What would u do? Workshop issue

[aziyade]

Hey all, I'm trying to figure out how to handle this.

Say you pre-register for a big workshop, paying by paypal about 3 months before the workshop is scheduled. You get an email not long after you paid saying they have had to reschedule the workshop and it's now going to be in a different month. The organizer assures you they will refund your money if you can't make the new workshop date.

You can't make the date, so you email them. They tell you again, they will refund the money, they just have to transfer money around in their accounts.

A month later you still haven't received any money, and emails to them seem to go unnoticed.

The organizers seem to be respected members of the dance community, and not fly-by-night scam artists, but you're trying to figure out why they're ignoring your requests to get this straightened out. It's too late to get paypal to do anything about it.

What do you do?

[shahravar]

Are they in your city?
I think your best plan of action is to visit them on-site. I'm sure they have the intentions to do the right thing but just havn't followed through.
Worst case scenario you may be able to sell your space in the workshop on your own.
Good Luck!

[aziyade]

Originally Posted by shahravar

Are they in your city?
I think your best plan of action is to visit them on-site. I'm sure they have the intentions to do the right thing but just havn't followed through.
Worst case scenario you may be able to sell your space in the workshop on your own.
Good Luck!

No -- about a 12-hour drive!

It bothers me because they explicity said they would refund the money of people who couldn't meet that date. And we just had some major home damage, so that $365 would REALLY come in handy now, with Christmas coming.

[anala]

Send them a demand letter via certified mail spelling out your previuos attempts to get your refund (keep a copy) with a NLT date to refund your money or you will take appropriate action.

[bintbeled]

Originally Posted by analathered

Send them a demand letter via certified mail spelling out your previuos attempts to get your refund (keep a copy) with a NLT date to refund your money or you will take appropriate action.

I would do what Analathered suggests, but soften it a bit. Send them the letter, recapping the situation, mention that you haven't gotten the refund check yet, you know they're busy, but you could use the money for some current expenses. Commiserate with them a bit about what a hassle it must have been to change the workshop date.

If nothing happens in a week, then send the certified mail letter demanding a refund by a certain date.

With any luck, the first (nice) letter will pop you up to the top of their "to do" list and you'll get the refund.

[anala]

Yeah...like that! I run to bitch pretty fast when it comes to the collision of my money and other peoples sloth.

[bintbeled]

Originally Posted by analathered

Yeah...like that! I run to bitch pretty fast when it comes to the collision of my money and other peoples sloth.

I used to do the same thing, but over the years I've learned that it's best not to escalate into overdrive immediately, because then you have no next step. I hate to say how many years it took me to learn that....

[Tammyraks]

If you used a credit card with paypal, dispute it with the credit card co. I had to do this once and won (not because of a workshop, but a costume).

[jasani]

If you have the letter or email they sent regarding the change, send a copy to them with your paypal account. Tell them how long it's been and that you would like to request the matter be taken care of a.s.a.p.

No need to worry about stepping on eggshells, tell 'em you mean business and that you want a reply. THEN if they still shrug you off send them another request but tell them you will take action with your credit card company and out 'em. It's not too likely you would want to deal with them again after this crap you've gone through.

I went through this same issue. I had to keep emailing them to get my $$$ back.

[Bellydancingcaroline]

Suggest you set a deadline date for refund, as it seems to me that the problem occured due to lack of this. I am an orgnaiser and the one event I cancelled, I contacted everyone and said you'll have your money back in 2 weeks or some such. Which gave me one week to sell all my things to pay the refunds ;-) I mean ahem, move money around in my account.

[Bellydancingcaroline]

I would say something like we first spoke about a refund on month/day, perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought I would have my refund by now. Could you pay me by month/day.

[Lauren_]

Have you tried a phone call yet?

[aziyade]

I'm calling again tonight -- before I got an answering machine or service, and I didn't really want to leave a message.

Here was my mistake:

I paid by paypal, and I paid as a debit from my checking account. This is how I pay for everything, as I don't have credit cards.

DON'T EVER EVER EVER do this!!!!!!!!

You have no recourse whatsoever if you do this. Paypal will only attempt to help you for about 30 days. The bank will usually do nothing for you.

Your best bet in buying anything online is to get a darn credit card. I never wanted one, but I guess in today's world, you have to have one, for safety at least!

I'm calling again tonight, and sending a letter tomorrow if I don't get anywhere. I'm tempted to post the same question on the Tribe thread that originally led me to this workshop, but I keep thinking that this person will come through!!! She's not an unknown by any means, and I expected better from her.

Even if I get this resolved, I'm NEVER dealing with that group again, even if they bring in Sohair Zaki herself for a workshop. !!!

[Lauren_]

Originally Posted by aziyade

Even if I get this resolved, I'm NEVER dealing with that group again, even if they bring in Sohair Zaki herself for a workshop. !!!

Oh, I know you better than this! You might pay at the door, you might kick & scream all the way there, but you'd go.

[yasmindiab]

Originally Posted by bintbeled

I would do what Analathered suggests, but soften it a bit. Send them the letter, recapping the situation, mention that you haven't gotten the refund check yet, you know they're busy, but you could use the money for some current expenses. Commiserate with them a bit about what a hassle it must have been to change the workshop date.

If nothing happens in a week, then send the certified mail letter demanding a refund by a certain date.

With any luck, the first (nice) letter will pop you up to the top of their "to do" list and you'll get the refund.

Also, if you do end up sending the demand letter, it may not hurt to get your signature notarized. Your bank *should* have a notary at no charge to you...(at least, thats how some of the banks out here are...)

:)
Good luck!

[Tammyraks]

Some credit cards (like mine), has insurance, incase you buy something and it doesn't arrive, etc...,. Always been too scared to use my bank account .

Here was my mistake:

I paid by paypal, and I paid as a debit from my checking account. This is how I pay for everything, as I don't have credit cards.

DON'T EVER EVER EVER do this!!!!!!!!

You have no recourse whatsoever if you do this. Paypal will only attempt to help you for about 30 days. The bank will usually do nothing for you.

Your best bet in buying anything online is to get a darn credit card. I never wanted one, but I guess in today's world, you have to have one, for safety at least!

I'm calling again tonight, and sending a letter tomorrow if I don't get anywhere. I'm tempted to post the same question on the Tribe thread that originally led me to this workshop, but I keep thinking that this person will come through!!! She's not an unknown by any means, and I expected better from her.

Even if I get this resolved, I'm NEVER dealing with that group again, even if they bring in Sohair Zaki herself for a workshop. !!![/quote]

[aziyade]

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Oh, I know you better than this! You might pay at the door, you might kick & scream all the way there, but you'd go.

Okay that was harsh -- I WOULD pay at the door for Sohair Zaki, but NOBODY ELSE!!!! (lol)

Actually, the person I paid and was dealing with is apparently no longer really WITH the sponsoring studio, and doesn't even live in that state anymore. Oi. What a mess.

[aziyade]

Okay I just sent this email. At this point I just want her to acknowledge me.

Dear X,
I have been trying to get a hold of you for several weeks. Please respond to this email and let me know when to expect a refund please. As I mentioned, this date will not work for me, and I really need the money back to help pay some unexpected home repair bills. I would like a Paypal refund or a check sent in the mail by this Friday, Dec. 7.
Thank you,
me

Sounds polite, I think. I'm also going to call tonight. If I don't get SOME kind of response, I'm posting the whole email conversation here WITH names. Is that acceptable, or should I not do that? I've never had to deal with this before.

[tattood1]

demand your $$$ & say you WILL name names. tina