T.I.N.A. Tickets, Inc.
Posted: November 12, 2008 4:05 am
I apologize in adance for the length of this post.
A few weeks ago, I was searching the web for some football tickets to a sold out game that was this past weekend (I eventually found tix on ebay by the way). A Google search revealed a website for T.I.N.A. Tickets, Inc. Link here: http://www.tinatickets.com/
They have a very nice looking website full of guarantees and had a nice inventory. As I looked at the availability for the game I was looking for, I came across some tickets that I wanted to buy. They were more than face value, of course, but very reasonable considering the demand for this game. So, I selected the tickets. The first screen after selecting the tickets asked for my name, e-mail, address, and phone number. No problems so far.
Then, the next page asked for a payment method. The only option was a bank transfer. At this point, I started feeling uncomfortable, so I hit the back button (not the back button on my browser but the back button on their website that was next to the "continue" button). When I hit the back button, I got a screen that said my order was confirmed and to check for an e-mail shortly.
About 15 minutes later, an e-mail pops up with an invoice attached saying that payment is due in 3 days. In the e-mail, it gives me a routing number, bank account number, and bank location to which to make the bank transfer. It then says to fax them a copy of my bank receipt after the transfer is complete. Needless to say, I was very skeptical.
I tried calling the number on the website several times only to get a message that sounded like someone's personal voice mail that said, "The person you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message." I didn't bother with a message.
And, another funny thing: On their website, it says that they have a no cancellation policy. Exactly how can they have a no cancellation policy when the only thing they have on me is my name, e-mail, address, and phone number? They have no way of charging me. If I refuse to make this bank transfer, what are they going to do?
I did the only thing I knew to do: I sent an e-mail to the address on the website telling them that when I attempted to place an order, I saw that bank transfer was the only option. I told them that I was uneasy about that payment method, so I attempted to end the transaction by hitting "back" and that when I hit back, I got a confirmation. I told them that if they would accept a credit card, I'd be glad to honor my order (Knowing that on a CC, you have protection other than $50, I would have been willing to make that gamble). Otherwise, I would not be paying that invoice because I didn't feel comfortable with that payment method. I told them that I understood that they had a no cancellation policy but that it was a technical glitch with their website that caused my order to become finalized because as I mentioned, I hit the back button in an attempt to end the transaction the minute I realized that bank transfer was my only payment option.
That's been two weeks, and I've yet to hear from them. And, interestingly, when I go to the "Track Order" page on their site and enter my invoice number, my invoice still shows up as being due on Nov 2. I guess it will sit there forever!
I'm just curious: Has anyone had any experience with this company? Are they legit? Their website looks wonderful, and it's full of guarantees. But, my experience with them made me feel very uneasy for a number of reasons: bank transfer being the only payment method, an order being finalized that shouldn't have been, and then no one answering the phone and my call going to what sounded like a personal voice mail.
A few weeks ago, I was searching the web for some football tickets to a sold out game that was this past weekend (I eventually found tix on ebay by the way). A Google search revealed a website for T.I.N.A. Tickets, Inc. Link here: http://www.tinatickets.com/
They have a very nice looking website full of guarantees and had a nice inventory. As I looked at the availability for the game I was looking for, I came across some tickets that I wanted to buy. They were more than face value, of course, but very reasonable considering the demand for this game. So, I selected the tickets. The first screen after selecting the tickets asked for my name, e-mail, address, and phone number. No problems so far.
Then, the next page asked for a payment method. The only option was a bank transfer. At this point, I started feeling uncomfortable, so I hit the back button (not the back button on my browser but the back button on their website that was next to the "continue" button). When I hit the back button, I got a screen that said my order was confirmed and to check for an e-mail shortly.
About 15 minutes later, an e-mail pops up with an invoice attached saying that payment is due in 3 days. In the e-mail, it gives me a routing number, bank account number, and bank location to which to make the bank transfer. It then says to fax them a copy of my bank receipt after the transfer is complete. Needless to say, I was very skeptical.
I tried calling the number on the website several times only to get a message that sounded like someone's personal voice mail that said, "The person you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message." I didn't bother with a message.
And, another funny thing: On their website, it says that they have a no cancellation policy. Exactly how can they have a no cancellation policy when the only thing they have on me is my name, e-mail, address, and phone number? They have no way of charging me. If I refuse to make this bank transfer, what are they going to do?
I did the only thing I knew to do: I sent an e-mail to the address on the website telling them that when I attempted to place an order, I saw that bank transfer was the only option. I told them that I was uneasy about that payment method, so I attempted to end the transaction by hitting "back" and that when I hit back, I got a confirmation. I told them that if they would accept a credit card, I'd be glad to honor my order (Knowing that on a CC, you have protection other than $50, I would have been willing to make that gamble). Otherwise, I would not be paying that invoice because I didn't feel comfortable with that payment method. I told them that I understood that they had a no cancellation policy but that it was a technical glitch with their website that caused my order to become finalized because as I mentioned, I hit the back button in an attempt to end the transaction the minute I realized that bank transfer was my only payment option.
That's been two weeks, and I've yet to hear from them. And, interestingly, when I go to the "Track Order" page on their site and enter my invoice number, my invoice still shows up as being due on Nov 2. I guess it will sit there forever!
I'm just curious: Has anyone had any experience with this company? Are they legit? Their website looks wonderful, and it's full of guarantees. But, my experience with them made me feel very uneasy for a number of reasons: bank transfer being the only payment method, an order being finalized that shouldn't have been, and then no one answering the phone and my call going to what sounded like a personal voice mail.