Customer service doesn't seem to be in fashion anymore

hiitdogs

Cathlete
I ordered a few items from my favorite store www.athleta.com about 2 weeks ago.
This time around I used "Standard Shipping", thinking, well, they are in CA, how long can that take?? Well, it seems like they ship from OH and standard shipping seems to mean Parcel Post, talk about snail mail.

Well, to top it all off, when I checked on the tracking today, it said it was delivered yesterday at 12 pm. Well, geeh, it's not in my mailbox. I talk to the mail man, he says, no, nothing got delivered yesterday.

Athleta's customer service rep is all snappy. "Well, Madam, that happens all the time, they scan it and may not deliver it, we have 10 business days to deliver and until this time frame is up, there is nothing I can do. I suggest you call again next week". (ahem 10 business days would be tomorrow).

I told her that she's gotta be kidding. I am not calling again, the darn thing says it's been delivered yesterday and it is not here as of 12 pm today. After a little bit of back and forth, I demanded to speak to a manager.

The manager was a little more cooperative and called the local post office and surprise, surprise no one can locate it. She said we need to wait until tomorrow, so the post office can speak to the actual mail carrier. Well, I already spoke to him, for pete's sake!

Wonder what happens tomorrow. I am really ticked off at them, I have never had any company send Parcel Post. I mean, I paid $ 10 for shipping for a pair of pants and 3 pairs of socks.
I ordered the DVDs for the Namaste Yoga series (which is probably the same weight) from Canada on Sunday and it was in my mailbox this morning (and I paid the same $ 10).

But what really bothers me, is their attitude! They are not a "cheap" vendor and not a "discount" store, so I am shelling out quite a bit of money for their items (which are good quality, no doubt), am I wrong to expect a little more, shall we say, customer support.


Does anyone have any suggestions how to handle this, if the package can't be located tomorrow?

Thanks guys!

Carola
 
I couldn't agree with you more about crappy customer service these days. It seems like everywhere in our society these days a bad attitude in en vogue.

If you have the time and are so inclined, I would follow up with a letter and address that letter to the big cheeses. If you are not sure who they are by name I would contact the library and have them check (there are reference tools that provide such information). Let them know that you would be reluctant to buy from them again based on your experience. If they are truly a reputable company they will want to resolve the situation.
 
I've ordered stuff a couple times from Title 9 Sports. Their shipping is terrible too. It is 10 days for standard delivery and you are paying an arm and a leg. Also, if you have a return, it takes about two months for it to be credited to your account. I was so mad the last time I had to send somethings back. I told them to stop sending me catalogs. Anyhow, I feel for you. Melissa
 
Yeah, same thing w/sandiegofit.com. Sometimes it takes 2 days, sometimes 2 weeks. AND I have problems w/USPS all the time. I know everyone says this but I swear ours is just the worst. They lose stuff, I can stick something in the mail to someone 2 blocks away & it takes 3 weeks to get there, I could go on & on.........

Carola, you can call back, talk to the manager, cancel the order & request either a credit or re-place the order asking they ship overnight for free. If they refuse you can file a dispute w/your credit card co. This has actually worked pretty well for me--they credited my card immediately pending further investigation.

I swear, I think customer service should be re-named. It should be called customer disservice.
 
While I don't have any suggestions either (jeez I didn't with your Body fat thread either. LOL) Perhaps a letter would make you feel better, but these days I'm not sure what good they do. I do however agree with you that there is no such thing as CS these days. I hoping (sitting with fingers crossed) that it will shift with our children. It all comes down to respect. I don't think that there is a lot of people that were taught respect in this no CS generation. So maybe now that we are victims of the out come of that, we will intern teach our children better skills and there will be the shift when they are grown. One can hope right?!?!?!
 
RE: Customer service doesn't seem to be in fashion anym...

Carola,

Did your package get delivered?

I agree, 10 bucks for shipping should get it there sooner than 10 days!

I shop online quite a bit and have noticed shipping service varies greatly - even within the same company. For example, sometimes the free shipping through Amazon has gotten here quicker than the standard shipping. Go fig. And then I wonder, how does a store like Zappo's do it? Anytime I've ordered from them, I usually save a bundle on the shoes and yet still get my order lightning-quick.

~Cathy :)
 
RE: Customer service doesn't seem to be in fashion anym...

So, is there a Marshall's or TJ Maxx near you? No shipping, deep discounts and sometimes they have very high quality - like Prana yoga wear, Nike and Reebok (always there). And it's just fun to run my fingers thru their racks and look.
 

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