HP won't take my money.

[ngreenwo]

I am trying to purchase an Envy 15 computer. I have been trying to do so for over a week now. Every attempt gets declined by the various departments. I have made four attempts now with two different credit cards and my PayPal account. Both issuing banks accepted the charges (I spoke with both of them) however HP later declined the orders because the bank refused to give them my personal information. After those attempts I moved to my PayPal account. After placing the order, Paypal called me, verified who I was, released the funds to your billing department who then refused to take them because they couldn’t verify with PayPal that I was who I said I was.

This has gone from poor business practices to just plain absurd. The phone “support” won’t even tell me how they verify it so I can talk to PayPal about it. I’m trying to give HP a lot of money. It’s no secret that HP’s computer business is on the edge of a cliff right now and yet I’m having to jump through hoops to be a customer and failing.

I have made four attempts to buy this computer over the last week. HP’s inability to do business on a global scale (the declined cards were declined because despite having American billing addresses, the banks were located in Canada and the Isle of Man) is losing them customers.  

I want nothing more than to buy this computer however after four attempts and at least 4 hours on the phone, I have no other option than to buy a different brand.

No other business in the world has trouble accepting international credit cards. On top of that, HP can’t even accept their own alternatively suggested methods (paypal).

What am I to do?

[banhien]

>> despite having American billing addresses, the banks were located in Canada and the Isle of Man

Hi,

I think HP and the Payments system do the right thing. Why not go to a shop and buy it outright ?

Regards.

ps I'm working for a bank.

[ngreenwo]

You can't buy the Envy 15 in any physical stores and the few configurations available on other online stores are underpowered and overpriced. 

The premium computers have been set up to be customised online through HP's store.

[ngreenwo]

Also, I don't understand what the issue is with having an international Bank. Both of them are large internation banks, Lloyds TSB being one of the largest in the world. The billing address was still in the US. 

[banhien]

Hi,

Actually I bought many things from the US (Amazon and B&H) and I've got no shipping problem. One thing to bear in mind, when they rejected the second time then the chance is they would reject again and again no matter what.

Hope this makes sense.

[ngreenwo]

Everywhere else takes the cards just fine. It's only HP. I do half my shopping online. That's why I think it's so absurd that HP can't deal with anyone but an American Citizen living in the United States. If I had a Social Security number i'd be ok (they actually asked for it) however becuase I'm Canadian living in the US, I can't buy their product. 

As for repeatedly rejecting it, each time they asked me for a different method of payment. Each time I gave them different one. Each time I was declined. I still can't figure out why they didn't accept the paypal payment. It's still there listed as processed on my paypal account. They wouldn't even tell me why. They just suggested I use paypal then told me I can't use paypal. 

[wdharvey11]

I had a similar problem with my first purchase due to the zip code of the delivery differing from the zip code of my billing address (a PO box).....After about a WEEK and 20 hours or so of calling, and even after they had "locked up" almost $500 of my money (the transaction was approved, yet HP decided to decline it), and after MUCH insistance that we get on a three-way call with my bank, etc...I was finally able to complete the order..an, that was just the beginning...it got much worse after all that.....

[ngreenwo]

Can you define "much worse after that"?. I 'm considering pressing to get this computer but perhaps it's worthwhile just ot give the money to another company as HP (passivly) suggests.

[wdharvey11]

the zip code thing wasn't the first fiasco I had with them, even after the authorization had locked up my money for a number of days. After a week of being on the phone with them, it was finally straightened out, and I was eventually authorized the purchase of the computer.  When it came in, it was not of the specifications I had built.  In the mean-time, I've unplugged my previous desktop tower and am using that computer.  They advised me to buy ANOTHER computer with the specs I was looking for, and return the first one when the second came in, and I'd be refunded the price of the 1st one, even though it was going to be past the 30 day return policy.  By this time, I'm taking notes, and calling names. 

I purchaced the second computer, and when IT came it, IT was not of the specs promised me (certain free upgrades, etc)...and I knew it before I took it out of the box...just by looking at the packing list.  They told me to open it anyway, which I did ( was going to send it back without opening it)...it did not have the ports on the front, certain usb ports on the back, did not have a TV reciever card (one of the "free" consolences for the bad customer service in the first place)...NO wireless adapter...

I had to send IT back...by this time, approximately $900 of my money was tied up in two computers, and I only wanted ONE.  The last (third) computer they sent me was the one I settled with....and, after all those hours, all that time, and all that inconvenience, they DID, for the grace of GOD, send me a 15" flat screen monitor...which was the least they could do. 

I felt I had to do all the work for all them, and they did NOT pay ME to do the job that they were supposed to do.  Hell, the person on the other end is supposed to know about their product, and assure the customer they are going to get the product they are selling! 

I've been "satisfied" with HP Equipment over the years...but, their customer service sucks with their lack of empathy (tying up my money for over a month), their lack of skills (they may as well work at Mcdonalds)...and when I lost my patience with them, started reporting them to the BBB and told them I was looking into going to the FTC, they started dancing.

I also had to get a few other phone numbers so i could be assured I was speaking to the same person every time and that I would not have to go through the same conversations over and over again, listening to someone say "you haven't talked to ME yet...I might be able to help", only for them to send me over to someone else to have to repeat the same thing over again....I guess I burned up over 150 hours on my cell phone with them over the course of a month.  I DID tell them that they had caused me to exceed my "at the time" phone minutes...I had to speak with verizon about my bill and what I was doing to obtain credit from THEM.

It was a NIGHTMARE.  Does that help you?

[ngreenwo]

Doesn't really give me hope as it more just seems like I have a long way to go and I'm not sure it's worth it. It's nice to meet someone who can understand my frustration having gone through the same thing. 

The interesting thing is they put all the proactive people on the sales department. I had some issued witha discount i wanted to use and they were really good there. After talking with the guy for half an hour he told me there wasn't anything he could do and genuinly felt bad. He called me back the next day after speaking with his supervisor again on the issue to tell me they had found a way to make it work. 

The people I've spoken to after that in customer service have all been pretty useless and honestly just don't seem to care. They completly lack empathy unlike the sales people.