Mentioned just receiving my T-2 ASE W-proof about two weeks after ordering...not bad, timewise, at least to me. But the order process was unique and messed up by bank accounting. The mint immediately charged by debit card...same day/fast...on ordering, and was posted and deducted from my account. I thought it a bit strange as usually things I purchase are not charged until shipped, ready to ship, etc...but no matter and didn't dwell on it. Then fast-forward to this last Friday when I got the "shipped" email from the mint, I also noticed the same charge posted and deducted AGAIN from/by my bank. WHOA...the mint has charged me twice...??? Come to find out...learn, I guess...that the first charge, when ordering, had been reversed by the mint, except my bank didn't show as reversed or re-deposited, the charged had disappeared and I had no idea the money was back in my account a day or so later (I don't do daily balance calculations or reconciliations). Bank says they don't show it if the reversal is done within 24 hrs of posting. For those of you who order regularly from the mint, is this a normal mint process...to charge the full charge immediately and then reverse it, only to charge you again (for real) weeks/months later when it ships...?
It is possible that their internal system is linked to system info which could be wrong, not updated etc. So when their system says ready to ship/ in stock etc. your card is charged. Only for a human to realise that, no, can't ship for a few days, and updates their system which results in your card being credited until such time as it is ready to really ship. Happens regularly to me in Spain. Order stuff for the business, get charged then refunded because their system is not updated. Computer systems are as good as the housekeeping and management they receive.
Yeah, pretty normal. many credit card issuers don't allow sellers to charge cards before the items ship, so many vendors follow this procedure, however, a vendor can do it temporarily to "test the waters" if the card is valid or not, before moving further along to shipping the product. it's not really a "hold" but more of a quick charge and return that doesn't generate either party a fee to make sure the card is going to work before confirming acceptance of the order and then moving to ship it. I've been charged and received the item twice before, before the mint marked it shipped, it's an adequate system, but it's by no means perfect. I think they were doing the initial charge to make sure the card was valid, and if not and declined to then release the product immediately to be sold to someone else. Seems like they have been heading this direction in the past two years rather than waiting for the package to be all set to ship and come to find out the card is no good and then to return it to inventory and sell it again two weeks or so later. I don't know their policy or procedure exactly every business is different but a lot of it is the same.
This is normal with the mint. They "ping" the card to make sure it works, then the charge will drop off until it's ready to ship.
CC charges have two steps, first the 'Auth' which deducts only from your available credit, but doesn't pull money from your card (it just keeps you from spending it - but you don't have to pay it back). You'd probably see these as 'Pending Charges' if you check your CC online. That stays on there for a week or less. If it's not 'Settled' (second stage) then it simply drops off. It's not till a 'settle' that money is actually pulled from your card that you're responsible to pay back. It looks like the mint's approach is to simply 'Auth' at the time of order, like John said to make sure your card can handle it (and that it's a valid card). Then let the Auth drop off until they're ready to ship at which time they'll re'Auth' and then Settle when shipping occurs.
As an aside, I have absolutely no doubt that this approach of theirs is going to wind up with a slew of failed credit card charges come October or November whenever they try the real charge. It'll be interesting to see how quickly they'll toss the Morgans back up on the mint website for sale.
I got two different orders of the proof eagle myself . They billed and shipped one of them one day and another the next. I hope they do the same with the Morgans haha
I don't believe they're shipping any of the Morgans until October (and/or November according to their latest email), unless I misread...
