Stock levels at komplett.

[MSIC]

Have considered posting this in the komplett specific forum, but i wanted this to have a wider audience for those interested.

I have been interested in getting an Antec P180 case (and am still considering exactly which quiet PSU to get, no more than £50, that will fit in the PSU space in the case) to replace my current 5 year old Chieftec case with built in 350W PSU. I have a number of quieter components in there (Zalman CPU fan, quiet graphics card etc) but my 3 hard drive and possibly my PSU are making quiet a racket, and i reckon it's a mixture of vibration, age perhaps, etc, so am definitely going with the P180.

I have been scouring online retailers (Dabs, aria, overclockers, scan, savastore, komplett plus some others i've only just discovered) and all of them are out of stock. Oh well, it's a popular case. I resign myself to wait.
But i'm not that patient and when i get it into my head that i want something, i start to check all these sites on a daily basis for stock.
"1 -3 days" "1 - 2 weeks" "on order" "available soon" and "pre-order now" are commonly seen on the websites.

At komplett, they actually have an expected delivery date of stock.
Last Thursday (end of Sept 05) it was a couple of days. on Monday 3rd Oct, it was due that day.
"Great" i thought, and telephoned the helpline to confirm before i ordered (after all, i dont want to place an order with one company only for another to get it in first).
"Yes sir, due in today, although its a bit overdue. We also have 10 more coming in on Wednesday even if these don't".

Do i place my order? No, lets just wait for them to BE IN stock, then i will.
I wait, monday doesnt happen, tuesday, wednesday comes and goes. The expected stock levels vary from 8 to 10 to 2.
As at today, (and i quote)..
"Not in stock. 1 pcs expected on stock 2005-10-06".
That's next Monday!

So.... I have sent the following email to komplett sales.


"I have been monitoring the Antec P180 case at your
site
http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=311800&s=sc

(as well as a number of other retailers), and have
noticed that you keep setting back the due date of
arrival.
I telephoned on Monday to be told 2 were overdue, with
another 10 or so due in Wednesday. It is now Thursday,
and you are not due any for a further week.

It could appear, to some more skeptical than I, that
you do not know when they are coming in but are
wanting customers to place orders then wait for stock
to come in.

I would advise however that you have strong words with
your suppliers as they are not doing your service
justice and consequently reflects badly upon you.

I await stock arrival with interest, and having been a
long term komplett customer i would be reticent to go
elsewhere.

Thank you for your time"


I shall post their reply....

[MSIC]

A prompt reply....

"Dear Sir,

It's a delivery estimate given to us by our suppliers. Unless they
guarantee delivery on that date, they are perfectly entitled to push it
back if they don't think they can meet it.
We don't have any solid info iother than they expectthem to be with us
today - if they are not, we will ask for a revised date and post that
on the website.
I can only suggest placing a pre-order - only one of those remain
available now (we don't bill you until it ships).
Hope this helps.

Best Regards,
Komplett"

So there you go, a fairly diplomatic reply but not helping too much.

I have thanked them for their reply, but am no closer to getting my case.