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Mail order mayhem....

 
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RichS



Joined: 18 Oct 2001
Posts: 1468
Location: South of Rochester, NY

PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 6:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a story, so if you're not interested, sorry...

I was just wondering if anyone else was having 'fun' with mail order this week? I'm having loads...

It all started with an ebay purchase. I got a "working" Strobonar 770 charger for 99 cents! What a deal, even after the 6 dollar postage(!)... It arrives and I find out the internal fuse is blown... A few checks to see if the transformer is good, to find out I don't have any slo-blow fuses... Off to my favorite electronics place to dump 25 bucks into fuses & things... Well, ya can't just buy "a fuse"! So now this 99 cent charger cost me about 35 bucks...

Then... I get my order from Midwest. First off, I'm not knocking Midwest here... I had ordered some neat stuff and wanted two small blower brushes. I open the package and there is this HUGE blower bulb in the shape of a rocket ship with a bright red nose! Not what I wanted or ordered, but it became such a great joke between my wife and I that I have to keep it

Then... I get my order from KEH. I open this box and start pulling out my stuff. Seems to be an extra bundle... Check the invoice and they had sold me a Novatron flash meter... I didn't order one and they can't understand how it got in there... So it's on the way back now for the refund. KEH are good people to deal with and I never have problems with them...

For me, it's just been a fun week for mail-order with at least one good joke involved...

Anyone else having fun???


Last disclaimer: I mention the names above only because I order frequently from them and never have a problem. They are both at the top of my recommended list. It's just hillarius to me that both of them did this in the same week, and to me


[ This Message was edited by: RichS on 2005-04-21 11:39 ]
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Henry



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 1636
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My sympathies, Rich. Glad you can laugh over these misfortunes; sometimes it's about all a person *can* do!

I recently ordered a right-angle geared drive for my model 242 Dremel no. 2 Moto-tool. (This baby dates from the '60s; best tool I've ever owned.) The company makes two versions of the drive, one for "older" Dremels, the other for the rest. Guess my Dremel is toooo old---drive didn't fit, no way. Back it goes for return credit, and of course I swallow the shipping both ways. Now I'm still waiting for some phonograph needles (yep, Victrolas---another antique hobby I'm into) ordered over a month ago. No telling what's gonna turn up there.
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disemjg



Joined: 10 Jan 2002
Posts: 474
Location: Washington, DC

PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe not this week, but recently, had fun with web/mailorder on the delivery aspect.

Step one: find and buy uncommon 5X7 Speed Graphic

Step two: Arrange shipping via FEDEX ground and await delivery

Step three: check FEDEX web tracking page and see that the much desired camera will be delivered tomorrow; note with some mild interest that the routing does not seem to be following the usual path.

Step four: two hours after viewing the FEDEX web tracking info, get a call from a guy in Indiana (the package was supposed to be delivered to Washington, D.C.)who you have never heard of, but surprise he has your package, your 5X7 Speed, and it was all addressed to HIM. He does not want it (a good thing for me).

Step five: Throw fit, gnash teeth, wail, contact vendor and advise them that all is not well in River City. Over the following two weeks they have to beat FEDEX (who had aparently put their own label on the package for some reason, changing the destination) to retrieve the package and send it back to the vendor, who then sends it on to me.

Step Six: reveive beautiful camera that was well worth the wait.

Actually, considering the quantity of stuff that I get mailorder, it is surprising how uncommon this kind of event is. But when it goes wrong, it goes wrong big time. Luckily the guy at the other end was honest. It just added two weeks or so the the delivery time frame.
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tsgrimm



Joined: 04 Apr 2004
Posts: 158
Location: SE Michigan

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No problem with B&H. 4x5 scanner arrived as advertised.

Hanging up the "spikes" soon and will have time to use the bathroom for "what it was intended for."
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glennfromwy



Joined: 29 Nov 2001
Posts: 903
Location: S.W. Wyoming

PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 12:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mail order mayhem, eh? Let's see, lenses - 2 for 1. Unfortunately, one was supposed to go to someone else. One computer - supposed to go to me, 500 miles north of the point of origin. Instead, went to someone 500 miles south of point of origin, then 1,000 miles north to get to me. That took a month. I could go on but you have all probably been there at least once. None of my mishaps has ever been the fault of a major retail establishment, though.

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Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"
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RichS



Joined: 18 Oct 2001
Posts: 1468
Location: South of Rochester, NY

PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 3:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you've got a sense of humor, the mishaps can be fun.

Last year I watched the tracking of a package go round about the entire state for two days until they finally got it on the right truck

I didn't start this thread to bash anyone. Just for some humorous shipping stories, as aparrently many of us have experienced
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 5:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote



[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2005-12-24 21:39 ]
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disemjg



Joined: 10 Jan 2002
Posts: 474
Location: Washington, DC

PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 11:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a big thank you; but if I had known how nice the camera was I would have driven there myself to pick it up rather than have it moved by FEDEX again....

Turns out he was a parson, thus unlikely to be inclined to make off with the camera. Good luck, there.
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disemjg



Joined: 10 Jan 2002
Posts: 474
Location: Washington, DC

PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 11:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a big thank you; but if I had known how nice the camera was I would have driven there myself to pick it up rather than have it moved by FEDEX again....

Turns out he was a parson, thus unlikely to be inclined to make off with the camera. Good luck, there.
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