- Joined
- Jan 13, 2008
- Messages
- 1,304
- Reaction score
- 70
I do not normally do this as - in the big scheme of things and all the problems in this world, this is a very minor quibble. But, this has properly irked me.
I was thinking about what to get a good friend as a gift for his birthday. He then came to me a week or so ago to ask for advice on earphones. Boom....birthday gift idea sorted. I browsed around and found a nice pair of earphones at Audico. Good price, showed as in stock, etc. Ordered and paid for on Thursday.
Email the next day - sorry no stock in SA (fail #1). Back and forth trying to offer alternatives which I wasn't really keen in, and it was clear they were simply not going to give me a refund so I could go elsewhere (fail #2). I could have insisted but to be honest I had a timeframe I needed to stick to, to get the gift on time. So eventually agreed on a different model of the same brand (more expensive than elsewhere but I had already paid them...bygones).
So it was apparently sent over the weekend with RAM. I'm in back to back meetings at work - got a missed call and checked voicemail later...RAM at my house trying to deliver. This despite clearly specifying a different shipping address (for this exact reason - no one at home during the day) to billing address during the order process (fail #3).
When I had a gap I called RAM; requested a change of address to the correct one initially requested. They tell me its fine and will deliver the next day (today). 3PM today and still nothing. I call and enquire....change of address requires authorization from sender, which only happened this afternoon, so sorry...parcel won't go out today. His birthday is today...so that ship has clearly sailed (fail #4).
End of rant.
Lessons learned:
- yes, I know, try plan gifts more in advance...I take it on the chin, before anyone points it out
- if you are an online store, do not show items as in stock and allow people to order and pay when there is no stock in the country
- if you are an online store, do not use billing address as shipping address
- if you are a consumer, tread with caution with this store. I know that may be harsh, but in this day and age online stores need to build trust and loyalty, neither of which were won on this occasion
PS. I checked on Friday and the product was still showing as in stock. I checked now...finally shows as out of stock.
PPS. For shits and giggles I checked my account now to see what "reward points" were added to the account (the amount associated with the original product or of the alternative)...it states "You do not have any reward points!" :thumbs:
I was thinking about what to get a good friend as a gift for his birthday. He then came to me a week or so ago to ask for advice on earphones. Boom....birthday gift idea sorted. I browsed around and found a nice pair of earphones at Audico. Good price, showed as in stock, etc. Ordered and paid for on Thursday.
Email the next day - sorry no stock in SA (fail #1). Back and forth trying to offer alternatives which I wasn't really keen in, and it was clear they were simply not going to give me a refund so I could go elsewhere (fail #2). I could have insisted but to be honest I had a timeframe I needed to stick to, to get the gift on time. So eventually agreed on a different model of the same brand (more expensive than elsewhere but I had already paid them...bygones).
So it was apparently sent over the weekend with RAM. I'm in back to back meetings at work - got a missed call and checked voicemail later...RAM at my house trying to deliver. This despite clearly specifying a different shipping address (for this exact reason - no one at home during the day) to billing address during the order process (fail #3).
When I had a gap I called RAM; requested a change of address to the correct one initially requested. They tell me its fine and will deliver the next day (today). 3PM today and still nothing. I call and enquire....change of address requires authorization from sender, which only happened this afternoon, so sorry...parcel won't go out today. His birthday is today...so that ship has clearly sailed (fail #4).
End of rant.
Lessons learned:
- yes, I know, try plan gifts more in advance...I take it on the chin, before anyone points it out
- if you are an online store, do not show items as in stock and allow people to order and pay when there is no stock in the country
- if you are an online store, do not use billing address as shipping address
- if you are a consumer, tread with caution with this store. I know that may be harsh, but in this day and age online stores need to build trust and loyalty, neither of which were won on this occasion
PS. I checked on Friday and the product was still showing as in stock. I checked now...finally shows as out of stock.
PPS. For shits and giggles I checked my account now to see what "reward points" were added to the account (the amount associated with the original product or of the alternative)...it states "You do not have any reward points!" :thumbs:
