The Nomatica Deception?

[Akkers]

As per rules and regulation of credfit card transactions, retailers are nopt allowed to debit a credit card account until they have the merchandise in stock ready for shipping. If they do debit the CC and do not have the item in stock, they are contravening the regulations and the customer has a right to demand a refund of the interest charged for the days when the item was not available.

Nomatica cannot make their own rules. These people need reporting to Visa and Mastercard.

nomatica.com SUCKS!!!

I ordered a CS-CP10 carrying case for my Nikon CoolPix 4500 digicam
on 11/08/02. I placed the order on the nomatica.com website. There
was no indication given about the back-ordered status at that time.
My credit card was billed for $56.53 (see comment on price
discrepancy below) on this date. I presumed it would be shipped no
problem.

By 11/13/02 I had received no information on the status of my order
so I emailed them with an inquiry about where they were at with my
order. On 11/14/02 nomatica.com replied with a comment about the
merchandise being out of stock and back-ordered. This was news to
me!!!

On 11/20/02 I emailed nomatica and questioned them about their
billing my credit card for merchandise not available or out of
stock. I get an email reply back from this outfit indicating that
their “fine print” on nomatica's website specifies that
one’s credit card will be charged the moment you place the
order.

I have purchased a LOT of merchandise over the years both through
telephone and internet transactions and NEVER before has a merchant
billed for an item that was not in stock. All other merchants
indicate whether or not that the merchandise is available or in
back ordered status. If the merchandise is not available they
certainly do not bill until it is in stock and shipped to the
customer.

In late November, in an email to me, they implied that the item
might be available after “three weeks time” (mid
December) – the next expected delivery from their supplier.
As of late December this item is still listed as
“back-ordered”. At this rate this item might never be
available again. On 12/31/02 I checked the status of my order on
their website and it remains the same. The merchandise that they
have billed me for continues to remain in back-ordered status and
it is now nearly two months later.

I now have no confidence in this company to deliver the merchandise
that I ordered from them nearly two months ago. At this point I
emailed this merchant and notified them of an immediate
cancellation of this order. Further, my question to this outfit is
“Just how long do you plan to let this matter ride at my
expense???” Now that the sixty day credit card
“disputing charges” limitation is almost upon me I am
submitting a billing dispute for the charges to my credit card
company for merchandise that I still have not received.

One other item of concern was that the amount that they billed my
credit card was slightly different from the amount indicated on
their web order form that I completed. This slight discrepancy in
the amount that this merchant billed me on their website store was
a total cost of USD 52.04. What was eventually reported and billed
on my credit card statement was total cost as $56.53.

This is by far the worst experience that I have ever had with a
telephone/internet purchase. I shall NEVER do business with this
outfit again. This whole experience with nomatica has been one of
total frustration and irritation!!! STAY AWAY FROM THIS OUTFIT
– nomatica.com!!!

Dear Calamospiza,

If you are so stupid to place orders through the internet without
reading their condition you can only blame yourself!!!

Nomatica clearly state on their site - and NO it's not fine print -
that they will charge your credit card the day you place your order.

Nomatica clearly state on their site if the item is in stock or not
and the estimated delay before it is in stock. This indication is
for each item and therefore you shouldn't complain about not being
informed.

Nomatica is one amongst few company who have a real customer help
desk. Try to call or send an email to most competitor and you'll
see that if they even answer it takes ages. Usually nomatica answer
within a day and you can very easily reach them by phone.

Finally Nomatica as one of the best price in Europe so if you know
a better retailer please advise because I'm interrested to know.

And NO i'm not working for them...I'm just one of their numerous
happy customers.

---
Jean-François.
---
Belgium
Sony 717 (Since Dec 2, 2002)
http://www.pbase.com/jfr

--
http://www.pbase.com/akkers
-- Blessed with Sony U20 & Sony 717 --

 

[ianR]

Hmmm!

As far as I'm aware, Nomatica is an office based in Reuil-Malmaison just up the road from me.

What they seem to do is take orders and then wait until they have got enough together to get the goods to buy at a good price. This can take weeks or months and as they have your money up front, they are using your money and ability to wait to fund their purchases. I repeat, that is what I believe is happening but it isn't at all clear. Reading the experiences of people in these forums suggests that.

What also isn't clear is why a French company with registered office in France is charging UK VAT rates on purchases from the UK and yet also charging in Euros. I think the threat of a word with the VAT people would be interesting.

Clearly, if they are charging UK VAT rates then they should have a UK registered office and be paying UK tax (or else they would be obliged to charge 20.6% which is the French rate and the rate which must apply for a French based company no matter where they do business in the Euro Zone). If they have a UK registered entity then they have no right to charge in Euros and exert commission and transaction charges.

So, either you should have been charged euros with a VAT rate of 20.6% or £ with a vat rate of 17.6% but not both. There is an anomoly there and on the one hand you might consider you did well not to be charged 20.6% On the other hand, they aren't making it clear what you should be charged (which would be interesting to the ccitizen's advice bureau) and they clearly aren't conforming to GAAP in either country.
I should point that out to them if I were you and watch them jump.
Good luck in any case.
regards
Ian

 

[Akkers]

Ian
Thanks for this; it is very useful.

If you look in the Nomatica site, they list one of their offices in the UK and I guess thats why my friend went for it (coupled with the fact prices were displayed in GBP or at least the GBP prices being the bold dominant ones).

Here in the UK, the Trade Description law and other trading laws say that you pay the price that is displayed; no more no less. So they cannot display a price and then manipulate the system to charge you more.

Hmmm!
As far as I'm aware, Nomatica is an office based in Reuil-Malmaison
just up the road from me.
What they seem to do is take orders and then wait until they have
got enough together to get the goods to buy at a good price. This
can take weeks or months and as they have your money up front, they
are using your money and ability to wait to fund their purchases. I
repeat, that is what I believe is happening but it isn't at all
clear. Reading the experiences of people in these forums suggests
that.
What also isn't clear is why a French company with registered
office in France is charging UK VAT rates on purchases from the UK
and yet also charging in Euros. I think the threat of a word with
the VAT people would be interesting.
Clearly, if they are charging UK VAT rates then they should have a
UK registered office and be paying UK tax (or else they would be
obliged to charge 20.6% which is the French rate and the rate which
must apply for a French based company no matter where they do
business in the Euro Zone). If they have a UK registered entity
then they have no right to charge in Euros and exert commission and
transaction charges.
So, either you should have been charged euros with a VAT rate of
20.6% or £ with a vat rate of 17.6% but not both. There is an
anomoly there and on the one hand you might consider you did well
not to be charged 20.6% On the other hand, they aren't making it
clear what you should be charged (which would be interesting to the
ccitizen's advice bureau) and they clearly aren't conforming to
GAAP in either country.
I should point that out to them if I were you and watch them jump.
Good luck in any case.
regards
Ian

--
http://www.pbase.com/akkers
-- Blessed with Sony U20 & Sony 717 --

 

[Akkers]

Here is the address details from the nomatica.co.uk webiste:

Our address :
NOMATICA Ltd
F7 Worth Cormer Business Center
Turners Hill Road
Crawley,
West Sussex RH10 7SL

Nomatica S.A
BP 202
31677 Labège Cedex
FRANCE

The UK address is listed first with a GB flag. So they want you to believe that it is a UK business.

 

[ianR]

Interesting. There's definitely something to follow up there then. In my experience companies are really motivated by the idea of VAT or tax people crawling all over them.

In any case, their behaviour is 'misleading' at the very least and I wish you all the best getting redress from them.
Funny about their French address, I'll check that out.
Good luck again
Ian

Here is the address details from the nomatica.co.uk webiste:

Our address :
NOMATICA Ltd
F7 Worth Cormer Business Center
Turners Hill Road
Crawley,
West Sussex RH10 7SL

Nomatica S.A
BP 202
31677 Labège Cedex
FRANCE

The UK address is listed first with a GB flag. So they want you to
believe that it is a UK business.

--
6900

 

[calamospiza]

Jean-François - YOU’RE THE ONE THAT’S STUPID – YOU IDIOT!!! As I have STATED this is the only lousy outfit that has ever pulled this non-sense on me. And yes I have dealt with very many merchants – dozens upon dozens over the years - both online and through telephone sales. Obviously you have NO EXERIENCE in the matter so SHUT UP!!! I would not at all be surprised if you are INDEED associated with that lousy outfit, nomatica1

nomatica.com SUCKS!!!

I ordered a CS-CP10 carrying case for my Nikon CoolPix 4500 digicam
on 11/08/02. I placed the order on the nomatica.com website. There
was no indication given about the back-ordered status at that time.
My credit card was billed for $56.53 (see comment on price
discrepancy below) on this date. I presumed it would be shipped no
problem.

By 11/13/02 I had received no information on the status of my order
so I emailed them with an inquiry about where they were at with my
order. On 11/14/02 nomatica.com replied with a comment about the
merchandise being out of stock and back-ordered. This was news to
me!!!

On 11/20/02 I emailed nomatica and questioned them about their
billing my credit card for merchandise not available or out of
stock. I get an email reply back from this outfit indicating that
their “fine print” on nomatica's website specifies that
one’s credit card will be charged the moment you place the
order.

I have purchased a LOT of merchandise over the years both through
telephone and internet transactions and NEVER before has a merchant
billed for an item that was not in stock. All other merchants
indicate whether or not that the merchandise is available or in
back ordered status. If the merchandise is not available they
certainly do not bill until it is in stock and shipped to the
customer.

In late November, in an email to me, they implied that the item
might be available after “three weeks time” (mid
December) – the next expected delivery from their supplier.
As of late December this item is still listed as
“back-ordered”. At this rate this item might never be
available again. On 12/31/02 I checked the status of my order on
their website and it remains the same. The merchandise that they
have billed me for continues to remain in back-ordered status and
it is now nearly two months later.

I now have no confidence in this company to deliver the merchandise
that I ordered from them nearly two months ago. At this point I
emailed this merchant and notified them of an immediate
cancellation of this order. Further, my question to this outfit is
“Just how long do you plan to let this matter ride at my
expense???” Now that the sixty day credit card
“disputing charges” limitation is almost upon me I am
submitting a billing dispute for the charges to my credit card
company for merchandise that I still have not received.

One other item of concern was that the amount that they billed my
credit card was slightly different from the amount indicated on
their web order form that I completed. This slight discrepancy in
the amount that this merchant billed me on their website store was
a total cost of USD 52.04. What was eventually reported and billed
on my credit card statement was total cost as $56.53.

This is by far the worst experience that I have ever had with a
telephone/internet purchase. I shall NEVER do business with this
outfit again. This whole experience with nomatica has been one of
total frustration and irritation!!! STAY AWAY FROM THIS OUTFIT
– nomatica.com!!!

Dear Calamospiza,

If you are so stupid to place orders through the internet without
reading their condition you can only blame yourself!!!

Nomatica clearly state on their site - and NO it's not fine print -
that they will charge your credit card the day you place your order.

Nomatica clearly state on their site if the item is in stock or not
and the estimated delay before it is in stock. This indication is
for each item and therefore you shouldn't complain about not being
informed.

Nomatica is one amongst few company who have a real customer help
desk. Try to call or send an email to most competitor and you'll
see that if they even answer it takes ages. Usually nomatica answer
within a day and you can very easily reach them by phone.

Finally Nomatica as one of the best price in Europe so if you know
a better retailer please advise because I'm interrested to know.

And NO i'm not working for them...I'm just one of their numerous
happy customers.

---
Jean-François.
---
Belgium
Sony 717 (Since Dec 2, 2002)
http://www.pbase.com/jfr

 

[calamospiza]

I had thought of demanding that this outfit compensate me for interest due on their holding my credit. I shall look into this matter as well as reporting this lousy outfit to the credit cards (Visa & Mastercard). THANKS for the point.

Nomatica cannot make their own rules. These people need reporting
to Visa and Mastercard.

nomatica.com SUCKS!!!

I ordered a CS-CP10 carrying case for my Nikon CoolPix 4500 digicam
on 11/08/02. I placed the order on the nomatica.com website. There
was no indication given about the back-ordered status at that time.
My credit card was billed for $56.53 (see comment on price
discrepancy below) on this date. I presumed it would be shipped no
problem.

By 11/13/02 I had received no information on the status of my order
so I emailed them with an inquiry about where they were at with my
order. On 11/14/02 nomatica.com replied with a comment about the
merchandise being out of stock and back-ordered. This was news to
me!!!

On 11/20/02 I emailed nomatica and questioned them about their
billing my credit card for merchandise not available or out of
stock. I get an email reply back from this outfit indicating that
their “fine print” on nomatica's website specifies that
one’s credit card will be charged the moment you place the
order.

I have purchased a LOT of merchandise over the years both through
telephone and internet transactions and NEVER before has a merchant
billed for an item that was not in stock. All other merchants
indicate whether or not that the merchandise is available or in
back ordered status. If the merchandise is not available they
certainly do not bill until it is in stock and shipped to the
customer.

In late November, in an email to me, they implied that the item
might be available after “three weeks time” (mid
December) – the next expected delivery from their supplier.
As of late December this item is still listed as
“back-ordered”. At this rate this item might never be
available again. On 12/31/02 I checked the status of my order on
their website and it remains the same. The merchandise that they
have billed me for continues to remain in back-ordered status and
it is now nearly two months later.

I now have no confidence in this company to deliver the merchandise
that I ordered from them nearly two months ago. At this point I
emailed this merchant and notified them of an immediate
cancellation of this order. Further, my question to this outfit is
“Just how long do you plan to let this matter ride at my
expense???” Now that the sixty day credit card
“disputing charges” limitation is almost upon me I am
submitting a billing dispute for the charges to my credit card
company for merchandise that I still have not received.

One other item of concern was that the amount that they billed my
credit card was slightly different from the amount indicated on
their web order form that I completed. This slight discrepancy in
the amount that this merchant billed me on their website store was
a total cost of USD 52.04. What was eventually reported and billed
on my credit card statement was total cost as $56.53.

This is by far the worst experience that I have ever had with a
telephone/internet purchase. I shall NEVER do business with this
outfit again. This whole experience with nomatica has been one of
total frustration and irritation!!! STAY AWAY FROM THIS OUTFIT
– nomatica.com!!!

Dear Calamospiza,

If you are so stupid to place orders through the internet without
reading their condition you can only blame yourself!!!

Nomatica clearly state on their site - and NO it's not fine print -
that they will charge your credit card the day you place your order.

Nomatica clearly state on their site if the item is in stock or not
and the estimated delay before it is in stock. This indication is
for each item and therefore you shouldn't complain about not being
informed.

Nomatica is one amongst few company who have a real customer help
desk. Try to call or send an email to most competitor and you'll
see that if they even answer it takes ages. Usually nomatica answer
within a day and you can very easily reach them by phone.

Finally Nomatica as one of the best price in Europe so if you know
a better retailer please advise because I'm interrested to know.

And NO i'm not working for them...I'm just one of their numerous
happy customers.

---
Jean-François.
---
Belgium
Sony 717 (Since Dec 2, 2002)
http://www.pbase.com/jfr

--
http://www.pbase.com/akkers
-- Blessed with Sony U20 & Sony 717 --

 

[Loren Charif]

What regulations? Government? If so, what government? The credit card companies (in which case they're not regulations, but policies).

I'd REALLY like to see them, because there are MANY businesses that charge you at time of purchase, when they don't have the merchandise in stock, especially when it's a special order. Also, some service businesses make you pay in advance for the service, before it's delivered.

I was in retail for 30 years, and I'm currently a retail consultant, and I've never heard of any such regulation.

Loren

Nomatica cannot make their own rules. These people need reporting
to Visa and Mastercard.

nomatica.com SUCKS!!!

I ordered a CS-CP10 carrying case for my Nikon CoolPix 4500 digicam
on 11/08/02. I placed the order on the nomatica.com website. There
was no indication given about the back-ordered status at that time.
My credit card was billed for $56.53 (see comment on price
discrepancy below) on this date. I presumed it would be shipped no
problem.

By 11/13/02 I had received no information on the status of my order
so I emailed them with an inquiry about where they were at with my
order. On 11/14/02 nomatica.com replied with a comment about the
merchandise being out of stock and back-ordered. This was news to
me!!!

On 11/20/02 I emailed nomatica and questioned them about their
billing my credit card for merchandise not available or out of
stock. I get an email reply back from this outfit indicating that
their “fine print” on nomatica's website specifies that
one’s credit card will be charged the moment you place the
order.

I have purchased a LOT of merchandise over the years both through
telephone and internet transactions and NEVER before has a merchant
billed for an item that was not in stock. All other merchants
indicate whether or not that the merchandise is available or in
back ordered status. If the merchandise is not available they
certainly do not bill until it is in stock and shipped to the
customer.

In late November, in an email to me, they implied that the item
might be available after “three weeks time” (mid
December) – the next expected delivery from their supplier.
As of late December this item is still listed as
“back-ordered”. At this rate this item might never be
available again. On 12/31/02 I checked the status of my order on
their website and it remains the same. The merchandise that they
have billed me for continues to remain in back-ordered status and
it is now nearly two months later.

I now have no confidence in this company to deliver the merchandise
that I ordered from them nearly two months ago. At this point I
emailed this merchant and notified them of an immediate
cancellation of this order. Further, my question to this outfit is
“Just how long do you plan to let this matter ride at my
expense???” Now that the sixty day credit card
“disputing charges” limitation is almost upon me I am
submitting a billing dispute for the charges to my credit card
company for merchandise that I still have not received.

One other item of concern was that the amount that they billed my
credit card was slightly different from the amount indicated on
their web order form that I completed. This slight discrepancy in
the amount that this merchant billed me on their website store was
a total cost of USD 52.04. What was eventually reported and billed
on my credit card statement was total cost as $56.53.

This is by far the worst experience that I have ever had with a
telephone/internet purchase. I shall NEVER do business with this
outfit again. This whole experience with nomatica has been one of
total frustration and irritation!!! STAY AWAY FROM THIS OUTFIT
– nomatica.com!!!

Dear Calamospiza,

If you are so stupid to place orders through the internet without
reading their condition you can only blame yourself!!!

Nomatica clearly state on their site - and NO it's not fine print -
that they will charge your credit card the day you place your order.

Nomatica clearly state on their site if the item is in stock or not
and the estimated delay before it is in stock. This indication is
for each item and therefore you shouldn't complain about not being
informed.

Nomatica is one amongst few company who have a real customer help
desk. Try to call or send an email to most competitor and you'll
see that if they even answer it takes ages. Usually nomatica answer
within a day and you can very easily reach them by phone.

Finally Nomatica as one of the best price in Europe so if you know
a better retailer please advise because I'm interrested to know.

And NO i'm not working for them...I'm just one of their numerous
happy customers.

---
Jean-François.
---
Belgium
Sony 717 (Since Dec 2, 2002)
http://www.pbase.com/jfr

--
http://www.pbase.com/akkers
-- Blessed with Sony U20 & Sony 717 --

--
http://www.pbase.com/lorenbc/
http://www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=4994

 

[Loren Charif]

Hmm....Open mouth, insert foot...I just realized that we're discussing UK regulations, which may, in fact exist; I was applying my US experience to a UK issue. So, as Emily Litella used to say, Never Mind

Loren

I'd REALLY like to see them, because there are MANY businesses that
charge you at time of purchase, when they don't have the
merchandise in stock, especially when it's a special order. Also,
some service businesses make you pay in advance for the service,
before it's delivered.

I was in retail for 30 years, and I'm currently a retail
consultant, and I've never heard of any such regulation.

Loren

As per rules and regulation of credfit card transactions, retailers
are nopt allowed to debit a credit card account until they have the
merchandise in stock ready for shipping. If they do debit the CC
and do not have the item in stock, they are contravening the
regulations and the customer has a right to demand a refund of the
interest charged for the days when the item was not available.

Nomatica cannot make their own rules. These people need reporting
to Visa and Mastercard.

http://www.pbase.com/lorenbc/
http://www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=4994

 

[Akkers]

There are quite a few CC rules and regulations which retailers break time to time.

For example, retailers are not allowed to charge you a different price for using the CC than using cash. This specially truye in the UK. However, you find that a few retailers will quote you a higher price if they see you go for your CC.

In foreign countries, you can expect to be penalised in every shop. I been to many countroes. You negotiate the price and then when it comes to paying they see the CC and they refuse to hnour the price. They stick the commission charge on top. They usually say that they have to pay these charges to the bank. I have just been to Dubai. Every purchase I made with my CC, I was levied an extra 3.5% for bank charges, on top of the agreed price. The only place where they did not charge me extra was the hotel.

And what makes it worse is that when you get home and see the statement, you realise that you have been given a really lousy exchange rate by the CC company. So you end up losing hundereds of pounds by using this lousy plastic.

 

[Akkers]

Interestingly enough, as may of you will know, I myself purchased a Sony 717 from Pixmania back in October 2002. That turned out to be a lemon, so I had to return it.

However, the package was worth 850GBP and I was, I think, billed in Euros. The credit card statement was pretty close to that figure; it was only pennies off.