More and more I find myself giving up on online stores I try to order from. I go to to their website only to find they demand all my contact info – name, address, email, phone number, etc. – before they even give access to the site!
A moment ago I saw an item I wanted was on sale from a major website, plus it SEEMED as though there was an extra 25% to be saved using a coupon code. I wanted to see the final price including shipping (IF shipping was extra) and tax (IF there was any tax). The checkout required my full shipping and billing addresses and credit card information BEFORE it would let me confirm a price! (It seems all they should need is my zip code to calculate and shipping and tax.) I decided it wasn’t worth going through all that just to check a price. So I gave up, and they lost a potential sale.
Meanwhile, Staples online apparently has no friggin’ clue what they’re doing. Two weeks ago, I tried to order a specific appliance through their website. It listed both versions of the item as in stock available for delivery within two business days. I ordered it.
Two business days later, a gal from Staples called to say the item was out of stock; she offered me a white version of the item, which I passed on. She said to check the website “in a week” for availability and re-order, as she was cancelling this order.
A week later, I saw the item was available and ordered it. Two business days later – you guessed it! – the SAME GAL called to tell me it was out of stock. She again offered me the same white version, which I again turned down. Instead, I told her I’d accept the other similar version from their website, giving her the product number. She informed me it, too, was out of stock. I told her I’m looking RIGHT NOW at your website, which is confirming both items as IN stock.
Her advice was to go back to the website next week to check availability. I told her, “I did that, exactly as you advised me too. And I re-ordered. Why are we having this same exact information again?” She couldn’t give me any further info. I hung up.
Hours later: Staples sent to me an email noting that because I’d looked at those two items, I should ORDER NOW! to buy those in-stock items!
No wonder I have a headache….
