A C.O.W. Moment
Thursday, April 07, 2011 11 Comments »
I need a sanity check. I'm having a C.O.W. moment. Nancy introduced me to the C.O.W. concept quite some time ago, and I really identified. Nothing of global importance today, but here's what's got me in a cranky-pants mood.
I order a lot of fabric on line. A lot. I have a few favorite sources, am open to ordering from etsy shops, and love giving my business to home-grown businesses. I'll admit I'm spoiled by the fast service most of those sources provide: Fatquarter Shop has my fabric in my hands 3-4 days after I've ordered it, as does Fabricworm, The Old Country Store, Canton Village Quiltworks, Z and S Fabrics, Missouri Star Quilt Co. and a whole slew of others.
I ordered a half yard of fabric on Monday from a new-to-me on line store. I needed enough of one of the CW Tribute fabrics to fix some blocks that finished too small. The fabric is hard to find, however a search let me to a very nice on-line store that had it in stock. While I was prowling around the site, I also found a book about the history, care and feeding of the iconic Singer Featherweight 221. I ordered that as well. While I was in shopping mode, I also placed an order with Missouri Star.
Today I checked on both orders. The one from MS is being delivered tomorrow; the one from the other source isn't even shipping out until tomorrow. Ugh. I was hoping to get those blocks fixed this weekend. The economy is tough. Don't you think great customer service would entice a customer to do repeat business with you, and the opposite would drive that customer away? If you want repeat business, why does it take you 5 days to get a small order out the door?
Am I off base, or is this a legit mooo? When you order quilting supplies on line, what's your expectation?
11 comments:
This is an interesting Moo and I think that you came up with the answer in paragraph two.
I used to expect delivery in 7-10 days but the shops you have cited have spoiled me with their speedy delivery, Mr. McFeely. So, while your Moo would have been unreasonable three or four years back, it makes perfect sense now and shops should sit up and take notice.
This is leading to two additional unrelated thoughts: (1) Why would a children's show have a character called McFeely? (2) Perhaps a cow block swap is in order . . . .
snoat: a sneering pig
I agree with you! These days, if it's in stock, I expect my order to be shipped by the next day (and it usually ships the day I order it!). I placed an order with a small and new-to-me on-line shop last summer and she didn't "get around" to shipping my order for 3 or 4 weeks and I got no emails telling me it would be late. I had to keep bugging her for info. Needless to say, won't be shopping there anymore. I ordered a picture frame last week at 4:30 in the afternoon - it was in my hands the next day at 2pm (regular shipping, so priority or overnight either)!! Now that's service!.
Poo happens ...
That "Abington" was me. Too complicated to explain.
Follow up: The order from Missouri Star actually came today, 4 days after I placed the order. I did get a note from the slow shipper after I complained. Seems the book I ordered was on BO. A reasonable explanation, but why not just sent a note as soon as you got my order: "sorry, but the book is on BO." You did process my payment right away, though.
Nancy: like I couldn't have guessed? If nothing else, the "snoat" gave it away.
Just my personal opinion but in this economy they should be bending over backwards to get your business, and with that comes top notch customer service. I expect them to either mail my order the same day or next day, and I expect an e-mail notification that the order is/has been processed, and an e-mail when it's shipped with tracking information....otherwise we can all take our business to those shops that do provide that kind of service.
Moo away! However from selling on eBay for many years I have found some buyers not only want their purchase the day before they ordered it, they want free shipping too. (Psychic pre-emptive teleportation?) So we need to have reasonable expectations - some online quilt shops are one person shops and same day shipping isn't always possible.
I have shopped at several shops you mention (mostly thanks to your recommendations) and have removed bookmarks for one or two others because they just didn't communicate well when my order couldn't be fulfilled on a timely basis. Their loss but they will probably never know so I think if it happens again I'll be sure to communicate back to them so they are aware their service is costing future business. And as you know, I'm not an infrequent shopper!
Bobbi
I thought it was illegal to charge the card before it's shipped? If something's BO'd, it should be listed as such so you can choose to buy it then or look elsewhere. And they should give the Amazon adventure of letting you choose to keep all purchases as one shipping, or ship separately, IMHO.
My recent grief was with a prominent online-only quilting goods company that took 10 days to credit my card. It's amazing that you can be charged in a heartbeat, but refunds are never so speedy!
I do think it's lovely to get an order in 2-4 days and not totally unreasonable in a few more, if I've been notified that the order is shipped. The UPSPS isn't always dependable and once it leaves the shop... I order from a small internet business in RI (I live in NH). If the order is sent to my house it can take over 2 weeks to arrive sometimes! However, if it's sent to the law firm I work at in Boston, I can get it the next day! I recently ordered something from a shop that charged my card immediately. Two MONTHS later I was still trying to track down the package with no response from the business. A few days after I sent an email stating I was going to file something with the Better Business Bureau I received an email asking if I received my order, that she couldn't tell if it had been sent - really? I explained I'd order the same things from somewhere else and asked for a refund. She apologized and said she had been having computer problems, but she did refund the money. Needless to say, I won't go there again (it was an embroidery site), and frankly I didn't respond because I was very annoyed! I think that charging a card and not responding about mailing out the merchandise is really very bad business. I do have to say this was probably the first time I was really disappointed with an internet site and I've been ordering off the web for several years now.
I like my orders to come yesterday. I'm with Nancy, NP; why was his name "McFeely" anyway?
I like shopping with tara at sew unique creations
she ships out the same day or the next day if you missed her pick up times with ups or usps
always happy with her service, top notch
and NO she doesn't pay me to say that.
I LIKE CUSTOMER SERVICE and I love getting fabric in the mail!
http://www.sewuniquecreations.com/
love your purple cow btw!
Kathie
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