Mattel's Hoverboard Interview: A Beyond the Marquee Exclusive Video !

McBaine said:
I ordered the hoverboard from Mattycollector and was told the amount would only be deducted from my account once the item was ready to ship. These are months away from shipping yet I noticed a transaction on my account for digital river for $156. I rang up my bank and cancelled my card and disputed the transaction thinking it was bogus. Now I am not sure if it was for the hoverboard but the transaction seemed a bit sus, especially when I was told the amount wouldn't be deducted till the item shipped. Anyone else noticed this?
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Mattel hired Digital River to run Matty Collector. They handle every thing from billing to shipment. That charge was indeed for your hover board. Why they're charging people now and holding the funds is beyond me but then again Digital River doesn't have the best track record. I've been dealing with them since 2009 (I collect MOTUC).
 
In that case perhaps I shouldn't have cancelled the card and the transaction but it seemed a bit sus and i wasnt going to take the risk. judging by digitalriver's large unhappy customer base i am just gonna have to let the purchase go and hope to get one through ebay
 
hmm thats disapointing , so they dont reserve it at all , just charge us now

if anything happens between now and the shipping date wont it be too late to make a claim

can they even charge for something not on the shelf?
 
That is called an authorization. It's not an actual charge. They explain the whole pre-order process on the pre-order page.

From the Hoverboard page:

"How Pre-Orders Work
When you place a pre-order for your Hoverboard, your bank card will be pre-authorized $120 plus shipping/taxes/fees for each Hoverboard you order. Your bank will "reserve" this amount from your available balance until your Hoverboard(s) ships in November/December, at which time you will be charged."
 
I'm not sure how 'pre-authorization' is any different from being charged. The amount is deducted from your available balance, not included in accumulating interest, basically it isn't yours anymore... if the transaction at least mentioned 'mattycollector' I would have taken a closer look at where the transaction came from.
 
It is different. It looks and acts like a charge but it isn't. It's basically Digital River making sure you have the money in your account then the authorization drops and no money is removed from your account. There are many sites that work like this especially with pre-orders. Amazon does a double authorization.

Edit: Either way, this information was clear and available. No offense, but it sounds like you over-reacted.
 
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so our credit card bill would only come through after delivery?

ive had the reserve done at car rental places , nothing happens they just hold onto $xx
 
It's a simple pre-authorization. The money is being "saved" to spend later on the item when it becomes available. The seller puts a hold on that amount of money on you credit card and that amount cannot be used then for anything else. It, in effect, reduces your available credit for the time the money is held. If you have a $1000 credit limit and $400 is held in reserve, then you only have $600 to spend else where until the reserve is charged and then paid off. You have not been charged the $400 that is in reserve, as in you do not yet owe it and it will not accrue interest until it has been charged to your account, but it's locked up and you can't use it for anything else either. But, gee, 8 or 9 months seems a very long time to have your money tied up in limbo.

Shylaah
 
McBaine said:
I'm not sure how 'pre-authorization' is any different from being charged. The amount is deducted from your available balance, not included in accumulating interest, basically it isn't yours anymore... if the transaction at least mentioned 'mattycollector' I would have taken a closer look at where the transaction came from.
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It's just making sure that you have the money available when they do charge it. You don't pay any interest on the money, it's just not available.
 
so before i said how upset I was over mattels hoverboard prototype and how i would never buy one.. but after watching the interview and pretty much everything i was upset about they promised they were changing, then I got really happy and as long as they stick to their word, im going to buy one for sure
 
I wonder how freaking scared they got when everyone started denouncing the prototype.
 
Thanks for the interview, great in-details one.
I had to sold a kidney to have the cash, but thanks / because of you, Matty now have a bit more of my money. ;)
 
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