Hornby Pre Order payment

[ColinB]

I have just had an email from Hornby saying that they can't process a preorder because of the credit card payment. Not only did they tell me once but they sent me two emails both saying the same, good system there. So go into the link to update my credit card, surprised as Rails had just taken payment without an issue. Goes through the whole banking system and then fails at the Hornby end. Now I know people probably think I am a bit critical of Hornby, but really. So I thought I will phone up and pay over the phone, surprise, surprise they only work until 3.00pm on Thursday and Friday.

So getting back to the subject has anyone else had issues paying by card?

[ColinB]

Sent me a third EMail, so I thought I will pay with my current account instead of the credit card. Still falls over and people wonder why I have such a low opinion of them. Seems like Customer Relations on Monday.

[ColinB]

Well their system is obviously not working. I did find why I was getting multiple emails, every time it fails to take the payment because of an error at their end, it sends you another email. So I suppose there is some logic to it. Customer Service Monday.

[Bulleidboy]

Unfortunately Hornby have had this problem for some years. I had to pay on my pre-orders by telephoning Customer Services for years after having been notified by Hornby that they could not take payment - they have my correct card details.The strange thing is that it does not affect everyone. I was told by Customer Services that for some reason their system would not take payments from some customers. My last couple of pre-orders went through ok.

[SteveM6]

If it's the same email I received then they were saying that the inability to take payment for pre-orders is due to recent changes in the security anti-fraud protocols required by banks for card payments - not a fault in the Hornby system as such.

They also indicated that when a payment fails for this reason they would contact the payer to make the payment again in such a way that the security is complied with.

[Bulleidboy]

This is a copy of an email received from Hornby on the 14th March 2022.

Dear Barry,

As you may be aware, new bank security changes have been implemented for online payments.

These new anti-fraud rules will ensure online shopping is safer and more secure than ever, but will require more verification when making online payments to prove your identity.

As you already have a pre-order with us, we wanted to reassure you that there is no change to your order, but this does mean that your original payment details may be declined when your product has arrived and we process your order payment.

If this happens, we will email you immediately with details of how you can easily login to your account and re-submit your details in line with the new changes. Rest assured, we will keep your product reserved for you and you will have 14 days in which to update your details. You do not need to do anything in advance of your order arriving.

If you have any questions about your order or updating your payment details, please contact our Customer Care Team on 01843 233512 or email us at customerservices.uk@hornby.com.

Thank you

The Customer Care Team

[SteveM6]

Yes BB, that's the communication I got as well. No need to grumble about Hornby at all.

[ColinB]

I know I got that same mail. When I went to pay each time the card company mailed me a secure code to input into the banking app, once it has done this it then returns you to the Hornby site. Initially I thought perhaps there is an issue, with that particular card, so I tried my Banker's card and got the same issue, so nothing to do with either card companies, I suspect that the Hornby end has not implemented some part of the security handshaking mechanism, so yes it is Hornby's fault. I buy tons of stuff "on line" never have this issue, if it keeps happening it is about time someone sorted it out.

I sent them an email but seeing as they take about 3 to 7 days to answer, it is probably better to phone up.

[Bulleidboy]

Yes BB, that's the communication I got as well. No need to grumble about Hornby at all.

@ SteveM6

I think they do have a problem, as I said it does not affect everyone. Until very recently, I have had to pay for all of my pre-orders, following an email by ringing Customer Services. This method of payment, for me, has been going on for several years - and I have had a "lot" of pre-orders. I got to know the lady in Customer Services quite wellgrinning

PS: I'm not grumbling.

[SteveM6]

I know you are not BB.

just getting tired of all the negative posts on this forum - from many contributors.

[ColinB]

Perhaps I do grumble but I get fed up with Hornby taking us for suckers. It is not a big issue for me I have all the trains I could ever want but anyone new to the hobby would easily get fed up and move on. It is like going into Wetherspoons for a meal, its cheap so you don't expect much, so I doubt very few people complain. It was like in the old days with Skoda cars, when they released the chart every year of customer satisfaction they were always quite well up, although they were not very good cars, when the press questioned this, they got the same answer, most of their customers didn't expect that much for what they paid. Then we come onto Hornby, I will leave it at that.

I must admit I only ordered the loco that wants paying for off Hornby because I thought it would come next year, so another 10% price rise and Hornby gave me a 12% discount voucher, normally I deal with TMC or Bure Valley who I have no such issues with. In fact Rails have just mailed a loco I pre ordered about 2 years ago, again no issues with credit card payment, first thing I knew about it was the shipping email.

[VESPA]

Approx 1:5 internet purchases will be refused using a card until verified. Perhaps you had just hit that point of both cards needing a verification check. My last 2 M&S purchases were refused on tap and go and I had to enter the PIN. It's just a safety check to see it's you using the card. Unfortunately you may have just hit "checkpoint Charlie" with both.

[ColinB]

Vespa it did the verification check on both cards, texted me a code to put into the application, as I said in one of my earlier posts it appears Hornby haven't properly implemented the last bit of the security check, someone on another thread did say it is easy to get it wrong. Sadly Hornby do it all too frequently. I suppose another issue is with their price rises they might have got over the limit for a payment but I doubt it. Incidentally I have been using my card for other purposes since and it works perfectly.

[Jim-R855]

My bank has warned me that I might see some failed payments until all retailers have updated their systems - looks like the banking sector is not expecting this switchover to go smoothly...

[rendcombe]

I've tried and tried to pay for my pre order that I've waited over a year, but to no avail. Given that the Hornby web site doesn't function at all well it's about time they hired a web master capable of doing a decent job by sorting it all out so as we can complete what should be a simple task.

[rendcombe]

Yes I have the same issue with my pre order. It won't pass the Barclays security, so I bought a wagon from Hornby website using same card and it worked. I'm an extremely fed up customer as there is always a problem with them.

[96RAF]

The matter is in hand with Hornby and no amount of additional complaining will improve their response time.

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