Because i was so fed up with 2 day shipping issues, namely that stuff would get lost, come several weeks later etc, i cancelled my next renewal. Thankfully though, they had extended my Prime membership for another 6 months due to numerous issues i had, so it's all good I guess.
And even though they say that 2 day shipping doesn't take into account if it's in stock or when it ships, some of the time frames they give are just ridiculous. Case in point: this thread.
To be fair, was it sold out when you bought it and they said they would ship once it came in? I've done that before and it's not fair to hold them to the 2-day shipping in those cases because you were notified ahead of time.
@sammydog01 I still think it was a sold out issue. If you lookup that product now it's sold out and says even if it is in stock that they ship 1 to 4 months later. Very clearly stated upfront.
@cengland0 It was such not a big deal that I don't remember exactly, but it was one of two things. It was either not sold out and I got an email afterward that it was, or it had an in stock estimate that was still before Christmas. At the time anyway other sellers had it but not with prime and I thought that if it was only a week or so delay, no big deal. It didn't ruin Christmas or anything.
The one to four month shipping notice has been placed there since my order, likely when they had trouble getting more stock. The thing I'm laughing most about is the ridiculously large restock window, though.
To be clear, I'm definitely not bitching that I didn't get it by December 10. When it initially went down, I was made aware that I wasn't getting it in two days. I understand that they have to have it in stock, and the manufacturer may have misled them or had an issue that caused another problem.
I am kind of bitching, though, that I was led to believe I'd have it sometime in 2015, and that when I get an update about it, it gives an estimate that basically ranges from winter to summer. It might as well say "we think you'll get it this year."
Not that most people need it, because Amazon CS serves to please, but apparently if people email complaints to Jeff, he'll forward it to the appropriate person.
@luvche21 A trumpet and stack of accessories was a gift for my girlfriend, who has decided that a new musical instrument every year is our Christmas tradition. She did learn the hell out of last year's ukulele, but the trumpet is not as quickly rewarding and seems to have a steeper learning curve. She's working on it, though.
I did buy myself a mouthpiece to try and learn some myself, because I think it's neat. I also bought myself a ukulele a few months after Christmas last year (a pretty kickass Les Paul uke at that), but haven't learned nearly as much on it as she did hers. I don't put the time in that she does, though.
@djslack That's a phenomenal tradition! I hope you guys keep it up!
My wife got me a violin our first Christmas. I haven't kept up with that as much as i should.
We're both musicians though, so we play about 20 instruments between us.
Trumpet definitely has a steeper learning curve. I'd definitely recommend taking a few lessons to learn some basic technique and good habits right of. And if you're really good, maybe one of you could take a handful of lessons then teach the other what they learned.
I took a trumpet class a few years back and even found myself practicing a few fingerings the other day...
@RedOak having worked for Amazon, "Customer Obsession" is a core Leadership Principle. You can be sure that Amazon has calculated your value as a customer PLUS the value of the agent's time PLUS the cost to return ship and process and determined it to be less expensive to write the item off and not inconvenience you.
@givemeyoursoul I don't know the trajectory of Amex's business before & during Costco well enough but can only imagine it is a huge bubble.
Especially judging by the Amex deals we're being offered - latest one is something like a $300 statement credit for $X purchases and 3/2/1% cashback, the 3 being for groceries.
Add to that SAMs now accepts Amex and there's a (really small) kicker for registering a non-Costco Business Amex at SAMs.
A another credit card company transfer (that failed spectacularly at least for us as customers) - LL Bean's dumping of MNBA (BoA) for Barclay. While MBNA might have been nothing special, Barclay customer service was amateur hour for us. Really, really bad. We went from really regular buying at Bean to never. (Although as with their credit card partner, their product quality went in the tank... can you say 'Lands End'?)
Interestingly, BoA simply issued a new non-Bean account without even asking us. Since that 'new' card offers little it sits in the drawer pretty much unused.
BTW, we're not looking forward to the new Costco partner, Citi. Have not had wonderful experience with them.
And will Costco match/beat SAMs' MasterCard with its 5/3/1 gas/restaurant & travel/all cashback program?
Side note about that SAMs MC (Synchronicity Bank)... amateur hour statements an website. Really bad. It is amazing that companies don't spend a bit more energy on the touch points all their customers hit.
I recently had Amazon Customer service over a package that had been "delivered" but wasn't, I'm guessing someone not so honest received it and never bothered to return it (right before Christmas so I guess I can understand UPS's mistake) Anyway I call CS to get a replacement and while it was smooth it did not leave a good impression, I don't know why I was left on hold so long but it seemed forever and I know she had already ordered the replacement, I could see it in my order history. On top of that she was pretty rude in how she asked me to leave her a review, Instead of "and in the email I just sent you'll see an option to leave feedback" or similar it was something like "say my name good email I sent, say name good" I swear I'm only slightly exaggerating. Let's just say "NOT good" and leave it at that. Grrrrr
@RedOak I feel like Amazon deals enough with reviews to know that no news is generally good news. It seems more likely that they had gotten a number of negative reviews and were hoping a few good ones might save their butts. Granted this is based purley on speculation.
@Foxborn Ever work in a call center? I trained people for it and the calls they get can wear them down. One guy wanted his LA Times paperboy to "place the paper, vertically, at a 45 degree angle against the door so it falls inside when I open it."
Being nice to them and recognizing them as a human goes a long way.
Their math is rather interesting. 30 reviews. That's 3.33% per review. Somehow the 4-star review got rounded up, while the 1-star review got rounded down. (different product, just to illustrate a point)
Ideally, they would have rounded up the 5-star review, if they really required the numbers to add up to 100% with rounding, as it is a smaller total error. But they rounded the 4-star, as if it was an emphatic 4-star vs. a middlin' 1-star.
So Amazon redeemed themselves, even after providing that ludicrous timeframe. Yesterday I received a trumpet stand, and all is right with the world of my own personal ecommerce.
That 2 day shipping is coming in handy.
@sammydog01
Because i was so fed up with 2 day shipping issues, namely that stuff would get lost, come several weeks later etc, i cancelled my next renewal.
Thankfully though, they had extended my Prime membership for another 6 months due to numerous issues i had, so it's all good I guess.
And even though they say that 2 day shipping doesn't take into account if it's in stock or when it ships, some of the time frames they give are just ridiculous.
Case in point: this thread.
To be fair, was it sold out when you bought it and they said they would ship once it came in? I've done that before and it's not fair to hold them to the 2-day shipping in those cases because you were notified ahead of time.
@cengland0 It's the 2 plus month range that I think is entertaining.
@sammydog01 I still think it was a sold out issue. If you lookup that product now it's sold out and says even if it is in stock that they ship 1 to 4 months later. Very clearly stated upfront.
@cengland0 It was such not a big deal that I don't remember exactly, but it was one of two things. It was either not sold out and I got an email afterward that it was, or it had an in stock estimate that was still before Christmas. At the time anyway other sellers had it but not with prime and I thought that if it was only a week or so delay, no big deal. It didn't ruin Christmas or anything.
The one to four month shipping notice has been placed there since my order, likely when they had trouble getting more stock. The thing I'm laughing most about is the ridiculously large restock window, though.
To be clear, I'm definitely not bitching that I didn't get it by December 10. When it initially went down, I was made aware that I wasn't getting it in two days. I understand that they have to have it in stock, and the manufacturer may have misled them or had an issue that caused another problem.
I am kind of bitching, though, that I was led to believe I'd have it sometime in 2015, and that when I get an update about it, it gives an estimate that basically ranges from winter to summer. It might as well say "we think you'll get it this year."
I know I'm in the minority here, but I've never been a fan of Amazon, or Prime or any of that crap.
@somf69 high5
I wanna know why it is listed as "Guaranteed Delivery" before you submit the order, then changes to "Estimated Delivery" once you have paid. :)
@thismyusername
I blame you for all the times that has happened to me.
@FroodyFrog
@thismyusername @djslack
Not that most people need it, because Amazon CS serves to please, but apparently if people email complaints to Jeff, he'll forward it to the appropriate person.
@thismyusername because they'll refund every cent you paid for shipping.
@thismyusername Watch it there, mister.
@djslack so, do you play the trumpet? Or was it a gift for someone else? And if it's you, what do you play?
@luvche21 A trumpet and stack of accessories was a gift for my girlfriend, who has decided that a new musical instrument every year is our Christmas tradition. She did learn the hell out of last year's ukulele, but the trumpet is not as quickly rewarding and seems to have a steeper learning curve. She's working on it, though.
I did buy myself a mouthpiece to try and learn some myself, because I think it's neat. I also bought myself a ukulele a few months after Christmas last year (a pretty kickass Les Paul uke at that), but haven't learned nearly as much on it as she did hers. I don't put the time in that she does, though.
@djslack I absolutely love that.
@djslack That's a phenomenal tradition! I hope you guys keep it up!
My wife got me a violin our first Christmas. I haven't kept up with that as much as i should.
We're both musicians though, so we play about 20 instruments between us.
Trumpet definitely has a steeper learning curve. I'd definitely recommend taking a few lessons to learn some basic technique and good habits right of. And if you're really good, maybe one of you could take a handful of lessons then teach the other what they learned.
I took a trumpet class a few years back and even found myself practicing a few fingerings the other day...
Good luck!
@luvche21 That's a good suggestion, thanks. I will look for someone that gives them around here and check it out.
BTW she wanted a violin and a trumpet this year, I said slow down lol. So I think violin may be next year.
@djslack violin is even harder to pick up - just be prepared to sound really bad at the beginning. Like really really bad.
@djslack What a great tradition!
Got the full purchase price + $4 refunded for them missing the delivery date - for a very nice USB battery pack.
Since it was for a gift they said keep it or donate it when it arrives.
The note was so effusively apologetic I was a bit embarrassed for complaining.
Not enough to reject the resolution tho. ;-)
They must be cracking the whip in those Amazon Customer Support centers. Happy customers or else...
@RedOak having worked for Amazon, "Customer Obsession" is a core Leadership Principle. You can be sure that Amazon has calculated your value as a customer PLUS the value of the agent's time PLUS the cost to return ship and process and determined it to be less expensive to write the item off and not inconvenience you.
http://www.amazon.jobs/principles
@RedOak Too bad that CS philosophy wasn't extended to one of their subsidiaries. More than once I've referred to Woot's CS as customer DISservice.
Nowhere near the issues that TeeFury had this season. They still haven't delivered all the orders from November.
@ooglek yes, that core principle has been evident with every CS interaction we've had with Amazon.
Too a fault. Witness the their apparently permanent profitless (relatively speaking) track record. Perhaps they also believe size matters above profit
Jet sure hasn't figured out the secret sauce. Will they survive another 12 months?
The only two other companies where we've witnessed flawless customer service: Discover (since 1989 for us) and Amex (since 2000).
As a result, our patronage with Amex might survive their Costco exit.
@RedOak I've had nothing but amazing customer service experiences with them, so you may be right.
@RedOak I'm not sure amex will survive their Costco exit
@givemeyoursoul I don't know the trajectory of Amex's business before & during Costco well enough but can only imagine it is a huge bubble.
Especially judging by the Amex deals we're being offered - latest one is something like a $300 statement credit for $X purchases and 3/2/1% cashback, the 3 being for groceries.
Add to that SAMs now accepts Amex and there's a (really small) kicker for registering a non-Costco Business Amex at SAMs.
A another credit card company transfer (that failed spectacularly at least for us as customers) - LL Bean's dumping of MNBA (BoA) for Barclay. While MBNA might have been nothing special, Barclay customer service was amateur hour for us. Really, really bad. We went from really regular buying at Bean to never. (Although as with their credit card partner, their product quality went in the tank... can you say 'Lands End'?)
Interestingly, BoA simply issued a new non-Bean account without even asking us. Since that 'new' card offers little it sits in the drawer pretty much unused.
BTW, we're not looking forward to the new Costco partner, Citi. Have not had wonderful experience with them.
And will Costco match/beat SAMs' MasterCard with its 5/3/1 gas/restaurant & travel/all cashback program?
Side note about that SAMs MC (Synchronicity Bank)... amateur hour statements an website. Really bad. It is amazing that companies don't spend a bit more energy on the touch points all their customers hit.
I recently had Amazon Customer service over a package that had been "delivered" but wasn't, I'm guessing someone not so honest received it and never bothered to return it (right before Christmas so I guess I can understand UPS's mistake) Anyway I call CS to get a replacement and while it was smooth it did not leave a good impression, I don't know why I was left on hold so long but it seemed forever and I know she had already ordered the replacement, I could see it in my order history. On top of that she was pretty rude in how she asked me to leave her a review, Instead of "and in the email I just sent you'll see an option to leave feedback" or similar it was something like "say my name good email I sent, say name good" I swear I'm only slightly exaggerating. Let's just say "NOT good" and leave it at that. Grrrrr
@Foxborn I had a similar taste with my last interaction - that the agent(s) would be punished without positive feedback.
@Foxborn maybe she was serenading you?
@RedOak I feel like Amazon deals enough with reviews to know that no news is generally good news. It seems more likely that they had gotten a number of negative reviews and were hoping a few good ones might save their butts. Granted this is based purley on speculation.
@Foxborn Ever work in a call center? I trained people for it and the calls they get can wear them down. One guy wanted his LA Times paperboy to "place the paper, vertically, at a 45 degree angle against the door so it falls inside when I open it."
Being nice to them and recognizing them as a human goes a long way.
Their math is rather interesting.
30 reviews. That's 3.33% per review. Somehow the 4-star review got rounded up, while the 1-star review got rounded down.
(different product, just to illustrate a point)
Ideally, they would have rounded up the 5-star review, if they really required the numbers to add up to 100% with rounding, as it is a smaller total error. But they rounded the 4-star, as if it was an emphatic 4-star vs. a middlin' 1-star.
@PocketBrain Maybe they handle the rounding errors by rounding the more helpful reviews up and the unhelpful ones down?
So Amazon redeemed themselves, even after providing that ludicrous timeframe. Yesterday I received a trumpet stand, and all is right with the world of my own personal ecommerce.
@djslack
Woohoo!