"Missing items in an order" Topic

I have had several missing items in recent orders from folks that I like, trust and have done business with for years. My dilemma is that I am sure that scammers will try to get free product by claiming that items are missing.

How big of an issue is this for you folks that do business by mail?

Typically I just send a replacement. It may not have been my fault that whatever it was ended up missing, it may have been lost in unpacking or whatever. Either way it costs a lot more to have an unhappy customer than whatever it was that was missing.

You must report them. It is possible your trusted source has hired untrustworthy help, and they need to know this.

Actually 'untrustworthy' is too strong, perhaps they have hired help with a limited attention to details.

Jlundberg

Companies do make mistakes and some items do wind up missing. How you deal with the company on the issue will be a big factor in how they respond.

Plus, most business can figure out whether want went missing was is actual or not.

I always appreciate knowing, I hav emade plenty of mistakes in my time. For me the bottom line is to try to keep folks happy. Let em know

Duane

They certainly can't fix it if they don't know

Jlundberg,
contact your retailer, and let them know.
Items sometimes get left out. Your retailer wants you happy, and we in the industry generally have nice, trustworthy customers
Nancy

I always contact the retailer immediately! Why wouldn't you if the stuff is really missing?

I did contact the retailers, but want to avoid being a gadfly. In one case I have been waiting since the first weekend of March.

I make mistakes. It's hard to believe, but true. I put wrong figures in orders, I forget about figures, I put in miscast figures without noticing.

If I know about it I can correct it and possibly keep a good customer who is happy to feel s/he has a good supplier. If I don't, I can't correct it.

On the other hand, if you contacted a retailer in March and haven't had a response, it suggests a possible problem. If you haven't had a reply, did your email get through? If you did get get a reply, what was it? was it a reasonable response?

I make mistakes. It's hard to believe, but true. I put wrong figures in orders, I forget about figures, I put in miscast figures without noticing

Heh, heh, heh… we had a whole batch of 18th century 'hover limbers' going out for a while – forgot the wheels! Still get them occasionally if the phone rings in the middle or some other such distraction.

Jon you should always contact the retailer every one is human and make mistakes and most appreciate knowing when they have made a mistake. Those caribous walked through so I herded them to you.

Bob

Friend of mine ran a boardgame business years ago (before commonplace e-mail). He got a letter from a customer saying he had bought a boxed game and it was missing the rules.

Fine, stuff happens, make it right -- sent him the rules.

Next, a letter from the same guy saying it was missing the counters. OK, off go the counters.

Finally, a letter saying it was missing the map. OK, serious QC problem here. Letter asking where and when the product was purchased so he can track down what went wrong.

Reply: Package with prviously sent rules and counters, and contrite letter of apology.

We've had customers receive 2 left hand tracks, so sent them a complete tank with 2 right hand tracks… now in theory this gives them a free tank, but you'd be surprised (or not) that some wargamers seem to remain confused by receiving another 'incorrect' tank and need it explained to them.

I've also had queries from people who say they have 2 left hand tracks, on models where the tracks are not handed and can be fitted to either side. "Turn the track around" normally elicits a pause and an apology :-D

'Stuff happens'. We are all human, but if you don't let us know that a mistake has occured, we cannot correct it! So please, by all means, do let us know.