Ahhh that can be so frustrating! I too, have had that happen a number of times. They always seem to call for a large order,,, 12 pair of Mavic Krysium Sl wheels, 5 mtn bikes etc... They would call, email a number of times and will continue to do so; I still receive calls/emails daily from people trying to do the same thing. What I normally tell them is that I would be glad to help them out, if they could only visit the shop . I also mention that I do not take orders over the phone or through email. Obviously that can change if you know your customer well. You can also ask for the CV number on the back of the card, generally they won't have that because they don't have the card in hand.

I'm glad that you were able to work all of this out before taking the plunge! Unfortunately, I think this type of thing will only get worse before it gets better...especially with the poor economy.