Question About Placing Pre-Orders W/ Amazon...

[STASHONE]

Are you charged instantly upon confirming the order, given that it is a pre-order for a product that is not likely to ship for another 3-4 months or do they hold off on processing your credit card until the order is actually in stock and ready to ship from their warehouse?

I'm just trying to confirm whether or not I've already been charged for the Treasure sets that I've ordered last week because something does not make sense as far as this transaction goes...

I had to make a payment on my Visa account and I am positive that I am very close to the maximum balance if not already there on my Student card and with the recent orders Ive placed, I dont see how my card could have successfully processed which is why Im wondering when these orders are actually charged. I'd also like to verify so that I can make sure I have the available credit on my card if and when in fact, Amazon does try to access the funds. I have a few student credit cards and in order to avoid slipping into debt, I limit my overall credit on this particular visa since I need my other cards to make more significant payments towards my car, etc which is why I have to carefully monitor these transactions and keep my limit low on this one...

I did recieve a confirmation email from Amazon verifying the purchase however I dont think they acknowledged nor referred to any payments though...

[Loomis]

In all the purchases I've made through Amazon (and most other places for that matter) - both preorders and those in stock - they have never charged me until the actual item(s) are SHIPPED.

Once Amazon has sent you shipping confirmation, it means you have been charged.

Hope this helps.

[poco]

From all my transactions in the past with Amazon, they only have charged my credit card once they have been shipped.

Once i put a treasure set on my credit card with Amazon, then came to find out they closed my order becasue they didn't have any more in stock. I checked my credit card both on-line and also when the paper bill came out and I was never charged for anything.

You may want to see if your student cards can be checked on-line. THen you can double check for sure so you can have some peace of mind.

To change the subject a little bit, I can't but notice what you are putting on your credit cards. It hurts to hear that you are putting car payments on a credit card. That is doubling the interest you are paying on the car, if not more. Be careful. I dont' want to see you go into severe debt while still a student. IT's VERY hard to get out of debt. Sorry, I will get off my soap box. Just a bit concerned for ya.

[Luke]

Payment only happens when it ships on the American site. I know that many Canadian e-tailers charge when the order is placed to lock in the current exchange rate, but I don't know about Amazon.ca.

[STASHONE]

Thanks for the help everyone!

You may want to see if your student cards can be checked on-line. THen you can double check for sure so you can have some peace of mind.

I do have online banking with my "regular" student TD Visa but only because I actually hold a bank account with them and have a much higher credit limit. However, like I mentioned, I try to avoid using that card to purchase trivial items such as dvd's etc because with such financial leeway (my limit has risen pretty high for a student card due to all my past purchases and transactions), it would be so easy to get carried away with insignificant purchases and than I'd be stuck. That's why I try to keep it exclusively for monthly payments and necesseties, though sometimes that isn't always the case. My other card that I use for online media type purchases though, has a much lower credit limit at my request, which is a lot easier to pay off each month and if it ever got maxed out (which it often does), it's not the end of the world cause my paycheck could easily cover it. I dont hold an account with that bank though, so I do not have access to internet banking and their telephone service is terrible and very difficult and complicated to check previous transactions, etc. I am actually thinking of paying it off and cancelling my account with them due to their horrible servie.

To change the subject a little bit, I can't but notice what you are putting on your credit cards. It hurts to hear that you are putting car payments on a credit card. That is doubling the interest you are paying on the car, if not more. Be careful. I dont' want to see you go into severe debt while still a student. IT's VERY hard to get out of debt. Sorry, I will get off my soap box. Just a bit concerned for ya.

I don't mean actual lease payments, I write checks for that... I'm, talking monthly gas costs, insurance, etc... they still add up! I use my card for such transactions because I have a very low interest rate and I aqquire a lot of points so it does make sense. I probably shouldn't have so many credit cards at 21 though, it does get oiverwhelming sometimes... I have 3 card in total now which I need to pay off every month, I'm gonna try to cancel 2 of them. Thanks for the concern and advice though!

Oliver.