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Thursday 11 August 2005

E-tailer incompetence [Muz]

Hello readers. Having just completed some 'cleaning' (read: getting rid of assorted tat that serves no purpose whatsoever), we found ourselves in the position of having a fairly large wall free in a position that seemed to lend itself to the installation of some sort of large televisual device.
A bit of Googling followed, and after a conversation with resident clan blingmeister [EED]Kaveman, a Sharp Aquos LC37GA5E from EmpireDirect was ordered. As a bonus, the thing was on sale. The very helpful Empire sales monkey on the phone informed me that the logistics company would be in touch in the next 24 hours to arrange delivery.
48 hours later, with no contact from anyone, I call back Empire, and they give me the number of the logistics company to chase things up directly. After being bounced around several people and promised several callbacks, it transpires that though someone signed a manifest taking delivery of my TV from Empire, no one at the logistics company knows where it is. It's entirely possible that it's been nicked, that it's sitting in the logistics warehouse, or it never left Empire in the first place. "Sorry sir," say the logistics company, "we'll get Empire to release another order." A week later, with no-one having returned my calls, I finally get through to Empire Customer Support, who sheepishly inform me "Err, it appears we haven't reinvoiced this order yet. I can process that now for you, but I won't be able to arrange a delivery date for 24-48 hours." One cancelled order later, here I am, pouring my troubles out as a warning to all who follow.
I'm not impressed. Two weeks to dispatch a piece of kit that's currently in stock? I for one will not be using Empire again; and I'm sufficiently incensed that I'm contemplating exiting my current state of lethargy and actually writing a complaints letter. Is there a regulatory body governing phone and internet retail one can make a complaint to on the grounds of ineptitude?

9 comments:

  1. Trading Standards?

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  2. I think they'd have to fail in some way to deliver after being paid. In this case, they don't seem to be competent enough to take the money and deliver the product and that's not something that there exists government bodies to sort out. Normally the organisation that sorts out useless e-commerce outfits like this is the banks when they foreclose.

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  3. I don't think any cunt who's persuaded his dad to buy a 37' plasma needs our fucking help with anything!

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  4. I dunno, he's a fairly incompetent cunt. Any cunt worthy of proper membership of clan Electric Cunt would have persuaded his dad to get the 45 inch version....

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  5. Helpful and succinct advice, as I have come to expect from the Crosshatch.
    It did turn up, eventually. Turns out when Empire reinvoiced the order, they created a new order (with a new reference) and dispatched it using a different logistics company... and didn't tell anyone. So at random, a van from Amtrak turns up yesterday. After a quick call to ensure that we're not going to get charged twice, all is well. It looks fucking elite too. :) (Just for Slim, here's a pic)
    However, they have failed to give us any paperwork on the extended warranty we bought. Yet more phonecalls, joy...

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  6. It is a beautiful screen - not the largest, but one of the highest resolutions for the size and superb 170 degree viewing angle - amazing LCD tech. I lubs mine and it's tops with a PC attached :)

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  7. Lighting looks a bit odd - very old fashioned for a high tech screen ;)

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  8. Yeah, fair one. I told dad to get rid of them, but he was against it. It's only temporary anyway. Long term plan is to have an entertainment center against that wall, but that won't be for a little while yet.

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  9. Awww c'mon it's his parents gaff. They wouldn't be your folks if it wasn't for comedy lighting above the flat screen :)

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