[Olpc-sf] charging credit cards before shipment?

[Gabe Wachob]

Having worked for Visa until recently, I don't think the rules, even for
purchases, are actually that simple. But Sarah points out the main issue -
this was a donation, and the PBS gift analogy is quite apt.

Doesn't mean everyone did this primarily to support OLPC, but legally (and
administratively, from Visa's POV) I think thats the right set of rules.

    -Gabe

On Jan 24, 2008 3:39 PM, Sarah Mei <sarahmei at gmail.com> wrote:

> You're right, that rule applies to commercial transactions. But buying
> an OLPC was a donation that happened to come with a free gift, much
> like donating to a PBS station nets you a tote bag. Since it's not a
> purchase, technically, the same rules don't apply.
>
> My receipts and all the email communications I have from them are very
> careful to call it a donation rather than a purchase, for this reason.
> Of course, there might be loopholes, IANAL, consult your local
> provider of jurisprudence, etc.
>
> On Jan 24, 2008 3:20 PM, Kristian Erik Hermansen
> <kristian.hermansen at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I believed that it was illegal to charge credit cards unless you have
> > actually shipped the product to the customer.  At least, in 2003 when
> > I first built ZeroToys.com for a customer, that was the merchant
> > account's policy.  We were not allowed to charge the customer's credit
> > card until shipment.  Doing so would otherwise be against the law.
> > Has anyone else heard this policy or can refute it?
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-- 
Gabe Wachob / gwachob at wachob.com \ http://blog.wachob.com
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