other gentleman said the same thing, you go ahead and give it-
Sup: Okay, you have a great night.
David: Oh good, thank you very much.
***
David: Hello?
Woman: Hi, is this a- uh, is this David McKenzie?
David: Yes it is.
Woman: Hi, this is Elizabeth Conklan. I’m the manager at National Enter-atShopNBC credit card processing.
David: Uh-huh.
Woman: You put in a request in regards to stating with the tracking number-that an invoice, item was returned the TV, the 32 inch HD TV?
David:Yes.
Woman: Okay, um we tracked your package and we spoke with Viscom and they- off the tracking number that you gave us, the item was received, however the merchandise was then shipped back to you on November third. Because you’re in the process of getting a replacement from Viscom.
David: I have never received nothing.
Woman: You’re gonna have to get in touch with Viscom, because according to them-
David: Well then I will not pay it. No I-okay-
Woman: Then we’ll send you to collections and recommend you be sued, David.
David: M’am, you’ve already threatened me-
Woman: So you don’t care?
David: No no.
Woman: Well I’ll tell you what, I’m not even going to give you the extra day. I’m going to go ahead and send you to the collections agency.
David: Okay listen, I just talked to a gentleman yesterday-
Woman: indecipherable Yes, you talked to my representative David.
David:Yes.
Woman: And you asked, you gave a tracking number, and I tracked that package for you.
David: And I have not got- I have not received it-
Woman: Because Viscom is sending you a replacement television. So you need to speak to Viscom. In the meantime, you need to pay for the merchandise that you have received. So if you’re not going to pay the value payment that is due for the television that you are getting replaced by the warrantee company, then you’re going to collections.
David: That’s great. Thank you.
Woman: Good. We’ll send it to collections right now, then I’m not going to even give you the extra day. Good day.
David: You’re welcome.
Click pictures to enlarge.
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