StewMac dropping the ball... AGAIN

[AirCap]

Anyone else having trouble with StewMac getting orders correct? Last Friday I ordered close to $300 worth of tools and supplies. The box showed up Monday. However, it was short a tool - and some of the supplies were broken. No problem, called on Tuesday - they said they'd take care of it for free. Package shows up today, and guess what? Still short the tool, and the supplies were broken AGAIN. Also, one of the items in the first order was their truss rod repair tool kit, and I just noticed they sent me the wrong size! Now I have to call again on Monday. WTH, PEOPLE?

Are the new owners hiring drunks and addicts to be pickers in the warehouse?

 

[BigSteve22]

Seems to be the status of retail in the digital age. Customer service agents read off teleprompters, apologize for the error, and then dutifully repeat it because that's what the screen tells them to do. Warehouse people fill orders by part number, never looking to see that the description says "wrench", and they're putting a screwdriver in the box. Everything is "get it done fast, and move on to the next order". Quick service is what we have come to expect, poor service is what we have come to accept.  :sad:

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Quick service is what we have come to expect, poor service is what we have come to accept.  :sad:

Well said.

 

[BigSteve22]

And while I'm in the mood to rant, when the hell did "Shipped" come to mean "We printed out a label, threw it on the pile, and it'll get picked up someday"? Placed an order with Brownell's last Thursday, got an email saying it was "Shipped" on Friday, UPS didn't actually get it until Monday at 1800. I'd much rather they were honest and said it was waiting for pick up, instead BS-ing to make their service appear faster....

 

[mayfly]

I'm becoming much less tolerant of people who set off my BS meter.  Just recently fired the guy fixing the boiler because he kept changing his story as to what was wrong. 

BTW - StuMac has new owners??  When did that happen?

 

[Rick]

Problem at least where I am is we are at full employment.  It's slim Pickens when it comes to good candidates on all levels from secretaries to lawyers to contrators to phone center. 

Also who owns Stu Mac?

 

[stratamania]

I have not had any problems with them at all. And they send stuff to me across an ocean.

 

[ByteFrenzy]

And while I'm in the mood to rant, when the hell did "Shipped" come to mean "We printed out a label, threw it on the pile, and it'll get picked up someday"? Placed an order with Brownell's last Thursday, got an email saying it was "Shipped" on Friday, UPS didn't actually get it until Monday at 1800. I'd much rather they were honest and said it was waiting for pick up, instead BS-ing to make their service appear faster....

I don't know when it happened, but it's pretty much universal. The worst ones have a day or two between their email and the tracking actually showing up on the carrier's site, and then another day or two before the tracking tells you that the carrier has actually picked it up. They could at least change the email to not say that the shipment has been handed over to their shipment partner. But then, virtually it has been...

 

[ByteFrenzy]

Problem at least where I am is we are at full employment.  It's slim Pickens when it comes to good candidates on all levels from secretaries to lawyers to contrators to phone center. 

Even with lots of candidates, levels are going down dramatically. There is a tendency nowadays that 'good enough' is just fine and you don't have to strive for excellence. It goes from language skills across customer mindedness to purely technical skills.

 

[mayfly]

Fortunately we now have next gen guitars here in Ottawa who are picking up the ball quite nicely...

 

[spe111]

I don't know if this is the reason, but it's pretty hard to hire and retain warehouse people these days.

 

[AirCap]

First thing this morning I got an email from StewMac with an apology and a promise to send the correct stuff this morning. I still might call just to vent.

I understand a mistake from time to time, but 3 mistakes on the same order? This usually means a serious problem. I hope they take care of it at the source.

 

[aarontunes]

And while I'm in the mood to rant, when the hell did "Shipped" come to mean "We printed out a label, threw it on the pile, and it'll get picked up someday"? Placed an order with Brownell's last Thursday, got an email saying it was "Shipped" on Friday, UPS didn't actually get it until Monday at 1800. I'd much rather they were honest and said it was waiting for pick up, instead BS-ing to make their service appear faster....

Here, here!


When I initially bought Amazon prime it was "free two-day shipping", which at that time meant exactly what you thought it meant. Over the last few years it's morphed into "well...actually....two day shipping means Amazon processes it for shipping and submits it to the carrier within two days, but the time it takes to get to your house depends on the carrier, among other factors."  :icon_scratch:

 

[aarontunes]

I have ordered about LOT of stuff from StewMac in the last couple months. Thousands of dollars worth of stuff. It's been mostly a good experience, but I they did ship me some gold screws when I ordered black. Also had to return some knobs that were defective. Both mistakes were corrected on the first try, but still a small hassle to deal with. In their favor, they did accept some items for return that I changed my mind on well past the return window.


So....mixed bag for me, but mostly fine.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

When I initially bought Amazon prime it was "free two-day shipping", which at that time meant exactly what you thought it meant. Over the last few years it's morphed into "well...actually....two day shipping means Amazon processes it for shipping and submits it to the carrier within two days, but the time it takes to get to your house depends on the carrier, among other factors."  :icon_scratch:

I have also seen the opposite of that on Amazon, where you do indeed get 2-Day shipping when your product finally ships, but it doesn’t actually ship for about 2 months :tard:

 

[BigSteve22]

AND, while we're venting on Amazon, anyone else notice they now have "Prime" listings which don't even have 2 day shipping? Offerings say: "Prime FREE Delivery, FREE Delivery in 3-5 business days." As I recall, most items do have free shipping, as long as you're willing to wait 3-5 business days! The whole reason for "Prime", for me anyway, is to be able to get ordered items delivered faster. And let's be perfectly honest: $119 plus tax, per year, is a reduced rate you get for paying up-front, which ain't exactly what I'd call "Free".

And another thing that burns my toast, is incorrect listings that Amazon knows about, but does nothing to fix. I recently ordered some small, needle tipped, plastic oiler bottles. Listing says .7 oz bottles, with 1.5" needled tips, and caps. Pictures show exactly what the offering describes. Order arrived, and they're 1.7 oz bottles with .5" tips, and no caps. Went back over recent reviews, and found that this has been a known problem for over a year! Reviewers have notified Amazon many times, and the wrong description remains on line, waiting for the next unsuspecting buyer. I usually read reviews before ordering, looking for problems such as this, but did not do so this time. I guess I figured: How could they screw up a little plastic squeeze bottle?......

 

[swarfrat]

Speaking of amazon shipping.. Free non-prime shipping used to mean in a day or two. Now they sit on it a week or more to make prime more attractive

 

[Rick]

Maybe I haven't bought enough stuff but stew mac always good to me.  :icon_scratch:

 

[stratamania]

There are far more serious things going on in the world than the speed of delivery or a mistake being made.

Enough venting and ranting, please.

 

[AirCap]

There are far more serious things going on in the world than the speed of delivery or a mistake being made.
Enough venting and ranting, please.

Excuse me? Maybe when it's YOUR money you'll change your tune. I have clients and work waiting, and don't have time for StewMac to get their shit together.