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Author Topic: If you can't do it right, don't do it at all  (Read 9247 times)

Anonymous

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If you can't do it right, don't do it at all
« on: January 28, 2004, 11:56:15 AM »
http://www.geekforum.org/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=13" target="blank">http://www.gotthegeek.com/images/demo_avatar_kane_screen_sm.jpg"> Submitted by Demosthenes

You've ordered things online right?  Everybody has at least once or twice by now.

Well, I have quite a bit... I love being able to buy things online.  http://www.amazon.com" target="BLANK">Amazon.com, http://www.bestbuy.com" target="BLANK">BestBuy.com, my favourite http://www.kenzerco.com" target="BLANK">gaming publisher... they have nearly perfected ordering products online to the point where it's now my preferred method of doing things like shopping for gifts, looking for hard-to-find books, CDs, other stuff.

I mean, if you hate people, and you hate traffic, shopping online is the way to go, right?  You don't have to drive anywhere, you don't have to elbow your way through those stupid, stupid people that stand in the middle of a store aisle, blocking everyone's way because they have no idea where they're going, you don't have to stand in line behind some moron who doesn't understand the basic concepts of commerce ("Wait, wait, wait here... you mean I give you money, and you provide me with goods and services?  I don't get it...")... heck, you don't even need to talk to any retarded order person over the phone in order to place your order.

Point, click, go.  Couple of days later your stuff is in your hands.  Heck, a lot of places even have free shipping now.

That's all well and good.  Most of the good ones are fast, efficient, secure, and reliable.

But ordering online is only as good as the company behind it.

Example.  I just ordered a present for my wife, whose birthday is this week.  My wife knits, and I know she's always eyeing certain things in a catalog she gets from one company periodically, so I went to this company's http://www.knitpicks.com" target="BLANK">site early last week to see if they had online ordering.

They did indeed.  

I created an account there (as is required most of the time) and found the product I wanted to purchase, and added it to my "shopping cart" and proceeded to checkout.

I put in my credit card number, which is 1134--- wait a minute.  Maybe I shouldn't put that in this article?

Anyway, I picked "3 day shipping", since I needed it rather early since I waited so long to decide what to get her.

I submitted everything, good to go.

I was momentarily taken aback because in my experience, most online shopping gives you a grand total including shipping and any applicable taxes, usually in a form you can easily print, once you're all set and finished with your order.

http://www.knitpicks.com" target="BLANK">This site did not.  That was irritating because I scrupulously keep track of how much I spend with my card, because I pay things off in exact amounts as I get the bill, and I like to know how much it will be well beforehand.

Well, no big deal.  At least I got the order placed on time, and I will be getting my wife her present with a couple of days to spare!

WRONG.

I got an email on the 22nd (Thursday last week) saying "Your order has been shipped via Standard Shipping.  You will receive it within 5-14 business days".

!!!

EXCUSE ME?

5 to 14 business days puts me well out past my wife's birthday.  I was not pleased.

I called them.  Spoke to some moron who said "your order was placed through the web... we don't change anything on orders that come in through the web, so you must have picked standard shipping."

I told her, "well that's what it looks like you guys shipped it as, but I assure you, since this is a GIFT for someone whose birthday is quite soon, I very deliberately selected three day shipping as my shipping option.  I want to get this thing on time."

I was told that I didn't select three day shipping.

I told her that yes, I did.

She said, no, I did not.

I opened up a browser, went to their site, logged in, picked a product and added it to my shopping cart and went to their checkout page, selected "three day shipping", and watched as the page immediately refreshed and reset shipping back to "standard 5-14 day shipping".

I told her this and walked her through it step by step.  She was able to replicate it exactly.

I then said, "So, as I said, I did pick '3 day shipping', but your site is defective.  You should have your web people look at that."

Instead of apologizing for their mistake, however, she said "Well there's nothing we can do about your order.  It's already been shipped."

I told her that it will be returned.  I'm stopping by a local shop here in town after work tonight to pick up a different gift for my wife and I'm refusing delivery of their stupid package once it does arrive (next week some time, by my reckoning... several days late for her birthday) and I'm demanding a refund.

Hint to wannabe e-commerce entrepreneurs out there:  If you're going to sell your crap online, do it right, or don't do it at all.  If you aren't sure you know how to do it right, then either get someone who DOES, or find a different line of work.
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Anonymous

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If you can't do it right, don't do it at all
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2004, 12:32:38 PM »
Customer service sucks almost anywhere you go. Even ordering stuff online can be bad sometimes. When something does go wrong, most of the time they'll want you to call them, or vice versa, and then the shit begins.

A&M Photoworld screwed me over last August. I ordered a digital camera from them, about 230 dollars total. They called me, and asked me if I wanted a warentee on the camera. I told them for the extra money I would do it incase something ever happened to it. Right away after I told them "Yes", the guy on the phone replied with, "Alright, thank you sir, we'll have that out to you shorty *CLICK*". Weird Tingly Feeling? A week passed. Nothing. Give them another call, it's on back order. Another week, same thing. They said it will take some time for them to get any new models in.

My card was never actually billed for it, and to this day it's still been on back order. I believe they have been told several times to cancel the order. I wouldn't be surprised if I get it on my doorstep one day.
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pbsaurus

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If you can't do it right, don't do it at all
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2004, 07:14:37 PM »
I've had great luck with all my ecommerce.  I bought a zydeco tie from some artisan, I've bought a stylus and cartridge for my turntable, I bought a composter for my wife, I've even used Amazon stores where they sell used stuff a lot cheaper.  I've been getting my textbooks that way for school.  Sorry to hear about your difficulty Demo, I'll be sure to avoid that site.
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Demosthenes

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If you can't do it right, don't do it at all
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2004, 09:22:00 AM »
Don't get me wrong here... I've done a lot of online ordering, and by far the vast majority of my experiences have been very positive.

Fast
Inexpensive or at least reasonable
Accurate

It's just the oddball site like the one I mentioned in my rant that ticks me off.  There are still some out there that are trying to get on the bandwagon that aren't quite getting it.
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TheBigBadBruno

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If you can't do it right, don't do it at all
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2004, 09:44:05 PM »
I got screwed over too, by http://www.weaponmasters.com As many people know, I'm into collecting types of weaponary, and such. I ordered a beatiful Oriental Sword Cane, and when I added it to my cart, they said it takes about 2-3 days for shipping. I waited about 2 weeks, and got fed up, so I called them....it wasn't shipped. THey apologized hundreds of times, it was some Foreign lady who BARELY spoke english. She said it would be shipped immdiatly, and they still had it in stock. I waited about another week, and called again. Still not shipped! So, I talked to someone else, and they said it's on back order...I still havn't recieved it yet. This happened in November....funny, aint it?
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Bugi

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« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2004, 06:03:49 PM »
Thanks! The mails were from people on my http://freeinternet.250free.com allow list...
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Rico

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If you can't do it right, don't do it at all
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2004, 08:58:36 PM »
...that was odd.


Anyway, I'm with you, Demo.  I've found that most of my online experiences have all gone quite well.  I notice that tech support for nearly everyone is absolutely crappy though.  Every-now-and then, I get a decent tech, or customer service person.  I don't know what you're guys are paying you, Demo, but they lucked out.  There just aren't enough intelligent people in this world.
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Re: Top 20 Wealthiest Soccer clubs
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2004, 05:15:23 PM »
Quote from: Bugi
Thanks! The mails were from people on my http://freeinternet.250free.com allow list...


Fucking spammers.
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xolik

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If you can't do it right, don't do it at all
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2004, 09:49:58 AM »
For some reason "your site is defective" made me  :lol:. I've never heard a website be called "defective" before. "Buggy", sure, but never "defective."
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Nowledge

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If you can't do it right, don't do it at all
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2004, 06:38:39 AM »
Yeah,  demo is good with them thar' words and stuff
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zumba

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Top 20 Wealthiest Soccer clubs
« Reply #10 on: July 02, 2004, 04:18:45 PM »
OMG! CHECK OUT MY SPAM!!!!
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