topic Re: Free Shipping Fiasco in Suggestion Box

Free Shipping Fiasco

KewVeeSeaANDme — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 14:26:01 GMT

Here on the East Coast, around 10:30pm (maybe earlier, but this is when I noticed), we could no longer access our wish lists or add anything to our cart (from wishlist or just from searching /scrolling) and so free shipping day ended early for us. This was on the app.

What could be nice is an acknowledgement of this and an extension of it. I.e. I've had multiple other retailers send out emails "we're sorry for our technical difficulties" or "we know there were issues..." etc. and then they include a coupon code or do something like extend the shipping offer.

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

Bookplate — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 14:45:27 GMT

I had the same experience at the same time at the website.

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

Venezia — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 15:08:54 GMT

I'm on the east coast as well and that's about the time I noticed the system crashing.

I wanted to order something for a friend and happened to check around 12:40 a.m. this morning and it actually let me order with the free shipping. It was only a small window, however, as minutes later the free shipping had disappeared.

The message telling customers to phone in their orders was silly because, of course, the phonelines would be swamped. And quite frankly, I don't want to have to phone in. Just fix the system, QVC.

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

Etoile308 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 15:40:11 GMT

I also couldn't access the Wish List but I remembered several of the items. Once in my cart I too, couldn't checkout online. I tried using the app and had no problem.

I don't usually have my phone next to me, and if I hadn't, I may not have bothered with the transaction.

You would think QVC would want to make it easy for us to spend money with them.

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

millieshops — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 15:47:28 GMT

@KewVeeSeaANDme I think you're right that some companies cope differently when their systems crash because I've experienced that.

But I try not to compare QVC to companies worth 20 or more times what QVC is as are Walmart and Amazon. I don't know the multiple for Target because I neither shop there successfully or invest in them.

Sure I've shopped QVC for over 30 years and the company has changed, but so have I. I am committed to getting rid of my extra everything, not to adding more. I still have one repeat order in place, not a dozen or more as I used to. I bought my last piece of jewelery (anywhere) in 2019 and seldom wear what I already have.

I'm already years older than the oldest baby boomer. My days of dozens of new items a month are gone, but I will continue to buy from QVC for a need they can meet.

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

cjm61 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 19:22:42 GMT

I am on the West Coast and my issue started around 7ish. I had made several purchases early in the day so no biggie for me. I just figure I wasn't meant to spend more money.

What I do wonder though, if QVC's site crashes like that during Free Shipping days, does it show them there are many more people shopping and buying than during the non-FS days? Is this more profitable for them? Do they get more new customers? Just curious.

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

NYCLatinaMe — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 00:08:20 GMT

@Bookplate wrote:
I had the same experience at the same time at the website.

Me too!

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

NYCLatinaMe — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 00:12:09 GMT

@millieshops wrote:
@KewVeeSeaANDme I think you're right that some companies cope differently when their systems crash because I've experienced that.
But I try not to compare QVC to companies worth 20 or more times what QVC is as are Walmart and Amazon. I don't know the multiple for Target because I neither shop there successfully or invest in them.

Sure I've shopped QVC for over 30 years and the company has changed, but so have I. I am committed to getting rid of my extra everything, not to adding more. I still have one repeat order in place, not a dozen or more as I used to. I bought my last piece of jewelery (anywhere) in 2019 and seldom wear what I already have.

I'm already years older than the oldest baby boomer. My days of dozens of new items a month are gone, but I will continue to buy from QVC for a need they can meet.

@millieshops I don't think we are comparing Amazon to QVC. We are saying QVC can't handle the purchases of its customers, I don't think QVC was handling the same volume of sales as Amazon.

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

NYCLatinaMe — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 00:19:23 GMT

Yes @cjm61 I have mentioned this before, more sales, maybe more money. I would think many customers like me would be willing to pay a membership fee for free shipping, like Amazon does.

QVC thinks shipping should be a profit center.. I have read their financials boasting about this. Sounds insane to me.

The last free shipping day, they eliminated the sales prices on all the items I was interested in buying. I just didn't have a chance to check out the previous day, and it turned out to be free shipping the next day and the sale prices were gone. Even with free shipping the price was higher than the sale price + shipping, so I took a pass. The items are still in my saved items. Nothing that I need. Maybe they will have anothert sale.

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

kindred cats — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 02:09:36 GMT

Same, so decided not to bother ordering anything!

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

livinthelife101 — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 23:56:29 GMT

I had the same issue and just keep trying repeatedly and constantly pushing the buttons like on a vending machine and I was finally able to make my purchases from my wish list with free shipping. It wasn’t easy but I was so determined I suppose or crazy. Probably the latter lol

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

CalminHeart — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 11:16:48 GMT

Was free shipping ending at 11/12? If so, why wait until everyone is rushing to place that last minute order?

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

DJs mom — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:28:24 GMT

@CalminHeart wrote:

Was free shipping ending at 11/12? If so, why wait until everyone is rushing to place that last minute order?

Why does it matter if people waited until the last minute to purchase? The site should have been available as long as the free shipping offer was in effect. If free shipping ended at 11:59 PM EST, then it should have been available to take orders during that time. Why blame the customer? This isn't the first time we have heard of the site crashing during free ship days. It happens almost every time.

Re: Free Shipping Fiasco

stevieb — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:49:34 GMT

This time for me too it was a hot mess. I couldn't access the wishlist, my 'saved for later' items were nowhere to be found, and I couldn't add items to my shopping cart even once I found them via the always iffy search feature. Through persistence, I was able to finally add two of the items I wanted and check out. I gave up on the others that MIGHT have been added to the mix.

While I understand the thought behind the suggestion not to wait until the last minute, uh uh, that's not the point. QVC's website glitches are of long standing and are as predictable as clockwork. They ought to have been addressed by now. No, QVC is not Amazon or Walmart, but if they're going to tout themselves as a 'store' and as a major player, then they need their system to work accordingly. Customers get tired of the whole "clear your cookies, switch browsers, order earlier, try the app" mantra, when the reality is they need to improve their entire IT operation.