Minor rant

[tmuir]

I placed an order the other day for some bar stock I needed to complete a project but to make sure I got the best value out of the postage I ordered some other sizes of bar stock 'that I might need in the future' as it would cost me no more in postage to do so.

Now my package arrived 2 days ago and I just took it out to the workshop.
On opening it tonight I found the two bars I really wanted weren't in the package and I note there saying sorry they didn't have those sizes in stock at the moment and they apologise for any inconvenience.
They had my mobile number and my email address.
If they had contacted me and told me this I would of cancelled the order and gone elsewhere.
Now I've paid $12 postage for stuff I didn't really need and now need to place another order elsewhere and pay that $12 postage again to get what I really want.

I won't mention the company's name but lets just say that's the last order they get from me. :rant:

 

[Metal Butcher]

I have had the same problem with internet metal orders. You find out when your package arrives. I think they hope you cancel out the stuff they didn't send saving them the cost of another shipment. The best online company's to deal with show inventory status at the time your placing an order. And they are almost always well stocked! A coincidence that makes me wonder!

-MB

 

[GrahamC]

Seems to happen regularly.

There is a local store of a small nationwide chain which has one or another sales flyers that are valid for any given time. However, a great deal of what is being offered on sale is out of stock or pending "any time soon". And it is not out of stock because stock sold out quickly after the start of the sale either - is was out of stock before the sale started.

yes indeed, very frustrating.

cheers, Graham

 

[jthulin]

Had the same issue here at work a few weeks back . After much complaining they offered us a 25% discount on our next order- an offer that likely will never be used...

 

[Metal Butcher]

Had the same issue here at work a few weeks back . After much complaining they offered us a 25% discount on our next order- an offer that likely will never be used...

Good for you! :bow:

When they leave a bad taste in your mouth, why go back for seconds!

-MB

 

[bearcar1]

I've always found that by dropping the names of business' that carry on this way is the best 'pay back' one could offer. When word gets out and others start to compare notes about such bad business practice that business will take note and make changes if they are any good at all. I have no problems what so ever in doing so and sleep comfortably at night knowing that I have perhaps prevented the same from happening to others. Sure it may put a smaller company out of business but then again the smaller ones tend to work a bit harder at customer satisfaction. MB, I would at least place a call to them and speak to a management type of person and air your complaint, they my make a provisional credit on your order at the very least.


BC1

 

[itowbig]

perhalps a letter to thecompany regarding these rants might (note the word might )help them change there polices a bit so they will call you and or email before the order is placed.
maybe a call to the BBB would help as well. i too am like many of you. you screw with me and i shop else where.
even if it cost me more $$$

 

[David Morrow]

Something like 10% or less of dissatisfied customers ever complain - a number that's way too low. A good business would like to hear your complaint so they can improve their service and maybe you and another nine customers would give them another chance.

 

[Tin Falcon]

Tmuir:
COMMUNICATE !! with the company about your frustration.
My wife works at a local card store. One of the customers had a minor complaint and sent a complaining letter to the local newspaper and smeared the stores name instead of making any attempt to communicate with management.
Most places have a" If you have a complaint tell us. If you like our service tell others!!" attitude. No vendor should be expected to be a mind reader and know what your expectations are.
Most places want to take care of customers.Give them the opportunity. Find a way to check availability before placing the order.
Tin

 

[Mainer]

What Tin said....

They aren't mind readers, and had absolutely no way of knowing what your expectations were or why you ordered what you did the way you did. Sorry, but I can't fault the company here.

 

[tmuir]

An email or phone call to say they didn't have some of the items in stock and did I want to proceed with my order isn't too much to ask I think.

 

[bearcar1]

It is very hard for me to accept and believe the fact that any business would not at least take the time out to inform a customer of an out of stock item, period. To merely fill the rest of the order and send a 'Dear John, so sorry' note along with it is absolutely unacceptable business behavior. It shows both a lack of courtesy as well as common sense. When will vendors begin to realize that they should treat their customers like they would like to be treated if the rolls were reversed. One should not have to make a series of phone calls or 'letters to the editors' in order to change something so simple but apparently once again the "stupid" gene encoded in the human DNA sequence is forcing a consumer to go on the offensive yet again. Personally, I am one of those 10% and if you aren't smart enough as a business person to take the first steps towards a resolution to MY problem then you don't get a second chance as I will take my business down the street to someone that is willing to do so. T', if you do happen to speak with these folks, do us all a favor and tell them in no uncertain terms what I said before will happen unless they take the steps necessary to correct their own lackadaisical attitude.

I'm going to go have a cup of strong Earl Gray now.

BC1

 

[shred]

My favorite is throwing a couple dollars of drill rod or something onto an Enco order to get the free shipping code to work, then coming home to find they shipped that entirely separately from the rest of the order, at no doubt a much higher total cost. Ah well, they don't know which items you wanted and which you didn't really want I guess.

I dislike (and tend to avoid if possible) places that can't tell you at ordering time what's out of stock.

 

[cobra428]

I guess I'm pretty lucky. I live in NY and McMaster Carr lives in NJ. I have yet not to get what I ordered in a day. No Tax (enco charges me tax) just shipping. They may be a little over priced on some things but if I take out the tax, I would have paid, their reasonable. Plus it's like overnight shippig because I'm so close. Their web site tells you when it will ship the second you add it to the cart and where it will ship from too. For me their my go to guys.
Tony

 

[tmuir]

My closest model engineering shop is about 4500Km from me so walking in the shop is not really an option. :big: