Buy.com: secret stash?
09-20-00, 01:43 PM
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I thought I'd reference this story here, simply because as an online store experience, it struck me as a bit strange.
We've heard of Buy's problems with cancelling orders. We've seen instances where customers have ordered a DVD, only to cancel it when it hasn't arrived after weeks. And then the mysteriously missing DVD shows up 5 days later. And the irate customer is stuck with two copies of the DVD with an extra copy to sell on eBay.
On August 24, I ordered the Evil Dead 2 LE. The title hit the streets on August 29. About a week after my title had not arrived, with its vague "On Order" status and several unreturned e-mails, I called Buy and spoke to a customer service representative who promised me that Evil Dead 2 would ship in 2-4 weeks.
I was patient, even when a friend of mine had received the Evil Dead 2 LE before me who had ordered the title days after the release date. It became something of a joke between us. But I was still furious at one of my favorite cult movies not arriving in my hands after four weeks.
So I called Buy this morning. I spoke to a customer service rep and cancelled the order. I demanded to speak to a supervisor to understand the process of how DVDs were shipped so that I could gauge any potential future purchases with Buy. I was told that preorders are accounted for about a month in advance and that DVDs are shipped out on a "first come, first serve" basis.
If that was the case, I replied, why then did my friend receive the Evil Dead 2 LE before me? In order to ensure the DVD in my hands, I would have to go to a reliable etailer like DVD Express and pay $35 to receive the damned DVD ($27.99 + shipping cost for 5 DVDs!). Or I could go to the store and get it immediately for $40. I had preordered the title so that I could save money and obtain a favorite film at a cheaper price.
Why had I been given an absolute promise that the DVD would be shipped within 2-4 weeks?
She was mystified and she told me that Buy could never accurately predict when titles would be in stock, even after they had accounted for the overflow.
The supervisor (or "customer relations manager") proceeded to offer me $10 off my next order. However, I told the supervisor that after this preorder experience, I questioned whether or not it would do me any good, given that a preorder essentially meant nothing unless it was purchased a month in advance and that they had reneged on their previous 2-4 week promise. Time had been wasted and more money would be spent to get the Evil Dead 2 LE DVD in my hands.
She offered to call the warehouse. Lackidaisical at this point, I remained on hold.
Mysteriously, Evil Dead 2 LE had "shipped out yesterday." This fact was never mentioned to me during the 20 minutes that I was on the phone and I had never received a confirming e-mail. This was again blamed on a delay in the system.
Note again that I had already cancelled the order and that I was simply talking with this supervisor to determine if Buy was a reliable etailer for future purchases.
I found it interesting that Evil Dead 2 LE "shipped yesterday" after I had cancelled my order and gone to the trouble of asking about Buy's shipping practices.
I suspect that Buy is sitting on a "secret stash" of specific title DVDs for customers who actually go to the trouble of cancelling. They figure that most people will never bother to call. And Buy will be able to get away with the same spotty service for those preorders that remain unaccounted for.
If anyone is still waiting for the Evil Dead 2 LE from Buy, I'd be interested to hear whether or not the title remains "on order" for the next few weeks.
We've heard of Buy's problems with cancelling orders. We've seen instances where customers have ordered a DVD, only to cancel it when it hasn't arrived after weeks. And then the mysteriously missing DVD shows up 5 days later. And the irate customer is stuck with two copies of the DVD with an extra copy to sell on eBay.
On August 24, I ordered the Evil Dead 2 LE. The title hit the streets on August 29. About a week after my title had not arrived, with its vague "On Order" status and several unreturned e-mails, I called Buy and spoke to a customer service representative who promised me that Evil Dead 2 would ship in 2-4 weeks.
I was patient, even when a friend of mine had received the Evil Dead 2 LE before me who had ordered the title days after the release date. It became something of a joke between us. But I was still furious at one of my favorite cult movies not arriving in my hands after four weeks.
So I called Buy this morning. I spoke to a customer service rep and cancelled the order. I demanded to speak to a supervisor to understand the process of how DVDs were shipped so that I could gauge any potential future purchases with Buy. I was told that preorders are accounted for about a month in advance and that DVDs are shipped out on a "first come, first serve" basis.
If that was the case, I replied, why then did my friend receive the Evil Dead 2 LE before me? In order to ensure the DVD in my hands, I would have to go to a reliable etailer like DVD Express and pay $35 to receive the damned DVD ($27.99 + shipping cost for 5 DVDs!). Or I could go to the store and get it immediately for $40. I had preordered the title so that I could save money and obtain a favorite film at a cheaper price.
Why had I been given an absolute promise that the DVD would be shipped within 2-4 weeks?
She was mystified and she told me that Buy could never accurately predict when titles would be in stock, even after they had accounted for the overflow.
The supervisor (or "customer relations manager") proceeded to offer me $10 off my next order. However, I told the supervisor that after this preorder experience, I questioned whether or not it would do me any good, given that a preorder essentially meant nothing unless it was purchased a month in advance and that they had reneged on their previous 2-4 week promise. Time had been wasted and more money would be spent to get the Evil Dead 2 LE DVD in my hands.
She offered to call the warehouse. Lackidaisical at this point, I remained on hold.
Mysteriously, Evil Dead 2 LE had "shipped out yesterday." This fact was never mentioned to me during the 20 minutes that I was on the phone and I had never received a confirming e-mail. This was again blamed on a delay in the system.
Note again that I had already cancelled the order and that I was simply talking with this supervisor to determine if Buy was a reliable etailer for future purchases.
I found it interesting that Evil Dead 2 LE "shipped yesterday" after I had cancelled my order and gone to the trouble of asking about Buy's shipping practices.
I suspect that Buy is sitting on a "secret stash" of specific title DVDs for customers who actually go to the trouble of cancelling. They figure that most people will never bother to call. And Buy will be able to get away with the same spotty service for those preorders that remain unaccounted for.
If anyone is still waiting for the Evil Dead 2 LE from Buy, I'd be interested to hear whether or not the title remains "on order" for the next few weeks.
09-20-00, 03:10 PM
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Mr. Big-
The difference with Buy and others is their virtual model. They use various warehouses around the country to fulfil their product. This creates the lag time in info between buy and the distibutor warehouses, b/c no only are they fulfilling Buy's orders, but also those of the Best Buys and Amazons who hold inventory. That is why at times they don't know that it shipped until they call the warehouse. If you happen to live by a warehouse, you tend to get yours sooner than others.
However, in the E D 2 case, I also think that manufacturer supply was a problem, much like many of the DVD releases this month.
Hope that helps.
The difference with Buy and others is their virtual model. They use various warehouses around the country to fulfil their product. This creates the lag time in info between buy and the distibutor warehouses, b/c no only are they fulfilling Buy's orders, but also those of the Best Buys and Amazons who hold inventory. That is why at times they don't know that it shipped until they call the warehouse. If you happen to live by a warehouse, you tend to get yours sooner than others.
However, in the E D 2 case, I also think that manufacturer supply was a problem, much like many of the DVD releases this month.
Hope that helps.
09-20-00, 04:03 PM
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quote:<HR>Originally posted by elnutsacko:
Mr. Big-
They use various warehouses around the country to fulfil their product. This creates the lag time in info between buy and the distibutor warehouses, b/c not only are they fulfilling Buy's orders, but also those of the Best Buys and Amazons who hold inventory. That is why at times they don't know that it shipped until they call the warehouse. <HR>
This makes a lot of sense to me, since I'm always receiving things well before I receive a shipment notification. It also explains why it is nearly impossible to cancel an order unless the item is way out there on pre-order status.
In substance, Buy carries no inventory, so they have no inventory control and little control over shipping . That's the price we pay to get low prices. Most of the time it works for me, but I have sadly learned to forget about cancelling orders...unless they are weeks into the future.
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Do you see what a can of worms this portal is? I don't think I can go on living my life as I have lived it.
