Force 4 Chandlery still in business? Do they want business?

[jakew009]

Are you sure this isn't a scam? Did you call the number on the email or a link from the email or the number on the real, not a link you followed but typing in www.force4.co.uk, website?

Because emails asking for an alternative payment method could be from anyone...

Yeah asking for BACS or PayPal would scream massive red flag to me

No sane business willingly accepts PayPal

 

[[70521]]

Ordered a new Autopilot from Force 4 Chandlery for £1400 online today. Order accepted, no messages regarding value of sale and my Credit Card debited the full amount. I have now received an email from "Sales" stating the order is cancelled because the "policy" for orders over £400 is that they must be paid by BACS or Paypal before they'll accept it.

Have you telephoned 'Sales' to see what the problem is?

Always had very good service from the Plymouth store and never had issues using a credit card there.

 

[Trident]

How does this work if you want to pay by credit card, because you don't have the money in your account to pay by BACS ?

Just pay via PayPal - they can use your credit card as the payment method but they assume the risk of fraud .

I was amazed to find that with things like 3D Secure (when your phone app asks you to confirm it is you using the card) or AVI , where they match address and post code to where you want goods ship to check its the card registered address, many card processing companies and banks authorise transactions without using these tools and in fact will OK transactions where the address is wrong. I recently found out and was told I had to pay extra fees to get the "higher level" of security. So I cancelled my card processing contract and now only use PayPal to process cards as they include all the checks within their normal fee and provided all the checks pass they always side with the retailer in disputes over fraud . I think perhaps many people assume you must have money in a PayPal account to use it when they are in fact happy to take it from your credit card

 

[Trident]

Yeah asking for BACS or PayPal would scream massive red flag to me

No sane business willingly accepts PayPal

Absolutely the opposite. Whilst the card processing fees are slightly higher than say Stripe or Streamline the service is safer

I was amazed to find that with things like 3D Secure (when your phone app asks you to confirm it is you using the card) or AVI , where they match address and post code to where you want goods ship to check its the card registered address, many card processing companies and banks authorise transactions without using these tools and in fact will OK transactions where the address is wrong. I recently found out and was told I had to pay extra fees to get the "higher level" of security. So I cancelled my card processing contract and now only use PayPal to process cards as they include all the checks within their normal fee and provided all the checks pass they always side with the retailer in disputes over fraud .

 

[[164147]]

I’ve not found a new i50 depth display cheaper anywhere I’d trust with my credit card. As a physical shop I don’t need to muck about with deliveries and if it’s faulty I’m confident they’ll take it back, again without the hassle of going to a post office. If that makes me a dunce at retail acquisition then so be it

That just sounds a bit paranoid but if it suits you that's fine.

 

[jakew009]

Absolutely the opposite. Whilst the card processing fees are slightly higher than say Stripe or Streamline the service is safer

I was amazed to find that with things like 3D Secure (when your phone app asks you to confirm it is you using the card) or AVI , where they match address and post code to where you want goods ship to check its the card registered address, many card processing companies and banks authorise transactions without using these tools and in fact will OK transactions where the address is wrong. I recently found out and was told I had to pay extra fees to get the "higher level" of security. So I cancelled my card processing contract and now only use PayPal to process cards as they include all the checks within their normal fee and provided all the checks pass they always side with the retailer in disputes over fraud .

I guess you’ve never had someone pay via PayPal and then claim they didn’t receive the item / that it doesn’t work / that the colour of the moon is slightly off.

PayPal will side with the buyer 100% of the time with essentially zero recourse for the seller.

With regard to what checks are enforced, it’s nothing to do with the bank, it depends how you configure your merchant account.

For instance with Stripe you have a huge amount of configurable about how strict you want to be. However, of course the stricter you are the more likely a buyer will abandon checkout so it’s all a balancing act.

I imagine the extra charge you refer to with Stripe is for Radar, which is a totally different product.

 

[laika]

That just sounds a bit paranoid but if it suits you that's fine.

I’m really not sure what your point is with these one liners: where is this place that is so much cheaper for an i50 depth display that makes you think anyone buying from force 4 is a chump?

 

[creeks]

Ordered a new Autopilot from Force 4 Chandlery for £1400 online today. Order accepted, no messages regarding value of sale and my Credit Card debited the full amount. I have now received an email from "Sales" stating the order is cancelled because the "policy" for orders over £400 is that they must be paid by BACS or Paypal before they'll accept it.

I have previously ordered from Force 4. They say they tried to call me but they haven't – I have no missed calls. They say they sent an email with a quote - they haven't They don’t answer the phones (I made several calls yesterday and today) – it goes through to a voicemail. They don’t return calls or answer queries about products when you enter details on their website.

This sounds like a business under severe stress. Are they still in business? I doubt they will be much longer if this is the level of service provided.

I just called Force 4 on the number on their website 0345 130 0710. A helpful gentleman answered on the second ring. Where's the problem?

 

[[164147]]

I’m really not sure what your point is with these one liners: where is this place that is so much cheaper for an i50 depth display that makes you think anyone buying from force 4 is a chump?

I wasn't aware I needed to write a paragraph to explain something pretty simple. Have you tried speaking to your local marine installer for a price rather than just using Google? i50 Depth & Speed £385 each inc VAT & delivery.

 

[Trident]

I guess you’ve never had someone pay via PayPal and then claim they didn’t receive the item / that it doesn’t work / that the colour of the moon is slightly off.

PayPal will side with the buyer 100% of the time with essentially zero recourse for the seller.

With regard to what checks are enforced, it’s nothing to do with the bank, it depends how you configure your merchant account.

For instance with Stripe you have a huge amount of configurable about how strict you want to be. However, of course the stricter you are the more likely a buyer will abandon checkout so it’s all a balancing act.

I imagine the extra charge you refer to with Stripe is for Radar, which is a totally different product.

Actually if you are eligible for Seller Protection they always side with you provided you qualify - which includes the various AVI and 3D checks . I've been doing this for 27 years , over 15 of those with PayPal so I know it very well. Stripe Radar is an additional cost for their security risk assessment but Stripe will, on standard set up still pass an authorisation if 3D Secure is failed or if the Postcode matches but house number does not - I have had this many times and spoken at great length with Stripe after multiple attempted frauds (all on Nat West cards for some reason) and eventually, earlier this year, just took stripe off my website and only used PayPal. Immediately all attempts at fraud stopped as they will not authorise without 3D Secure prompt and full matching AVI and then give me seller protection on most transactions. I have also had two occasions where this has been tested by customers and PayPal supported me and I did not have a chargeback because delivery was made to the verified address .

All this is maybe a bit niche for a sailing forum but the important part for customers of Force4 is that there is nothing dodgy about them wanting to use PayPal - it will be costing them more in charges so the only reason I can think is that they find the security of Seller Protection to be beneficial on high value items .

 

[sfellows]

As the OP, it's only fair to say after I emailed Force 4 with a very "I'm disappointed" email they did get back to me, apologised and processed the order. Allegedly I was originally processed as a "guest" (how this happened no-one knows as it was an order in my account online and appeared there) and it is their policy to only accept BACS or PayPal for new customers (???!!!).

I now have the item. Still seems a very strange policy. Anti-money laundering? Can't see how.

 

[Seastoke]

So in two days from you moaning , you get the product. You should be emailing apologising .

 

[Boater Sam]

As the OP, it's only fair to say after I emailed Force 4 with a very "I'm disappointed" email they did get back to me, apologised and processed the order. Allegedly I was originally processed as a "guest" (how this happened no-one knows as it was an order in my account online and appeared there) and it is their policy to only accept BACS or PayPal for new customers (???!!!).

I now have the item. Still seems a very strange policy. Anti-money laundering? Can't see how.

Meggan responded to my email very promptly and had no problem giving me her phone number for me to pass on.