topic Re: The good & the bad of online shopping in Community Chat

The good & the bad of online shopping

Vivian — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 16:19:20 GMT

Last summer, my husband and I and two close friends spent a week in Québec City. Among many souvenirs, I bought three lovely prints of the city. Recently, I decided to order frames so that I could place my Québec memories around the house. This morning, Sunday, my husband found a package in a snowdrift at the bottom of our driveway. The package of our frames was soaked. I feared that our frames were ruined. Fortunately, however, the frame company, located in Derby, CT, had wrapped the package so securely that no harm was done. I was angry that the post office was so careless but so grateful that the frame company was so careful. Does anyone else have some good, or bad, stories about their online orders?

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

conlt — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 16:22:30 GMT

Several years ago, I caught the post person throwing my packages into the middle of my yard. Throwing them hard. I have a 4 foot fence in front but UPS and other postal people just place the packages at the gate. This lady was throwing them like a baseball.

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

GCR18 — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 16:37:05 GMT

My USPS lady leaves the packages on the very edge of the front porch, no matter the weather. For some reason she won't put the package closer to the door where it won't get wet.

Last year, I was home recovering from cancer. Everyday I'd see this cardboard box in the backyard. I assumed it was my neighbors recycling that blew over. I couldn't go and pick it up. I sent my friend to pick it up. It turned out to be a Christmas gift my neighbor ordered. Luckily I sent my friend out there or it would have sat there until spring.

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

GCR18 — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 16:38:35 GMT

By the way, that is great news that the frames weren't damaged.

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

Lorelei1123 — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 16:43:22 GMT

Our mail carrier has a bad habit of propping packages up against the storm door. So, when I try to open the door to grab them, the package(s) go flying. If it's a big box, sometimes it's hard to get the door open. Sheesh!!!

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

Moonchilde — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 18:51:59 GMT

Whatever is too large to fit in the mailbox by the road, our mail carrier (rural) will walk down the driveway to the house and leave on the benches outside the garage. The trip back to the vehicle is uphill, too - as is the road. We do give the carrier a Christmas gift. We are lucky in that we rarely seem to have a substitute who deviates from this service. Have never had a package stolen either.

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

itiswhatitis — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 04:39:16 GMT

@Vivian Florimond wrote:
Last summer, my husband and I and two close friends spent a week in Québec City. Among many souvenirs, I bought three lovely prints of the city. Recently, I decided to order frames so that I could place my Québec memories around the house. This morning, Sunday, my husband found a package in a snowdrift at the bottom of our driveway. The package of our frames was soaked. I feared that our frames were ruined. Fortunately, however, the frame company, located in Derby, CT, had wrapped the package so securely that no harm was done. I was angry that the post office was so careless but so grateful that the frame company was so careful. Does anyone else have some good, or bad, stories about their online orders?

@Vivian, I see you are speaking to the delivery and handling aspect and not the actual merchandise you purchase. Honestly, what you described could happen to anything when it comes to USPS. I get the wrong mail ALL THE TIME. Some days, I think they don't bother bringing the mail and when they do, it overflows the box. With the shipping and handling aspect of online shopping, I do get a few issues here and there but they are not enough to make me want to not shop online. The benefit to me outweighs the minimal amount of foolishness the delivery folks bring me.

One time I ordered a new desk for my Office from Hayneedle. Of course it came in pieces and was heavy as all get out. The UPS Driver told me they had delivered it and I called them and told them they did no such thing as I was right there waiting on it. When I called, come to find out they'd delivered it to my neighbor. I could not have gone to retrieve it because of its weight. Guy got mad at me because I asked him to get it and bring it to its rightful owner. I've received packages that don't belong to me and I have to call UPS and tell them to come and get it. That has happened at least three times since I live where I do now (over twenty years).

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

Mominohio — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 04:54:40 GMT

My complaints aren't usually with the delivery services but more with the companies I purchase from.

Not a big fan of Amazon. Once I ordered a couple of things way before Christmas (like over a month) and they were forever arriving. When they did, one was the wrong color. My repeated attempts to get it corrected were ignored until after the holiday and I had given the gift (because I had no alternative to give the person). Luckily the recipient was ok with the color, but the slow service and response was horrible.

Another Christmas season, right before Christmas, I ordered a number of Christmas movie DVD's. I never expected to receive them before Christmas, but by mid January, when I checked on them, they said delivered to somewhere in Kansas. I contacted Amazon, and they insisted that I had them shipped there. I don't even know any one in Kansas. It took repeated calls and 4 months to get a refund on that purchase.

One reason I keep shopping Q is because at least when they mess up my orders (and it happens at least once a year where they pull the wrong size/color/item and ship it, then by the time I receive it I can no longer get the correct item because it is out of stock), they are very swift and thorough about issuing a refund. I've never had to fight them about a return, or wait for corrections to be made.

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

chiclet — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 12:09:04 GMT

I love ordering online but hate return process. It just seems like an ordeal. Then you have to make sure you get refunded on your card....

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

halfpint1 — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 17:11:26 GMT

I recently received my package from a company with a pair of shoes I did not order. So you have to call the company, to tell them and said I don't want the top you forgot to send. Now I have to wait to see if they got the package I had to wrap and send back and also wait and see if I get a refund on my credit card next month. The good thing is the mailman picks it up and I don't have to go to the post office.

Another thing I didn't expect the delay of not having the item to ship or the changes in dates when they will ship. I made the mistake of not writing down every item and company together.

I also found a cement barrel on my porch for the driver did not notice it was a north location instead of south. Another call.

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

Blahblahvampemer — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:04:19 GMT

So far this season....

USPS took 11 days to deliver a Priority Mail package from a couple of states away.

USPS took 29 hours to send a PM package out to my suburban post office from Atlanta.

I've received $300 worth of products in four orders that aren't mine or are duplicates. Getting the stuff back is a pain.

Multiple damaged or defective items.

Temp UPS drivers dropping my packages at the door when I have to sign fir everything due to a theft two years ago.

On the good side, the USPS did deliver packages earlier than expected a few times.

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

truffle — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:11:04 GMT

Online ordering is the bread and butter of those shipping companies but instead of being appreciative they just couldn't care less (except in special cases like Moonchilde) and it all boils down to 1 reason. Union protection.

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

kivah — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:15:22 GMT

I usually order on-line from major companies - so no problems. A few years ago, I needed a small alarm clock and went to 4alarmclocks.com (I think that's the name). They sent me a broken clock - couldn't set the time. I called and emailed them several times and they said that I didn't know how to set it. They kept telling me to call their other number and were playing games. I called my credit card company to dispute the charge -- and fortunately I had an email from them where the female admitted the clock was defective. I mailed the clock back with their label and then they claimed they never received it. Luckily, I made a photocopy of the label and the credit card company sided with me. I just tried to find this company on-line --- I'm sure they changed their name. When u open the site, thousands of clocks appear -- SCAMMERS.The clock I bought from them was more expensive -- $70. -- which turned out to be a piece of plastic junk.

After I returned it, I went to Walmart and bought a similar plastic clock for $9.It's still working. Since most people use their devices for alarm clocks --- it's very hard to find alarm clocks in Walmart or other stores.

As far as the deliveries go --- UPS and FedEx rarely ring the doorbell. When I'm expecting a package, I sit at my computer, which is at my front window --- and I could see out. So - I'm quicker than they are.

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

Moonchilde — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:21:10 GMT

@truffle wrote:
Online ordering is the bread and butter of those shipping companies but instead of being appreciative they just couldn't care less (except in special cases like Moonchilde) and it all boils down to 1 reason. Union protection.

"Special cases?"

Oh please. The same mail person delivers to many other households on the route and I'm sure they get the same service.

When I lived in LA the USPS service I received was execrable. On complaint/review sites my local PO was termed the worst in the entire city.

I think what sort of service you get depends on the head supervisor of each individual branch and whether or not they hold the mail carriers under them accountable for what they do or don't do. Union or no union, it depends on whether the person in ultimate charge is willing to go to the wall or not. If you have a head honcho who doesn't GA* then the carriers know they don't have to GA* either as there will be no repercussions.

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

quadmimi — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:53:29 GMT

Two words.. Laura Gellar!!! Never will i order from her website ever again!!!

No package, no call back, no email back.. No live person to answer, just voice recording.

There is not one deal, special price that will ever make me push that buy button again..

Re: The good & the bad of online shopping

BornToShop — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 23:52:25 GMT

My interpretation of the OP's initial post is different. I think the "good" of online shopping for me is the ease, convenience & speed of delivery. However, the "bad" for me is how all the online shopping is doing to the bricks & mortar stores. It saddens me that people click & send, then find the energy to leave their homes to return their dot com order for a refund at the b & m store. Sorry, I have friends who's lively hoods are employed at b & m stores.