Yesterday I ordered six DVDs under the 3 for $25 deal. I used my first time $5 discount and a free shipping code -- this would have fulfilled my account. The order had "to be assigned" on the status and asteriks for the charges.

Tonight I log in and the order is gone - I only see my enrollment package. Anyone had this done before? I'm wondering since it's the weekend if the system is updating and it "drops off" until it gets an order #? If it's truly canceled I still have my confirmation e-mail with my order and I could plead with the CSR...

Don't try reordering it, this will cause major problems! As a general rule never order from CH on the weekends.

I second that from experience. What the web site shows before Monday morning can be confusing when making changes/ordering over the weekend. Give it some time to catch up before taking action or you go down a long and torturous double-order/return-for-credit/didn't get the discount applied/many follow up phone calls path. In fact on another thread in this forum you can read about just such a horror story. It typically all ends up working out eventually, but you don't want to go there.

Ok thanks guys, will give it some time.

I thought I was the only one who noticed the extreme weirdness on CH's site on the weekends. Do they turn over their entire site to trained monkeys on Friday at 5:00?

No, no, no. The trained monkeys are done on Friday at 5:00 - that's when the untrained monkeys take over for the weekend.

I've had the To Be Assigned on orders before and they eventually went through. I've ordered stuff off the site on the weekends with no problems.

Weekend weirdness is well known and has been much discussed in years past, though not recently. Best to not order on weekends, as others have said. I tend to just take this for granted; it is good that the subject has been brought up again.

Well ordered last Saturday and still says to be assigned. I have to have a clear browser with no cache/cookies and I can see my order ok. If I logout and log back in, I can't see it. That site is very goofy.

To be assigned hanging on for too long might mean they are out of stock on a title and waiting to ship the bunch. They also were probably inundated with these type of orders when they dropped free shipping on top of it as well. Ususally pending means it is shipping. By the time my orders show up as completed I usually have them in hand.

For comparison, I ordered 9 to fulfill an account on Friday and I think it showed to be assigned until I check Monday am. Then it jumped to pending for a day, and completed yesterday if I recall correctly.

I guess with CH this can't be said enough: Be patient. Don't confuse what you see on the web with what may actually be happening with your order.

Update:

I'm looking at them in front of me now.

Only odd thing is that "Bend it Like Beckham" shipped separately, but coincidentally it was the only $19.95 selection I included in the 9 @ 3 or $25. Suppose it wouldn't be CH wihtout something strange.

Oh, just noticed that 8 amaray single cases seems to be the limit for their standard box size. That's likely it. So instead the odd thing will have to be that "Shawshank Redemption" which was released 3 days before this order was placed and ordered by me several weeks ago is still not here.

Thanks for the info, Bill. I'm thinking they may be backlogged or something on some of the titles I selected.

As you mentioned, I've also had it where it says "not yet shipped" yet they are here in my hands heh.

The order actually updated today. But it says 'Mail' instead of 'Web' order. It was suppose to be $45 for 6 DVDs, 2 fulfilling my commitment.

The order states a bill of $77.64 with a balance on account of $33.88. Called CH and the CSR said yes the balance is $33.88, pay that and it will release the other DVDs pending. I asked if the $33 was for the entire order and he said yes. Kinda leary about that, but I'll take $33 over the $45 it was initially.

OK, this officially goes beyond the be patient part, and something weird happened to your order. I advise keep an eye on it, and just as you did phone in for any questions. They always see more than you can at their end and can tell you all the charges placed on your account. Then you can do the math and see if it's ultimately right.

What a damn mess!

Called back and got another CSR. She gave me credit for what my total should be. But I have to call back when I get my invoice to get credit on the S&H since they are pending and she couldn't adjust until they ship or something. So my difference should be the $12 instead of $40. Now I just have to wait for the DVDs to ship so the credits affix properly.

Yep, give it until next week, call back on Monday, and see how it has sorted out. By then most if not all of your order should have at least gone out shipping and be in transit and finalized at their end, allowing them to see just what charges are applied along with what credits.

Well, I received all my DVDs today - in two boxes.

The one shipment I initially had to pay for has a note saying:

Since we must limit the amount of outstanding charges, the items below are being held until your balance has been paid.

I've never gotten that before and that's why my order was so screwed. But my balance was $0.00 and I always paid my balance in a day or two anyway. I even ordered the Hitchcock collection with "Bill Me" and had no problems. I guess it's best to pay up front to avoid these kinda hassles.

My other invoice lists the appropriate credits and I just have to call back tomorrow when the website updates to get my final shipping credit back (order says not yet shipped yet here it sits beside me).

Now my final task is to convince the CSR that I fulfilled my requirements though due to the mix-up it still says 1 to go...

(Mostly) Good news.