What is the $4.95 backorder fee for?
The $4.95 fee isn’t the backorder fee. The backorder fee is the charge when we get a number for you. Numbers that are in the Disconnect section are $195 for 866s, $395 for 877s, $595 for 888s and $795 for 800s in disconnect. That’s also if we can get it for you when it comes out of disconnect. The $4.95 is the fee to request a backorder and to do the research for you. It’s not refunded if we aren’t able to get a number. It’s only refunded if we’re unable to accept the backorder request, such as when someone else has already backordered the number, or when it’s not in disconnect.
We also allow customers to place another backorder fee without an additional $4.95 if we miss a number if the new one is placed within 30 days of missing the other one. We call that the “second chance.‿ We also allow customers to place multiple numbers on disconnect with a single request. We are flexible about it as much as we can be. But the credit card information isn’t kept in the system after 30 days. And it’s also important that customers go through the process and placed a verifiable order. Because if they order it and don’t cancel it, it’s their number if we get it for them.
We’re really happy to help you and we only charge the real fee if we’re successful so the pressure is definitely on us to perform since that’s really the thing that we get paid for. But even if we invested a million dollars in access, programs and capacity to get numbers, we would never be able to get 100%. (We actually do get about 50%) That’s why we say it’s not guaranteed. And refunding every $4.95 that we miss, many times months after the backorder is placed isn’t practical or appropriate, as I’m sure you can understand when you look at the system.
We used to take backorders with no fee at all up front. But then we had people backordering everything and then trying to decide which ones they wanted at the last minute. Meanwhile we were turn away anyone else that wanted it when the people we were holding it for, didn’t really have a serious desire for it. Then after we got it for them we had to get the billing information again, which turned out to create collection problems. This is also why we are fairly strong about a backorder being a contract. Because if you provide a custom service for someone, no matter what it is, and then make payment for the service optional afterwards, the system inevitably falls apart. If you made payment for your food optional after you got it, or payment for paving your driveway optional after it was done, I’m sure you can see how that destroys the whole commerce system. And believe me, just because you paid for something with a credit card, doesn’t give you the automatic right to get your money back just because you change your mind after the product has been delivered.
Anyway, we take the backorder process very seriously and work very hard to get every number and provide a fair system for everyone. We are human and want to work with you but if you don’t understand the system please be sure to ask.


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