Internet sales - when should they debit your card?

[Rodge2]

I have always understood that e commerce sites are only supposed to debit your credit/ debit card when they are on the point of sending the goods out to you. Am I correct about this? If so, is this a legal requirement or just good practice? Does anyone know?

Several times now I have dealt with a site who put my order on hold (without telling me) because they do not have one item. This can go on for 3 weeks or more in past experience, but they debit the card immediately on receiving my order.

Thanks for any guidance.

[milly143]

A company I used to work for would take the payment straight away, whether the item was in stock or not. I believe it is all above board.

[johntywino]

I buy quite a lot on the internet and in every case it is cash with order,even booking hotels months in advance...

[wildwood]

Tell the company that you're not happy with the way they do business. If they don't trade to your satisfaction don't deal with them.

If the seller is in the same country as you, there are likely to be statute laws to protect consumers with internet sales.

[Rodge2]

I can understand with booking hotels Johnty, because they are reserving it for you and can't sell it to anyone else. But for other consumables, I think it's bad. I did a course on web site design a few years back and I'm certain we were taught on the section on e commerce that it was correct practice not to debit the card until dispatch was imminent.

It's the fact that they don't even do you the courtesy of telling you it isn't in stock, and that they hold back the rest of your order, sometimes for weeks, while they get the interest on your money.