Am I wrong?

[yanks21]

Welcome to government run institutions!

Fedex isn't any better. I just placed an order on Thursday for Fedex overnight. I was sitting in my living room ALL DAY and no package. Checked the tracking to find out that it was delivered @ 11AM 8-o

Called Fedex and was told it was left on top of my white mailbox. Um, I don't have a white mailbox. Luckily the person who did receive my package, several blocks away dropped it off for me on Sat.

 

[Adrenalynn]

I feel your frustration, and I don't want to poke at an open USPS wound. I promise I'll let you have the last word in our exchange and let this go. In response to your last, however:

I wasn't able to find that link on buy.com, Amazon.com, Overstock.com, or Borders.com [or my own site]. So I'd say V4L is in, if not good company, pretty good-sized company. Also - carriers except for bad weather, "acts of god", strikes, or just because they're having a bad hair-day. In fact, FedEx has been having a LOT of said bad hair-days for us lately, come to think of it.

This is kinda like the disclaimer discussion yesterday, me-thinks.

Just an FYI for future reference, since we're on the subject of disclaimers - posting the contents of email or PM is verboten under the ECF rules that I, at least, had to agree to to register.

 

[Sgood1971]

I feel your frustration, and I don't want to poke at an open USPS wound. I promise I'll let you have the last word in our exchange and let this go. In response to your last, however:

I wasn't able to find that link on buy.com, Amazon.com, Overstock.com, or Borders.com [or my own site]. So I'd say V4L is in, if not good company, pretty good-sized company. Also - carriers except for bad weather, "acts of god", strikes, or just because they're having a bad hair-day. In fact, FedEx has been having a LOT of said bad hair-days for us lately, come to think of it.

This is kinda like the disclaimer discussion yesterday, me-thinks.

Just an FYI for future reference, since we're on the subject of disclaimers - posting the contents of email or PM is verboten under the ECF rules that I, at least, had to agree to to register.

I was not aware of

"8. Posting the content of PMs or personal emails on the forum is not allowed. All PMs and emails are deemed to be confidential and cannot be made public except with the prior written consent of the author."

I guess I should have read all the rules instead of skimming them. Reading them now.

I removed V4L's quotes and put in an approximation of what they said. I own my own quotes however and have given myself written permission to use them.

Your opinions are your own and I asked for opinions. Now I have a question.

If your business made a statement that some aspect of your service would meet a certain criteria and this did not happen due to factors either within or outside of your control, how would you handle this?

Whether or not I should have asked V4L about usps shipping became irrelevant once they chose to answer the question imho.

Let me get it straight that I am not bashing V4L, I was just asking for opinions on my plight. I happen to love their product. I have received many opinions which I thank everyone for and I will seek recourse with usps.

 

[keveck]

And the link for USPS Overnight says:

Guaranteed overnight delivery to most locations or your money back.

LOL at how vague that is.

Guaranteed!
Unless you live in an area where it's not guaranteed, then you're screwed.
Sorry.
But we're not really sorry. Keep using USPS!

 

[Adrenalynn]

If your business made a statement that some aspect of your service would meet a certain criteria and this did not happen due to factors either within or outside of your control, how would you handle this?

Oh - I readily admit that she was entirely too helpful, and fell into the trap of trying to be assuring of something she couldn't assure. I don't know how much retail experience she has - I don't permit staff to make promises like that. And I'm certain she's learned the lesson now that she should punt on 90% of questions, stick to the basics, and not be helpful when it's likely to trap her. The correct answer was: "We'll ship it today, barring some catastrophe." And if pressured on the delivery time: "USPS does their best to get it to you as fast as they can. Beyond that it's in their hands. We will get this out to you today though, Sir."

Since you asked:
Given her endorsement, and the result here, I would ask you to send the product back at our expense, refund everything, then close the account, with our apologies for your inconvenience. Then I'd have a meeting with staff to remind them that we don't make promises for things we can't physically deliver upon, and then put them back on the phones. Selection, Training, Supervision. Her manager fell-down-went-boom and needs to take the hit.

 

[Sherrick]

So, perhaps the appropriate answer from V4L would have been: "I don't know. I'll check it out and get back to you." Which is fine, except that given the time crunch they were working under trying to get your order out, by the time they had done the research it might very well have been too late to get it out to you that day, much well in the 3 hour timespan that they managed.

I think it is somewhat the customer's responsibility to know if they are in an area that often falls into a two-day exception rule. I know that for me, if I place an order with a vendor inside of 50 miles from my location, I'll get deliveries the next day regardless of how it is shipped. And I also know that outside of 50 miles, I won't get a delivery for at least 2 days no matter how it was shipped.

 

[Sgood1971]

So, perhaps the appropriate answer from V4L would have been: "I don't know. I'll check it out and get back to you." Which is fine, except that given the time crunch they were working under trying to get your order out, by the time they had done the research it might very well have been too late to get it out to you that day, much well in the 3 hour timespan that they managed.

I think it is somewhat the customer's responsibility to know if they are in an area that often falls into a two-day exception rule. I know that for me, if I place an order with a vendor inside of 50 miles from my location, I'll get deliveries the next day regardless of how it is shipped. And I also know that outside of 50 miles, I won't get a delivery for at least 2 days no matter how it was shipped.

Yea, I have learned a lesson. Fair enough and my apologies to V4L. I am sure that your loyal fan base more than proves that a not so happy V4L experience is rare indeed. I have seldom seen so many people devoted to a company so vocally and you have to earn that kind of dedication one customer at a time.

I would actually delete this thread if I could although I still think that a simple disclaimer is not asking for too much.

 

[CatMommy]

SGood, I have a question...just out of curiosity:

If you place an order with standard V4L shipping (which is priority), how long does it take for you to get it?

 

[Sgood1971]

last one took 2 days lol

 

[lonercom]

Actually, I think that this could be a very helpful thread. It may have started out as a rant... (I've had a few myself, and venting is good for the soul) but knowing Steve, Mark and the rest of the gang at V4L the end result might just be a link on the checkout page to the USPS site to check these things out. That would be a positive outcome from an upsetting experience.

And don't be too surprised to find a lill somethin xtra in your order, either. Steve and the Crew want to leave ya smilin too.

BTW: visit the about us section at V4L and you'll see that smilin isnt just a motto, it's Steve's signature. ok, actually it would be SMilin

 

[CatMommy]

last one took 2 days lol

Wow, that is a total rip-off for you then. I was hoping you'd say a normal order took 5 days to get to you.
At least then it makes it look like they're trying to get it to you faster!

I must admit...(this won't make you feel any better), when I was on vacation, I thought I would try an Express Order. The order was at my door 14 HOURS after I submitted it.
Sorry you're in an "area of exception".

 

[Stephra]

In retail I've learned the value of the phrase "as far as I can tell, but don't quote me", usually in the context of telling a customer one thing, then getting called on it later when other circumstances I didn't know about invalidated my answer.

Buying and selling involves a lot of semantics, and semantics can be the difference between a happy and unhappy customer.

That said, NEVER trust USPS to do anything right. I'm rapidly learning that "3-5 days" in USPS lingo actually means "7-10 days" for me.

Doesn't make it any less frustrating though.

 

[SR219]

Oh - I readily admit that she was entirely too helpful, and fell into the trap of trying to be assuring of something she couldn't assure. I don't know how much retail experience she has - I don't permit staff to make promises like that. And I'm certain she's learned the lesson now that she should punt on 90% of questions, stick to the basics, and not be helpful when it's likely to trap her. The correct answer was: "We'll ship it today, barring some catastrophe." And if pressured on the delivery time: "USPS does their best to get it to you as fast as they can. Beyond that it's in their hands. We will get this out to you today though, Sir."

Since you asked:
Given her endorsement, and the result here, I would ask you to send the product back at our expense, refund everything, then close the account, with our apologies for your inconvenience. Then I'd have a meeting with staff to remind them that we don't make promises for things we can't physically deliver upon, and then put them back on the phones. Selection, Training, Supervision. Her manager fell-down-went-boom and needs to take the hit.

You would close his account? You act as though the customer did something wrong. Not sure what your business is, but I hope I never become a patron.

 

[SikVapor]

You would close his account? You act as though the customer did something wrong. Not sure what your business is, but I hope I never become a patron.

I agree with this statement.

 

[Adrenalynn]

I think that says it all.

 

[martha1014]

A seller should never tell a customer that it is guaranted overnight express. It all depends on your location. In my husband's business he tells customer about USPS express shipping and will even check based on zip codes. In some of the cases when he checked the customer would receive it just as fast by using priority (some areas 2 days) which is most cases is only 4.95. Express charges depends on your locations within the USA costing anywhere from 17.95 to 24.95. Most website do not have the capability of taking your zip code and charging you that amount. Most just charge a flat 24.95 (which includes shipping and handling) Doing an express shipping causes more work on a supplier.

IMO it is the seller responsibility to inform you of USPS guaranted express shipping guidelines (not necessarily overnight) and should be held responsible. I feel you should be refunded part of your shipping (the amount you paid minus priority).

 

[Darrigaaz]

Unfortunately, most here are of the general consensus that USPS is at fault. That basically means that USPS is the company that should compensate you. Which means you are hosed in that aspect.

Fortunately though, V4L goes above & beyond to make all their customers happy (even if Adrenalynn & I don't agree with the 100% rule). I can't promise you that V4L will make it up to you, but we all have read about how Steve & the crew jump hoops to surprise us with a lil' sumtin sumtin.

I have MAD RESPECT for Mark & Valerie though... Their jobs are harder than what most of us have ever done in our entire lives.

 

[Kimmy]

This is USPS fault, I find that the reg shipping is more reliable. I usually get it in 3-4 days in PA, depending on whether or not I order during the weekend. Express usually only gets there a day faster. Just have an extra bottle of juice lying around for times when you run out! =)

 

[keyzygirl]

Its been said many many times,You cant trust the USPS!!!But Steve,I trust him.

 

[warlike36]

When they are charging TWO TIMES the cost?? NOT,I would demand a refund of at least half. Just go to cignot.com !!!!!!!!! 5 bucks and I get it in two days! And at LEAST a disclaimer.