Digital River Credit Card/Billing/Renewal/Subscription Issues

[markatisu]

What I've never understood is why they do the full amount as a pre-charge. I've seen other companies test the card with a 1 or 2 cent charge, but Matty is the only e-tailer I've dealt with that does this sort of thing every time.Is this normal for an etailer, or have I just been lucky?

Most companies are supposed to authorize the entire amount, its not a pre-charge its the actual charge just done in the two steps (authorization and charge)

But for most retailers that happens almost simultaneously, with DR it authorizes the full amount then that drops off and like 1-2 weeks later they charge the card for real.

Amazon will that as well, they did it to me actually last month when I bought some Monster High.

The 1 to 2 cent authorization you are talking about is common only when doing a pre-order or signing up for a service where they need to validate you have a functional credit card. Most e-tailers will never just authorize 1 cent if you actually order something that is shipping within 7 days.

[scott metzger]

Most companies are supposed to authorize the entire amount, its not a pre-charge its the actual charge just done in the two steps (authorization and charge)

But for most retailers that happens almost simultaneously, with DR it authorizes the full amount then that drops off and like 1-2 weeks later they charge the card for real.

Ah, that explains why I never notice such with other e-tailers I do business with; thanks for the explaination. That makes sense, but authorizing the payment and then waiting so long to do the charge seems idiotic. I'd think the person could have run the card up to the limit by the time the actual charge goes through (from what I've read, the authorization drops off in a few days).

[EtherianChronicles]

Ah, that explains why I never notice such with other e-tailers I do business with; thanks for the explaination. That makes sense, but authorizing the payment and then waiting so long to do the charge seems idiotic. I'd think the person could have run the card up to the limit by the time the actual charge goes through (from what I've read, the authorization drops off in a few days).

It depends on your bank. Some banks it falls off in a 2-3, some 4-5, some take a week. Markatisu also has it right - there is no such thing as a "pre-auth", even though companies like DR/Matty use the term. I remember laughing when during the Hoverboard pre-order that they said they would "pre-auth" and it would hold the funds until it ships - like next year, LOL. Simply does not work like that.

Compounding that is when you use a debit card, because either way an authorization holds the funds, but in the case of a debit it actually holds your money, as opposed to a credit card where it goes against your credit limit.

I'm very curious to see how Grayskull is handled. If they are smart they will do a deposit and then charge the rest when it ships - if they pre-auth the amount, and wait for it to fall off, it's an issue for debit card holders, and really is useless if they aren't going to charge (seeing if the card has $250 on it now has no bearing on if it will be there in a year or not. So a $50 deposit would be the best way to go - though with DR, if your order doesn't go through, Sorceress bless you to get them to refund it properly, LOL.

[Lazer Force Zodac]

I don't know what the incompetent fools at digital river did but my bank declined the charge so when i called some girl told me i probably didn't have enough cash. i told her i had over 1K in that account & to charge it that day but she said she couldn't & they would have to do it the day before the sale. how do these idiots stay in business???

[gummi]

Is anyone else not showing the order on their MattyCollector order history page? I received the charges to my credit card, but there is no order showing as processing on Matty's site.

[SCB]

Got my shipping notice. They really have their act together this month.

[MegaGearMax]

SCB will probably get his stuff tomorrow...hope Frosta looks good.

Got my shipping notices as well! I'll probably get my MOTUC stuff by next Saturday, but my DC Universe stuff comes on Wednesday!

[Karak Nul]

I just got hit with a 3rd pending charge now...so that's one for $61 and 2 for $129, how much money do they think people have lying around in piles to be tied up like this?

[Barbecue17]

Got my 30th anniv shipping notice yesterday and my reg eternia shipping notice today. Very nice, indeed.

[Zodach]

My order is still in process, so I guess nothing will be shipping early for me this month. I'm used to broken promises from Mattel at this point

[Dr Kain]

My subs have yet to ship. Here I was expecting something surprising since I had been charged already, but that is my own fault for have expectations of DR.

[Mr_Yuck]

Wow, they've really screwed me this month. 2 charges of $105.95 (what should only be one charge of that amount) PLUS billing me for an additional $62.95. They've successfully over drafted my account.

Scott---DO SOMETHING ABOUT DIGITAL RIVER!!! The woman at customer service was zero help, trying to explain the pre-auth process. That doesn't address the issue at hand here. This really needs to stop.

[DinDYT]

DR is completely screwing me this month. First that used the wrong shipping address for the THIRD month in a row. The ever so rude lady on the phone told me they couldnt just put a new shipping address on it, they would need to cancel the order and then make a new one, including new charges to my account. So before she hangs up I get on my bank account and DR has charged me twice for the club eternia, twice for voltron and a mystery 71.05 charge which the lady couldnt find any record of. She tells me to copy my bank statement and fax (FAX!) it to their accounting department. Anyways they are going to charge me again for the new eternia order.

My flipping point is that DR has tied up over a 1000 bucks in my account until the pending charges drop off. When I told her that was unacceptable she had the gaul to talk down to me and remind me of the agreement I completed and how pre-auth works blah blah blah. I've never had these charge issues before but if from now on if they are planning on holding my money hostage for an undetermined amount of time then I am going to tell the bank to refuse any more payments from them.

Scott if you read these boards, Digital River reflects you and mattycollector and thats a point you never seem to fully get. I was planning on purchasing the he-man/battlecat combo as well as greyskull and trapjaw. But now I don't have any extra money and I wont be buying them. Case and point DR costs mattycollector money.

I can't even imagine the nightmares that they guy who bought like 40 subs to "save" this line will have next year. NIGHTMARES!

[Capt_Piett]

The weird thing for my charge is its like $27 something but I only see one; Yet when I look on Matty it says the order is for Frosta and Rattlor, so I'm a bit puzzled.

[iron_pride]

Got my shipping notice this morning. Still no charges....

[Dorko2]

I only have Club Eternia so I'm only getting Frosta and Rattlor, however I was charged $27.14, which I assume would be the charge for 1 fig+shipping. That was Wed. I see that I was charged $54.29 thursday, which should be the correct charge for 2figs+shipping, I have also been charged $54.29 as of today. I've never been a complainer about Matty, DR and the whole subscription process, nor have I ever had any of the unfortunate problems of others, yet right now I'm very tempted to cancel my 2013 sub and cherry pick off of Ebay since right now I don't feel my money's secure with DR. Sad.

[thecrimsonfiend]

Well guys, DR strikes again! I was charged 57.00 for my eternia sub 2 days ago. I have 1 sub so that makes sense. Then TODAY, I got charged 57.00 again TWICE, and then again 27.00! Thank you for overdrawing my account DR! THIS is why I didn't buy into the 2013 sub. this is disgusting!

[KUZEH]

This stuff is simply remarkable.

That's a VERY nice way to put it...

BTW dude, i missed you completely during PowerCon...

[Stygian360]

Got my shipping notice. They really have their act together this month.

Ditto! Multi-payments be damned, I got my shipping notice this morning.

[Mern-Ra]

That's a VERY nice way to put it...

BTW dude, i missed you completely during PowerCon...

Dagnabbit! We'll have to catch up at SDCC (geeze that's a long time now that I think about it!)


No shipping notice for me yet, but if I'm LUCKY my package will still arrive on Monday!

[spo37]

I have got one charge for about $23.00 and two charges for about $147.00 each. The $147 adds up for Cy-Chop, Frosta, Rattlor and Black Lion but I am not sure what that $23.00 charge is for.

[Karak Nul]

someone tell TG to stop posing for pics at NYCC and do something about his customer service company's incompetence

[EtherianChronicles]

Scott---DO SOMETHING ABOUT DIGITAL RIVER!!! The woman at customer service was zero help, trying to explain the pre-auth process. That doesn't address the issue at hand here. This really needs to stop.

Which is utter BS - there is no "pre auth process". Cards are authorized, and then charged. If the merchant knows what they are doing, you should be blind to the process as the authorization (there is no such thing as a "pre-authorization") turns into a charge using the same authorization number they were given to begin with.

They authorize the charge, and then it posts. That's it. If they run the card once, that's what happens.

There are not multiple authorizations unless they run the card multiple times.

So don't believe any nonsense DR, Scott, whomever tells you - that is a screw up, not "pre-auths". Utter and total BS.

[synthalus]

I have 1x club eternia sub and 1x 30th anni sub, both are combined and ship together in one package with usps.
I was charged $77.66 TWICE and on top of it $25.89.
These extra $77.66 and $25.89 charges don't make any sense!
What the heck's going on with DR this month???

[MOTU_Maniac]

YAY!!! My subs shipped overnight! This is the first time they have EVER shipped before the Sale date! Woo hoo!