Anyone having trouble with DigitalEyes (DVDPlanet)? (1 Viewer)

[MarcoBiscotti]

They're the only online retailer I've ever dealt with, but since the merging of both companies (DVDPlanet and DigitalEyes), I've been consistently having trouble with orders and account realted info and it's very frustrating!

Apparently, when you place an order and pay via Paypal, the order doesn not get processed or even sent to DigitalEyes!

Although they accept Paypal as a measn of payment, they have no way of acknowledging receipt of payment as Paypal does not alert them of purchases.

So whenever you put an order through and send money this way, the order never gets sent and the money just sits in their account.

Well I placed an order for 4 movies last Monday and I still have not recieved a single email notification or acknowledgement of this!

I'm getting really aggravated.


I called Tuesday and although I'd experienced this once before... I was told to call back Wednesday because it sometimes can take up to 48 hours to process. I knew this wasn;t the case, but said fine and hung up.

I called back Wed. and said that I'd still not recieved an email receipt apart from Paypal's and no indication that the order had processed, nor had my account info been updated. They apaologized and promised to do so. In fact, I was given confirmation while on the phone that they had gone and processed my order.

This was after having to read back my Paypal transaction ID number to notify them of the purchase and alert them to my order altogether!

Anyways, I was promised it would ship out and Id be recieving an email notification shortly.

The next day... still nothing!

I called back, extremely frustrated and asked to speak with a manager that moment a voice answerted on the other end.

I explained that this was now my fourth time calling and relayed the situation.

They had no way of verifying anything in their system. But I was told they had a stack of orders like mine, that had been set aside to be processed and shipped. I had the service rep on the phone flip through them for me to confirm. Indeed, he said mine was in there and would be shipped out shortly.

I asked why I had not recieved any emails or why my account information hadn;t been updated and was simply told that no emails are sent and my account won't be updated when paying through Paypal. But the order is processing.

So let me get this straight... I paid for something over a week ago, and I'm not even going to get a receipt for the thing?!?

What kind of business practice is that??

Well at least I was confident (sort of) that my order was being sent.

But what about a simple email to acknowledge shipment at least???

I've not even recieved this yet, and Monday will be the two week mark already!

Also, despite my somewhat better judgement based on these events (and the fact that this has yet to be suitably resolved as far as Im concerned), I went ahead to place another purchase this evening, again through Paypal.

I was planning to order the new Patton S.E. but stopped myself when I realized after adding it to my shopping vart and going through check out -- that my frequent buyer points were never upgraded due to my account not being updated... because apparently this doesn;t happen when paying through Paypal!

So now I have to call back AGAIN on Monday morning to inquire about this... and the status of my order placed an entire TWO WEEKS AGO!

I feel really bad writing anything negative about this retailer on these forums as they;ve been nothing but reliable, gracious and accomodating to me in the past and I've placed many exclusive o9rders with them int he past couple of years. I think they're probably the best around as far as online DVD sales is concerned and they're shipments are always speedy and safely packaged. But this is just ridiculous!

I hope it's not an indication of the type of service that we can expect with this new company merger deal!

I'm really aggravated by all of this... at the very least, send me a damn email to update me on the status of my order and let me know it's being dealt with. I can't say that I put much faith in some voice over the telephone who initially wasn't even aware that I'd placed the order before alerting him and reading back the Paypal ID number!

Has anyone else experienced troubles like this recently?

 

[David Williams]

My $.02:

I can understand customer loyalty up to a point, but if a company did what you have just described to me, they'd only get one bite at the apple. I certainly wouldn't place another order with them or, at the very least, with that payment method. I'd take my business elsewhere if I were in your shoes. That level of incompetency in customer service shouldn't be tolerated/rewarded on a repeated basis.

 

[Paul.S]

Bumping an older thread to post word of a negative experience with this company.

I sold half a dozen DVDs to DVDPlanet in mid-January (after using their "QuoteMachine" to learn the dollar amounts they were offering for my used discs and be assigned a quote number). I used USPS Delivery Confirmation and was thereby able to confirm their receipt of my shipment on January 21 (oddly enough, this was the MLK Holiday when I thought there was no mail delivery).

The first issue I experienced is poor e-mail address organization. Despite the fact that the DigitalEyes.net domain is apparently not "live" any more, I both received e-mail with that domain as the origin and that referred to DigitalEyes.net addresses in the body of the mail (including from Mark Harrill, who it's my understanding is, if not the [former] owner, is a management principal of the company). However, mail I sent to DigitalEyes.net addresses was bounced back.

The second issue I experienced was inconsistent responses regarding the forms via which customers selling used product to DVDPlanet can receive credit. I was told in e-mail from customer service that PayPal used to be offered but is no longer available (but the company accepts PayPal payments for new product orders) but that I could be sent a paper check via snail mail. On that same day, I received an e-mail response from Mr. Harrill via a different address saying that store credit is the only option. I e-mailed customer service, copying Mr. Harrill, for clarification of this discrepancy; never received a response.

The third issue I experienced was a problematic separation between customer service representatives, who are trained to handle orders of new product, and QuoteMachine staff, who deal with used product customers are selling to DVDPlanet. In three separate phone calls over the course of about a week, I learned/was told that customer service can not pull up my Quote number on their system (only new product Order numbers), and that the people who handle QuoteMachine are separate and don't take calls from customers. I was told that one or more of those people recently left the company. The QuoteMachine staffers who were still with the company were not available at that time (this was the case on two separate occasions, the second of which I had escalated the call to a supervisor). I was told that the process of assigning credit can take "a couple of weeks" (fourth issue). I thought/think that's unreasonable and, given that over a week had transpired since they'd received my shipment, I asked the supervisor to leave a message for a QuoteMachine staff member to call me back by close of business the following day with the specific status of my credit/quote.

Fifth issue: I didn't receive a call back.

On the eve of it being two weeks since they had received my discs, I e-mailed Mr. Harrill (at what appears to be a personal address from which I'd received a reply from him in response to my credit inquiry; it is neither a DigitalEyes nor DVDPlanet domain address), requesting that: 1) someone physically find my discs and assure me that they would be processed and credit assigned in the next two business days; 2) my credit be issued in the form of a paper check mailed to me (as I did not think it appropriate for me to reward the company with more business after they inconvenienced me); or 3) my discs be returned to me via a trackable/traceable means at DVDPlanet's expense.

Harrill acknowledged having personnel issues. He said they had received a lot of used discs "since year end" (perhaps because a lot of people are selling SD DVDs as part of their upgrading to BD in the wake of WHV's shift to BD exclusivity?). He said he would take QuoteMachine offline until they are resolved. (This was in e-mail on Friday, February 1. As of this typing, QuoteMachine appears to still be live.)

At first his responses were as perfunctory as the supervisor I spoke with on the phone: he apologized for the situation but did not offer any date by which it would be resolved. Sixth issue: He declined my request for issuing credit via paper check, saying that is "impossible" and it is "something that [he] unfortunately do[es] not control."

Given that, I reiterated my request--absent some assurance that the matter would be resolved by a certain date--that my discs simply be returned to me. (By now I was thinking of LasersEdge.com having gone out of business just last month. Is something untoward going on here? Are they having financial difficulties--is that the reason for the staff departures? Are they hoping people don't pursue their credit after sending in discs, so the company can then reap 100% profit from selling them? If they shutter, will my discs sit in some end-of-Raiders-style warehouse in Itasca, Illinois?)

After a couple of prompt responses, I didn't receive a reply from Mr. Harrill to my last e-mail. A few hours later however, from yet another DigitalEyes domain e-mail, I received word of my order having been processed and credit assigned.

I've placed an order using my store credit and will not use this company again. I'd recommend other HTFers think thrice before selling product to them. Although I like that the dollar amounts they offer are higher than Wherehouse.com in my experience the process required way too much tedium to get a relatively small sum of money due to the company's, at best, disorganization.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Seeing as this thread has been bumped back on the forum, I just want to say that the issues experienced two years ago were swiftly resolved and I've since placed MANY orders through the company and have experienced nothing but the utmost service and quality at unmatched prices! DVDPlanet/DigitalEyes remains the exclusive e-tailer that I've dealt with for the past two years and I've accumulated a great collection of discs at unbeatable prices (literally!) so in case anyone revisits this thread and is hesitant to order based on my initial posting... I think DVD Planet is great and the best choice around!

 

[Paul.S]

Are you selling any discs to DVDPlanet, or are you only placing orders for new discs, Marco? Sounds like the latter.

Also, on a general note: Since my February 3 post, I have become an Amazon Seller--I am selling used discs for which I can get better values online than via Wherehouse or Amoeba (HD DVDs, BDs, MoFi Ultradiscs) via Amazon Marketplace. It has been terrific, with discs sometimes selling within hours of my listing them for sale. The whole process is administered by Amazon with the same expectation of excellent customer service as Amazon fulfills its own orders. It must be said that, in all my years as an Amazon.com customer--and now after several months as an Amazon Marketplace Seller--I have never experienced the kinds of piss poor customer service and disorganization with that site as I detail in my post #3 above.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

I've never bothered selling used discs to DVDPlanet because you get better value trading on forums or even listing on eBay I find. But I have read reports on the CriterionForum about past issues that have since been resolved. Others seem to have had smooth experiences with DVDPlanet's used DVD program of recent from what I've seen at that forum.

 

[Paul.S]

I guess you've sussed out DVDPlanet's trade values, but then chosen to sell elsewhere, otherwise how would you know what values they offer if you've never sold to them?

Interesting, the differencess in experiences. I get few bites when I've posted discs here (and I'm nearly always more interested in selling than trading), and Amazon Marketplace--in three short months--has smoked years of ebay experience: no chasing people for your money (Amazon mediates the transaction and has your back as a seller if someone flakes); faster sales; and, in my experience, a larger universe of buyers.

Apparently YMMV.

 

[ValerieBrook]

Sorry to bump the really old thread again:lol

I'm not sure if it's comforting or not to know they've had similar issues to mine for over 2 years! This is my first and only time ordering with them. I will not again. On Thursday morning I ordered the Charmed LE big set for my mother for Christmas. I used PayPal because I honestly had never dealt with DVDPlanet so I figured it would be the easiest way to cover my butt! Wrong! Right after the order went through I realized that they hadn't given an option to send it to an alternate address so I immediately called. They couldn't find the order, I was told "Well we only download orders a few times a day call after 1" Called after one got the same BS, called again near 6, same thing. Called the next morning and got the same thing! Since I used PayPal it's already been taken out of my account. I was finally told it would be handed off to their PayPal person and to see what was going on. Finally on Saturday I get an email saying the order was cancelled because the item was discontinued and I would not be charged. Called yet again for obvious reasons and was told that I had not been charged and after finally getting through to the idiot on the phone that yes I had been charged his answer was "Well wait till Tuesday to see if the charge drops off!" Of course it's no going to because PayPal doesn't know there is any reason to. I opened a dispute with PayPal because I was honestly tired of getting the run around through their CS department. I've yet to hear anything on the dispute, I assume for the same reason they don't think I was charged. They aren't getting the email. Really stupid excuse IMO! So after the full $160 posts to my account today I called AGAIN this morning and was told "I'm printing it now and I'll hand it off to our PayPal person when I see them!" By now I'm livid, I'm at my wits end as to what to do, if the dispute goes past the 7 days and I'm still in limbo should I escalate it?

 

[Paul.S]

Thanks for posting, Valerie (and welcome to posting at the Forum). No need to apologize for doing so since the topic is obviously still relevant.

I would recommend escalating it, perhaps by trying to speak directly to the "PayPal person." But your own experience shows that may not prove readily fruitful, so I obviously wouldn't rely solely on what DVDPlanet tells you. It was a good idea to open a dispute/file a claim with PayPal to make sure any charges are reversed, too--pursue that.

Please let us know what happens.

 

[Gregg Loewen]

hi guys.
I have had a few hundred SD titles FS or FT on HTF for the past while without success. I decided to try their buying quote interface. It worked very well for me and I was surprised by some of the prices they were quoting me. I mailed the DVDs in (about 50-75 of them) via media mail and got an email from DVDplanet within the week saying my discs were approved and I now had a $170 credit with them.
The process could not have been less flawless.
thank you DVD planet

 

[Paul.S]

Good for you, Gregg. Clearly the company's service record is, to put it charitably, inconsistent.

Let us know the status of your matter, Valerie.

 

[Keith Paynter]

I miss Ken Cranes... :frowning:

 

[jujushaller]

"BUYER BEWARE !!!!!!! I ordered this product after three weeks never received a reply only an automated response i cancled the order TWICE never received a response then after the order was finally cancled they send a response they are awful it should not take almost a month to get a DVD this is sick. I will never purchase anything from this company EVER "


"Seller stated items would be shipped within 3-4 days, items never shipped for 8+days. I contacted seller to cancel order, next day items shipped, but no response from seller til after they shipped. I will not deal with them again."


"WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER! Could not cancel order, Only had a machine e-mail me back INSTEAD OF A HUMAN BEING!!! Did not even ship until the 17th when they said it would arrive the 17th. Not only that, they got me overdrawn on my account. Thanks for nothing jerks! WILL NEVER ORDER FROM Digitaleyes_dvdplanet EVER AGAIN! You hear that? NEVER AGAIN! Bah Humbug.....Thanks for nothing!"

"I ordered this item on 12-3. On 12-12 I emailed a question; no response. On 12-16 I emailed the question again; no response. On 12-18 I called. After waiting on hold for over 30 minutes I was told this item had not shipped yet. I asked that it be cancelled. An hour later I am notified that it shipped 12-17. On 12-20 I received another email that it was shipped 12-18. ???Very poor customer service!"


"The seller is a joke. No responses to e-mails, no confirmation of shipment. If you want a gift that will take forever to get to you, this is your company. Promised by the 20th and still nothing. Ordered last part of November"

"Item never shipped on time, over a week late from ets. Tried to contact seller numerously, seller never responded. Canceled order and was not charged. Very unhappy with seller, very unprofessional of them. Will not purchase from again. "


"Seller does NOT answer messages. I sent three messages with absolutely no response. How incredibly unprofessional and unacceptable! Plus, it took seven days to arrive when I paid extra for expedited shipping. I would never order from this seller again, EVER."


"If you don't mind waiting a month for the DVD, than you should not have a problem. My order was placed on Dec.1, and it arrived Dec 20. It came from IL, I'm in OH. One would think by the time it would have come from another country. They don't respond to emails except automatic responses. I will not do business with this place again. I do not blame Amazon for this delay, I blame the seller."


"Seller emailed me to say I had not paid when in fact they had not completed the sale through Amer. Exp. No further emails from them even though I emailed they several more times"



All from Amazon.

 

[jujushaller]

" I didn't know the Pony Express was still delivering packages . Ordered from this seller on the 26th and 27th of November . Just received them yesterday 12/20 . Maybe I've gotten a little spoiled since everything that I've ordered in the last month or so has taken about a week to arrive . Also,not having a way to track shipment was unacceptable . Will not buy from this seller again ."



Feedback 30 days 90 days 365 days Lifetime Positive 81% 85% 92% 96% Neutral 4% 4% 3% 2% Negative 15% 11% 5% 3% Count 1381 2167 12148 324445


as of 12/21/2010


"I was assured by return e-masil that my item had been shipped. It should have arrived between 12/8 and 12/15. Well folks it's 12/21 and I still have not received it. What kind of service do you call that?"


"Seller showed in stock expected shipment date of Nov 29-30...contacted seller a week and half later to find out they did not have it in stock. did not follow up with me and was still showing it in stock on amazon.com.Their customer service sucks! DO NOT ORDER FROM THIS COMPANY! finally went through amazon and filed a claim and they cancelled order"


"We paid for quicker shipping and it didn't even ship until AFTER the last estimated shipping date and after I contacted the seller to cancel my order. The seller wouldn't cancel and they still charged us for the extra cost of quicker shipping. I feel that I should get the refunded! Very disappointed in digitaleyes_dvdplanet! "


"DVDPlanet should have indicated that item was out of stock as a courtesy to the customer. Instead, I waited 1 week before contacting them."


"Awful service!!! I ordered this as a Christmas present on December 3rd, the delivery estimate was December 8-15 and it didn't even ship out until December 17th! In addition to the inconvenance, no tracking information was provided. Prior to the delayed shipping, I tried to contact the seller asking what was taking so long and never received any response. Never again will I go through digitaleyes!"


"It took forever for the seller to ship just ONE dvd to me, even though I don't live that far from where it was shipped. I tried to contact them twice regarding the status of the order and why it took so long to get and I never received a response from them. I would not buy from this seller again. The only plus side was the reasonable price."


"Out of stock. Was not notified. Cancelled order, confirmed, and not they are trying to send me the cancelled order and expect me to spend my TIME straighting out their mess."


"Item didn't ship until NINE DAYS after order was placed. By this time I didn't expect it to come so I ordered from another seller, then suddenly they ship. I contacted the seller multiple times about the order with no response. Sent the item back and if a refund is not received I will be contacting Amazon. VERY DISAPPOINTED!"

"Would not recommend to anyone.. they had this order for quite awhile, my grandson did not get it for christmas.. so i will order from another seller for his birthday in january"



Allll from amazon.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Julian:


Welcome to the HTF.


I think we are getting the idea. Are your issues with shipping from amazon or DigitalEyes?


It might be helpful if you spoke in your own words instead of quoting other people's comments.


And, please avoid duplicative posts in the future.

 

[Paul.S]

Hi, Mike! DVD Planet is doing business as an Amazon Marketplace merchant with the name "digitaleyes_dvdplanet." It appears Julian is quoting some of their feedback seen in toto here:


http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/feedback.html?ie=UTF8&isAmazonFulfilled=&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&isCBA=&orderID=&asin=&marketplaceSeller=&seller=AMGE7YB9UWI02&isPopup=


From 3% negative over their Marketplace lifetime to 5% negative in the past year to 11% in the past 90 days to 15% in the past month, they appear to have a growing problem.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Gotcha!


Thanks, Paul!


Merry Christmas!

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

FWIW, I recently noticed DeepDiscount (DVDPlanet's sibling of sorts) is apparently also selling media items on Amazon Marketplace and have also accrued some rather bad ratings there -- I guess this should not be surprising considering how poorly they've been doing via their own site.


Seems like there are a lot of retailers (both online and B&M) hocking their wares on Amazon Marketplace these days...


_Man_

 

[jujushaller]

HORRIBLE! I ordered the blu ray ultimate matrix trilogy on 12/11 they canceled it on 12/21.Now if they took a long time to ship I wouldn’t be that upset. But for making me wait 10 days just to cancel my order NOW I’M PISSED!I’M GOING TO GO OUT OF MY WAY TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THEY SUCK! I’m not just going to put feedback on Amazon I’m going to put them on blast over the web. You best believe it!


Julian S