International Sales Direct - non-returnable deposits - July 23, 2006

On May 28 we featured a case submitted by Mr and Mrs Edward Micallef St John about Mrs Rita Borg, managing director of International Sales Direct (ISD), highlighting her strict "non-returnable deposits" policy.

Last Sunday we featured another ISD case submitted by Mrs Mariella Mifsud on behalf of her 68-year-old aunt, Ms Marie Fenech.

Mr and Mrs Micallef St John submitted a Lm15 deposit and Ms Fenech submitted a Lm40 deposit. With a particular focus on Ms Fenech's case, Mrs Borg well and truly took advantage of a frail 68-year-old lady and we have no intention whatsoever of letting Mrs Borg get away with it.

Therefore, in line with the consumers' right to be informed, I am obliged to inform and alert consumers about people like Mrs Borg. I have also made it crystal clear to Ms Fenech's niece that she has my complete support.

Here follows another letter from Ms Fenech's niece updating us on the progress or, rather, "no progress" so far in this case.

Thank you for taking interest in our case involving ISD, and publishing it on July 16.

Today, I phoned ISD and asked to talk to Mrs Rita Borg, but she was unavailable. Therefore I spoke to the lady who answered the phone. I asked her to let Mrs Borg know about my call and for any feedback on our case.

I was told that the case is four years old now and we should have contacted and followed the case before. She added that we have been offered an alternative. (i.e. following my first letter to them, asking me to purchase another item worth the initial amount).

To me this does not make any sense at all. Whoever took my aunt's telephone call at that time, does not work there any more, I was told. Therefore, I assume that the cancellation order has been shelved somewhere, the money taken and forgotten. I ask: "Does a company cease to operate when an employee does not turn up for work?" If I knew of this before, believe me, I would have followed it up myself.

I asked why my aunt was contacted again by ISD, for the second time, on June 22, to inform her that she was chosen to receive a discount voucher or a present. The reply was that people are chosen at random, from the directory. Could it be that ISD choose mostly elderly people intentionally?

Through your column, I would like to ask Mrs Borg to give us back the Lm40 for which, in return, we got nothing but complete lack of interest and disrespect from her company and its policy, a policy about which my aunt was never made aware. I would also like to point out to Mrs Borg that, when my aunt cancelled the order, it was within the 'cooling off period', and I ask her to be kind enough to let us know where the Lm40 have gone.

Reputation is first and foremost to compete in today's market, and I advise your readers never to commit themselves and accept any 'presents' or 'offers' over the phone. We thought better of this company and that we would be treated better. However, we were mistaken.

Again, Mr Muscat Inglott, I thank you for keeping in touch and for following up the case. (Mariella Mifsud)

At this stage since, evidently, our first message did not register last Sunday, we have no other option but to indulge in repetition. For what it's worth, in doing so, more consumers will know about Mrs Borg of International Sales Direct and her policies. Yet again, I appeal to Mrs Borg to do the decent thing and give Ms Fenech her Lm40 back with interest, particularly while bearing in mind that ISD have been in possession for over four years and are still in possession of Ms Fenech's money.

After four non-communicative years, when I sent Mrs Borg copies of the letters that were exchanged and asked for her comments, Ms Fenech received a telephone call from ISD informing her that she is going to receive a discount voucher. Isn't this a strange coincidence? I daresay it is quite a Freudian slip on Mrs Borg's part. Indeed it is tantamount to an admission of guilt.

Finally, if there are any other consumers similarly bitten by International Sales Direct, they are welcome to write to me so that we can share the information. So far, we've had two such cases.