[Elecraft] Elecraft business practices

[Don Wilhelm]

Lou,

I believe that was an oversight in sales - likely because you also 
ordered a KX2.

I would suggest that you email sales at elecraft.com to question if not 
charging before shipment is still the standard practice.

The only time I have heard that Elecraft has pre-charged credit cards is 
when they offered first shipment priority on the KPA1500 if they pre-paid.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/8/2019 7:41 AM, Lou Voerman W2ROW wrote:
> Let me start by saying that I am a long term Elecraft customer. I have built
> 4 K2s and a K1. I also own a K3, K3s, KX3, KX2 and other Elecraft gear. I
> helped out for several years as a volunteer in the Elecraft booth at the
> RARS hamfest here in Raleigh.
> 
> Two recent experiences involving backordered AX1s have left me concerned
> because my credit card was charged before Elecraft shipped the product. In
> both cases the backorder turned out to be longer than a month. I was not
> offered a refund on my credit card until I actually cancelled the orders.
> Note this was not a hold of funds on the card, it was an actual charge. In
> the first instance the AX1 was part of a larger order which included a KX2.
> I was charged for the entire order even though the AX1 did not ship. In the
> second instance the AX1 was listed as in stock when I ordered, I was
> notified that there was a week delay and then notified the delay was longer.
> My credit card was charged on the day the order was received by Elecraft. I
> cancelled and am awaiting a refund.
> 
> Back in the early days of internet ordering the most important test of a
> company's business practices was that they not charge a credit card before
> shipment. Amazon is a perfect example of this, they never charge before
> shipment. I will allow for some exceptions where I am told in advance that I
> am placing a preorder and my card will be charged immediately. Elecraft did
> not do this in either case described above.
> 
> The bottom line and based on the experiences above, it appears to be
> Elecraft policy to charge credit cards before shipment. I am extremely
> disappointed with this. Sorry for the long post.
> 
> Lou  W2ROW