Reader David tried to buy an XBOX from Overstock.com, but they sent him an $18 part instead. Now they’ve got his money and are holding it hostage until he sends the part back. One problem: They haven’t sent him a shipping label.

Here is an account of the horror I went through with Overstock.com. I post this in hopes of helping others avoid their company, and their atrocious customer service. I apologize for the length/grammar, but I’m kind of writing this in a hurry.

I bought a 360 on launch day. On December 27th my newest 360 red ring of deathed (this was my 4th) and I was sick of dealing with it, so I decided to send it in for repair, and sell it when it got back to help recoup the cost of buying an elite system.

Ordered an XBOX 360 elite (order #[redacted]) on December 28th 2007 for $449.95 plus $2.95 shipping. I ordered through a website called fatwallet.com because they had a deal that ordering through them got you a 4.0% cash back rebate on orders through overstock.com

on 1/7/08 my wife got a box from UPS and called me to tell me that it was too small to have an XBOX in it. I called ups concerning my xbox package thinking that this was some other item, and they told me it was delivered. I called my wife back, and she told me the tracking number on the package, and it was the tracking number for the XBOX. I had her open it, and inside she found a “Nyko Xbox 360 Intercooler” worth $18.50 from overstock.com. The packing list stated “XBOX 360 elite system – $449.95”, but the box was far far too small to fit that item, and again, only an intercooler was in the box.

I called overstock.com and told them what had happened. The associate was apologetic, and said he would put me in touch with parts to get my XBOX sent out right away. I talked to a lady in parts, and after some discussion she agreed to overnight me an XBOX 360 elite system Tuesday, and I should get it on Wednesday. She also said that my 4.0% rebate would probably not work anymore, so she would credit my Visa back $20 for the inconvenience.

Tuesday around noon I notice that a second order number is on my account for an elite 360 from the night before, but that it is all ready canceled. I open the live chat and inquire when my 360 will be shipping. The associate apologizes and says it will not ship for a few days, and that it will ship standard shipping when it does ship. They also say I was credited $20 in in-store credit for the inconvenience. I check my account, and I see no extra $20, just the one for the rebate mistake. I tell him thats unacceptable and that I will call in.

I talk to a rep, and he says theres nothing he can do, and thats the way it will be, and the people from the night before never wrote any notes about overnighting or shipping out next day. I say I want them to just cancel my order then, because I wanted the XBOX for this week to play with my little brother visiting from mass (I live in FL). He says he cant give me a refund until I return the intercooler they sent me. I say thats not fair to hold my $450 hostage over a $20 item, and he says theres nothing he can do. I ask for a manager, and he reluctantly transfers me after telling me the manager wont be able to help me.

The manager was extremely rude, He asked me if I would mind being put on hold, in the middle of a sentence, and I said “yes I would mind, I’m talking” and he put me on hold anyway. I then start yelling at him when he came back on for cutting me off, and he hangs up on me.

I call back, get a different manager, whom again cannot help me, but is much more customer friendly about it. In the end I just have to wait for them to finally send me a return label, then for them to issue a refund about a week after they get the wrong product back.

I filed a complaint with the BBB, and ordered a new XBOX 360 elite from Amazon, which will probably be getting my business from now on. This whole thing has been such a nightmare. I still have not gotten a return label for the intercooler, and overstock wont help me. I beg for any help you can give in this matter.

Well, we recently learned that you’re not going to be able to sue Overstock to recover your $450, but you do still have some options available to you.

One of them is a chargeback. Call your credit card company and tell them the whole story. They might be able to recover your money for you. Before you do that, however, you might want to try an EECB. One of readers had the exact same problem getting a shipping label from Overstock, and was able to contact their CEO and get it resolved. For more information about how to learn to launch your own EECB, click here.

PREVIOUSLY: EECB Scores Direct Hit On Overstock’s CEO

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