A book from Microsoft. Sad customer story.
I hope this this post will reach someone at Microsoft and someone will finally read this post from start to finish. I only want to get decent customer support. @Microsoft, hope you care!
In short: I have ordered a book almost 2 months ago and since then I have been fighting to:
1. Get my money back
2. Ask Microsoft to fix their mistake so I can pay correct taxes and avoid collector services.
2018-06-21 I have ordered a book from Microsoft Press. Original book price was 44.99 USD but as a Microsoft Certified Professional I was told that there is 18 USD discount, so the book should cost only 26.99 USD. On the same check-out page I was informed that shipment cost is 9 USD for an international shipment.
2018-06-30 I have received package with the book. Inside of the package there was only book and nothing else. I have no complains about the book.
2018-07-01 I have received a letter from Danish company Svea Finance. In the letter I was informed that due to my recent purchase I have to pay outstanding taxes and administration fee. I was just about to pay it but it came to my attention that amounts to be paid are very big. The sneaky part of Svea Finance that they do not print amounts from which they have derived sums to be paid, only final values. According to Svea I have to pay 21.67 USD in import taxes. In Denmark import taxes are 25% of total amount (shipment and value of a parcel). It did not take long to calculate that Microsoft have made a mistake and declared wrong amounts, something like 86.86 USD.
In addition to that I have been given only 7 days to pay otherwise, according to Svea I will be charged outstanding fee and interest rate for a delay of payment.
Note that I still cannot see any bank statements on my card at this moment.
2018-07-01 Same day I wrote to Svea and Microsoft explaining that there is probably a mistake.
2018-07-04 I send one more letter to Microsoft asking them to confirm that they have seen my email with request for a clarification
2018-07-04 Microsoft responds with a generic message that they have received my email.
2018-07-05 Reply from FedEx telling me that Microsoft declared value of parcel as $44.99 and the shipment cost was specified as 0 so FedEx added $42.83 as shipment cost in a declaration.
2018-07-05 I reply to FedEx and tell them that declaration is wrong and I refuse to pay according to wrong amounts.
2018-07-05 FedEx replies telling them they will not change anything and I still need to pay
2018-07-05 I reply once more that I will not pay according to incorrect invoice
2018-07-12 I forward email from FedEx to Microsoft asking again to review they declaration and fix the issue.
2018-07-12 Microsoft responds and it agrees that they will give me back 18 USD dollars they have charged me extra. Not a single word about wrong tax and shipment declaration.
2018-07-13 I wrote again to Microsoft. I ask simple question: you agreed that you have made a mistake in declaring value of the book so why I have to pay taxes from 18 USD?
2018-07-31 FedEx reply telling me that they will not discuss this issue any more.
2018-08-03 It took Microsoft 20 days to reply that they “As a customer courtesy, we have issued a refund for the remainder cost of your book. Please allow 10-15 business days for the funds to be applied back to your account.” Not a word about wrong shipment declaration or tax declaration
2018-08-04 Microsoft closes yet again my case telling me that “my order can be subject to taxes and import duties”.
2018-08-13 I got 18 USD back on my account.
2018-08-15 Reply from Microsoft, again with a generic message that “my order can be subject to taxes and import duties”, case closed
2018-08-15 Yet another email from me to Microsoft. I repeat whole story and ask them to fix shipment declaration and contact FedEx to fix the issue.
Microsoft, if you read this please:
Fix shipment declaration with FedEx. I still miss this part.
