COLLECTIONS ETC WINSTON BRANDS TRIES TO GET AROUND PAYPAL & GET CREDIT CARD INFO Kept Saying they "Needed" "Your Credit Card Information" When Items were ALREADY Paid for by PAYPAL Elk Grove Village Illinois

I placed an order with COLLECTIONS ETC on August 25, 2014 and paid via PayPal which IMMEDIATELY Authorized the payment.  I never received an e-mail stating that they were going to ship in "approximatley 3 - 5 business days" (or whenever) which one usually does when one places an order with ANY reputable internet merchant.

On August 28, 2014 I contacted COLLECTIONS ETC and asked whenthey anticipated shipping  the Items that were STILL showing as "In Stock" & "Reserved".

August 29, 2014, I received a reply from COLLECTIONS ETC Customer "Service" that they "could not process" my order "with the credit card information that you provided" (please keep in mind that I paid by PayPal)

So, I checked PayPal and the payment was STILL marked pending.  I called PayPal & asked why.  A supervisor told me it was because COLLECTIONS ETC had the CHOICE To "Accept" or "Deny" ANY PAYMENT SENT TO THEM & THEY had not PICKED Up my already Authorized Payment.

I called COLLECTIONS ETC & spoke with "Racquel".  SHE told me that PayPal didn't AUTHORIZE the payment (a bald face lie) but they woul "ask again" for an authorization" & release the order.  I advised her that PayPal had ALREADY AUTHORIZED the Payment and it was sitting in my account & NO (on her questioning) I WAS NOT GIVING THEM MY CREDIT CARD INFORMATION!  THAT IS WHY I USE PAYPAL (See, They really just wanted my credit card information so they weren't picking up my PayPal payment).

I also sent them an e-mail Telling them that they needed to "Capture" the PayPal Payment ALREADY Authorized and sitting there, NOT ask for ANOTHER Authorization.

I had been a cuatomer of COLLECTIONS ETC years ago, when it was a smaller catalogue company, based in the U.S. and with English Speaking reps on the phone.  I was SO Happy to see them online & placed my first order in years.

THIS IS NOT THE SAME COLLECTIONS ETC COMPANY THAT I REMEMBER.  They are ALL outsourced & Customer Service is HORRIBLE.  I might add, not picking up their PayPal payments while they keep INSISTING they could just "process your order" if your provide them with your "credit card information" just REEKS OF FRAUD!"

DON'T WALK, RUN AWAY FROM COLLECTIONS ETC!