Amazon fell on their rumps today!!!!!

[Ken Shoemaker]

I just received a package containing a 30 piece Bessey BTB30 bar clamp set from Amazon. I unpacked them and found that the box contained only 14 clamps. In fact, the box wasn't big enough to hold 30 clamps although it was correctly labled in every way. It was bulging with the 14 it had. They were well packed and in good shape for what was there. I called Amazon and was told they would expedite out a new set and to send the 14 clamps back. Now I'm stuck dragging this package somewhere to send it back. I offered to buy the set, at a possibly reduced price to save the return shipping and dragging around this 38lbs package. He said he couldn't find the set on the website and had no idea what it would cost and just send it back. UGHHHH!!!!
Some days you bite the bear, today the bear bit me... Darn!!!!!
All I wanted was what I paid for....:mad:
Suggestions...?????????

[Jamie Buxton]

Charge them shipping and handling!

[James Phillips]

Take this for what it is worth, but if you are sent something you did not order you are not obligated to return it or pay for it. I would talk to a supervisor and try and work out a "fair price". If that does not work I would tell them they can come pick them up at there expense.

[Robert Conner]

What I have done when Amazon (or their suppliers) messes up is contact them, they will call back ( although it may take some patience on your part since you most likely will be speaking to some very polite person in India or the Philippines) explain that you will hold onto what you received until the correct order arrives. Then have them issue a "pick up" order. Ups will come to your house. This is at No Charge to you.
This has happened to me a couple of times recently.
Robert

[Keith Strong]

When I had to return my Rousseau 2600 because it was damaged to Amazon, all I had to do was print a sticker and put the package outside my front door. UPS picked it up and shipped it for free back to Amazon.

[Don Bullock]

Robert and Keith are correct. Make Amazon have the package picked up from you at their cost.

[matt norton]

Amazon has also picked up a table saw portable base which was damaged, I just set it by the door and ups got it, new one arrived the next day. Get to customer service or a supervisor. Matt

[Doug Shepard]

Tell them you want them to issue a "Call Tag" to have it picked up. That's what UPS calls it, but FedEx probably has another term for it. Their foul up should be their inconvenience to arrange the pickup at your door.

[Phil Thien]

Take this for what it is worth, but if you are sent something you did not order you are not obligated to return it or pay for it.

I don't think that is true when honest mistakes have been made, especially when you've initiated the transaction. I think it only works when someone fraudulently ships items to you out of the blue, and then tries to collect a fee for them.

[Rick Gifford]

They have to pay for the return shipping not you. I would never pay to ship back an error by a company.

Demand what you paid for and ask them how they would like to have the other item returned at their cost. They can mail you a postage paid label, or probably choose to have you just keep it as it often costs them more to even mess with it.

My 2 cents.

[Quinn Kleerekoper]

I had a terrible experience from Amazon. I purchased a DeWalt scroll saw stand and lamp. It was a nightmare. I finally fired off an e-mail to Jeff Bezos and it was taken care of the next day. In addition, I got the entire purchase for 1/2 price. This was AFTER they matched the sale price that Grizzly had it for sale. All I can say is that if Amazon carries it I'll buy from them. The problem is at the time I made my purchase they were outsourcing customer service ( India I believe) I don't have a problem with that, however the problem arises when cs wants to keep the problem in house. I think a thoughtful e-mail to Jeff Bezos explaining the problem and how cs wants to resolve it will get a logical solution. Amazon wants to keep the customers coming back. Bezos is aware that they will make a heck of alot more money on future purchases then offending a customer over a single order.

[David Axmann]

Don't do anything yet Ken!

I ordered the same set of clamps a few months back. They come packed in two boxes. One of the boxes is longer to accomodate the longer clamps. The box you received has a Bessey label on it, correct? Amazon isn't packing these into larger boxes and you know Bessey didn't get it wrong.

I'd pull up the tracking info to double check if there is another box associated with the tracking number. My guess is that the second box (with the same tracking number) will show up tomorrow.

[Shawn Walker]

Don't do anything yet Ken!

I ordered the same set of clamps a few months back. They come packed in two boxes. One of the boxes is longer to accomodate the longer clamps. The box you received has a Bessey label on it, correct? Amazon isn't packing these into larger boxes and you know Bessey didn't get it wrong.

I'd pull up the tracking info to double check if there is another box associated with the tracking number. My guess is that the second box (with the same tracking number) will show up tomorrow.

That's what I was thinking. But if not, just go to returns on the website and print a prepaid return label.
Shawn.

[David Axmann]

More specifically I think you received box 2 of 2. Mine are still boxed up in the garage (hoping to finish my workshop by Christmas). On the end of each box is a sticker showing BTB30 box 1 of 2 or 2 of 2. My box 2 of 2 shows it contains 6 of one size, 4 of another and 4 of another = 14 clamps.

[Tim Marks]

wow, I really think that you are jumping the gun in blaming Amazon. They have one of the better systems for returning orders. Did you even check out their RETURNS website information? When I have received damaged goods, it has been incredibly easy to arrange for a return shipment; just print out a label and put the thing on your door step, and UPS will stop by and pick it up.

Click on the "RETURN AN ITEM" link at the bottom of EVERY page, and it should walk you through the process. You don't have to talk to CS in India for this one. The website will give you an option for you dropping it off or UPS picking it up.

But you might want to wait for that next box to show up instead...

-----------------------------------------------
Straight from their "Return Policy" page:
...We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.)...If you need to return an item, our online Returns Center (http://www.amazon.com/gp/css/returns/homepage.html) will guide you through the returns process and provide you with a printable return shipping label...

[Ken Shoemaker]

Gents,

I think I failed in my original post.

When I recieved the box of clamps I and realized there were some missing, I went to the packing slip where I read "This completes your order" and additionally, it stated that there was 1 of 1 sent. I then went to the Amazon site and found the order was indeed 1 of 1. I looked at all the labels on the box and in only one place it stated that there was 1 of 1 sent but the lable (from Bessy) shows the entire clamps set and description.

I then call CS asking whether or not the order is shipped in two boxes, the answer was was "I don't know, but it only shows one was sent with this order so you should have them all".

And I publicly appoligized to Amazon for my outburst. I am building a bookcase for my dughter for her first Christmas in her new house. I was really counting on this project and everything that goes into it to make this project successful so a minor thing like this is the catylist to make me crazy.

Again I appoligize to Amazon and and all you guys for that little "meltdown". I know they will make it right.

Sometimes, I suck!!!! :o

[Glenn Clabo]

Sometimes, I suck!!!! :o

Nope...you are just human. AND you are big enough to admit it...

[Ellen Benkin]

I just (yesterday) got the wrong item from a mailorder company. The routine -- pack it up and leave it by the front door and the shipping company will pick it up. Call Amazon and talk to someone higher up. I'm sure the "customer service agent" had the wrong script.

[James Mudler]

Don't do anything yet Ken!

I ordered the same set of clamps a few months back. They come packed in two boxes. One of the boxes is longer to accomodate the longer clamps. The box you received has a Bessey label on it, correct? Amazon isn't packing these into larger boxes and you know Bessey didn't get it wrong.

I'd pull up the tracking info to double check if there is another box associated with the tracking number. My guess is that the second box (with the same tracking number) will show up tomorrow.

Same here - two shipments, two weeks apart.

I give mail order houses a genuine attempt to make it right. My next step is calling the bank and within 48 hours the mail order shop makes it right.

[Lee Hingle]

Ken,
I don't think you owe anybody an apology. Your expressing the same frustrations many (including me) would. You deserve to have the item delivered to your house (or business) right THE FIRST TIME without having to ship stuff back, etc.

I'll give you guys a little example: I run a cabinet shop out of my home. I am in the middle of a rather large job. I try to order all of the things I will need as soon as I get my deposit from the customer so they will come in before I need them. I ordered 1 column from Matthew Burak (tablelegs.com) had it split in half, and some ogee bracket feet. They sent the order to an address I used 4 years ago (my former work address) even though I typed the correct shipping address in online and received an email confirmation stating the address I specified (my home). I discovered the mistake when tracking the package. They had UPS turn the package around in route and redirect it to me. I can't tell you what a headace that has been in addition to the fact that it delayed the package 9 days. Oh, and the $350 order I placed from hardware house for ball bearing drawer slides? Wrong too. They sent wrong size slides (22") for the bathroom slides I ordered (the cabinets are built and they are 21" deep). They warehouse guy had the nerve to ask me if I could still use them so he would not have to ship me the new ones. And, go ahead and ship us the wrong ones back and we'll credit your account. Yeah right, no thanks. Send a prepaid label.
Whew! Now I feel better.
Lee

[David Weaver]

I have had the same problem with amazon...twice. My rule for ordering things from them now is that they have to be shipped from a partner, or they have to be something that you can explain to someone who doesn't speak english as a first language.

When I ordered the entire grip tite system this past year, I received a box that was marked with the right tag, but the box was the size of a small box of chocolates. I got one grip tite featherboard thing (about the size of a soda can for the uninitiated), but the box said the whole kit was there.

Given that the small single featherboard was labeled with the label for the whole system, I figured that if I sent it back, I would get the wrong thing again because someone would go scan the tag and send me what matches the system information - which is the tag. Anyone with a brain would've realized that a 42-inch steel fence won't fit in an 8 inch square box.

For the life of me, I couldn't explain it to three different people from india on CS, and just let them do the deal where they'd send me another. Of course, the second time, the same thing happened. An 8x8 inch box with one featherboard in it, marked saying that it contained 2 of them and a 42 inch steel fence.

So I called them again, and they paid to have it sent back (of course - i"m not paying for that) and said they didn't know whether or not there was a problem, but that I was barred from trying to get the right thing after sending a product back twice (as in, their policy takes the position that I'm wasting their time). Not a big deal, I guess - except for the two weeks that I wanted to use the whole grip-tite system for a project (which was a big deal to me). After they finally credited my account for the second one when I sent it back, I clipped a Rockler 25% off coupon out of a flyer and drove 2 miles down the road to Rockler and got the correct item.

No more of that. Their CS policies might be good, but the actual communication with the agents isn't good enough to get anything done if you're talking about something they don't have familiarity with (and people in india don't have familiarity with grip tites - even when looking at the picture).

Getting my table saw from them was an unneeded adventure, too - nobody knew where it was when only the fence showed up.

I'd say I've probably gotten 20 things from Amazon, and getting them wrong 10% of the time isn't acceptable.

[Tim Marks]

I'd say I've probably gotten 20 things from Amazon, and getting them wrong 10% of the time isn't acceptable.

Well, my family has placed 57! orders with them this year, which is pretty typical for the past 5 years. Given, most of those are books. I pretty much outfitted an entire shop from them, and in all this time I have only had TWO problems (where UPS dropped heavy machinery). In both cases (DW735 and Jet ceiling air filter), there was a replacement sitting on my doorstep 2 days later.

Amazon rocks in my experience. The two problems that I had were not their fault, yet they used overnight shipping to send replacements (it was near Christmas). That makes my experience with them 0% failures in probably 600 orders. Maybe you should try them again.

[Don Bullock]

I haven't had any problems with Amazon yet.:rolleyes: They did, however, ship my SCMS loose in the box. I was amazed at how poorly it was packed. Fortunately it was accurate right out of the box. For once the USPS did a good job with the shipping of a large item even though they made me pick it up at the Post Office rather than delivering it to my house.

[Justin Bukoski]

In the future if you have to have something sent back like that, just tell them to send you a shipping label and to schedule a pickup at your house. It should be no more inconvenient to you than putting it back in the box.

[Ken Shoemaker]

Finally, this mess has come to an end after a 2 hour call to Customer Service (off shore). It's such a long painful story, i won't bore you with it but trust me, my original post it far more accurate than I could now imagine.

At the end of the day, I got what I paid for after a week.:mad:

[Stan Smith]

I,too, have outfitted most of my shop from Amazon. Since outsourcing, I think that packing quality has gone downhill. I've had a few damaged shipments over the years and that damage was caused by UPS. I do recall making a return once and they offered the pickup tag to me. I don't like having to get some things from vendors separate from Amazon. I wasn't paying attention recently and ordered an item where the shipping is in excess of the item's cost--and it's a very small item. Offshore CS is a fact of life for all of us now. I, too, long for the good ol' days but those times are long gone.