Are you paying too much??????? Please read

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

Fraterii,
I wanted to advise everyone who made recent credit card purchases on RAT to call their credit card company and find out EXACTLY what they were charged. On a recent purchase I was charged $238.11 for an item invoiced $220. It stated "all inclusive" and shipping as pre-paid.
I have spoken with the dealer and was told" I should have checked the
current international exchange rate". There was no mention of this even in the invoice. The dealer has expressed a desire to make good. I would like to say, however, that I won't be participating in any more of those "sales".

This is not intended to put anyone in a bad light or assign blame.
Only to let people know they may be paying more than they expect. I only knew because I was contacted by the credit card company.

(thanks for pointing out the typo)

[Caius Fabius]

This is normal with international sales. The exchange rate fluxuates continually, PLUS credit card companies often add a service charge for currency conversion. Welcome to the world of international business and currency!

[M. Demetrius]

What?! You mean the moneychangers aren't all on the up and up??

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

O.K., except that didn't occur before. Exchange rates aside when you're told you pay a certain price, isn't the what you expect to pay? And when the invoice says a price should more money than agreed upon be deducted from your account? come on, guys.

[Caius Fabius]

I am sure that the original price was in Rupees (Indian Rupees) and translated into US Dollars, which makes sense, but only for some of the people, since many are paying in Euros or Pounds or Canadian Dollars.
If you looked at your invoice, you were invoiced in Rupees. It would be almost impossible for a company like Deepeeka to keep a running total of all currencies, just so you would know exactly how much X rupees was going to cost you on the day you sent your payment.

Real world thinking. With the falling value of the US Dollar, if you bought the same helmet tomorrow, it would cost even more.

I am interested, how much of a % did your credit card company charge for the international transaction fee? Mine is usually about 2%

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

Caius,
I fully understand what you're saying and I know international money transfers can fluctuate by the minute. However my invoice(did you get one?)stated the price in Rupees as being equal to the agreed price.
(9,280 rupees=220 u.s.dollars) When I read this, this is what I expect to pay.( I believe the transfer fee was $1.11). I paid it as soon as I got it.
Last month I bought a pugio from a German dealer. The price was given in Euros. I was sent an invoice and paid it. No charges were added after I authorized payment. Everything was up-front.

I thought no matter what currency was used the invoice was final.

[M. Demetrius]

Maybe they're collecting a little extra for the legal defense fund for Richard Gere?

[Caius Fabius]

I got almost the exact same charges, but this time my international transferr fee was $0.98. Who can understand the ways of international finance.

[Tarbicus]

I thought no matter what currency was used the invoice was final.

I'd imagine that depends on the tax rules for the country issuing the invoice. If their tax is on the invoice, then you should probably only be charged what it says on the invoice plus pre-agreed charges. If the tax is on the actual amount going into the suppliers bank account then I imagine any changes in exchange rates would apply at the time the money goes into their bank account, given there is usually a period between an invoice being issued and actual payment.

Common sense says the currency that the invoice is issued in should be in the supplier's national currency, in which case it's up to the buyer to pay whatever is necessary. If you needed to claim the money back against your tax that amount can be verified easily using online exchange calculators that have a date function. I'm sure your Tax departent in your country would have that means as well.

Otherwise, the supplier should cover the costs due to fluctuations in exchange rates, or even reap the benefits if applicable. If your invoice said X amount then that's what you should pay, IMHO.

At the end of the day the Inland Revenue is the be-all and end-all, and what they say goes.

[Gaius Decius Aquilius]

I did some playing around with my invoice. The price listed on the original RAT announcement was $220.

The invoice listed the price as $220 = INR 9680. The CCAVENUE invoice did advised using the calculator to get the actual price in your local currency. Last night it was $256, a higher price than Imperium carries the helmet for. This morning the price was $236. (You have to be tricky to get the calculator to function more than once.)

I have bought several helmets from the RAT deals and have not noticed price fluctuation before. Maybe it was because the dollar was strong then, I don't know. This actually is a surprise to me. My payment was recieved and notification sent by Gagan. The actual charge has not yet appeared on my credit card account, that advises that may thake up to five business days. Have other members noticed the currency fluctuation before?

Ralph Izard

[M. Demetrius]

Maybe we should just mail the payment in the form of a dozen Krugeraands, and ask them to return the change with the shipment. That oughta do it.

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

I thought no matter what currency was used the invoice was final.

Otherwise, the supplier should cover the costs due to fluctuations in exchange rates, or even reap the benefits if applicable. If your invoice said X amount then that's what you should pay, IMHO.

Thanks, Tarbicus. This was what I was trying to say.
Maybe this was the reason for the long delay?????????????

(BTW-both my invoice AND receipt say I paid $220.)

Note: 05/02/07- an equitable compromise has been reached.
Thanks and laudes to the company involved.