Friday, May 29, 2020

Customer Service?

It is a known fact that, in general, customer service is one of the best in USA. If you want to return a purchase even after using that for a month, no question will be asked. You can cancel an order at anytime you want. Even if they have shipped it, they will take it back.

But, of course, there are exceptions. I recently came across one.

I was looking for a steal wok ring.


The price at Walmart was $7.99 with free shipping charges. I looked at a store named Webstaurant. The price was $5.29. It was my mistake I did not check the shipping charges. I ordered the item at 11 pm a few days ago. Within 2 minutes of my sending the order I checked the order confirmation and it said the shiping charges are $18.53. I was shocked. Could not believe shipping charges of $18.53 on a $5.29 item.

I immediately called the company. Since it was almost midnight, no one was working. Therefore, I wrote an email canceling my order.

I received an email the next morning at 7 am informing me the order has been shipped. I could not believe it. They have a huge announcement that most of their employees are working from home due to Covid-19. Was wondering who went to their office before 7 am and shipped my purchase immediately on a priority basis.

I wrote them an email regarding that. They replied that since the order has been shipped, I have to pay the return postage charges. In addition, I have to pay 30% restocking fees.

I immediately called my credit card company and disputed the charges. Credit card companies are very customer friendly. They said they will make a stop payment on that.

I checked with Federal Express thru whom the company sent my item. They said I can refuse to accept that item and they will return it to the sender. Supposed to be delivered on June 1. Will wait and see.

I then checked with that Company’s customer reviews. Many of them have similar complaints. Exorbitant shipping charges. When called them, they were told the order has been shipped.

Lesson learned: If an item is very cheap, check the shipping charges. Read the customer reviews before ordering anything from a vendor.

11 comments:

  1. Haa something similar happened to me as well... you did the right thing calling CC company and also when they do deliver you can refuse shipment...I like that there are alternatives to returning items here in US... where as in India you cant return in most places, even if you could it will be only for exchange....

    Latest I learnt here in US that earlier we could return grocery items in indian store or exchange if there was a problem.... now after Covid they are operating a strict No Returns

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    1. Thanks for your comments Dee. Usually, returning an item back to the vendor is pretty easy in USA. Some people take advantage of that. They buy a shirt or dress, use it for a day or two, and then return it.

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  2. How can a business, where repeat sales is critical, operate like this?

    I am reminded of an incident a few years ago at an organic shop. I gave feedback that aloe-vera juice from a certain vendor was not good. He asked me to return it. I said I have opened it and have already drunk some juice from it. He said it's OK, we'll ask the company to take it back - it's their fault after all!

    I didn't return it, but I became a regular customer to that shop :)

    Destination Infinity

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    1. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. That juicewalaa knows how to turn a one-time customer into a regular customer.

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  3. A good lesson to be learnt.One should not be guided by the price tag alone but see beforehand the other conditions usually in small print.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Mr. KP. Yes, lesson learned.

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  4. Ya, many people take advantage of such generosity. Sad.
    Having so much of shipping charge is quite unbelievable.
    You are right, if a product is cheap, one needs to be skeptical.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Pradeep. We learn new lessons every day.

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  5. Some people use so many means of attracting people, who may not be aware of the secrets behind the attractive tracks. True,after a thorough study only one should take steps, may they be for whatever..

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    1. Thanks for your comments Sarala. First time shame on him. Second time shame on me.

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  6. I prefer buying from shops but my son prefers online shopping. He always looks at the reviews before ordering. How will they be able to do business if they charge such a huge amount as shipping charges?

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