The Grouser

Hotels.com Cancellation Problem

2010-02-01T13:33:00.003-05:00

To Whom It May Concern:

I have TWICE called hotels.com to cancel my two-night reservation at Homestead Austin Downtown from 2/13-2/15 (itinerary #XXXXXXX). And TWICE the customer service people told me that they would cancel my reservation and send me an confirmation email in a few minutes. However, BOTH times I failed to receive any email. Now I just checked online to see if the reservation was canceled, and it is STILL there. If I hadn't checked it, the reservation would have presumably remained, and my credit card would have been charged.

So I would like two things:

(1) An email confirming that my reservation IS in fact canceled--a cancellation I'd also like reflected on the website. Although the hotels.com website says I may cancel my reservation online, there is in fact NO option allowing me to do so.
(2) An explanation for why, despite my two phone calls, I never received any cancellation email or had my cancellation reflected on the website.

This is the first time I have used Hotels.com and am very dissatisfied. I no longer intend to use the service again.

Thank you,

Christopher W.

Response: All-Ett's Fair in Love and War

2010-01-18T20:15:00.002-05:00

Christopher,

Hello, I am sorry to hear about the wallet that you received and had a quality problem with. We stand behind our product and I would like to replace your defective wallet with a new wallet. Please let me know your shipping address and I will send you a replacement for the Original Nylon wallet.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Adam M.

----------------

Great job, All-Ett! For this you've earned The Grouser Star of Approval™!

A Frayed All-Ett

2010-01-18T18:52:00.003-05:00

Hi,

I recently bought my second All-Ett billfold (an Original in Nylon Charcoal Grey). My first All-Ett was hands down the best wallet I've ever had: not only was it slim and stylish, it also withstood four years of use. Consequently, it was a no-brainer for me to get another All-Ett when my old one finally bought the farm. Unfortunately, the stitches in this new All-Ett have already started fraying throughout the entire billfold. I am happy to send a picture, but suffice to say it looks kinda ratty. In any case, I plan to remain an All-Ett customer since this is still my favorite wallet. However, I was disappointed with this recent purchase.

Thank you,
Christopher W.

I was really hoping they'd give me free miles...

2009-08-27T23:18:00.001-05:00

Dear Mr. W.,

Thank you for contacting JetBlue Airways. We regret to hear that you have been receiving unwanted promotional messages from us. After researching your inquiry, we found that you had not been unsubscribed from all of our lists. We show that you did register for a TrueBlue account which then lists your email in our system. It appears that because you had an open account in they system, this is why the unsubscribe link did not work. We have cancelled the account. We apologize for this error and have completely removed your email address from our system. We're sorry for any inconvenience this has caused you.

Regards,

Paula
TrueBlue Customer Service Crew
JetBlue Airways
Crewmember 26710

JetBlue Blues Part II

2009-08-26T00:32:00.007-05:00

Dear JetBlue:

I'm dismayed to say that this is the second time I'm sending an email to JetBlue about the same problem--a problem supposedly fixed nearly a year ago. On September 25, 2008, I wrote to JetBlue to complain that, despite "unsubscribing" from their mailing list several times, I still continued to receive email advertisements (Speak Up # 1894017). I then asked that JetBlue (1) tell me why I continued receiving emails even though I had unsubscribed using the link at the bottom of the emails; and (2) immediately unsubscribe me from their advertising list. Almost a week later, on October 1, 2008, a JetBlue representative, Holly (Crewmember 39215), responded to my complaint. Although she explained why I had initially been signed up to receive advertisement emails, she did not answer why I had not been able to unsubscribe from the mailing list at any point afterward. However, it appeared at the time that she had removed me from the mailing list, so I did not push for more details on why the "unsubscribe" button at the bottom of the ads had not worked in the first place.

Looks like I should have: this morning I check my emails and, lo and behold, I find more spam from JetBlue.

So I'm writing, once again, to ask two requests of JetBlue:

(1) explain why I have not been able to unsubscribe to the JetBlue email list by clicking the link on the bottom of the email;
(2) stop sending me emails in the future.

This whole experience has left me completely disenchanted by JetBlue, and I hope it can be resolved speedily and permanently.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will be posting this email on the consumer complaint website that I run.

Very truly yours,

Christopher W.

Botanical Gardens Cop Out Response

2009-05-21T08:48:00.000-05:00

Dear Mr. W.,

Your feedback concerning the New York Botanical Garden's online application was reviewed by our staff. Several departments are currently working to redirect online applications to a more user-friendly and methodically organized site. It will incorporate elements you suggested and deliver emails confirming payment was received.

Thank you for contacting the Botanical Garden. If you have any questions do not hesistate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Membership Office
The New York Botanical Garden
Phone: 718.817.8725
membership@nybg.org

Something Smells Funny in the Botanical Garden

2009-05-01T14:47:00.005-05:00

To Whom It May Concern:

About two weeks ago, I purchased an individual gift membership to the Botanical Garden for my mother's birthday. Although my credit card was subsequently charged the $75 membership fee, neither my mother nor I received an email confirmation. When I called the membership line today about this, the representative told me that my mother was indeed registered. The membership materials would arrive in the mail shortly, but I should not expect to receive any email receipt. Apparently, upon purchase, I had an opportunity to print out a receipt, as well as a temporary membership and parking pass.

This is simply not an acceptable way of doing online business. It is common practice for a website to send an immediate confirmation email when you buy something. It's not enough that the site simply provide you with a page to print out. Not sending an email receipt is somewhat like a store clerk showing you a paper receipt and telling you to take a photograph of it if you'd like to keep a record. With online purchases, it is even more incumbent on the company selling the item to ensure that a receipt is delivered directly to your mailbox: unlike the store situation, customers do not walk out with a physical product; instead, they put their trust (and credit card numbers!) in the company's hands in the hopes that the item will be delivered.

In this situation, it was particularly unfortunate that I did not receive an email with the receipt, temporary membership, and parking pass. My mother plans to visit the Botanical Garden for her birthday tomorrow. While the representative from the membership office provided me with my mother's membership number, she told me my mother would not be able to have a parking pass for her visit--since I had apparently missed my opportunity to print it out when I had the chance.

I strongly suggest you revise your policy so that all online purchasers of memberships receive immediate confirmation of their credit card purchases.

Very truly yours,

Christopher W.

JetBlue Response... hopefully successful

2008-09-30T12:35:00.000-05:00

Hello Christopher,

Thank you for contacting JetBlue Airways. We regret to hear that you have been receiving unwanted promotional messages from us. When you signed up for our TrueBlue Program, you checked the box to receive special offers from us. At this time, we have removed your email address from our mailing list; you won't receive anymore emails from us including your TrueBlue statements or award notifications. However, you can stay posted on all of your TrueBlue account activity through your online account.

We hope to welcome you onboard a JetBlue flight sometime in the future.

Sincerely,

Holly

JetBlue JetBlows (or JetBlue Blues)

2008-09-25T11:07:00.004-05:00

To Whom It May Concern:

At some point I must have registered to receive advertisement emails from JetBlue. I've never flown the airlines before, but I imagine I had to start receiving these emails for some reason.

The thing I don't understand is why I keep receiving them after unsubscribing using the link at the bottom of the emails. I have unsubscribed some five or six times, repeatedly seen the notice "You have been unsubscribed from our mailing list," but still continue receiving emails.

So I have two requests:

(1) Tell me why this has been happening; and
(2) Stop sending me advertisement emails in the future.

Very truly yours,

Christopher W.

HSBC Response: How to Speak with a Human in Seven Easy Steps

2008-09-07T08:16:00.004-05:00

Dear Mr. W.:

Thank you for contacting HSBC Bank USA, N.A., the world's local bank.

Providing excellent customer service to our account holders is one of our guiding principles,
and we regret that your request was not handled to your satisfaction. Your relationship with HSBC
is important to us, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

If you wish to directly talk to a Customer Service Specialist please follow the instructions below:

-call 800-975-HSBC (4722)
-choose option 1
-choose option 1
-choose option 1
-enter your account number followed by the pound (#) key
-enter your Telephone Access Code followed by the pound (#) key
-press 0 (zero) to speak with a representative

If you do not know your Telephone Access Code, or if you have forgotten it, do not enter anything
when prompted to enter your Telephone Access Code. You will be asked three times, and after
the third time, press 0 (zero) to speak with a representative.

If you wish to directly talk to an Internet Banking Specialist please follow the instructions below:

-call 800-975-HSBC (4722)
-choose option 1
-choose option 3
-choose option 2
-choose option 2
-enter your account number followed by the pound (#) key
-enter your Telephone Access Code followed by the pound (#) key
-press 0 (zero) to speak with a representative

If you wish to contact our Bank Card Security Department you may directly contact them
at 1-800-462-1874.

For additional information on the products and services HSBC Bank offers, please visit us
at us.hsbc.com

Our Customer Relationship Center is always available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet
all of your banking needs. Please e-mail us by clicking 'BankMail' in the gray navigation bar on
the left or call 1-800-975-HSBC (1-800-975-4722), and speak with one of our professionals.
If you are outside the United States, you may call us collect at (716) 841-7212.

Sincerely,

Gowtham Raja S.
Internet Banking Specialist

HSBC Customer Service Is Atrocious... I can't even be creative any more

2008-09-02T11:24:00.005-05:00

To Whom It May Concern:

HSBC has the absolutely worst customer service I have ever dealt with. My ATM card is suddenly not working at the machine and, after 30 MINUTES on the phone, I am still not in touch with a representative. It is nearly impossible to be transferred directly to a human.

Okay, I finally got in touch with someone after 10 minutes. Unfortunately, this person is in a different department. When I asked him to transfer me to the ATM card department, he transferred me to the mortgages department. Are you kidding me? And right now my cellphone batteries are running low.

This sort of terrible experience happens to me EVERY SINGLE TIME I TRY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HSBC. This is exactly the reason why I intend to close BOTH my accounts at the end of this month.

As if this weren't enough, every time I send a letter complaining about the customer service, I receive a empty apology back, a response that says absolutely nothing about fixing the bigger problem.

Again, the customer service is completely atrocious. I intend to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau this afternoon.

Very truly yours,

Christopher W.

KFC Boxmaster

2008-06-28T10:22:00.005-05:00

To KFC:

I am an American citizen currently traveling through Bulgaria. To my surprise, I've seen numerous KFCs here. I've also noticed that KFC recently debuted a new sandwich. It's called the "Boxmaster." No joke.

I understand that most Bulgarians do not speak English, and fewer still have familiarity with semi-obscene English slang, but still--isn't there some sort of vetting process that would have caught this name before it was slapped on a sandwich?

Also: I'm a big fan of your chain of restaurants. If you have any spare coupons or stickers hanging around the office, I'll use them when I return to the states!

Thanks,

Christopher W.

Guest Grouser: Second Class Treatment on American Airlines

2008-06-25T11:29:00.009-05:00

Another guest Grouser, Taylor M., lets American Airlines have it for cramping her legs (and style) during a flight back in November. Lest you think all complaint letters are tossed in the circular file, check out what AA sent Taylor M.:

"I got a form letter that I burned. And a $100 voucher."

Damn right you did.
___________

Dear Mr. Arpey [President and Chief Executive Officer, AMR Corporation/American Airlines, Inc],

I would just like to inform you of the unsatisfactory service I received on a recent flight from SFO to ORD on 22 Nov (Flight 1608). Since it was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the flight was completely full with the exception of a seat in the back row and numerous open seats in First Class. There was a major problem with the seat I was assigned (13A). The magazine pocket on 12A was broken, so the minimal leg room I should have had was cut in half. Instead of having the foot or so of leg room that most passengers have, I had about four inches. As a tall woman, almost 5'11", my legs were scrunched, and it was terribly uncomfortable. A metal bar jutted in to my shins and forcibly pressed my legs backward.

Once all the passengers had boarded, I asked one of the flight attendants if there was another available seat. She informed me that there is one in the last row. When I asked about the ones in First Class, which were in plain view, she said that I could not sit there for security reasons.

Since I wasn't sure what extra security checks or precautions the passengers in First Class went through, I asked for more detail. She said something about their names being in a computer. But since I was booked on this flight, I'm assuming my name is in the computer as well. Her explanation still doesn't make sense to me. Furthermore, I saw one of the passengers in seat 8A or 9A move to First Class at the same time I asked. This too didn't make sense to me. Trust me, I understand that the passengers in First Class pay more and that courtesy upgrades are few and far between, but I believe if there was ever a justifiable time to offer a courtesy upgrade, this would have been opportune. (The man sitting next to me couldn't believe the explanation and the service either, and he was a completely objective third-party opinion.)

I'm writing you because I used to love American Airlines. I would frequently fly between LGA and PBI. I remember getting off the plane raving about the extra inches between the seats and saying how I wouldn't fly on Delta or any other airline in the foreseeable future. Over the past year or so, I have seen an extraordinary decrease in the both the level of the comfort in the aircrafts as well as the service provided on American. I had started to grow somewhat accustomed to this, but this flight was the worst yet. Numerous open seats, which I was forbidden to move to, despite the ridiculous discomfort my seat caused. And the reason was never quite clear since the flight attendant gave me a song and dance for an explanation. This was essentially my return to AA as well; I haven't flown you in sometime since my last experience was also poor. Perhaps now you can provide something to entice me back.

By the way, I am assuming the flight attendant was either D. Burnett or L. Lane – she was a tall and slender African-American woman. I was unable to get her name since she appeared to have been assigned to the rear of the aircraft, and I was near the front. Also, I found it amusing that she described herself as tall in what I'm assuming was an attempt to empathize with my situation, but then offered no further assistance. Hopefully, you now can offer some further assistance.

Thank you,

Taylor M.

Guest Grouser: Starbucks Leaking Mugs

2008-06-21T04:19:00.004-05:00

Ed. - Ladies and gentlemen, our very first Grouser guest post, from fellow blogger Tommie-Ann T. I have a few other letters that I'll be posting over the next few weeks. Keep sending them in!

_______

James Donald
President and CEO, Starbucks®
PO Box 3717
Seattle, Washington 98124-3717

Dear Mr. Donald:

I am writing you today with a complaint about your paper coffee cups and Starbucks branded travel mug. Presumably you get so many complaints you have a hard time determining which should and should not be taken seriously. I implore you to take my complaint – nay threat – to discontinue my patronage seriously.

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? I was once an avid and loyal Dunkin Donuts customer, but alas, the allure of Starbucks reeled me and I have yet to return to Dunkin since I crossed over. I have been frequenting Starbucks on a daily basis for roughly six years and often my habit is a twice-a-day ordeal. I cannot even begin to calculate the amount of my retirement fund that I have flushed into your bottom-line. But, I digress, that is not the matter here – although it probably should be.

My issue is with your paper coffee cups and even more so with your Starbucks branded travel mugs. Can you make an item that actually holds the coffee inside of a cup or is that asking too much? As a general matter I typically brew Starbucks at home in the morning and pour the liquid into a Starbucks travel mug and off I go on my commute to work. I probably do not need to tell you the cost of the Starbuck brand travel mug, but I will – the cost is in excess of $10.00 and I own six of them. A few months back I began to notice that the Starbucks branded travel mugs were allowing the coffee inside to leak over me, thus spilling coffee on myself, on my nicely dry-cleaned clothing and frankly, making me look messy and unkempt for work. I am sure you know your clientele is no longer alternative-types blasting Nirvana. And while I am bred and born on Nirvana actually- I now have a big kid job – one which requires me to not have coffee spilled all over me when I enter the building.

Allow me to explain how I got to the point of using Starbucks branded travel mugs in lieu of picking up a coffee at my local Starbucks every morning. You see, my routine used to include picking a coffee up at Starbucks until the coffee began to literally explode all over me. It seems that the coffee is so hot it actually causes a bit of pressure on the plastic lid and coffee spills all over you. Since that course of action was not working for me I decided to take matters in my own hands and brew at home. Now, once I decided to brew at home and go the way of the Starbucks branded travel mug can you imagine my frustration when even the mug leaked and spilled coffee all over me? At this point, I know you are thinking that I am either (a) clumsy or (b) suffer from some sort of mental deficiency that causes me to spill liquids all over myself, but I assure you that neither is true. I have now been through not one, two, three or four, but six, yes six, Starbucks branded travel mugs that have leaked all over me. Just to resolve any doubt you may be having about my level of competency to function in the world please allow me: I am 29 years old, college educated, in no way do I lack common sense and I am a manager at one of the biggest media conglomerates in the country. I assure you, I am neither an idiot nor am I lacking the skills to properly close a Starbucks branded travel mug.

Simply put, it is not a coincidence that all of your Starbucks branded travel mugs that I have purchased have leaked all over me. Clearly, there is something incorrect in the design and I suggest you fix it. I would bet dollars for Dunkin Donuts that others have complained about this issue, I know I am not the only one. I threw away the first four mugs that spilled coffee all over me and I have the remaining two. Since I no longer have a use for them (except for possibly using them as tiny vases) and since they are taking up much-needed space in my cabinets I have enclosed them for you. I suggest you use them as a protype for how not-to design the next batch of Starbucks branded coffee mugs. Also enclosed please find my dry cleaning bill (for only one outfit, if I actually had the sense to include them all I would have to dig through my receipts dated back to October). Finally, I have enclosed a receipt for 1lb ground hazelnut coffee from Dunkin Donuts. I decided to go back to whence I came, if for no other reason, on principle. In a nutshell, I am sick of spilling your coffee all over myself.

I can only speak for myself, but I know there must be others out there that feel my pain –I would be grateful if you could find a way to fix this. It shouldn't be hard. Many companies have figured out a way to serve a drink without expecting their customers to wear a bib. I don't want to wear a bib on my way to work in the morning; I just want to drink a cup of coffee.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am posting this letter also to my Web Log "BLOG", and my readers and I look forward to hearing your response.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

Very truly yours,

Tommie-Ann T.

Will they send me copies?

2008-06-21T04:03:00.003-05:00

Is there any chance I can be emailed my original Bankmail emails to HSBC for the following five responses?

[response numbers omitted]

Thank you,
Christopher W.

HSBC Bulgarian ATM Fiasco Response III

2008-06-20T03:57:00.001-05:00

Dear Mr. W.:

Thank you for contacting HSBC Bank USA, N.A., the world's local bank.

We appreciate your position regarding the information you had previously received, and apologize for both the inconvenience and confusion that this situation has caused you.

Financial institutions around the world, including HSBC, have recently experienced an increase in technologically advanced fraudulent activity. Included in this activity has been PIN based cash and non-cash transactions. This fraudulent activity, while affecting a wide range of consumers and financial institutions, has occurred in relatively narrow regions and locations around the world. As such, as a first line of defense, we have chosen to restrict PIN based transactions in the
specific cities and/or countries where the fraudulent activity has occurred.

Due to the evolving and mobile nature of this threat, the specific cities and/or countries that have been restricted may change at any time, as new locations become reported and previous locations are declared safe. This list is confidential and may not be publicly published.

At the time of your original inquiry on May 25, 2008, regarding your ability to access your account while travelling in Bulgaria, it is possible that this nation had not yet been identified as being part of this threat and subsequently restricted. On June 4, 2008, when we had
informed you that PIN based transactions were restricted for the entire country of Bulgaria, it is possible we had not yet narrowed the restriction to specific cities. As of June 18, 2008, a significant portion of Bulgaria has been identified and restricted for PIN based transactions, due to high levels of fraudulent activity.

Please note, these restrictions will not prevent you from performing 'credit' type signature based transactions anywhere that MasterCard is accepted.

Our Customer Relationship Center is always available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet all of your banking needs. Please e-mail us by clicking 'BankMail' in the gray navigation bar on the left or call 1-800-975-HSBC (1-800-975-4722), and speak with one of our professionals. If you are outside the United States, you may call us collect at (716) 841-7212.

Sincerely,

Heather D.
Internet Banking Unit Manager

HSBC Bulgarian ATM Fiasco Response II

2008-06-15T03:56:00.001-05:00

Ed. - Sadly, HSBC's "Bankmail" feature doesn't save my original letters, so I only have the responses.
_____

Dear Mr. W.:

Thank you for contacting HSBC Bank USA, N.A., the world's local bank.

We have forwarded your concern to the Management Team for review. We will contact you via BankMail shortly. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused to you.

For additional information on the products and services HSBC Bank offers, please visit us at us.hsbc.com

Our Customer Relationship Center is always available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet all of your banking needs. Please e-mail us by clicking 'BankMail' in the gray navigation bar on the left or call 1-800-975-HSBC (1-800-975-4722), and speak with one of our professionals. If you are outside the United States, you may call us collect at (716) 841-7212.

Sincerely,

Santaraj S. S.
Internet Banking Specialist

HSBC Bulgarian ATM Fiasco Response I

2008-06-04T03:53:00.001-05:00

Dear Mr. W.:

Thank you for contacting HSBC Bank USA, N.A., the world's local bank.

HSBC Debit MasterCards can typically be utilized internationally for purchases, as well as at any ATM which displays the MasterCard or CIRRUS logo. Due to the high instance of fraudulent PIN based transactions in Bulgaria, however, HSBC's policy is not to permit ATM withdrawals or PIN based purchases. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

Please note that this restriction limits only transactions for which your PIN is utilized. You may continue to utilize your HSBC Debit MasterCard for purchase transactions processed as 'Credit', where a signature is required as opposed to the entering of your PIN.

International transfers must be performed as wire transfers. A wire transfer can be performed through our Voice Response Unit (VRU) by using your Telephone Access Code and account number. You may also schedule a wire transfer at any local HSBC Bank USA, N.A. branch.

To schedule a wire transfer by phone and fax, please contact our Funds Transfer line at (877) 472-2001. You will need to have your account number and Telephone Access Number available. Our VRU system will provide you with a request confirmation number and a fax number to which your request should be sent. Your wire transfer request should include the confirmation number provided, as well as accurate account and routing information for the sending and receiving parties to ensure proper and timely processing. Faxed requests that are received by 3
p.m. on a business day will be processed the same day. Requests received after 3 p.m. on a business day will be processed on the next business day. Please note that there may be a delay for international or foreign currency wire transfers.

For additional information on the products and services HSBC Bank offers, please visit us at us.hsbc.com

Our Customer Relationship Center is always available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet all of your banking needs. Please e-mail us by clicking 'BankMail' in the gray navigation bar on the left or call 1-800-975-HSBC (1-800-975-4722), and speak with one of our professionals. If you are outside the United States, you may call us collect at (716) 841-7212.

Sincerely,

Marguerite G.
Internet Banking Specialist

I hate HSBC

2008-06-02T00:51:00.000-05:00

Dear Mr. W.:

Thank you for contacting HSBC Bank USA, N.A., the world's local bank.

We are sorry to hear that you've received service that has been less
than satisfactory. At HSBC we are always working to ensure we meet or
exceed our customer's expectations.

The 'Personal Internet Banking Service Unavailable' message is displayed
while our Internet Banking service is being updated. The systems may
update any time between 12:00 midnight to 6:00 a.m. EST on a business
day.

If you require any assistance with your account, please contact us at
the number below or send us a secure BankMail.

For additional information on the products and services HSBC Bank
offers, please visit us at us.hsbc.com

Our Customer Relationship Center is always available, 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, to meet all of your banking needs. Just e-mail us at
globalinfo@us.hsbc.com or call 1-800-975-HSBC (1-800-975-4722). If you
are outside the United States, you may call us collect at (716)
841-7212.

Sincerely,

Sumanth A.
Internet Banking Specialist

More HSBC

2008-06-01T01:36:00.002-05:00

To HSBC:

Jesus, this is the most Kafkaesque complaint process I have ever been through. You'd have to be Theseus to find your way through this thing.

Okay, enough with the allusions.

I am abroad right now trying to access my account and I get this: "We're sorry. Personal Internet Banking service is temporarily unavailable. Please try again shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience." Are you kidding me? This isn't Cute Overload, this is my bank account, the place I get money from. The site should never be unavailable. When will this be fixed? This is a serious issue for me if I can't access it.

Honestly, this is one more reason I'm planning on canceling both my HSBC accounts and the accounts of my family members when I return to the states. Between the constant screw-ups and the horrendous customer service, I have been very disappointed in the bank.

Sincerely yours,
Christopher W.

Moneybookers... or Moneycrookers?

2008-06-01T01:16:00.003-05:00

Dear moneybookers.com:

This is my first time using moneybookers.com. I'm using it because I'm trying to add $10 credit to my newly created Skype account. It has been one of the most unnecessarily complicated internet transactions I've had in ages. I try to pay using my credit card, a Visa. On most sites this process should take about two or three clicks. But after going through the numerous steps to create an account, verify my email address, verify my email address again for some reason, open a new browser because the site doesn't work in Firefox, add all my personal information, then--and only then, after I've given your site my information I get this informative message: " For security reasons, we cannot process your credit/debit card at this time." Why? Oh, of course, security reasons. That's the same blanket answer the Bush administration gives when it does something ridiculous. After poking around on the site a bit more, it seems I might have to verify my credit card. Why this wasn't told to me earlier in the payment process is absolutely beyond me. In order to verify it, I have to go through yet another lengthy processing involving SMS--which, on a trip in Europe, I don't currently have. My other alternative is paying through my bank account, which can take up to 2-3 days and requires me giving your website even more sensitive financial information that, for all I know, will not actually put the 10 DOLLARS I want to put into my Skype account.

Overall my major problems with the site are that there's a preposterously complicated process for making small payments and the site gives absolutely no warning of this process beforehand. Overall, it's been a frustrating experience and I'm considering just giving up. Or maybe just hand delivering the $10 bill to the Skype offices. It seems like it would be easier.

I'm also copying Skype on this email, because I think they did a poor job of choosing a payment company. I've had zero problems with PayPal.

Sincerely yours,
Christopher W.

Format Change

2008-05-14T09:40:00.004-05:00

I'm going to switch The Grouser's format to also include complaints letters written by other people. Soon I'll put up a badass looking button on the side saying this. In the meantime feel free to send in any letters you've written. Letters will be posted at my discretion.

Yours truly,
Chris W.

Awesome, ABC Audience Relations, thanks

2008-05-03T17:22:00.000-05:00

As you can imagine, we receive thousands of messages a day from our viewers and while we appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback regarding our programming, we are not able to respond to each one directly.

We encourage you to continue to communicate with us!

Lost Impatience

2008-05-03T17:19:00.003-05:00

Dear ABC.com:

I'm trying to watch the last episode of Lost on your site. Unfortunately, the video won't play. There's "no ad data," and since the ads aren't working, I can't see the content. This is the third online player I've used on ABC.com. All of them have been slow, unwieldy, and ad-ridden. This time I even had to install some sketchy software before playing the video. How can ABC expect people to watch shows on its site rather than unofficial sites when the ABC player is of such lower quality?

Very truly yours,
Christopher W.

He definitely didn't read my letter...

2008-02-21T13:09:00.001-05:00

Dear Christopher:

Thank you for contacting me about H.Res. 847, a resolution
recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith.

I've spent my entire life, both public and private, as a
defender of religious freedom for all, and of persecuted religious
groups around the world, regardless of whether they are Christians,
Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists or Jews. I take deep offense at the
suggestion that I am anti-Christian or anti-Christmas. I am neither.
As a citizen, I am deeply grateful for the contributions of
Christians and Christianity to our founding principles and our
national life. I am, however, also a determined and fervent
advocate for the Constitutional principle of the separation of
Church and State, which I believe has been a profound blessing for
our nation. The neutrality of our government with regard to
religion is not merely incidental to our domestic tranquility; it is a
key reason that every faith has been able to blossom throughout
our country. It was in this context that I voted against the
resolution.

The nonbinding "sense of Congress" resolutions for Diwali
and Ramadan were very different from the resolution regarding
Christmas and the Christian faith, in that they contained no
theological or parochial belief. The Diwali resolution recognizes
the "festival" of Diwali as a day of thanksgiving, and expresses
appreciation for the religious diversity in India and the United
States. The Ramadan resolution did not even once mention
Muhammad. Its key points were to express concern about the
misrepresentation of Islam by extremists as an excuse for violence
and terrorism; to encourage democracy and tolerance; and to
commend those Muslims who have already spoken out and
rejected the purveyors of hatred and strife. The message was
political, not religious.

Had the resolution on Christmas and Christianity merely
expressed appreciation for both without putting the House on
record regarding what Christians do or don't believe about their
religion, I would gladly have supported it, as might have the other
forty or so other Congressmen who either voted "No" or refused to
vote. I did not vote against Christmas: I merely voted against a
resolution that was inappropriately religious in both tone and
content. My only regret is that my views and my vote have been
so thoroughly misrepresented.

I appreciate your strong interest in this matter and I will
continue to listen to all points of view on this and any other
subject.

Congressman Gary L. Ackerman