Flashman14 | 24 May 2016 2:34 p.m. PST |
I placed an order from a highly reputable and popular UK vendor. The vendors site says it was "Delivered" some days ago, yet I haven't received it. (There's no link to track said package that I can see.) If enquiries as to available options go unanswered what is the appropriate response? Do most wargames vendors trust the customer? Or is one SOL? It was expensive enough that I can't afford to reorder it at this time which is really aggravating. Discuss. |
BrigadeGames | 24 May 2016 2:40 p.m. PST |
They should be able to provide a tracking number. |
Bunkermeister | 24 May 2016 2:49 p.m. PST |
Check your family members and neighbors. Sometimes the package is delivered and a helpful person takes it for safekeeping and forgets to give it to you for a day or two or three. Contact the carrier and explain you don't have it. Sometimes they take it back to the station if you are not home, but it gets marked delivered anyway. Contact the vendor and explain what you have done and ask them how they intend to proceed. Most will contact the shipper and try and work something out with you. With billions of pieces of mail a few get lost, but most make it okay. If the vendor does not take care of you, then tell all here on TMP. If the vendor does a good job, then praise them here on TMP. Mike Bunkermeister Creek Bunker Talk blog |
Flashman14 | 24 May 2016 2:51 p.m. PST |
Family and neighbors have not seen it. Checked that specifically. |
DisasterWargamer | 24 May 2016 2:59 p.m. PST |
Question – how do they know it was delivered if they don't have some sort of tracking number? They should be able to give you that and the shipper – so you can trace from your end. |
Extra Crispy | 24 May 2016 3:22 p.m. PST |
My guess is it was shipped, not delivered. osCommerce has as ti's default "status" options for orders Pending, Processing, Updated and Delivered. If the vendor is unaware how to change it to "Shipped" by getting under the hood, they probably stick with "Delivered." Give it a few days… |
hocklermp5 | 24 May 2016 3:32 p.m. PST |
I had a recent experience with a package that said "Delivered" when I tracked its status but it was actually delivered the following day. So, like "Extra Crispy" says, give it a day or two but definitely follow up with the UK vendor. |
Flashman14 | 24 May 2016 4:18 p.m. PST |
I saw the "Delivered" thing a week ago today. Took me a couple days to check with the neighbors and sent off my first inquiry this morning. But, you'll love this, when I returned home this evening, there it was on my porch. Whew! Does anyone use the word "delivered" to denote payment was delivered? Via PayPal? It's still a good question – how do/should vendors treat lost packages? Tracking must be a default tool for most I would think. Yet with some occasion I hear or read about thieves scooping up unattended packages. I know margins are thin but how many replacement shipments should a company ship out? Zero? One? Two? |
Extra Crispy | 24 May 2016 4:25 p.m. PST |
I print postage from my PC and get free tracking on every parcel. In 10+ years in the business I have had exactly one package go missing. I've had a few take some long detours, but not missing. Like I said, some off the shelf shopping cart software use the term "delivered" for "shipped." |
jdpintex | 24 May 2016 4:35 p.m. PST |
Everything we get notified as "delivered" always show up the next day. I assume Amazon notifies us of the intent not actual delivery |
BrotherSevej | 24 May 2016 6:38 p.m. PST |
Once I bought something from France, and in the mail service (Colissimo?) tracking it said it was delivered. I got it about a week later. |
advocate | 24 May 2016 11:24 p.m. PST |
You have to get in touch with the seller. Phone is best. |
Doms Decals | 25 May 2016 1:50 a.m. PST |
It's still a good question – how do/should vendors treat lost packages?
I'll always refund or re-send. Indeed, for European customers that's a requirement (EU distance selling rules make it explicit that if something goes missing in the post it's the seller's problem) but I'd really consider it basic good business anyway. Tracking must be a default tool for most I would think.
I wish. For us Brits tracked mail is about £5.00 GBP more than regular post – you can guess how many people would be lining up to pay that on every order…. On large orders I do send tracked, but most just go in the postbox. I know margins are thin but how many replacement shipments should a company ship out? Zero? One? Two?
One absolutely. I suspect if the replacement also went AWOL I'd be as likely to refund and block as send yet another, but it depends on the circumstances – do I know the customer, do I have any idea what's gone wrong, is there an alternate address I can send to, etc – it becomes a case of "given that two have gone missing, is there any reason to suppose a third will actually arrive, or am I just throwing good money after bad"…? Dom. |
GildasFacit | 25 May 2016 2:06 a.m. PST |
I'm with Dom on this issue. Shipping a heavy and low cost item (magnetic bases) makes tracking unaffordable but the risk is small within the UK and not much greater outside it. When something does go missing I ask the customer to wait a few extra days – that usually sorts the problem, delays happen – then refund or replace, whichever the customer wants. It is a matter of good practice rather than feeling forced to do it by the law. It happens so rarely the cost to the business is minimal. Tony of TTT tinytintroops.co.uk |
Zargon | 25 May 2016 7:27 a.m. PST |
Don't ever ever EVER use myHermes delivery, lots of talk no action. |
GarrisonMiniatures | 25 May 2016 8:41 a.m. PST |
Eventually, as far as I know, every Garrison order to the UK and US was actually delivered (eventually – one took a few years, long story) Europe a different matter. On that basis, cost effective and good customer relations to be prepared to send replacements anyway – but when I did, they went needing at the least a signature. |
BelgianRay | 25 May 2016 11:47 a.m. PST |
Had the same problem with an order to Fireforge. Got in contact with them and they said that for them everyting went ok, but did not hesitate one bit to send a new shipment without any fuss. They even mailed me a fortnight later to inquire if I had received the second shipment. Great service. |