Hi all,

I just wanted to share my ongoing experience with this online "merchant" and maybe save someone else the problems I have.

On 28 Dec 06, I ordered some black Weathertech floor liners for the front of my F150 Scab on their website. I paid by credit card and the charges went through on 29 Dec 06. On 9 Jan 07, I received a package containing tan floor mats for the back of an F250 Scab. Since that was clearly not what I ordered I refused delivery. Fed Ex picked up the item on 10 Jan and returned it. Rather than ship me what I ordered, the "business" told me it would take up to 30 days to process my refund. I waited and received no refund. Long story short, the customer service dept always apologizes profusely but never refunds my money.

In researching customer reviews of this "business" online I found my situation is apparently a common problem. Shipment "mistakes" are apparently common and refunds are not forthcoming. Although the "business" advertises a wide selection at pretty good prices I recommend you check out their online reviews if you are considering an order from them.

Can you tell I'm angry about the situation?

 

I had a similar experience with autoanything.com. I think they may all be part of the same crappy drop-ship parent company.

I ordered the Corsa si/so w/hydroformed tip and they sent me the one with the dual 4" tips. No biggie, I can let that slide. Since they don't have an email confirmation when you order, I accidentally ordered the exhaust twice. 5 minutes later I realized my mistake and called their CS number. They have a farmed out call center and a different ESL person answers every time. They told me they could not cancel the order, since it said "processing" in their system. After calling them every day for a week, I finally got them to cancel the second order and they said it would take 4-6 weeks to refund my money. This is before the product actually shipped. It only took them 5 seconds to withdraw the money from my account. I finally called my bank and had them dispute the second charge.

If you are a drop-ship style company, here's a few tips for you.

1) Always have an email confirmation for people who order from you.
2) Never charge a persons' card until you actually ship the product. (this should actually be a law)
3) Always send a tracking number, once the product has shipped.
4) Never farm out your customer service to people who can't speak comprehensible english and don't know what your shipping policies are or how to cancel orders.

Sorry for the rant, but maybe the poor CS is why they can always seem to beat other prices.

 

#1, #3, and #4....I agree 100%

But #2...That's a tough one.

[sliding out my soap box]

Many of these online retailers who drop ship are small, they don't stock much product (or any product at all), and when they get an order on their website they order the product from the manufacturer or sometimes a distributor. The problem (aside from not stocking any inventory) arises when many of these manufacturers/distributors are not very organized themselves. Order confirmations are not always instant, info can be spotty, and sometimes they don't know that the product they have ordered for you is backordered. Just like you (the retail customer) are calling and dealing with customer service, they are doing the same with their manufacturer or distributor. They may not find out for a bit. Also, considering that credit card problems are abundant, if they didn't charge the card when they placed the order with their supplier, they run the risk of the card not going through when they try to run it later...and product has already shipped from supplier. That's a problem. I have seen guys take a beating on stuff like this. Decline rates on credit cards used online are high, so if their shopping cart is not automated to do so, many times the first thing a merchant will do is run the card to make sure the money is good...if it's declined, they haven't wasted any time beyond that.

To me, there are fundamental problems with the way the internet has changed the marketplace. Quite frankly, it has been made TOO EASY by manufacturers and distributors for any Tom, ****, or Harry who knows how to build a website to open up shop. Often times, these merchants who are small and stock no inventory can offer lower prices than should be realistically offered, because they have no overhead, no inventory cost, maybe they have little invested in technology, don't train their phone people (if they even have them), or are operating out of their basement. SO, you end up with folks who order from their website strictly because of the price, then get upset with lackluster service. Meanwhile, the larger sites that have warehouses, inventory, trained phone people, and tons of overhead are having to price match these little guys. Their margins start going down, they start cutting back on training and investments in their people, and it drags the whole system down. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of small websites out there that do a fine job and offer good service...but they are the exception, not the rule.

You have to have a fair amount of money to go open up a real life brick and mortar retail store somewhere, stock a showroom, and sell products. You can do it online for next to nothing, and that's a problem sometimes.

My advice to anyone shopping online is to find a respected retailer that is in the mainstream, has been around for awhile, and offers good customer service. Stick with that retailer, understand that they may not always have the bargain basement price, and quit beating them up for it!!! You get what you pay for, so just because you find a crazy price at JoeBlow'sWebsite.com doesn't mean that you're better off. It kills me when I see folks that are all about price price price price price come back crying the blues after they order from some off the wall site (or eBay, lord help them) and get a screwed up product, charges on their card that they can't get back, and problems galore. Meanwhile, that big merchant who lost the sale because they were $2 higher had the product in stock and would more times than not have it on your doorstep in 3 days without a flaw. I'd rather pay a couple bucks more and get what I want.

Shew, that was a long post. Sorry.

[kicking soapbox out of the way]