What would you do?

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Jontello

Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2015
Messages
478
Location
USA, Ohio
I don't normally do this at all but I would like to get your opinion on an issue with a vendor.



Over thanksgiving I received an email from a vendor promoting their sale which included a free product if you place an order over $250. I knew I was planning on placing an order because I needed was out of some products I needed to make pens. When I added what I needed I was still short of the free gift so I added some more product so I could get the gift. I placed the order and did not think anything of it. I had it shipped to my in-laws as they were going to be coming dec 28 to Italy and could bring this order to me.



About a week later I received a confirmation email that my order was shipped with tracking and it showed that it was complete. I was excited to get things and did not revisit this in my mind at all because In my mind it was done.



On dec 25 I received an email stating that my order was not complete that it was missing $145 of product and they will issue a refund. All of the product that was missing were things that I needed not those I added to the order for the free gift. At this point I did not have time to find another vendor to place an order with so I could get things to my in-laws on time before they left. I was frustrated at this point which I think I should be.



When getting the order in hand they did not even include the free gift that they promoted. I just received the incomplete order including the things that I added that I did not need.



I contacted the vendor and they looked at other vendors that carried the product. I let them know that it was too late to place the order from them cause I would not receive it in time. They apologized for the inconvenience that I was experiencing and said that they did send a refund and made me feel like I should be excited about these things.



I was hoping for the vendor to say something like this, "We messed up. We are so sorry that this happened. This is not who we are and are about. Here is what we are going to do to make this right". But instead they said we are sorry you are being inconvenienced with this.



I would of expected the vendor to have contacted me right away about the problem before shipping an incomplete order.

I would of expected the vendor to ship the free gift.

I would of expected an apology stating that they screwed up. (No one is perfect and I know this)



Let me know what you would of done if you were the vendor.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

bsshog40

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2018
Messages
2,354
Location
Omaha, Tx
Well as a vendor, I guess all I could do would be to ask you what would help to make things better. Probably offer a discount on your next purchase.
But I do know what I would do as a buyer. This vendor would be on my no more buy from list. They should know what's in stock and note it when something isn't in stock. Nothing more aggravating than ordering supplies, etc.. expecting them in when you need them, to only find out that half of your items are out of stock after payment is made.
 

Jontello

Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2015
Messages
478
Location
USA, Ohio
Well as a vendor, I guess all I could do would be to ask you what would help to make things better. Probably offer a discount on your next purchase.
But I do know what I would do as a buyer. This vendor would be on my no more buy from list. They should know what's in stock and note it when something isn't in stock. Nothing more aggravating than ordering supplies, etc.. expecting them in when you need them, to only find out that half of your items are out of stock after payment is made.
Good advice. Thanks.
 

Jontello

Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2015
Messages
478
Location
USA, Ohio
Would talking to a supervisor help? A person in PR once told me to never accept a "low level" no, always ask for someone higher up the food chain.
Normally I would do that but this was the owner of the business I was in contact with. Thanks though. Good advice.
 

stuckinohio

Member
Joined
May 3, 2015
Messages
1,695
Location
Columbus Ohio
Jon,

seems to me like they should have told you what was in stock and what wasn't and asked if you still wanted the order before they shipped! I would also expect a sincere apology.

what was the value of the bonus item?
 

Jontello

Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2015
Messages
478
Location
USA, Ohio
Jon,

seems to me like they should have told you what was in stock and what wasn't and asked if you still wanted the order before they shipped! I would also expect a sincere apology.

what was the value of the bonus item?
The item is valued at $15. I am thinking the same thing.
 

stuckinohio

Member
Joined
May 3, 2015
Messages
1,695
Location
Columbus Ohio
Seems like they could have shipped the free item since you should have received it if the entire order was in stock..... pretty sure they could lose $10 to $15.....
 

wood-of-1kind

Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2005
Messages
4,114
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
I simply would have expressed what would have kept me satisfied, including an apology if required. Seems that you expect the vendor would say what you wanted to hear. A vendor like most folks "can't read" your mind. If it were me, I
would tell the vendor what would have been expected and see what they say. If you do not like the response, then
it becomes your decision to cease doing business with them in the future.
 

bsshog40

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2018
Messages
2,354
Location
Omaha, Tx
I simply would have expressed what would have kept me satisfied, including an apology if required. Seems that you expect the vendor would say what you wanted to hear. A vendor like most folks "can't read" your mind. If it were me, I
would tell the vendor what would have been expected and see what they say. If you do not like the response, then
it becomes your decision to cease doing business with them in the future.
I sort of disagree with this. In order for a business to stay in business, customer service should be priority one! If a business screws up, I shouldn't have to explain to them how to make it right. It should be their practice to service a customer and hope that their service is rewarded by the customer returning for business again. The customer should automatically be given an apology and then if possible, given some sort of incentive to help retain that customer ie… discount, free item, etc... The first thing this business should have done was make sure they had items in stock that they were selling. Online payments are instant, refunds can take days to get back. This can inconvenience many people that budget their purchases.
 

WriteON

Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2013
Messages
3,266
Location
S. Florida
I sort of disagree with this. In order for a business to stay in business, customer service should be priority one! If a business screws up, I shouldn't have to explain to them how to make it right. It should be their practice to service a customer and hope that their service is rewarded by the customer returning for business again.
Every business is like a restaurant ....as good as their last meal. Should apologize and make it right. After a bad/expensive mistake it's the kiss of death or thin ice. I started using TreeLineUSAfor cane parts. Any issues were taken care of the same day. Without hesitating the owner took care of things. Also said in an email to let him know right away if something had to be addressed.
 
Top Bottom