Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  03/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had been using Palm Beach Eyes as my eye doctor for more than 20 years when I visited the office last summer, typically seeing *************************** (it's his practice) but this time seeing a woman he had recently hired. I was experiencing irritation in my right eye and after an exam she suggested some eyedrops and also said I should be wearing sunglasses whenever outside. I decided to purchase the glasses and did so, but when I got home my wife and I discussed it and determined we already had some that would work, so I called the office to cancel. I made the call less than two hours after I had left the shop but by now the office was closed so I left a message canceling the order. I had paid with my **************** card so I also called to dispute the charge if, as I suspected, I would be charged anyway. The next day I stopped by to make sure the order had been canceled and was told it had already been sent out and it was too late to cancel. I was told I would be charged a restocking fee of $233.16 despite the fact I had been told the glasses would not be ready for two weeks. Since then at the end of every month I have received a bill for the same $233.16 dated the last day or the month.Needless to say, I have not paid this bill, nor do I intend to pay it. **************** gave the company until mid-September last year to respond to its inquiry into the charge and the company never responded. So how can I get this company off my back?

  Business response

  04/02/2024

  In the matter of ******** Palm Beach Eyes would like to provide several statements in the hopes of a resolution.
  
  Customer purchased a set of custom ophthalmic lenses from our office on 7/5/23 and paid in full, as requested. On 7/6/23,******** informed us that he would like to cancel the order. At this time, the customer was informed that a custom lens order cannot be cancelled at this point as it is already beginning manufacturing. As promised and expected the automated lens production being the moment the order is placed, as to fulfill the promise of the delivery date. As they are understandably probably unaware the lenses are generated from scratch for their individual prescription. In this case the manufacture had already generated that lens by the first day and has billed us for that lens. If there would not been a custom charge given to us, I would have not attempted to corrected some of the cost, which I already split with the individual. They were informed that our policy states a forty percent return fee would be enforced if they cancelled the order. The customer informed us that they would like to continue the order and not cancel. Sensing the customers displeasure, the office's operations manager reached out to the customer, but did not hear back from them.
  
  The customer signed an agreement on 6/8/23, this agreement states that they would be subject to a forty percent return fee of all custom products. We allowed the customer a refund in full, for the eyeglass frame they purchased, and they were offered a refund for the custom products ordered minus the forty percent return fee. There was also professional fee, non-refundable, for the service performed. To my knowledge they were satisfied with my professional service, as the customer and I had a professional relationship for many years.
  
  On 7/25/23 we received a chargeback from merchant services for the full amount of the professional services and complete pair of eyeglasses After several phone calls and emails (7/25/23, 8/16/23 to name a few), merchant services ultimately stated that **** had denied the claim. The representative even went on to say that he had never seen a business win an argument with Amex and they always side with the customer, regardless of the proof that was being supplied (a signed agreement of the refund policy). In response to this denial, ****************** reached out to the customer via phone to attempt to resolve the issue, he did not hear back.
  
  Sometime later, after the customer received a bill in the mail for the forty percent return fee and exam fees, the customer wrote a letter stating that they did not feel they should have to pay this fee. ******************, once again attempted to contact the customer to discuss the bill and supplied his personal cell phone number for a call back. He did not respond.
  
  Because the customer has yet to call us to talk about this bill, it is still on the account as an outstanding balance. My hope was to talk to the customer to let him know the truth about the lens manufacturing and the cost to the practice for that change of mind/buyers remorse. But, also to have them understand, in the worst case, they still owe for the professional service, which I hope they would have agreed with. Sadly,there are no winners expect AMEX (who gets to be the hero), the business lost the cost of the lenses, I lost the professional service amount, including the loss of the professional relationship for both the customer and myself.
  
  I hope this helps in understanding the circumstances. Not sure why they choose not to talk directly with me, I attempted many times and provided my person number.
  
  Please let me know if you see this differently,Im always open to suggestions and solutions.
  
  ***********************, O.D.

  Customer response

  04/03/2024

  Dr. ****** is lying. He has never once reached out to me to discuss this issue and never left a number to call him back. Our relationship goes back at least 20 years, I have always had the utmost respect for his professionalism, and as a professional journalist myself if I had heard from him I certainly would have called him. I have no idea why he would make such an absurd claim. And the statement that I waited until the next day to cancel my order is also incorrect. I left the office at approximately 4:30 that afternoon and left a voice message before 6:00 canceling the order. I was told the glasses would be ready in 2-3 weeks; if that's the case then he idea that the company started making them the minute the order went in is also absurd. As a customer I have rights and ********************** is ignoring those rights for their benefit. - *************************

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