EventElephant

Event Elephant: Alan

RDKK wrote: »

If Event Elephant have no control over charge-backs why on earth do you offer this as a service at all? Your apology for ‘any inconvenience caused’ is little consolation to the charities that have NO ACCESS to the funds THEY HAVE RAISED and small businesses who CANNOT FUNCTION in the current environment when there are 5 figure sums belonging to them sitting in YOUR MERCHANT ACCOUNT for up to ONE YEAR in some cases (and these are just the cases I am aware of). Do you think anyone in their right mind would opt for this "SERVICE" if you were upfront with them about the likelihood that they would have NO ACCESS TO THEIR FUNDS or NO LINE OF SIGHT ABOUT WHEN THEY MIGHT RECEIVE THEIR FUNDS, INDEED IF EVER? And then you actually charge people for this as if it were a great service???!!! I already have 19 pages of repetitive emails from the finance@eventelephant.com robot and your Finance Director, who also responded to me on the 28th Nov 2012 stating that my charity event's charge-back queries had “now fallen below the 5% threshold”.

You state on your website that....
“We transfer all the money that we have for your event over to you. This is subject to the threshold set by the card companies of 5% of the total number of bookings made. This is to reduce their risk of further charge backs.”

Why then have I NOT since received the funds - it is now March 6th 2013, over 3 months since that email ???

Having been in contact with others who are experiencing the same nightmare with Event Elephant, it seems that I can expect to wait at least another 6 months, if not more.

And it seems that your CEO does not think it worthwhile to respond to emails ...so in the meantime I will continue to highlight my own and others plight with your company TO TRY PREVENT others from falling into a similar situation which I might add brings with it SEVERE STRESS for fundraisers and small businesses out there breaking their backs trying to contribute and do their best to keep charitable services funded and businesses afloat. This so called 'service' provided by Event Elephant is an absolute disgrace.

Stating that the funds are "sitting in YOUR MERCHANT ACCOUNT" is incorrect. We do not hold onto the funds. These funds are held by the bank and not by us. Once the funds have been released by the bank we then transfer them to the event organiser.

We make the option of using your own merchant or PayPal account clear and we advice it to all out event orgnaisers. By using your own PayPal or merchant bank account you can use all of the same functionality of the site and collect your funds in real-time.

I cannot comment on your particular event (I cannot tell from your post what event it is nor can I give the details of your event on an open forum) but if you would like to email us at marketing@eventelephant.com we will be happy to help in anyway we can or request any further information that you require.

WAPAIC

At one stage they told us all 200+ participants had initiated a chargeback. They weren't impressed when I said that was fine, there was 40 of us in the organisation, we would ring five of them each tonight and see what the story was. They had another story the following day. Something about "uncleared revenue", if I remember correctly. Nonsense.

The best part was that one of their staff rang me a few months after we managed to resolve it asking for my feedback on how they could improve their service. I thanked her for giving us our money before we incurred legal fees:mad:

I would never ever use them for an event again.

Event Elephant: Alan

Roscoe Holscomb wrote: »

My understanding is that there is a a maximum time limit in which chargebacks can occur, in the order of six months. So tell us EventElephant is this correct?

Chargebacks queries can be requested up to 6-8 months (depending on the method of payment i.e. card or paypal) following the transaction. However, the time in which it then takes to resolve the query can vary. We facilitate the banks and work with them daily to get these queries resolved as quickly as possible.

Roscoe Holscomb

Of course thats why we are waiting for payment for 18 months?

RDKK

I am very surprised you don’t know who I am – you hardly get many emails telling you that a 19 page document has been compiled containing all the fruitless email correspondence I have had with you over the last number of months for issue to The Consumer Show on RTE? If you check your email inbox, you will find that you (marketing@eventelephant.com) were copied on this email, as was your CEO on Feb 13th 2013. Needless to say, no-one responded.
And why do your staff keep repeating over and over that there were other options to choose from at the outset? What good is this to me or any of the other charities and businesses trying to operate without access to THEIR FUNDS. Rather you might tell us all why you think it is reasonable to market a ‘so-called service’ where-by you advise customers that they will be paid within 14 days of the event close off and then link it to small print that talks about some possible delays. Had I even seen this reference when signing up, I would have understood 'a delay’ to mean a week or possibly 2-3 weeks or maybe even a month, but CERTAINLY NOT 6 Months, a year or 18 MONTHS as posted by yet an another unfortunate victim who posted on this forum today.
Blame ‘the bank’ if you wish - I have NO appetite to waste any further time engaging in fruitless private emailing with various staff in Event Elephant to absolutely no avail BUT I will continue to air my grievances on every public forum available to me until you SORT THIS OUT.

Tar.Aldarion

WAPAIC wrote: »

At one stage they told us all 200+ participants had initiated a chargeback. They weren't impressed when I said that was fine, there was 40 of us in the organisation, we would ring five of them each tonight and see what the story was. They had another story the following day. Something about "uncleared revenue", if I remember correctly. Nonsense.

The best part was that one of their staff rang me a few months after we managed to resolve it asking for my feedback on how they could improve their service. I thanked her for giving us our money before we incurred legal fees:mad:

I would never ever use them for an event again.

Dear lord.



You'd think people charging more than the competitors and somehow still getting custom would not be shooting themselves.

Mary Y

The Leenane Mountain Walking Festival is also waiting for over 7,000 to be paid since last May 6th 2012. We are a small voluntary community group and we cant get our money. They say we have 6 chargebacks but the longest both visa and mastercard say a chargeback can be contested for is 118 days. We are just over a month shy of a year. Where is our money - please don't anyone else use them and end up in the same boat as ourselves. They should be ashamed of themselves

RDKK

Hi Mary and all else unfortunate enough to have been compelled to come on this forum and tell their stories. If interested in joining me and others to take action against Event Elephant, please private email me via this forum. Thanks, Rosie

Mary Y

The more people that join forces the better - we have to get the word out there that Event Elephant are not a good company to work with as our experiences have shown. Both Visa and Mastercard have 118 days as the limit that chargebacks can be contested for so how come some of us are waiting nearly a year for payment. Everyone in Event Elephant are getting their monthly pay cheques I presume on the back of our money - how they can continue giving out the same emails to all of us and not feel totally ashamed of themselves I do not understand. If I was benefiting on the back of many small suppliers not getting paid due to their company not paying out money I would be.

frank74

So if there isn't a charge back issue, where does the money go after tickets have been paid for: what is 'THE BANK' ? Not the bank of the person who bought the ticket (3rd party)
What about the interest on money owed from 2012?

We've put our hard work and good will in our event and this is just very disappointing.

Any people in the process of legal action against Event Elephant?

Event Elephant: Alan

Hi Frank,

If there are no chargebacks raised on the event then the funds are transferred to the Event Organiser 14 working days after the event has been closed. However, if there are chargebacks on the event and these are above 5% of the bookings, the bank will put a hold on all of the funds until the chargebacks are cleared. If there are chargebacks raised on an event we liaise with the bank on a daily basis to get these resolved. We also allow for Event Organisers to collect their funds in real-time by using their own PayPal or bank merchant account so that they have access to the ticket funds as and when the bookings are made.

For further information on the above or to discuss your event funds please contact finance@eventelephant.com

Roscoe Holscomb

An what happens when to the funds when the period (118 days) for querying chargebacks is expired? Where does the money that EE refuses to pay up go then? I'd really love to know.

Event Elephant: Alan

A chargeback can be raised up to 8 months after a booking is made. Once it has been raised it then needs to be resolved and this can take some time. You will need to speak with our finance team though to get the full details as they will be able to give you the info that you require. Once the chargebacks are resolved the bank release the funds, they are transferred to the Event Organiser.

Roscoe Holscomb

By some time do you mean another 12 months after the 8 months? Is that what you mean?

Event Elephant: Alan

There is no set timeframe for the resolution of chargebacks. Our Finance team can give you more information on the subject of chargebacks finance@eventelephant.com. They will be happy to help with any financial issues or queries you may have.

Roscoe Holscomb

Jesus, so you might never get paid???

Event Elephant: Alan

No, that is not the case at all. All funds are transferred to Event Organisers. In most cases it is transferred 14 working days after the event has been closed.

Also, as mentioned before Event Organisers have the option of using their own PayPal or bank merchant account to collect the funds in real-time.

frank74

and what about interest on the funds from 2012 or even 2011?

ChRoMe

Event Elephant: Lisa wrote: »

No, that is not the case at all. All funds are transferred to Event Organisers. In most cases it is transferred 14 working days after the event has been closed.

Also, as mentioned before Event Organisers have the option of using their own PayPal or bank merchant account to collect the funds in real-time.

Its quite telling that you keep regurgitating the same lines rather than attempting to help resolve the issues that are being raised on this thread.

Its painfully obvious you have no interest in providing any customer service.

Event Elephant: Alan

ChRoMe wrote: »

Its quite telling that you keep regurgitating the same lines rather than attempting to help resolve the issues that are being raised on this thread.

Its painfully obvious you have no interest in providing any customer service.

Our finance team are working on this daily to get these issues resolved. I am sorry if you are unhappy with our responses but I cannot discuss a person's account on a public forum but if you contact finance@eventelephat.com they can answer your queries.

ChRoMe

Event Elephant: Lisa wrote: »

I cannot discuss a person's account on a public forum but if you contact finance@eventelephat.com they can answer your queries.

I wouldn't expect you to.

However if I had customers that were obviously so incredibly unhappy, I'd take some initiative to solve their issues. You know, a basic common decency gesture such as arranging to call them to discuss the matter or similar.

Basically anything other than throwing an email address out (that gives you the ability to continue to ignore the questions).

Event Elephant: Alan

ChRoMe wrote: »

I wouldn't expect you to.

However if I had customers that were obviously so incredibly unhappy, I'd take some initiative to solve their issues. You know, a basic common decency gesture such as arranging to call them to discuss the matter or similar.

Basically anything other than throwing an email address out (that gives you the ability to continue to ignore the questions).

ChRoMe - If an Event Organiser has chargeback on their event our finance team contact them regularly with updates. The issue is most certainly not ignored. I am sorry if you feel that we have not given you enough information on this forum, I am giving the email address for our finance team as I cannot give you the details on this that finance can give you over email or phone.

ChRoMe

Event Elephant: Lisa wrote: »

I am giving the email address for our finance team as I cannot give you the details on this that finance can give you over email or phone.

:facepalm:

I've never even been a customer of yours but you are still managing to irritate me.

Once again you show no interest in helping resolve your customers issues.

To everyone else:

Seems like these clowns are causing trouble over here in the uk as well

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/event-elephant-ltd-pay-your-creditors-on-time

frank74

ChRoMe wrote: »

:facepalm:

I've never even been a customer of yours but you are still managing to irritate me.

Once again you show no interest in helping resolve your customers issues.

To everyone else:

Seems like these clowns are causing trouble over here in the uk as well

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/event-elephant-ltd-pay-your-creditors-on-time

http://www.qype.co.uk/place/2063174-EventElephant-Richmond

WAPAIC

It's interesting that EE appear to be (a) still holding onto cash (b) still giving the same ridiculous chargeback excuses out and (c) still in business!

It's not like there isn't plenty of alternatives providing a similar or better service for less. Why take the risk with them? I'm unfollowing this thread, it depresses me thinking about my experiences with them.

Bordeo

Hi,
unfortunately im another person who has been caught by event elephant. Event happened 15 months ago and am owed 10k. they are an absolute joke to deal with feeding me the same spin over and over again.
what regulatory body can they be reported to.

trappedbyEE

It seems that not only I have been trapped. Have not got paid after 6 months and the response is always a chargeback. They never provide any advice even though I called them a few times. "sorry, we cannot provide any information to you....".

I am suggesting not using this company.

Reamer Fanny

Having read this thread from the start, and Event Elephant's generic responses I don't think you'd have to do much to dissuade a prospective customer from using them.

I am currently using SumUp to process VISA and MasterCard payments, apart from some odd delays here and there in transferring payments into my bank account I can't complain - they only charge 2.75% per transaction and have a handy smartphone app to keep track of your sales and process payments.

Event Elephant: Alan

For anyone affect by chargebacks we provide all details to the card companies and liaise with them on a daily basis in order to get them resolved asap. Please note that all funds are transferred to event organisers. We do not hold onto any event organisers funds. If there is a delay due to chargebacks these funds are held by the card companies and not EventElephant. We understand that these can cause difficulties for our event organisers but unfortunately these are beyond our control.

We do promote the use of your own PayPal or merchant bank account to collect ticket funds. We encourage all organisers to collect their ticket funds in this way. By doing this, you still have all the same great features for your event and you have access to the funds as and when the tickets are sold.

Bordeo

Lisa, Event Elephant are a disgrace. Yer customer service is a joke. Ye are no way proactive in trying to solve the problem in getting the funds released. Chartities are out of pocket because of yer uselessness and that is shameful. please dont relpy with your usual waffle