Tired of the Run Around
03-05-01, 10:56 PM
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Why is it that when there are problems with an order, it always takes multiple efforts to get any satisfaction?
For example, I ordered four DVDs from Express.com a few months ago. I paid extra for Overnight FedEx Shipping. DVDs did reach me the next day. I call Express.com, they give me a "we'll check into it and get back to you", and that's that. Needless to say, they never got back to me at all. I ended up having to call seven times to get them to refund the shipping (which should've been automatic. The DVDs were not delivered overnight, therefore, the overnight shipping should not be charged) and another several times (and three or four emails) before they refunded the money for my order.
It should be that I call once and the problem should be solved. I shouldn't have to fight with them for over a week trying to get either my DVDs or my money back. Had they handled the situation better, maybe they would've gotten some of my future business. Instead, they make the list of companies I never even think about ordering from.
Now I'm dealing with DVDPlanet. I had ordered from them once before, and it couldn't have gone better. This time, they sat on my order for eight days before deciding to ship it (despite it being listed as "in stock" the entire time). Package doesn't arrive. I call on Friday, they assure me that the DVDs will be there either Friday or Saturday. If they don't show up by Monday, he says, call them back and they'll take care of it. Friday and Saturday pass, no DVDs. Monday passes, still no DVDs.
As per the instructions, I call back. I'm now told that I have to wait until at least Wednesday before they'll think about doing anything. The guy also implied that they were going to charge me for a replacement order (Geez, considering that they waited eight days to even ship the original order, I don't think I want a replacement. If I want to wait forever to get the things, I'll just put them on my list and never order) if one needed to be shipped out (I'm hoping I just misunderstood him on that point). They didn't answer any of my emails (not even after a 2-3 day wait like it says may be required on their website).
Again, in the best case scenario, I will have had to make three telephone calls (and I've sent several emails) just to get them to do anything. It's as if a problem isn't officially a problem until you've had to call them several times. Considering the length of time I've already waited, I would think that a refund is already overdue (if the DVDs were coming, they'd have been here by now). I shouldn't have to call back in a few days to get that taken care of, especially after I've already called twice (and especially after they already told me that they'd take care of it on Monday).
I understand that problems can arise in any e-tailing operation. It's how these problems are handled that differentiate good customer service from bad customer service. Giving customers the run-around and fighting them on every detail (not to mention waiting eight days to ship an in-stock order) is not the way to handle these things.
Whatever money they think they've saved by putting me off for several more days before issuing a refund or whatever is more than offset by the future orders that they won't be getting from me. If they'd have handled this situation correctly, I would have had no problem ordering from them again. Since they've decided to give me the run-around and lie to me, they've forgone any future business I would've done with their company.
For example, I ordered four DVDs from Express.com a few months ago. I paid extra for Overnight FedEx Shipping. DVDs did reach me the next day. I call Express.com, they give me a "we'll check into it and get back to you", and that's that. Needless to say, they never got back to me at all. I ended up having to call seven times to get them to refund the shipping (which should've been automatic. The DVDs were not delivered overnight, therefore, the overnight shipping should not be charged) and another several times (and three or four emails) before they refunded the money for my order.
It should be that I call once and the problem should be solved. I shouldn't have to fight with them for over a week trying to get either my DVDs or my money back. Had they handled the situation better, maybe they would've gotten some of my future business. Instead, they make the list of companies I never even think about ordering from.
Now I'm dealing with DVDPlanet. I had ordered from them once before, and it couldn't have gone better. This time, they sat on my order for eight days before deciding to ship it (despite it being listed as "in stock" the entire time). Package doesn't arrive. I call on Friday, they assure me that the DVDs will be there either Friday or Saturday. If they don't show up by Monday, he says, call them back and they'll take care of it. Friday and Saturday pass, no DVDs. Monday passes, still no DVDs.
As per the instructions, I call back. I'm now told that I have to wait until at least Wednesday before they'll think about doing anything. The guy also implied that they were going to charge me for a replacement order (Geez, considering that they waited eight days to even ship the original order, I don't think I want a replacement. If I want to wait forever to get the things, I'll just put them on my list and never order) if one needed to be shipped out (I'm hoping I just misunderstood him on that point). They didn't answer any of my emails (not even after a 2-3 day wait like it says may be required on their website).
Again, in the best case scenario, I will have had to make three telephone calls (and I've sent several emails) just to get them to do anything. It's as if a problem isn't officially a problem until you've had to call them several times. Considering the length of time I've already waited, I would think that a refund is already overdue (if the DVDs were coming, they'd have been here by now). I shouldn't have to call back in a few days to get that taken care of, especially after I've already called twice (and especially after they already told me that they'd take care of it on Monday).
I understand that problems can arise in any e-tailing operation. It's how these problems are handled that differentiate good customer service from bad customer service. Giving customers the run-around and fighting them on every detail (not to mention waiting eight days to ship an in-stock order) is not the way to handle these things.
Whatever money they think they've saved by putting me off for several more days before issuing a refund or whatever is more than offset by the future orders that they won't be getting from me. If they'd have handled this situation correctly, I would have had no problem ordering from them again. Since they've decided to give me the run-around and lie to me, they've forgone any future business I would've done with their company.
03-06-01, 06:53 AM
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I have had a similar problem with fivestardvd. They wont replace 2 defective discs I ordered from them. They wont return emails and gave me the runaround for a month. I will never do business with them again. There are too many other "reliable" sites out there.
03-06-01, 08:51 AM
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G'bye TWEC.com
I've ordered maybe 100 DVDs online, if not more, and have tried many an e-tailer, and unfortunately my worst experience has proved to be with Twec.com, even though earlier orders from them went okay. To condense the tale greatly, what happened was that I ordered two titles last December with promotional free overnight shipping. One arrived that way immediately--the other was out of stock. When the second title was sent later on, I got charged $9.99 overnight! I won't go into the E-mails that flew back and forth on this--what finally got to me was that a $6 credit they begrudgingly offered me was subsequently backpedaled when I asked how I could apply to an subsequent order. After another e-mail rant from me they simply didn't answer anymore. So, scratch that place.
03-06-01, 03:52 PM
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Originally posted by MrBEAViS
Did you order from Express.com after 5:00PM? Was it during the weekend? If so, it would take two or three days.
Did you order from Express.com after 5:00PM? Was it during the weekend? If so, it would take two or three days.
They eventually refunded all my money, but it took nearly a month and many phone calls and emails to get it done.
It's the DVDPlanet.com folks that I'm still dealing with. The Express.com one was a few months ago.
03-06-01, 06:10 PM
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DVeeD,
If you paid by credit card and saved your screen prints, the CC company should be able to help you get your money back that was mistakenly charged (and without authorization too).
If you paid by credit card and saved your screen prints, the CC company should be able to help you get your money back that was mistakenly charged (and without authorization too).
03-07-01, 03:04 PM
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You know, I'm wondering if DVDPlanet sat on my order for eight days so they could charge me their new shipping rates, I noticed that the new shipping rates went into effect on Feb, 28 (the day they say they shipped even though the order was placed on Feb 19th) and that I was charged the new shipping rates according to my order history on the website (even though my confirmation on the order on Feb 19th said the old shipping rates were still in effect).
If they didn't do it on purpose, it's an amazing coincidence.
If they didn't do it on purpose, it's an amazing coincidence.
