Parts department sloth

[roothorick]

We have exactly one arcade machine from a certain company, we'll call them Worldwide Simulation. Our game has a problem that might be videocard, maybe? It's one of those issues where just about anything inside the computer could be at fault, but since tests for the CPU, RAM, and hard drive checked out, we're trying videocard. So I talk to WS support and they tell me I can use this newer model of videocard if I get a software update. I do some checking around and find this newer model to be far cheaper than what was actually in the machine. Alright, so I order the new card online, and I order the new software CD from WS. I ordered the CD with two-day shipping so it would arrive on friday (I ordered the videocard a day earlier, and that website gives 3-day standard). Friday comes, no CD. I don't get in until Wednesday, upon which I call them and complain.

As it turns out, they hadn't even begun processing the order Apparently there's exactly one woman that processes credit card parts orders in the whole company, and she hasn't been around for an entire week.

In hindsight, I probably should have demanded a discount on shipping. We ordered two-day and it wound up taking longer than ground. I can understand a day due to daily turnaround, but a whole friggin WEEK?

[Sandman]

Grab your figures and see what you would have missed out on. I would have screamed for the order to be free (maybe more if the $$ lost exceeded the price of the order with shipping) since they failed to cross-train staff members for her position.

[roothorick]

Grab your figures and see what you would have missed out on. I would have screamed for the order to be free (maybe more if the $$ lost exceeded the price of the order with shipping) since they failed to cross-train staff members for her position.

That's a hard point to argue in a gameroom, because it can be easily argued that that money would have gone into another machine, ESPECIALLY if you use tokens or (in our case) a card system.

And since it's out of warranty, they legally have no obligation to us. Which really sucks, but it is what it is.

[bainsidhe]

Grab your figures and see what you would have missed out on. I would have screamed for the order to be free (maybe more if the $$ lost exceeded the price of the order with shipping) since they failed to cross-train staff members for her position.

Sorry, I don't agree with this. What if I placed an order with Best Buy and my new computer was delivered a few days late? Should I demand that my entire order be free? Because a lot of customers do make such demands and are considered sucky, stories on this website are proof of that.

I do think the OP could've asked for expedited shipping on the company's dime. Perhaps he/she could still request freight reimbursement? I have to admit, I'm shocked as hell they fessed up and gave the real reason why the order was late. It sounds just terrible...and yet....my company has done similar things. Sometimes there is a distinct lack of communication between the departments of customer service and everyone else.

[Sandman]

Sorry, I don't agree with this. What if I placed an order with Best Buy and my new computer was delivered a few days late? Should I demand that my entire order be free?

You're talking delivery... the case in the OP's issue is fulfillment of the order.

[bainsidhe]

I'd still feel the same way. Their inventory could be wrong and cause a backorder, or their computer could have a glitch and say it processed the order when it really didn't. Any number of things can go wrong from the moment someone orders something until the moment it's delivered. It's frustrating and the situation the OP mentioned sounds pretty ridiculous, but I don't feel that entitles anyone to free stuff.

[Andara Bledin]

Legally speaking, in the US for orders to be mailed to the customer, if they list any time of shipment and cannot fulfill that time (even if it's just an estimate), the customer must then be contacted and offered the option of cancellation at that time.

While stuff does happen and problems crop up, the vendor must contact the customer to apprise them of any non-standard delays at the time they become apparent. You don't just get to sit on a rush order for several days and then send it out as if nothing were wrong unless you either state up front that it will take X days for processing or you fail to make any statement at all, which gives you something like 7 calendar days, max, although I suspect that not having a notice of processing time might be an implied indication of there being no additional processing time.

I would absolutely call and argue (politely) for a reimbursement of shipping fees unless they note somewhere on the site something regarding processing time.

^-.-^