Complaint Review: VENUE.COM - Los Angeles California

I am a new and very unhappy Venue customer. My story begins toward the end of August 2009 when I first received their sales catalog out of the blue. I am college educated, have good credit and usually trust my judgment. Well, browsing through the catalog I was impressed even though some of the prices seemed a bit high. Feeling confident I both applied for a pre-approved card and ordered a 15.6 Compaq laptop. I placed the order on 2cnd of September, this item was intended to be a birthday gift for a friend (Oct. 3rd) who wanted but couldn't afford a laptop. Everything went well as I anxiously waited the 2 - 3 week suggested delivery time line. Assuming that it would be here around the 25th of Sept. Making a long story short, it's now almost November, two months after I placed the order and two payments later -- the laptop is still not here! I've been given the runaround by customer service reps, having called a multitude of times (8 times now at least) but to no avail. Each
  time when inquiring about the status of the laptop, I am told that it's either been back-ordered (3 times now), it was already shipped on the day I call to complain conveniently (2 times), they haven't gotten any status updates on my order (2 times) and on one occasion I was put on hold just to be hung up on. Keep in mind also when placing my initial order, at no time did the Venue.com website indicate that the item was out of stock. The exact laptop is still listed as of today (10/28/2009) and as one would assume available. I am at the end of my rope here and feel that I have been more than patient. Generally I am very easy going, level headed, giving person but not one to be taken advantage of, but I am feeling like a fool right now. All I want is the goods/products I've paid for. It's simply bad business to keep paying customers in limbo like this. I am still paying for this laptop even though I haven't yet received it, too afraid that my credit will be negatively affected if I stop paying. After writing this I am filing a complaint with the BBB. 

Update 11/11/2009- After calling once again to check on my order I was greeted with a message stating that all orders have been canceled and all accounts were closed. So I am assuming Venue has now gone out of business finally. If you were waiting for an order, never received it or have any other problems with your Venue account please contact World Financial Capital Bank (the bank issuing credit) 

1-866-279-1485 

or write them with a dispute: 

WFCB 
PO BOX 182620 
COLUMBUS, OHIO 43218. 
******************* 

~~ Web complaint filed with LA BBB (labbb.org): 10/28/2009, as of 11/28/2009 no response has been received.

~~Request letter sent to WFCB on 11/12/2009: 

+ Requesting refund for payments made, also requesting a written letter releasing me from any further financial responsibility associated with this account. 

(This should be requested I feel in the event your credit report should indicate a negative payment status or remark which you could later dispute) 

~~Response letter received from WFCB on 11/27/2009 :
+ Letter of apology and acknowledgment of billing error. A full refund\credit of payments made totaling $ 75.00 (2 monthly payments) expected in 7 to 10 business days.