Lack of Communication in The Information Age

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

I am bothered by the way things have changed in our society. It is difficult or impossible to do business over the phone.

Recently I tried to order a Steel Tone Bar from a music store that has a website.
I don't feel comfortable putting my credit card No. on the internet. I called the store and tried to order the tone bar over the telephone. The man told me to order it from their website. I told him of my discomfort of putting my credit card No. on the internet. He then said, Go ahead and send a check through the U.S Mail, and we will send the tone bar to you. I don't know why the store doesn't accept phone orders.

A Music Store on the West Coast that specializes in Hawaiian Music, will only do business via the Internet. ???

Roger

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Why are you posting this, Roger? You should call us to complain!

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

Hi Jim,

Just my rant for the week. The Tone Bar should be on the way to my P.O Box.

Roger

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

Roger.....what Society?? where have the real
people gone?. They are clones from another
planet and are programmed,,they know nothing
they say nothing and they are nothing.

I tried ordering a "stylus" for an old Garrard turntable,,it took me 10 minutes to get an idiot on the phone and his comment was

Order # please...Item # please....I stopped and asked him a question re the stylus....his
answer was,,,I have NO IDEA...give me your credit card #.

I gave him Jim Cohens department of consumer
affairs.

dont worry things will get better....Big Bands are coming back,,yeah right. Hi Jim

this thread started me off,,
I think I'll go beat my dog up.

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

Jody, the guy probably didn't even know what a stylus was! I ordered one from Radio Shack about 12 years ago...I'm still waiting for it! Well I'm not exactly holding my breath.

It's too bad things are going this way, but I've gotten to the point I hate ordering anything by telephone for these reasons. First you have a dozen recorded choices of departments to get through, you're on hold for 15 minutes and then when they finally answer you're usually in the wrong department anyway. They offer to transfer you to the correct department, you hold 10-20 more minutes, the phone goes *CLICK* and you get excited because you think that's the correct department taking your call, but instead of "May I help you?" you get the beep-beep-beep disconnect signal and have to start the whole thing all over again! When you finally get the right department, they don't know anything about what you need or where you can get it.

Unfortunately, this is what we get to go through, much too often.

So far I've had no problems ordering stuff online. If you do order online, order ONLY from known reputable businesses who use secure connections. Your browser will show whether it is a secure connection or not. NEVER order online if you don't know that you're ordering from a reputable business. Check them out with the Better Business Bureau if you're not sure.

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 13 May 2002 at 01:11 PM.]

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

Hi Jim
You are right,,,ooops I got the same guy on the line right now,,,,,gotta go before I get
disconnected again. What style stylus?? he asks,,I said what stylus is in style these days,

No reply. DUH??????????

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

Just to make our customers feel confident, we are paying good money for a secured site.Anyone using a credit card with us will have no problems. All internet businesses should pay for this to protect their customers.

Brandy Waller,Office Mgr.,
www.steelguitar.net

B Bailey Brown · From: San Antonio, TX (USA)

A couple of thoughts, not that I am an expert or anything. As Brandy mentioned, IF an Internet site has a “secure” page where they ask for your credit card, you are very safe. I have spent many years dealing with computers and even several years in the Internet business. Be sure to check the level of increption that is set on your web browser. I believe the highest level is 132 bit, which is what you should use. This level is quite safe. We read these stories from time to time about web sites being “hacked” and credit card numbers being stolen, but frankly they are quite rare. In reality you are in more danger of having your credit card number stolen if you allow somebody at a store to run your credit card through one of the old “manual” machines that imprints the number on the slip! All they need is the copy of the charge slip and they have you account number. The newer machines that business’s use nowadays are all electronic. If you look at your receipt, only the last several numbers of your card will appear.

As far as sending a check goes, well…

Many merchants these days have been burned far too often! I have bought things by mail order and the merchant will not ship the product until the check clears the bank. Is he a bad guy? Nope, just a good businessman! Having been in business myself, I can, and always will RESPECT that attitude.

I have always been an honest guy and paid my bills, as have most other steel players that I know. Unfortunately, playing steel guitar makes you a “musician”! Let’s be realistic about this folks…us guys that are involved in music DON’T have the best track record in the world for taking care of our monetary obligations! Of course, I am talking about those guitar players, drummers, bass players and keyboard guys that are deadbeats!!

B. Bailey Brown

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Actually, it's 128 bit encryption, which Microsloth calls "Cypher Strength".

Mark Herrick · From: Bakersfield, CA

Several years ago I ordered a bar by phone from BJS. They would only take a check but said, "We'll ship it out today".

I asked, "Don't you want to wait until you get my check?"

They said, "That's OK. We trust you, just put it in the mail."

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

Roger,

Paying by credit card on line is fine as long as it's a secured site and a reputable company. Did you know that by fedaral law there is a $50.00 liability limit on any unauthorized charges to your card?

It's no riskier than giving your card to a waiter in a restaurant and he disappears with it for 10 minutes.

------------------
My Site | Doug's Free Tab

Bengt Erlandsen · From: Brekstad, NORWAY

I might be pessimistic but once you have been to a secure site and punched your creditcard number, next time you visit and try to fill in the appropriate information the computer will pop up with your name and creditcard number once you start typing.
So unless you have some software that protects your computer from beeing hacked once you leave the secure site I would believe your creditcard number is note safe since it seems to be stored somewhere on your Pc.

just my thoughts

Bengt

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Bengt, that only happens if you have auto complete turned on. In IE, you can turn that off and clear all of it's history in Internet Options-Content-AutoComplete.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Also, many sites will ask if you want to store your credit card, shipping, etc info for future purchases. This info may just be saved to your PC, or on their server, I don't really know. I ALWAYS choose not to.

The only time I had credit card fraud done to me, I noticed about $400 in charges on my card that I did not make. All turned out to be porn sites. I called each one and was able to get all but $19.95 of the charges reversed. On site actually (and probably illegally) gave me the email address of the person using the card. I emailed this person and told him I knew who he was. He emailed back saying that not only did he know my email address but all of my other info and would blow up my house and kill my wife and kids. I went to the local police and filed charges. Nothing ever happened to him to my knowledge. How did he get my credit card number, you ask?? I FAXED an order to the Cleveland Indians store and he was an employee there. That's how he got the number.

Moral of the story, It's not only through the internet that people get your numbers.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

Hey Folks,
I've had real good service and luck with Musicians Friend, both via phone and credit card. By phone, I found them to be prompt, courteous, and, hard to believe, actually knowledgeable about products.

Chris Forbes · From: Beltsville, MD, USA

I just ordered a Johnny Bush cd from the Ernest Tubb record shop by phone. The guy I dealt with was a pleasure to deal with, he even recommended another Johnny Bush album he said I'd dig. He even seemed happy to be helping me. That seemed a bit odd in these times, I'm glad I called. They'll get my business in the future for sure.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Whenever you connect to the internet, there are "cookies" that are left on your computer. That is why when you connect up again, they know things about you. I have a progrom on my computer, obtained through Zone Alarm, that removes the cookies, past files, et. anytime you desire. If you notice, The Steel Guitar Forum leaves cookies on your computer. If you access a topic and go back later, it indicates in another color, the topics you have previously accessed, right B0b?

Uff-Da!

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Part of the normal (weekly, for me) "housecleaning" on any computer should be the deleting of appropriate temp, cookie, cache, and history files. Not only does this make your computer "safer" (by eliminating sensitive data that hackers read) it speeds up the computer's operation as well.

Leonard G. Robertson · From: Ozark, Mo. USA

I use my credit card to order from Steel Guitar.net, and although Bobbe (or Brandi) and I have never met, I sold him 2 steel guitars over the past 2 yrs over the internet. He has been more than fair on each transaction. Satisfied customer, Leonard

Chris DeBarge · From: Boston, Mass

Only time I have been "taken" on the internet is when I had to send a check instead of using a secure credit card system. (BTW, it wasn't much money, and it was by someone on THIS forum believe it or not. I was surprized too, given the generally excellent community here.) The way I look at it, if they take the time and expense to set up a credit card system, then most likely they are on the level.

Chris Forbes · From: Beltsville, MD, USA

I too got nailed by someone on this forum. Fortunately, he was the exception to the rule of fine people I've had the pleasure of meeting and doing business with.

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