ComplaintsforBilly's Western Wear

• Initial Complaint

  05/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I saw a pair of boots I wanted to buy on their web-site and checked the size that I needed. The web-site did not flag my selection as sold out or unavailable. However, the site did say to call for availability which I did every day for 1-1/2 weeks. I left messages because they never answered the phone and never returned my calls. Finally I decided to go ahead and make the purchase on-line w/my credit card because if you can purchase it, then it must be available. after a reasonable amount of time I inquired by email using the purchase order # I was assigned as to if it was available and when it would ship. I spoke with ************************* and after several emails back and forth was able to get her to admit they did not have it. This info was very difficult to get. It took 2 days to get her to admit that. When I found that out, I cancelled the order. Now I have the problem of getting them to release the hold for $579.99 on my credit card. It appears they don't intend to do that. I have never run into such a problem as this where a company is so dis-respectful of a customers time and money.

  Business response

  05/04/2022

  Customer purchased a pair of boots on May 1st. on our website. We have a big disclaimer to email us or call us with our toll free number as well as our email address. Customer claims that he tried to contact us to see if item was in stock before ordering but we never had a message on our toll free line, neither one of our stores have any record of him calling and we never received an email at any of our email address.

  ******************** purchased the boots on May 1st, on May 2nd,at 5:17 PM we sent him this email that we were currently sold out of the item you ordered and will have to special order these boots with a 6 month lead time. If you wish to look for an alternative on our website we will be happy to edit your order. Our sincere apologies for any inconveniences. Hope you have a great rest of your day. Later that evening at 10:01 PM, he responded : If I don't receive verification of the canceling of this order by COB
  5/3/2022, I will be filing a complaint with BBB against Billys Western  Wear. Your evasiveness to answer questions about availability is really astounding. For example ; your email referring to the *** of my order indicating shipment of it after a week and one half of trying to get a response from you concerning availability. You do a grave injustice to your customers by charging their credit cards for items you don't have.

  At 10:30 PM, he sent this: Unfortunately you seem to be scaming customers by pretending you have a product to sell when you in fact do not. You dupe people into ordering an item knowing fully that you can't fill the order. You get the money from the credit card company and the customer has to go through the h*** of not being assured of the order. Thanks alot *****!!!

  The next business day, first thing in the morning,at 8:43 AM, we sent this email: ****, We do try and keep our inventories as accurate as possible, with all these materials and shipping delays if has become quite difficult that is why we have put the disclaimer on before you enter the website. As per your request, your order has been cancelled. We do not actually take payment or charge any card until the order ships or is placed on back order. The charge you see is only a hold on your card, and is pending,
  as no payment has been captured on our end. The hold on your card for your anticipated purchase will fall off.
  
  Sorry again for any inconvenience.
  Billy's Western Wear Team

  At 10:03 AM, he sent this: Once again; I better see a ******* processing on my card releasing the hold by COB today. If not, you can explain it to the BBB. And at 9:12 PM, he sent this:

  Here is the case number for the BBB complaint I have filed against ******* for not releasing my funds on my credit card for purchase order #***** that I told you to cancel.

  We explained to ******************** that the charge was merely just a hold on his account, it was never a charge. The only time that we ever charge a credit card is if we capture funds on an on line order and we have the merchandise ready to ship.

  We have been in business since **** and ***** is 96 years old and is a World War II Vet as well as a Korean War Veteran, we would never be dishonest or be involved in grave injustice's.

  I apologize that we did not have the item that ******************** wanted in stock, however it did not take us 2 days to admit that we didn't have this boot but only one day and we did reach out to him as soon as we knew that this was not an in stock boot.

  The funds were just a hold and not a charge and we did advise ************************ that it should drop off with 2 - 3 business days.

  Again, we apologize for your inconvenience.

   

  *******************

  Billy's Western Wear Team
  

  
  

  Customer response

  05/05/2022

  Complaint: 17139368
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The number that they give to call and check availability is an unattended line. ******* knows this. They also know that messages left on that number will not be returned. That makes their claim of me not checking availability false. I called and left messages many times over a period of 9 days to check availability of the item that were not returned prior to placing the order. After placing the order and getting a PO number, I was able to establish contact via email. It took several emails to finally get ******* to admit they did not have the item. I immediately requested a cancellation of the order. I also asked that the hold on the funds for my credit card be released. It is common practice and courtesy to release the hold on funds when an order is cancelled. Not releasing funds ties up the funds that could be used to find the item elsewhere and is ***** and vindictive. I stand by my claim that their system of getting orders is dishonest. It is dishonest because there is no way for a customer to check availability of an item. My experience with trying to do that over a period of 9 days before just giving up and placing an order proves that.

  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  05/05/2022

  This is not true. We have a toll free phone number ************** and we are here Mon - Friday from 8:00 Am to 5:00 PM.

  He is welcome to call my direct line ************* if he has any difficulties.  I apologize, but his claims are not true.  He did not call or email anyone at our main online office or either of our retail stores.

  The first contact we had with him was on May 1st, when he placed the order, we contacted him May 2nd., the day after he placed his order and advised him that the item that he was looking for was currently out of stock.

  His credit card was never captured, only a hold was put on his card as he did not contact us to see if this item was in stock prior to the purchase either by email or phone call. He may want to call the bank for them to explain how this process works. I emailed him yesterday but he did not respond. I explained again, how the process works on the hold by the credit card company and explained that we canceled the order as soon as he contacted us and that sometimes it takes 2 - 3 business days for the hold to drop off on his card.

  His claim that it took several emails to finally get ******* to admit that we did not have the items is simply false. We let him know the next day following the order. He became heated later that night when we didn't respond, as his first response was after 5:00 m then his second response was later after 10:00 that night.

  We have hundreds of emails and phones calls each and every day, we have four people dedicated to answering phone calls and emails each and every day, We answered each and every email within one day and the order was cancelled the next day after he placed his order. All of this would have never been if he would of just called or emailed as our website indicates, we are not dishonest but are a small family owned business. I reached out to him and apologized again and offer to give him a discount when this item comes back in but we have failed to hear from him.

  He is welcome to call me directly and I would love to talk to him and help him with anything that I can, If he wants to call his bank with me on the phone, I will be glad to do anything possible to help him.

   

  *******************

  Billy's Western Wear
  

   

   

  Customer response

  05/05/2022

  Complaint: 17139368
  
  I am rejecting this response because: **** is not being told the truth by his staff. I spoke w/him on the phone today (5/5/2022). He insisted that he had all the email correspondence between me and his staff. When I asked him about one in particular, he admitted he did not have that one because he couldn't recite the particulars. His staff is cherry picking the emails they provide him so that only the ones they provide him are the ones that support their position. Bottom line is that what I am alleging about dishonesty in their business activities is quite true. You can call the number they provide for questions regarding availability *********** and you will not get an answer. You can leave a message but you will not receive a response. **** said they have no record of me calling. I would suggest that the same people cherry picking the email evidence are behind not being any record of my calls. It's all a pattern of dishonesty and deceit that needs changing. He still insists that he cannot remove the hold for $579.99. If he can't, then he is the only vender I have dealt with in the ** that can't. It all adds up to disrespect for a customers time, and vindictiveness against me for having called them out on it.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

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