I have been a member of columbia house dvd club for several years now. I fulfilled my most recent subcription obligation in the later 1/2 of 2005. I'd recieved a selection (director's choice) sometime in Feb. I was surprised and a bit bothered becasue I'd requested the 'Opt Out' option to prevent being hassled with director's choices in the future.
A week or so later I recieved a second selection. I immediately phoned columbia house at their number and was told that although I'd been on the list that it had been 6 months since my last purchase, and that I must simply re-request not to be mailed the director's choice. I then requested to be removed once more as well as to end my account. Columbia house instructed me to write "return to sender" on the 2nd dvd and return it, which I did. But I had to wait about 1 week to recieve the return shipping label for the 1st movie I'd recieved earlier. I closed my account and sent both the movies back. You'd think this was the end right? Wrong!
April I began to recieve notices that my account was overdue. Columbia house demanded payment for two selections? The two selections I'd already sent back! I called them repeatedly and spent a total of 2 hours on the phone the 1st time. I truly selected every prompt and every option there was on their system. The automated system would hang up on me whenever I mashed zero for an operator.
I find it strange that I can't reach anyone at the number listed on the bill statement now that I've cancelled my membership. Columbia house obviously doesn't want to deal with their former customers. I never had a problem with reaching someone at their listed toll free number until after my account was cancelled and I sent the last selections back. This proves very strange to me. Whenever I'd hang up and call the number back, they'd request my old account number and then of course the prompts would just direct me to more prompts to yet more prompts until the system would tell me that they are sorry I'm having problems, go to our website and 'good bye'. I finally got smart (so I thought!) and called another number, the 'new member' services. I complained to the gentleman who answered the phone. Unfortunately, he could not give me any point of contact, or reference me to any help within columbia house. He stated that he could only set up new accounts. Thats it! He could not pull up my account. He then reccommended that I email columbia house or try mailing my concerns / questions to the mailing address!
I just recently (1July) recieved another notice for $23.00 and the same thing happened... I could not reach anyone. I spent 48 minutes on the phone, went to their website and couldn't sign in because I'm no longer a member. Columbiahouse dvd online is set up to register and purchase ONLY! There aren't any customer service hyperlinks or anything. I am completley exhausted with these people! Do I have to open another account with these guys and place an order for dvds I don't want just to address the issues and mis-information they have reguarding my past account? This is very peculiar, suspicious and becoming a headache for me.
I'm sure others have experienced problems that resemble mine. My concern is that they may put a nasty smear on my credit report for a measley $23.00. This should be illegal. I want to know how an organization as popular as coulumbia house get away with conducting business in this manner! This is robbery! Twenty-three dollars really isn't much money at all, but if columbia house does this to every member/former member, they really stack up.
In closing I'd say that I'm repulsed at their tactics to steal money from consumers. I was a loyal customer for several years and even refferred friends and family to columbia house. I'd always been able to reach a live teller at the 800 number until I cancelled my membership. I have never had problems with return credits in the past as long as I was a member. They recieved the last two selections back over 4 months ago and are claiming otherwise. I need to find out how to get columbia house dvd club off my back and stop them for billing me for selections I don't have. It should be simple. I should be able to call someone to clear this up and straighten this mess. I have paid them everything I owed them & sent all unwanted selections back. They don't want to be reached. It is like "Mission Impossible" to get a human voice over the phone. They have even changed their propmts to deter consumers from trying. I'm sick of it and I want answers. This would end a "never ending story". The End...
E
Clarksville, Tennessee
U.S.A.
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