Can't Sign up, Credit Card Charged but No Response

LChickenA on 12/01/2025 - 13:19
Last edited 12/01/2025 - 13:50 by 1 other user

Tried to sign up for shared cPanel hosting.

Filled in order form, filled in credit card. Clicked submit. Web page eventually timed out with no confirmation, nothing.

Got an e-mail saying log in details for account management generated, so tried to log in using user name and password, then got blank white page, and would only get blank white page no matter how many times I pressed Reload on my browser.

I started a new browser in privacy mode, got into my account, there was no hosting product attached.

Logged into internet banking, my credit card was charged.

Opened a support ticket, attached a screenshot of my internet banking.

They replied 10 mins later, with "Looks like this was a preauth only. Did you receive an order number at all please?". Of course it is authorisation only, my card was only charged a few minutes ago. And did I receive an order number? What do you think? Seriously, what sort of questions are these?

I replied 10 mins later, saying no order number received, and my credit card saying authorization only because that's how credit card works.

Waited 8.5 hours, still no response.

A web host whose web site doesn't even load, take your money then crash, and can't even fix it up when you try to give them money. Make of this what you will.

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Comments

  • Mechz on 12/01/2025 - 13:21

    Sounds like you should find another hosting provider.

    • ChickenA on 12/01/2025 - 13:29

      Yes, I only wanted to try them because there had been a few positive feedbacks on this host, but here we are! I have already asked them that I just want a refund to my credit card, don't want nothing to do with them.

      • Murkymerv on 12/01/2025 - 14:47

        On holidays , permanently ⁉️

  • c64 on 12/01/2025 - 13:52
    +2

    wait and see if the pending transaction turns into a transaction

    • ChickenA on 12/01/2025 - 15:06

      They have since voided the credit card transaction, and it had disappeared from my internet banking. So that's good.

  • MS Paint on 12/01/2025 - 14:05

    @Obble - can you help out Alex?

    • ChickenA on 12/01/2025 - 15:19

      I have cancelled the order already.

      The web site completely crashing, and seems to have left some cookie, not allowing the account management page to load was a red flag, but it wasn't the most alarming thing to me.

      The bigger red flags for me, were:

      • They said that my credit card was 'authorization only'. That sounds like they were trying to delay or push me away, because we all know that when a credit card is charged, it is only an authorization, it is not finalised until it is settled 24 hours (longer if overseas).

      • Asking me for order number. Just thinking from a billing or administration point of view, shouldn't you check and reconcile all your new orders in order system vs accounts vs merchant (credit card) facility? Look for any which could not be reconciled and investigate? Make sure you know the situation before you say something to the customer, so you don't give out incorrect information and appearing dumb dumb? Asking the customer is not a reliable method to troubleshoot billing issues, because the customer could have made a mistake and giving you incorrect info; or the customer could just be an idiot and have no idea what they were doing; or worse, they are telling you a lie.

      Billing issues are much easier than troubleshooting IT issues (at least to me anyway). If they can't be bothered to check whether a customer is too stupid to do internet shopping, or worse that the customer has malicious intent financially, then how much affort are they going to troubleshoot much bigger technical faults when there is a problem with the server? That's why I pulled the plug on Obble.

      • MS Paint on 12/01/2025 - 15:29

        Service must have gone down hill. I haven't used them for a while now but at one stage I had multiple sites with them. Never an issue and Alex was super responsive if I had a query.

        • ChickenA on 12/01/2025 - 15:33

          That's why it's disappointing. I was going to sign up with another host, until I came across Obble last minute, and found a few positive reviews, so I tried to sign up with them, give them a chance, support an Aussie company. Having said that, I have used a few hosts, where they were good for years on end, then they would suddenly start crashing and / or having their IPs blacklisted, and service level would go down. I have now signed up and is migrating to a Singaporean host.

      • Wiadro on 12/01/2025 - 20:21
        -1

        works fine for me, no dramas here.
        maybe the issue is on your side. i can access my acct and the whole website as normal

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