Refund hope for Zavvi Direct customers

Many people who shopped with Zavvi Direct may not have lost their money, Computeractive has learned.

Payment services provider Protx told us that from 8 June, no money from orders has been paid into Zavvi Direct’s business account. This freeze initiated by the acquiring bank means that the money is now in a holding account.

This should mean that refunds can be made to people who placed orders from 8 June onwards.

Suspicions about the company were first raised after Protx had received six complaints on the 6 and 7 June; just three days after Zavvi Direct began trading. Protx raised then escalated these complaints and raised its concerns with the acquiring bank.

“This automatically put a freeze on the account. Although orders could still be placed no money would go into Zavvi Direct’s business account,” a Protx representative said.

He also said that Zavvi Direct should have been aware of this freeze.

Although Zavvi Direct said it would be receiving stock of the Wii Fits on 20 June and people had been told to wait four to five working days to get their order, Computeractive has also learned that the company has not fulfilled orders for less scarce goods, such as iPods.

People who placed orders and do not receive these should contact their card issuer and explain the circumstances; this allows their bank to issue a chargeback mandating Zavvi Direct’s acquiring bank to issue refunds to a card holder’s account.

Brighton police have now begun an investigation into the company. They will interview a number of people believed to have links with the company; including Paul Clayton, who is registered as the company director at Companies House, and the registered company secretary Steven McClelland, both of Hove.