Australian Farmers Direct - Didn't Realise That Orders Are Ongoing - Tried to Cancel

chuneeperformance on 01/12/2017 - 00:37
Last edited 14/12/2017 - 11:36 by 1 other user

Hey Ozbargainers!

Update: Fair trading have responded that afd have cleared all costs relating to the cost and extra fees that they have illegally added, and in top of this my legal had advised that I should pursue the matter further with afd on the grounds that they knew first hand the order was now free but they still insisted threatening me with credit collectors and ruining my credit score… Options options options…

TLDR; AFD scamming me out of a order I did not want as you can't cancel online, but with formal email sent 2 days prior delivery - $35 worth of fees on top of initial cost.

Placed the first order- received and made payment, was happy :)

Didn't realise that these orders are reoccurring weekly etc - until I got email notifying me of a delivery coming up. I could not figure out how to cancel online ( there delete a item or order is to use the '-' feature that makes the '1' to a '0' - which to them in affect removes items!

So I sent a formal email requesting cancelling all orders from my account 2 days prior the delivery date. They still delivered.

Rang them up that morning to get the order returned because I requested all to be cancelled. They would not take the items back even though it was still early in the morning… their OHS is they can't accept items back. I requested three times I don't want the items, its still in box, still unused but she was adamant that's their policy - and that I'm free to use the items.

1 month goes by and the accounts department are up my backside trying to get the initial amount ~$50 - but now they want $85+. That's an extra $35.

Back and forth informed them their CSR stated I'm free to keep the item. (They also sent me a recording of the conversation with the CSR where she clearly informs me this)

Reported to the ACCC, under unsolicited supply they have claim under.

Anyone else been through their stupidity on this matter?

Poll Options

  • 9
    Take too small claims court
  • 2
    Take to NSW Fair Trading
  • 7
    Let them waste their time
Food & Grocery

Related Stores

Aussie Farmers Direct
Aussie Farmers Direct

Comments

  • Davo1111 on 01/12/2017 - 01:06
    +2

    Just a few things,

    • Looking at their T&Cs you agreed to, you cancel by calling their call center. You didn't, you wrote them an email.
    • You can't sue someone if they havent actually charged you. Where does the $35 come from?
    • ACCC will do shit all, they look for statistical anomalies to investigate.
  • GetOffMyUnicorn on 01/12/2017 - 02:05
    +6

    Australian Farmers Direct, iv'e used these guys before. After a few hours of investigating I'm very confident they are bottom feeders and I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.

  • soupkitchen on 01/12/2017 - 02:14
    +1

    Yes, they are a menace trying to trap people this way.

    I still shop with them for convenience, but their tactics including personal phonecalls seemingly every week is off-putting.

    Probably just settle with them and dump them.

  • Quantumcat on 01/12/2017 - 06:40

    Ignore it and don't pay - if you get a debt collector politely inform them the debt is under dispute, then they're not allowed to harrass you.

    • PAOK11 on 01/12/2017 - 10:43

      The second part is not true. The debt collectors will attempt to resolve the dispute. Eventually when your account gets moved to the too hard/not worth it pile you receive less calls & eventually they will most likely give up. This info is related to OP's situation

      • Quantumcat on 01/12/2017 - 12:00

        So what you need to do is dispute the debt. Once you have disputed it in writing, then the car park company, its debt collectors and its lawyers are breaking the law if they write to you asking for money. This is how you dispute the debt - I have a proforma for this letter of dispute on this link here. The beauty is that if they ignore your letter and they continue sending requests for money, then there is a fine of (up to) one million dollars.

        The above was originally written in regards to parking fines but it should be relevant here too.

        • PAOK11 on 01/12/2017 - 13:02

          Parking fines are hilarious. You don't have to do anything. They can't be enforced, colleagues of mine would park in a private car park every day & receive fine after fine and never pay anything. i dont know why they cannot be enforced but that's the law

        • Quantumcat on 01/12/2017 - 22:13

          @PAOK11: it is the debt collector part of it is relevant. If you dispute a debt they can't harass you.

        • PAOK11 on 02/12/2017 - 17:05

          @Quantumcat: why do you keep repeating that? If you dont pay ypur credit card do you think you can make up a "dispute" and they can't contact you

  • [Deactivated] on 01/12/2017 - 08:43

    Maybe the farmer is secretly Lachlan from farmer wants a wife.

  • Well Wasted on 01/12/2017 - 09:14
    +1

    when orders are placed you have the option for a once-off or weekly delivery of that item/s… iv'e ordered 3 times… twice for half price and once for free. got a free esky too… they're great… and the money goes to local farmers… not the 2 big number 2's…

  • djkelly69 on 01/12/2017 - 09:54

    Ignore it - they are just trying it on. You gave them sufficient notice (even if it may not have been their preferred method of notice) as presumably required under the contract.

  • JimmyF on 01/12/2017 - 10:14
    +3

    Didn't realise that these orders are reoccurring weekly etc - until i got email notifying me of a delivery coming up

    You mean you didn't realise YOU SELECTED reoccurring orders.

    So i sent a formal email requesting cancelling all orders from my account 2 days prior the delivery date. They still delivered.

    Well you did say you already had an email of a delivery coming. Its too late by then to cancel.

    They would not take the items back

    Fair enough too, would you like a food box that's gone out to someone and then been returned?

    Anyone else been through their stupidity on this matter?

    Seems you're at fault here, didn't read what you signed up to, didn't follow the process to cancel, ie call up. Now shocked that something you ordered for was delivered and they want payment.

  • JimmyF on 01/12/2017 - 10:16
    +2

    Poll is very one sided. OP, what about adding some more options, like you to pay.

  • [Deactivated] on 01/12/2017 - 11:03

    This is your fault for choosing weekly orders..
    Should have chosen once off

  • samfisher5986 on 01/12/2017 - 14:02

    This is the Aussie Farmers Direct scam.

    Don't pay it, don't accept anything, reverse any credit card charges if needed.

    Don't let them scam you.

  • spersephone on 01/12/2017 - 18:56

    It's a little misleading, but you can choose weekly OR one-off. I purposely only ever choose one-off. I know that's not helpful, but unfortunately, you didn't read all the information when initially signing up. Anything like this, you need to read the terms and conditions and be clear about what you've agreed to. Don't assume.

    I hope that they were sufficiently apologetic, but now you know how it works. I only buy from them a few times a year, when it suits me to do so.

  • chuneeperformance on 02/12/2017 - 10:40
    +1

    I have gone to fair trading with this matter as afd have threatened debt collector on me or within 7 days of payment.

    From $50 or so they have gone to $90.36.

    • PAOK11 on 04/12/2017 - 10:21

      Don't give in.. They can't even credit list you because it's not over $100. Also the BS charges they add are worth nothing, merely a scare tactic.

    • samfisher5986 on 05/12/2017 - 12:39
      -1

      Good, they are scammers, don't give them a cent.

  • Davo1111 on 04/12/2017 - 12:19

    tbh i think you owe them the $50 for the order, not the $35 though. Although i'm yet to hear how they arrived at that figure

  • chuneeperformance on 08/12/2017 - 12:39

    Have saught legal advice on the matter so will see how this goes :)

    Basically afd have no leverage here on their illegal practices against me as they were are aware of what had occurred from the recording and the csr has clearly stated this in the recording.

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