More Expensive Items Delivered - What's the law?

[gmarno]

Personally, I'd feel inclined to let the software company know what one of their resellers is doing too.

Trouble is there's very little proof other than my phone conversations with said company. I'll see how I get on with the company themselves, but if they ignore me I'll send a message to the manufacturer anyway.

[Unique]

if you ordered by credit card and you have sufficient credit limit, i'd reorder from another supplier and return the delivered item back under the DSR for a full credit, so you get what you want as quickly as possible, and the initial supplier loses out on a sale and incurs the additional costs of deliver and return shipping charges

the customer just wants what they want, usually at the best price and asap, and the supplier wants customers to make as much profit as possible from. the supplier has screwed up and disappointed the customer who may with to avoid doing business with them in future

in the past when i've received faulty/wrong items i've usually placed a new order rather than wait for goods to be returned, checked and replacements sent, in most cases i've ordered the replacements from the same company and let them known this so they can send the replacement the same day. obviously that's not possible in this case as the supplier doesn't have what you want

it's no wonder people pirate software if you can't even legitimately purchase software without hassle. you probably could have downloaded and had a pirate copy working in 30-60 minutes or less. if you do point out to the software company what the reseller did, it might be worth pointing this out to them

[finlay666]

if you ordered by credit card and you have sufficient credit limit, i'd reorder from another supplier and return the delivered item back under the DSR for a full credit, so you get what you want as quickly as possible, and the initial supplier loses out on a sale and incurs the additional costs of deliver and return shipping charges

Except you would be down cost of postage returning under the DSR if their T+C say you are responsible for postage back, and I wouldn't sent a product of that value by anything less than special delivery because of the insurance

[Kata]

No need to be a patronising idiot, I have worked in retail for 5 years and customer service for 18 months. You do want to keep most customers happy, however the stupid impatient ones are usually more hassle than they are worth

Would you mind telling us who you work for, so I can avoid trying to get any customer service from them?

The OP wishes to use the software he paid for, after the delivery time he also paid for. What exactly is unreasonable about this? In your company do you find it unreasonable if people expect to actually get what they paid for? It was their mistake, not his.

[gmarno]

if you ordered by credit card and you have sufficient credit limit, i'd reorder from another supplier and return the delivered item back under the DSR for a full credit, so you get what you want as quickly as possible, and the initial supplier loses out on a sale and incurs the additional costs of deliver and return shipping charges

the customer just wants what they want, usually at the best price and asap, and the supplier wants customers to make as much profit as possible from. the supplier has screwed up and disappointed the customer who may with to avoid doing business with them in future

in the past when i've received faulty/wrong items i've usually placed a new order rather than wait for goods to be returned, checked and replacements sent, in most cases i've ordered the replacements from the same company and let them known this so they can send the replacement the same day. obviously that's not possible in this case as the supplier doesn't have what you want

it's no wonder people pirate software if you can't even legitimately purchase software without hassle. you probably could have downloaded and had a pirate copy working in 30-60 minutes or less. if you do point out to the software company what the reseller did, it might be worth pointing this out to them

Thanks for the reply, and I've already bought the software elsewhere. It's just irritating that I'm going to have cover the cost of the software until a refund materialises as it was bought on a credit card (as I get points). It's more the principle of the matter than a cash flow issue.

They're picking up the software tomorrow, so it's their courier who becomes responsible for the package (in theory at least) as I didn't fancy sending a £650 package in the mail. Plus it means I'm not having to reclaim postage costs. Once I've got the refund, I'll pursue the mis-selling of educational licenses. I'd like to have the money back before I start telling them they need to review some of their sales persons selling practices.

It's safe to say at this point, I won't use this retailer again unless it's an emergency.

[finlay666]

Would you mind telling us who you work for, so I can avoid trying to get any customer service from them?

Please re-read my posts, I'm getting bored of repeating myself 3 times now.

I was offering an alternative point of view and DID work in retail

[TooNice]

If you had stopped with simply stating why the company might have taken the action it needs, I don't think that you would've been repeatedly requoted and for all I known it might have enlightened some people. However, the condescending tone you took in the first few posts (it escalated from the moment you implied that the customer could use with a slap in the face, did it not?), is what makes everyone think that you are squarely on the side of the company, and that their actions is the -only- one that makes sense. And even if you do believe that I don't think it would've been much of an issue (everyone entitled to their opinion etc.), but phrasing an view (alternative or otherwise) in an unpleasant manner, invite a similarly unpleasant response.

Anyway, I don't have anything more to add to this thread, so that'll be my last post here. Besides, the situation is pretty much over too, though I'd say that we have a 'lose-lose' situation from both the customer and company's perspective.

[Kata]

Please re-read my posts, I'm getting bored of repeating myself 3 times now.

I was offering an alternative point of view and DID work in retail

Sounds like a customer who needs a slap in the face to me.

Ah yes, the highly successful "slap in the face" school of customer service. They let you go from your CS post then, did they?

What is it with people being such rude, dishonest, narcissistic b*stards?

And then this, way out of left field. Your comments made little sense, and I called you on it, boohoo. Care to justify your random insults to the guy's totally reasonable expectations - I read all your posts twice, and really can't see anything to back up your hostility, or to suggest that the company shouldn't make a vague attempt to accomodate their error.

[Lucio]

Would you mind telling us who you work for, so I can avoid trying to get any customer service from them?

The OP wishes to use the software he paid for, after the delivery time he also paid for. What exactly is unreasonable about this? In your company do you find it unreasonable if people expect to actually get what they paid for? It was their mistake, not his.

I actually do see the point finlay666 is making, for a company it is a risk to resend goods without first ensuring the original goods will be recovered. Unless you've got a long term customer who you've gotten to know, there's always a chance that they'll feel entitled to both the misent goods and the requested goods. Normally the best way to solve this situation is to arrange a swap over as soon as possible, but I know some companies don't have these facilities and then are left with the situations offered to the OP.


It's not particularly nice, after all who likes to hear that they aren't considered trustworthy especially after being honest about the situation, but it isn't unreasonable practice for a company not to want to have their product stolen.


As for Saracen's example of a shop owner lending out their own personal product, that's just insane to expect that as the norm. It's *far* too easy to take advantage of companies who offer that level of customer support and there's too many people out there who would do it too.

[finlay666]

Ah yes, the highly successful "slap in the face" school of customer service. They let you go from your CS post then, did they?

*yawn* re-read the posts I made, you seem to be incapable along with others of doing this

And if you bothered to learn to read he whole thread before posting you would clearly see I said I DID work in retail, not currently (and for the record I left for a better position at the time in a different sector with a very good relationship with my employer and an open job offer should I wish to return)

As a subtle dig all it did was highlight your inability to read, you and badass must have gone to the same school then.... or given the ability to fully read you probably didn't actually go.

And then this, way out of left field. Your comments made little sense, and I called you on it, boohoo. Care to justify your random insults to the guy's totally reasonable expectations - I read all your posts twice, and really can't see anything to back up your hostility, or to suggest that the company shouldn't make a vague attempt to accomodate their error.

Firstly, you called me on nothing, I never said it was unreasonable, I said some companies are unable to do it however it is legal

Certainly I will justify my comments, any company that would risk low margin stock with a high value totalling over £1000 on a customer that spent about 5 times that over a number of purchases and years is in my opinion far too trusting. A customer who agreed to the conditions of sale should not whine when they receive service to that standard when it is within the law.

I'm calling you out on being illiterate as twice you have misread my posts and taken the wrong meaning from two statements of fact.

TooNice: People can't accept anyone playing devil's advocate. The level of debate on this forum is quite frankly shocking. This is the second or third time I have taken a view that is against the 'norm' of this forum and got flamed because I chose to represent a different point of view. Just look at Matty supporting SOME of the BNP policies on the election thread and what people had to say about that because they didn't agree with his point of view. The internet gives everyone a voice and apparently blinkers to other peoples opinions (or they are that stubborn to start with)

The personal view that any customer who expects a business to bend over, lube themselves up and let a customer who isn't a high priority customer needs a slap in the face is my own personal view however formed from my experiences as a customer of countless years, as well as numerous years in working for a retailer in sales, working for a retailer in returns/customer service and as a supplier of services. If I acted in a pompous, rude and self righteous manner to any member of staff I wouldn't expect to get what I wanted short of forceful removal from the premise.



Kata, you want to know why I left the position (as I left of my choice a month earlier than planned)?
I was physically assaulted by a customer who funnily enough a similar kind of treatment when they caused self inflicted damage to their television set despite being told numerous times previously beforehand how to look after their set. They were offered a replacement as it was under 30 days old however they wanted a better, more expensive model delivered brand new and to keep the old one as compensation. Some people cannot handle being told what they do not want to hear.

Try being on the receiving end of a customer from hell before you start slagging off others for their viewpoint. I was professional, courteous and polite while I did my job (not to mention very good at it from reports and acknowledgement across the region of stores both in quality and quantity of service), it is not unreasonable to expect the same in return. I doubt you or many others could deal with a real high stress job like working in customer service, it can be demoralising, demeaning and it's usually reward-less.

[Kata]

As a subtle dig all it did was highlight your inability to read, you and badass must have gone to the same school then.... or given the ability to fully read you probably didn't actually go.

I'm calling you out on being illiterate as twice you have misread my posts and taken the wrong meaning from two statements of fact.

Given the fact that so many people are "misreading" your posts, I would suggest that the problem is with you "miswriting" them, and that they don't actually say what you seem to think they do.

Try being on the receiving end of a customer from hell before you start slagging off others for their viewpoint. I was professional, courteous and polite while I did my job (not to mention very good at it from reports and acknowledgement across the region of stores both in quality and quantity of service), it is not unreasonable to expect the same in return. I doubt you or many others could deal with a real high stress job like working in customer service, it can be demoralising, demeaning and it's usually reward-less.

Yeah, it's SO hard As a student I worked in CS for the county train car parks, and as you can imagine, all the customers were really happy to have received parking tickets. But as it turns out, I treated the ones who had a legitimate complaint with respect, and they left happy; I didn't even have to slap them in the face! The idiots were politely but firmly told why they would be paying; CS is not exactly a high stress job. Your attitude, it seems, would aggravate things; going purely on the impression you have given here. Seems that my interpretation is in the majority, as I say.

But yeah, on my last project in my current career I was only responsible for a budget in the low billions (so, not one of our bigger ones), and in my time off I pilot small aircraft in and out of 'etertainingly small' airstrips. Neither of those even come close to the stress levels of selling TVs! I salute you, warrior of the shopfloor.

[finlay666]

But yeah, on my last project in my current career I was only responsible for a budget in the low billions (so, not one of our bigger ones), and in my time off I pilot small aircraft in and out of 'etertainingly small' airstrips. Neither of those even come close to the stress levels of selling TVs! I salute you, warrior of the shopfloor.

Ooooh you are in charge of what gets bought, I'm very impressed... Cheese and onion or salt and vinegar crisps? Coke or pepsi?

Seeing as your leisure activities are fairly expensive I'm sure part of the reward is the very high salary and perks meaning you must be overpaid as your job clearly isn't as demanding as other jobs. Compared to a job pulling in just over minimum wage with no additional benefits and no paid overtime or other perks that is.

If you want to wave your e-peen I have worked on, and managed projects billion $ projects myself AS a student working for the largest software company in the world. Your comments are pretty unrelated except to boast about how great you must be and how extreme your leisure activities are. How you word something does make a difference to how it can be portrayed depending on the reading style and context. Saying you pilot aircraft in such a manner as you did could suggest you flew single engine aircraft, were a drug smuggler or played a lot of flight simulator games, I assume it's the first, another person may assume differently.

The way I treat people is the way I feel I get treated. With exception of the "slap in the face" comment (again people who read posts must have incredibly short attention spans as the rest of the post is never commented. I doubt you even read it to be honest as again it answered the OP) the first 2 replies were not disrespectful. This thread was on the LEGALITY of it, OP stated the company offered to arranged collection at their convenience, which is within the law, the fact that it descended into customer service is beside the point. MY posts were to the question of the legality not whether or not it's customer service. Misreading my posts, the context of them and the position of the reply shows a lack of care and attention, hardly deserving of respect.

I notice you didn't quote or comment on the fact that I left my last job early because I was assaulted by a customer, neither did you comment on the fact that I was recognised for the work I did. Obviously being assaulted by a customer while you are at work doesn't cause any stress at all. Neither does having to meet set criteria which is near impossible to meet week in week out just to retain your job. Guess those don't apply when you work in an unrelated industry doing an unrelated task.

I also can't help but notice all you have done is come in and address old points and start unrelated discussions? TBH it was resolved at the end of the 2nd page, or were you just slow in reading and want to let everyone know how awesome you must be?

[Kata]

Blah blah blah

I mentioned these activities purely to point out how pathetic your moan was about how how "I doubt you or many others could deal with a real high stress job like working in customer service". My intention was to demonstrate that I am perfectly capable of handling tasks with far higher stress and responsibility, and therefore 100% relevant to countering your point.

Working in a customer service job like that is a piece of cake for any vaguely capable person; I've done it, and so have hundreds of thousands of other people. If you found it so stressful, perhaps you just need to "man up". Sure, it might not be a dream job, but its hardly high stress.

I'd love to know what billion dollar projects an IT student actually 'manages' You were in charge of Windows 7 perhaps?

I'm not sure what you expect me to comment on, with regards to your leaving the job. "Bad luck, being assaulted sucks"? I'm sorry that it happened to you, but it doesn't change my views on this situation.

[finlay666]

I'd love to know what billion dollar projects an IT student actually 'manages' You were in charge of Windows 7 perhaps?

VOD Metadata and account/billing testing on Microsoft Mediaroom actually. I co-led the former with teams in the US, India and China and worked on the second

[Kata]

Ah, of course...

[TheAnimus]

This is a bit OT now, but stress isn't a linear one dimensional thing guys.

For instance I have no problem with certain kinds of stress, managing my multi-million dollar budget was a piece of piss, as 80% of it went to a certain French software house anyway, I had no choice in that matter.....

What I found the hardest was dealing with crap employees, firing one was the biggest relief and reduced my stress levels greatly, he was just such a little douche constantly ignoring what I told him to work on whilst he was assigned to me. I used to get almost mild anxiety working with him, because I was so scared of having to actually say "no we need to fire this prick" that it caused me tremendous stress.... Funny I know.

Dealing with the stress of having a 20 year man investment go completely wrong, that you get handed at the 11th hour I found surprisingly easy by comparison, for me my happy place is logic and simple maths afterall. I just hate people because on the whole, and I know how arrogant this sounds, they just can't think of things as quickly or as easily as I can, that impedes communication because I have to slow down, I'm also dyslexic with a short term memory, so when I'm left dealing with people who are below the 90th percentile, I find it difficult and very awkward so therefore stressful. This is not normal, I accept that and its an area of my personal development I've been focusing on of late.

So cut the epeen waving, stress is one of those highly personal things, its not commutable or easily transferred.