Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[rdodolak]

The real issue isn't the charge but that fact that Cinram has sat on the packages for three days after packing the orders. If they're going to pack early then they should kick out the packages to the USPS right away. Otherwise, don't pack right away and then there will be no concern for an actual post-authorization.

[MikeZ.]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

A pre-authorization doesn't guarantee funds are available at the time of shipment. It does guarantee and temporarily puts a hold on the funds for a short period of time.

Short period = at least the date of release. How a vendor like CD Japan secure their funds months in advance.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by MikeZ.

Short period = at least the date of release. How a vendor like CD Japan secure their funds months in advance.

Then you must know something that I don't because most pre-authorizations are for a few days (3-5), sometimes more, but I'm not aware of any vendor being about to temporarily hold funds for "months" (plural). Some vendors will periodically resubmit a new pre-authorization which many people find annoying, especially if a preorder is many months out, given it ties up funds unnecessarily for a long period of time. Once the "temp charge" or pre-auth falls off your account the vendor isn't guaranteed those funds. They can submit an authorization for payment but they will only be paid if funds currently exist on the account.

[jayembee]

rdodolak is right. I've ordered from SAE quite a few times, and if I place the order on a Friday, the pre-authorization hold disappears more often than not after 24 hours...and by Monday at the latest. How long the pre-auth hold is there most likely depends on the bank or credit union through which you have your card. If yours keeps the hold until the actual charge comes through, you really need a new bank.

[MikeZ.]

Originally Posted by jayembee

If yours keeps the hold until the actual charge comes through, you really need a new bank.

Nobody said that. Not even close. This started with me posting that despite TT saying this action had ceased to exist, since their first round of sales, I still got an actual charge, after a couple of days of it just being an authorization.

It was meant to inform others wishing to buy from the new site.
Not to be twisted into a complaint, which it isn't.
Not to launch a debate over pre authorization practices, which as I said, can be found easily, and quickly online.
Not to be misconstrued into advice on banking.

[KenP]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

The real issue isn't the charge but that fact that Cinram has sat on the packages for three days after packing the orders. If they're going to pack early then they should kick out the packages to the USPS right away. Otherwise, don't pack right away and then there will be no concern for an actual post-authorization.

I actually emailed support about this. Apparently, the orders have not packed yet however Cinram puts them into awaiting shipment status as soon as they are received into their systems.

The actual product isn't in the warehouse yet and will probably ship around the middle of next week.

[tallrichard]

Screen Artists will charge your card immediately when you order, it does NOT matter what you order or when it is available, it is their policy, it is not a pre-authorization.

Twilight Time's process is to charge just before packing....

[docc]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

Screen Artists will charge your card immediately when you order, it does NOT matter what you order or when it is available, it is their policy, it is not a pre-authorization.

Twilight Time's process is to charge just before packing....

My experience has been the exact opposite, SAE has never charged me before shipping and TT/Cinram charged 1 week before they shipped, although TT later said they intended to change that policy

[tallrichard]

Originally Posted by docc

My experience has been the exact opposite, SAE has never charged me before shipping and TT/Cinram charged 1 week before they shipped, although TT later said they intended to change that policy

I was talking current policies, not past ones...

I've bought maybe 50-60 Twilight Time from Screen Artists specifically and I know they've already charged my card for the August shipment of 3 titles....it is just the way they do business.

Twilight Time direct via Cinram is only in their second month of direct shipping so I would give them the benefit of the doubt as to their promise to charge as shipped for August.

I chose to give Screen Artists my business this month for the difference is shipping charges, TT wanted to charge me over $9 and SA is only $6....

[fdm]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

I was talking current policies, not past ones...

I've bought maybe 50-60 Twilight Time from Screen Artists specifically and I know they've already charged my card for the August shipment of 3 titles....it is just the way they do business.

Twilight Time direct via Cinram is only in their second month of direct shipping so I would give them the benefit of the doubt as to their promise to charge as shipped for August.

I chose to give Screen Artists my business this month for the difference is shipping charges, TT wanted to charge me over $9 and SA is only $6....

Screen Archives does a pre-authorization charge to your credit card when you place the order. It's not the actual charge. This pre-authorization charge disappears after a few days. Later on, when the disc(s) are packed and shipped, the actual charge to your credit card happens. (I've watched this sequence happen repeatedly, every time I've placed an order.) They don't charge early. (You apparently haven't been paying close enough attention.)

(I personally don't know what TT does, nor do I have any intention of finding out.)

[KenP]

Based on my credit card right now, it looks like TT is authorizing (not charging) for the amount of the purchase and then charging when it ships.

[KenP]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

I was talking current policies, not past ones...

I've bought maybe 50-60 Twilight Time from Screen Artists specifically and I know they've already charged my card for the August shipment of 3 titles....it is just the way they do business.

Twilight Time direct via Cinram is only in their second month of direct shipping so I would give them the benefit of the doubt as to their promise to charge as shipped for August.

I chose to give Screen Artists my business this month for the difference is shipping charges, TT wanted to charge me over $9 and SA is only $6....

tallrichard,

I'm actually curious about what you said about shipping charges. Are you sure that you weren't comparing priority mail at TT vs first class mail at SAE?

From what I can tell, 3 discs at SAE is $6.25, and at TT it's just under $6. That's the reason I ordered from TT this month.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by KenP

TT is authorizing (not charging) for the amount of the purchase and then charging when it ships.

MikeZ is correct in that the TT (Cinram) orders have been charged and finalized.

The question then is why have customers been charged if the items haven't been packed? That goes counter to what they've stated about fixing earlier charges. I have no issue with being charged earlier IF the product has been packed and is about to go out the door.

[deltatauhobbit]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

MikeZ is correct in that the TT (Cinram) orders have been charged and finalized.

The question then is why have customers been charged if the items haven't been packed? That goes counter to what they've stated about fixing earlier charges. I have no issue with being charged earlier IF the product has been packed and is about to go out the door.

Could be the case of they're packed and they created the shipping label, but they only do mail outs on certain days?

I've ordered from other places and they charge the moment they create the shipping label only to have it sit idle for a couple days based on the tracker.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by deltatauhobbit

Could be the case of they're packed and they created the shipping label, but they only do mail outs on certain days?

I've ordered from other places and they charge the moment they create the shipping label only to have it sit idle for a couple days based on the tracker.

I was under the impression that they were packed as well but KenP stated they told him that they haven't been packed and don't have stock of the new releases yet.

[rdodolak]

The November/December releases will be announced on 8 August.

Below is cover art for 3 of the upcoming releases courtesy of TT.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

Unfortunately it seems they couldn't include the Madonna video clip!

[KenP]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

I was under the impression that they were packed as well but KenP stated they told him that they haven't been packed and don't have stock of the new releases yet.

I saw that my order went into Awaiting Shipment so I emailed support to make sure that was true. They apologized for the confusion, and said it was a technical issue because "as soon as the order is successfully sent over to the Cinram warehouse and is accepted, it changes status to Awaiting Shipment". They said they are working on a way to fix that for future orders.

When I asked when it would ship, they said my order would probably ship on Tuesday or Wednesday, based on the latest information they had.

Hope this helps.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by KenP

I saw that my order went into Awaiting Shipment so I emailed support to make sure that was true. They apologized for the confusion, and said it was a technical issue because "as soon as the order is successfully sent over to the Cinram warehouse and is accepted, it changes status to Awaiting Shipment". They said they are working on a way to fix that for future orders.

When I asked when it would ship, they said my order would probably ship on Tuesday or Wednesday, based on the latest information they had.

Hope this helps.

Appreciate the additional info. I wonder what happened last month because my preorder last month remained in "Awaiting Fulfillment" status until about 10 July and then changed to "Awaiting Shipment".

[GxyExpress999]