So, back to the topic at hand…
One of the important things to know about disputes, aka chargebacks, is the timeframe within which you must request it. Usually, that's 120 days from the date of the transaction.
Now, in pre-order land, when we're preordering things six months in advance, that's obviously not very useful. However, there is a very important clause in every credit guide I've seen... if you have preordered an item with an expected delivery date in the future, the 120 days is actually calculated from the promised date of delivery. Even better, if the supplier extends that date, the 120 counter resets.
Now I've filed disputes where even the bank's customer representative is unaware of this extra clause. My advice is that if you are rebuked for this reason, REQUEST the documentation. The two times this has happened to me, I requested, and received the credit guide which clearly explains this, and in both cases, the bank came to the table and fought and won on my behalf. One of those cases was even an Indiegogo kickstarter. And you can betcha that Indiegogo has specific terms in their agreement to say no refunds, but as expected, those terms are null and void in the face of the credit card terms.
So, as many of you know, TBI was posting monthly updates. Those updates are evidence for your claim. Screenshot them now if they contain any items you're waiting for because your 120 day timeframe starts from those promised dates. I have saved copies of the October and November updates if anyone needs them. Also, screenshot product pages, especially ones with dates that work in your favour. Since PC, I now screenshot EVERY product page I preorder from ANY supplier.
Call me cynical, but I assumed the absence of December/January updates was for this reason. Be diligent. If you want to give TBI the benefit of the doubt, by all means do so, but know when your 120 day deadline is, and file before it hits. (and really, you should probably check the fact that your bank's deadline even is 120 days, but I've never seen any diverge from that).
Also, if you have ever gotten a response in writing from TBI with a promised date, that's also evidence as well for extending the timeframe to claim.
Finally, when it comes to making a claim, you have to provide evidence that you made the effort to contact the supplier. The first thing the bank is going to ask you is when was the last time you contacted them, and did you get a response. Luckily for you, TBI is famous for not responding. Again, this is evidence.
When it comes to various banks, some have better processes than others. For me, ANZ is a dream. You can initiate the dispute from internet banking, but I've always called. They've NEVER even asked for follow-up information. They give you a temporary credit back for the amount, issue a demand for more information from the supplier. In this case, that's likely to be PayPal, who in turn passes the request on to TBI. They have 30-45 days to respond. If there is no response (as there was not in my case) or the response is not adequate (they fail to provide proof of delivery), the credit stays on your account, the case is closed, and TBI likely faces a $20-30 penalty charge for the procedure.
In the past, NAB has been a bit more work. You call, they send you a follow-up letter in the mail with a one page questionnaire which you have to fill out, and sign before they proceed. Once they get that back, the same procedure as above continues (you get the credit, and the supplier has 30-45 days to respond or the credit stays and the case is closed). However, this time around, while NAB sent the letters, I never got a chance to send them back before they sent subsequent letters that everything was going ahead regardless. Your mileage may very. ¯\_(?)_/¯
I've had other disputes with other banks pre-PC (28° being one example), but all my recent experience is with ANZ and NAB.
Of course, all of the above presumes that your payment method was a credit card (or debit card with a credit card logo). Using PayPal as a middle-man makes no difference. Somewhat amusingly, the dispute is actually between your bank and PayPal, and then PayPal has to backchannel their own dispute with TBI.
I would strongly recommend that you DO NOT file a dispute with PayPal (unless you paid with PayPal balance or a bank-transfer). You're at the mercy of the random person who looks at the case. The credit card companies are way more clear and consistent in how they handle these disputes. If you didn't get the goods, and the seller can't provide proof of delivery, you're covered.
As said before, if you're unsure of your situation, please post, or DM me... I've personally found this knowledge invaluable in all walks of life, but annoyingly, it's been most useful when dealing with Australian Transformer resellers.
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Originally Posted by yoshi594
