Page 1 of Family Box Office - Shoddy customer service

Last December I noticed this company seemed to be offering some of the best deals on R4 discs.

I thought they could replace Eazydvd as my R4 supplier of choice. However, being cautious and aware that service and reliability might be dubious, I place a small order of 5 pounds.

When the goods failed to turn up after 6 weeks I emailed FBO to be informed that a 3 month wait would be required to see if the goods turned up.

When this deadline passed without the disc`s arrival I emailed FBO again. They informed me a replacement would be sent. A few days later I received an email informing me that my credit card company had rejected my transaction. Now this was because my card had been transferred to a new number - a fancy platinum one - oooooh! But this is by the way.

`What transaction?`, I thought. FBO have already taken payment.
`Its for the insurance of the replacement goods`, came back the response.

Here we have 2 problems - Firstly FBO were clearly going to charge me an insurance cost for the replacement goods - WITHOUT SEEKING MY AUTHORISATION!
Secondly, why should I pay to have the goods insured after having over 100 items successfully delivered to me in the previous year!

OK then comes the reply - `We will send the goods without insurance`.

2 months later (May) - still no disc. When I entered into correspondence with FBO they informed me that I had not agreed to the goods being sent without insurance!

Quite staggering! By this point I could see there was some wisdom behind my testing of the company`s service by only making a small order as I would hate to have been out of pocket for a substantial sum.

Anyway - when I contacted my credit card company they told me that the 120 day dispute deadline had passed but as I had been a longstanding customer they themselves would refund my costs for undelivered goods.

Another point involved in this saga is that the correspondence with FBO contained more than a hint of scepticism about my honesty. Indeed one email in particular implied that the sender thought I had received the goods and was simply lying about it.

Needless to say I have contiued to use Eazydvd as my R4 supplier

What strikes me as particularly strange about this situation is that FBO seem to have a decent reputation. However it is one that I can strongly dispute.

I`ve been tempted to use FBO in the past but haven`t. Like you, I prefer EzyDVD. The only other Aussie retailer I`ve used was Devoted but packages got delayed, wrong ones got sent out and refunds were slow to come by. I stopped with Devoted after that. I`m sure for every disappointing experience there are plenty of good ones, and like you say, FBO do have a good reputation, especially borne out from the posts that I`ve read on other sites.

Cheers for the heads up on FBO. EzyDVD are the best R4 retailer, IMO. :D

Anil
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I regually use FBO as well as EZYDVD for R4 DVD`s and have had no problems with them except one time I ordered National Lampoon European Vacation from them and the sent NL Vacation instead I E-mailed them and they sorted it out quickly. Personally I think they are the best R4 retailer after EZYDVD and coinsidently they are both based in Kent Town