vtgaryw
Member
I hesitate to do this, because they've been my favorite vendor for several years now. Always helpful, quick and accommodating.
I had my biggest show I do, a three day show I do for my state's Hand Crafter's organization. I had placed an order for 20 gray felt boxes that I use for certain pens, mostly because they fit well and display these particular pens well. The Wednesday before the show (Friday start), I received the boxes along with some other items I had order. Instead of the gray felt boxes, I received 20 of the cheap plastic boxes with the clear lids. About 5 steps down in class and style, and nothing I ever use.
It was definitely their fault, the order was for the gray felt boxes. I called Wednesday afternoon. I explained to the rep (who will remain nameless) that I had a big three day show, I had enough boxes to last me through Friday, so if I could get them by Friday I'd be okay. He told me they'd take care of me.
Apparently "taking care of me" meant they shipped them THE NEXT DAY (not Wednesday) and via their normal three day service. I didn't receive them until Monday. I scrounged up every box I could find, substituted higher end boxes in some cased, but ended up having to use some of the chintzy plastic boxes.
When I complained about the three day shipping when I checked the tracking, their Sales Manager got back to me and said that "they never send out replacement product overnight" as the cost would exceed the cost of the product. Well, I never asked for overnight, but two day would have saved the day. So would having shipped them out the day I called and shipping them three days.
I expressed my disappointment, and asked that Ryan respond directly. Again, he apologized for the mistake, and reiterated the same policy. Again, I never asked for overnight, but two day would have made me happy. So would someone going the extra mile and shipping out the replacement the same day.
Ironically, when I received the return shipping label from them for the incorrect boxes, it was marked for two day shipping. So it was okay for them to get their cheap boxes back via two day shipping, but not to send the replacements to me via two day?
I responded again to Ryan (politely but firmly) but never got another answer back.
It's easy to cheer when everything goes right. My measure of how good a vendor is is how they react when something goes wrong.
I know it's been a month and a half, but this has been eating at me. I'm sure I'll use them again, but all of my remaining orders last year went somewhere else.
Gary
I had my biggest show I do, a three day show I do for my state's Hand Crafter's organization. I had placed an order for 20 gray felt boxes that I use for certain pens, mostly because they fit well and display these particular pens well. The Wednesday before the show (Friday start), I received the boxes along with some other items I had order. Instead of the gray felt boxes, I received 20 of the cheap plastic boxes with the clear lids. About 5 steps down in class and style, and nothing I ever use.
It was definitely their fault, the order was for the gray felt boxes. I called Wednesday afternoon. I explained to the rep (who will remain nameless) that I had a big three day show, I had enough boxes to last me through Friday, so if I could get them by Friday I'd be okay. He told me they'd take care of me.
Apparently "taking care of me" meant they shipped them THE NEXT DAY (not Wednesday) and via their normal three day service. I didn't receive them until Monday. I scrounged up every box I could find, substituted higher end boxes in some cased, but ended up having to use some of the chintzy plastic boxes.
When I complained about the three day shipping when I checked the tracking, their Sales Manager got back to me and said that "they never send out replacement product overnight" as the cost would exceed the cost of the product. Well, I never asked for overnight, but two day would have saved the day. So would having shipped them out the day I called and shipping them three days.
I expressed my disappointment, and asked that Ryan respond directly. Again, he apologized for the mistake, and reiterated the same policy. Again, I never asked for overnight, but two day would have made me happy. So would someone going the extra mile and shipping out the replacement the same day.
Ironically, when I received the return shipping label from them for the incorrect boxes, it was marked for two day shipping. So it was okay for them to get their cheap boxes back via two day shipping, but not to send the replacements to me via two day?
I responded again to Ryan (politely but firmly) but never got another answer back.
It's easy to cheer when everything goes right. My measure of how good a vendor is is how they react when something goes wrong.
I know it's been a month and a half, but this has been eating at me. I'm sure I'll use them again, but all of my remaining orders last year went somewhere else.
Gary