HELP!!! Advice needed with GL

[jollyroger]

I was succesful with an auction 12-28-09. I did not see any invoices in my email. I checked the GL website a few times and did not see any invoices but assumed that everyone was gone for the new years holiday like was advertised on their website. It required a EUC. I went through the tutorial filled it out and sent it back. My first one. Then I was sent an e-mail that I needed to make revisions and fill out an Export Form. I did that and the lady responded "In reciept". Awesome. Then the next day I tried to login to my account and it said the account was suspended. I called the telephone number and the customer service representative told me my credit card had been declined. I asked "Are you sure it was declined?". She said yes. That is the note on the account. She then explained I was in default of the auction and that the items were no longer available and that I owed them $180 and some change for a default fee. Also if I wanted to dispute the default I could write an e-mail to the management, info@govliquidation.gov.com ATTN: Management and someone would get back to me in 72 hours. I wrote an e-mail, sent it off and immediately called the credit card company to see what happened. When I was awarded the lots I called the credit card company and paid my ballance in full so GL would have a zero ballance card to draw from. What I did not know is that they recently changed their terms and conditions so that in the event one pays their ballance in full they wait until confirmation comes back from my bank before they credit my account in full. I was informed this could take 7-15 days. Hence when I checked my account online while on the phone with them my account showed a zero ballance but $10 available credit. If I would have left $1 on the account it would have been credited within 1 business day. This card had a 4.9% interest rate. Not a promotional rate. Regular rate. Notice I said HAD. That has changed too. The CS rep offered me a 9.9% promotional rate to try and keep me happy. With a zero ballance that CITI card will get chucked into a drawer never to be used again. Back to GL. I found a return to sender e-mail in my junk mailbox on Saturday. The dispute e-mail had been returned to me. Since it was Saturday I could not call GL so I forwared the e-mail to info@govliquidation,com in the hopes that this was the right e-mail addy. I called on Monday to confirm that the e-mail had been recieved. The cs rep said it had been and that I was in the que. I got a response back yesterday that was not positive in my dispute based on quotes of sections of the terms and agreements. I sent back a lengthy response, like this post, explaining what I had done and why, included the info about the credit card and I asked to not have my ignorance held against me as I am not a GL veteran and I begged forgivness and asked to have my lots awarded again.

Is there anything I can do to dispute further if they say no? Is all this just a formality? I feel like once they decide you have defaulted that's it regardless of any reason you may have otherwise. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks for the help.

 

[Lorax]

A similar situation happened to a co worker. GL basically told him to "talk to the hand" and would not reinstate his lot. It was an M105 trailer in fantastic condition, which he won at a great price. This was his first GL adventure, he got fed up, did not pay his account fee, and never did business with GL again.

The comment "GL must want to resell the item again and try to get a higher price" was said more than once.

Karma worked it's magic. When the trailer came up for auction again, it sold for an even LOWER price the second time around. And I know the wingnut that bought it that time. He stares out of the mirror each morning...

Good luck. Whether it is your fault or GL's probably won't make any difference.

 

[mikew]

Sorry to here about your problem.... but you've forgotten that credit cards are EVIL!

I wouldn't expect GL to do anything for you, they ran your card and it declined, it's not their fault or mistake.

Credit cards are a useful tool, but you are kind of "dancing with the devil" when dealing with them!

Mike W

 

[FMJ]

My experience with GL customer service, IT SUCKS, if you have a problem that your local rep can't take care of, your S.O.L. I think short of showing up at their HQ in Arizona, it's a complete waste of time to try to mediate anything through their "customer service" division. . . unless you can PROVE in writing/pictures of the lot, that they screwed up, and even then it's no guarantee.

 

[acmunro]

Had a similar thing happen to me. CC company couldn't give a reason for decline. I 100% feel it was something GL entered or did improperly. I was very busy with work at the time and didn't follow up making sure everything was credited properly. So that part was my fault. Long story short GL doesn't have a customer service department they have a GL service department.
The sale was canceled and I had to pay the default fee if I was going to "Dance with the devil"
Now I check the following day with their live chat service- print the chat- and have a copy emailed to me. You could file a complaint with the BBB probably won't do any good- but I did it anyway. Good Luck

 

[Warthog]

Your lot is gone. It will be relisted. Sorry.

You may be able to have the default fee waved and your account reinstated if you make enough noise.

GL can not and will not provide a transaction receipt when they bill your credit card, if it is declined or approved.

Welcome to the GL Roller Coaster.

 

[markmontana]

My advice (for what it's worth)- try to get out of the $180 fee, but forget the auction and get in there and try another auction.

Now you know the GL routine, and hopefully, the lesson was free. Worst case- it cost you $180. Peanuts compared to most things 'deuce'.

Whatever you bid on- it won't be the last one, and 50/50 chance that you will have even better to choose from next time.

One more bit of advice- hit the 'return' key after every few sentences

 

[ABN173]

FYI for those of you using debit cards some banks have daily limits on the max allowed to be charged. You have to call your bank to have them adjust the limit and have GL re-run the charge.......I was lucky and caught the error on the same day and had GL run the card again.

 

[Scarecrow1]

I'm sorry to say it but you are better of trying to get them to lower the default fee and just pay it as you were unknowingly at fault ...What's the old saying Ignorence of the law is not an excuse to break it ... This applies to this case too....

 

[TheOxman]

My CC was declined when GL first ran it. My CC declined the transaction because it was very large and I hadn't used the card lately. I straightened it out with my CC company and GL ran it again and it was fine.

 

[jollyroger]

I really don't think GL has operated outside their "rules" and I am sure in their minds I did something to justify a default. I was merely hopeing someone had some success with getting a default situation overturned and could guide me through that process. Sounds like not so much. I really don't like credit cards. However they seem to be a neccesary evil. In this case my credit card company seems to be the problem that started this avalanche. I had a zero ballance on that card 4 months ago and they called me on the phone and begged me to use the card. It had a great interest rate so I decided that card would be my GL card. I guess it did not work out that great for me. Anyway. I am not interested in doing business with CITI Bank anymore and an contemplating weather or not I want to fall into the GL tarpit from this point forward.

My dad got some trailer beds from Ft. Riley. There was a tailgate in the pictures leaning up against a wall next to the trailers. By the time the EUC got approved the trailers had been moved several times and the tailgate "got lost". The GL guy went back and saw the tailgate in the pictures. He said there was not much he could do to get that piece. I was afraid if he pressed the issue too far the GL guy would just say that's ok. We will just resell the lot. We did not press the point and figured we could let it go cause stuff happens.

 

[greenjeepster]

I don't know what to say about this situation, except welcome to the GL customer crowd... They have gotten us all at one time or another and if they haven't gotten one of us yet.... they will. You are getting off easy. I lost 4 K on a bid once. It was on a lot advertised and pictured as one thing and then turned out to be something of far less value. It was out of Redstone and I lived in NC at the time and did not want to make the trip to inspect. I called and asked very specific questions about said item to make sure it was what they said it was thinking that doing so was safe enough..... I ended up with a $4000.00 hydraulic pump that I ended up throwing on the scrap heap.

I have a card on file with GL that I use to place bids, but I call the minute an auction closes and do a wire transfer instead of CC payment. They charge a service fee for the wire transfer, but it is far less than the interest I will pay on the card if I forget to pay the balance off before it is due.

I hope they reinstate the account for you.

 

[fuzzytoaster]

I keep reading about all this kind of stuff and cant help but think if another company comes into the market and directly challenges GL's hold on this portion. It would either eat GL alive or force them to conduct fair business if not kill them doing it. Either way..change will come.

 

[Heavysteven]

Through my experience the online help with Hiedi would be the way to go. My guess is that you a automated system has not put you in the black list.

I would go through GL again if i had space for another duece

 

[4x4 Forever]

I have a card on file with GL that I use to place bids, but I call the minute an auction closes and do a wire transfer instead of CC payment. They charge a service fee for the wire transfer, but it is far less than the interest I will pay on the card if I forget to pay the balance off before it is due.

I hope they reinstate the account for you.

Or you can make 'other arrangements' to pay the bill, but you have to tell them BEFORE the auction ends. I have been paying them with cashiers checks and so far, knock on wood, all has been ok. They take this type of payment with no other fees.

I've had problems with CCs for a long time, especially when I was working overseas and would not trust them for any purchase of any size, especially GL. Also helps me not to buy something I dont have the cash on hand for....

 

[m16ty]

Sounds like you're going to have to pay the default fee if you want to play with GL again. If all you ever loose from dealing with GL is $180 you can consider yourself lucky .

I do charge my GL purchases with a CC just because of the convenience of it. I don't bid on anything I don't have the cash in hand to pay for though. I pay the CC off at the end of the month. I don't like to owe anybody and I really hate paying interest so I never have ran a balance on the card.

 

[SETOYOTA]

I don't see how any of this is GLs fault. You should get another CC. I have never heard of a CC company raising your rate because you paid it off. thats crazy. check out chase I have had good luck with them. Pay the bill off each month. I have no affiliation with them other than a customer.

 

[JAYHAWK 1962]

I use the american express card and have never had a problem with an auction being paid for. Just a for what it's worth.

 

[jollyroger]

I have an update to this whole situation.

I first off want to thank everyone for their council on this issue. It was very helpful to know what to expect and some possibilities for resolution.

After some e-mail correspondence back and forth I found out today that GL decided to not reinstate the sale. They did decide to waive the default fees and to reinstate my account. I was happy that GL decided to work with me and I will subsequently continue to do business with them.

I also want to say that I take full responsibility for my ignorance of the rules that GL posts that we all have to live by. While I am dissapointed I think GL treated me fairly. What I don't like about GL is that the process is not exactally intuitive. I know this is a subjective observation but I don't think I am the Lone Ranger with that. While I can say I have now learned the hard way and appreciate GL working with me I have this nagging feeling based on the conversation in this post that this will likely happen again somewhere down the line.

I have two CITI cards and am contemplating not using either of them due to this experience. Just as a heads up one post mentioned that he did not think a credit card company can just raise your interest rate. I have to say yes they can and it has happened to me several times with different card companies. They send out a terms and conditions sheet when you get the card. There is language in that agreement that says they can change the terms and conditions at any time. Usually this has happened to me prior to when I get the written notice of the changes. This card was a 4.9% interest rate card. Not a promotional rate, regular rate. It is ok for them to decide this card was not making them money and therefore they can change the rate on the card. It is also ok for me to decide I don't want to take the 9.9% promo rate they offered me when I called to investigate what happened because I am not going to use the card and am contemplating closing the account. It is also ok for me to decide I won't use the other CITI card I have because they are likely to do the same thing to me.

I really don't like credit cards but they seem to be a neccesary evil in the modern world. I have been banking with Chase for 4 years now. I have had Chase credit cards for longer than that and have had very few issues and minor ones at that. The customer service I have been getting at Chase has been top of the line. We have moved most of our banking over there. We usually like to bank at our small town locally owned banks but all of them have gone through ownership changes and lots of turmoil and the customer service became unsatisfactory.

Thank you all for the help and support and I will be back to bidding against you all on GL in the near future.

 

[velociT]

I paid for my Deuce with my Chase debit card. No problems. Just FYI.