Amazon! Grrrrrrrrr

weatherwax_2

I posted a fairish sized order online to Amazon on Sunday evening, paying for 1st class delivery which guarantees 'next business day delivery'. When it had'nt arrived today(Thursday) I phoned their CS and and was told 'it's Christmas, things get delayed because it's busy, you can't expect next day delivery (even though I'd paid for it on the strength of Amazon's guarantee AND there were no caveats attached to that guarantee on their site).

When I tried to broach the guarantee matter, I was constantly interrupted and told, loudly, 'LET ME FINISH!' I then asked to speak to a supervisor and was told that 'they will just tell you what I'm telling you'. I repeated my request three or four times with the same answer each time. I persisted, upon which the CS person said ' fine, see if I care'.

He then (after about 10 seconds) came back and said 'everyone's busy'. I expressed surprise and commented that there must be more than one supervisor or manager with whom I could speak. He said 'there are no supervisors or managers here'. I said that someone MUST be in charge, so he then gave me a name, so I asked to speak to her.

He informed me (immediately!) that she was'nt at her desk so I asked if he could locate her, to which he replied 'that would mean me leaving my desk and I'm not going to run around for you!'

I subsequently rang back and spoke to another CS agent who was extremely helpful and had one of the 'non-existent' supervisors phone me back. They refunded my P&P and offered me a £10 voucher, but that really is'nt the point.

If you're intending to place an order with Amazon and paying for 1st class P&P to ensure receiving it quickly, especially with Christmas in mind, don't put ANY faith in their guaranteed delivery. All the items I ordered were marked as immediately available (which is why I ordered them), so no possible excuses re waiting until they were in stock.

I find it astounding that anyone can behave towards customers like the original CS agent to whom I spoke. The supervisor told me that the person 'would be dealt with' . In my opinion, he should be summarily sacked, but somehow I doubt that will happen.

I know that Amazon are not alone in having staff who have no idea how to treat their customers as lousy CS seems to be prevalant, but I do wonder what the hell ails this country, where politeness and courtesy seem to be redundant. >:(

dollybird

I know what you mean, last christmas I was let down by amazon they kept promising delivery in time but it never happened I will not be ordering from them again.

mwphoto

Hi,

I have an ongoing saga with Amazon. I ordered a digital camera from them with the super saver delivery option on 7th Dec. Estimated delivery 10-13th Dec, so far so good.

On the 14th I was told it was despatched, and I checked on track and trace - it was out to HSD on the 15th - so I waited in, it didn't arrive.

What I have now discovered is that DHL hand it on to 'Home Services Delivery' who can take another 3-5 days, have no tracking system, and there is no indication when this will arrive.

For a more comprehensive and detailed description of my complaint I've attached the email I sent to customer services. . . . Still waiting . . . .


Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2004 09:31:12 -0000
From: "Malcolm Wotton" <malcolmwotton@yahoo.co.uk>
To: "Amazon.co.uk Customer Services" <cust.serv03@amazon.co.uk>
Subject: RE: Your Amazon.co.uk Order (#202-1240610-6735036)

Thank you for you email,

I now at least understand where the confusion has arisen, however I still regard this as poor service: According you your website the delivery time is availability + delivery time.

However this is incorrect, the correct process is availability + holding time at DHL + delivery time by Home Services Delivery.

Furthermore you say I can track my parcel, which is also not true. If I use the DHL tracking I can only find that they have released it to HSD, from their point of view it has been dropped into a black hole and the tracking system can provide no information on its whereabouts, in particular it is NOT possible to tell even what day it will arrive on, which has severely inconvenienced me in waiting in for this delivery.

Finally, I would say that in this case even if there was no confusion this order is still very late - it was ordered on 7th Dec with an estimated delivery of 10-13th of December. It is now the morning of the 17th and it
stall hasn't arrived.

Since your only business is website retail sales I would suggest that you spend some time making all of the above points clear at the time of purchase. If that had been the case there is NO WAY I would have chosen this delivery option. I would have used a more reliable method, or used a different website for my purchase.

Furthermore from your email

<quote>

> Currently, packages weighing a
> certain amount or over a certain value are automatically upgraded to
> DHL Express. Some of our customers prefer to have this service as
> their packages are traceable and have no risk of being left outside.

</quote>

this is not mentioned when you buy goods (what is the price and weight limit?). Also you say that it allows you to trace the product, however all your current emails encourage me to visit DHL to trace the product already.
Unfortunately DHL do not have a tracking system that can tell me anything, rather than a rather vague 'well we've given it to someone else, lets hope they deliver it'. Perhaps an alternative wording would be:

Play the DHL 'where's my delivery?' guessing game at
http://www.amazon.co.uk/tracking

I am still very angry that the only real response I can get from you or DHL is 'it's on the way - I hope you get it soon'

For that reason I continue to hold my low opinion of your customer support services, and I will certainly make sure that my friends and colleagues that have heard of amazon will hear this story.

Malcolm

sloppychops

Just received an order from Amazon that was dispatched on 6th Dec said it would be with me by the 10th at the latest.Tracked it with DHL whose tracking service leaves alot to be desired(never up to date or accurate)(they received parcel from Amazon on 7th Dec),also called DHL who are worse than useless,all they do is pass you from one office to another and not one of them knows what is going on.
Well after toing and froing between Amazon CS and DHL CS i was promised it would be with me on 13th Dec,guess what it didnt arrive,by this point i felt as if i were banging my head against a brick wall nobody was interested.It arrived yesterday late afternoon 16th Dec thank god.Just out of curiosity i went on the DHL tracking site and low and behold it said it was delivered on 11th Dec and not the 16th like it really was.If this is who Amazon rely on shipping their goods with id give up now as DHL in my opinion stink.

So all in all it took DHL 9 days(from7th-16th) to get a parcel to me that was in one of their parcel point warehouses 12 miles away from where i wanted it delivered.

mwphoto

Just a little update,

I have been in contact with DHL - I have been told that

1) They can't get through to the branch office as often the branch office doesn't pick up the phone!

2) When they did contact the branch office the branch office couldn't get in touch with the courier (ie the man that actually has my parcel). If I was relying on someone to safely and securely deliver valuable goods and he wasn't contactable I'd sack him!

They are still trying to get through (or so they say), I'm still waiting . . . .

Bossyboots

Just to redress the balance but not to in anyway belittle the problems here, DHL have today tried to deliver my Amazon order which was placed with standard free delivery on Tuesday. It was not due to be delivered before Tuesday. My daughter's order placed on Monday including an item not expected to be available before Wednesday has been delivered today.

We would have had them both if only my son could have got off the toilet in time to answer the door the first time.

robnye

They are still trying to get through (or so they say), I'm still waiting . . . .

you like elton john songs then.....  ;D  
  [move]

i'm still waiting... yeh yeh yeh  

[/move]

1jim

Hi

I would personally write to the chief exec of amazon at its registered offices. I would list all of your complaints and problems you have had with customer services, I have always found this to be the most effetcive way of complaining and getting redress (and compensation).

1jim

mwphoto

Ok - done that - we'll see what happens . .. .

weatherwax_2

Hi

I would personally write to the chief exec of amazon at its registered offices. I would list all of your complaints and problems you have had with customer services, I have always found this to be the most effetcive way of complaining and getting redress (and compensation).

1jim

Do you mean the CEO of Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos? Is'nt he based in the USA? I can't find an address for their registered offices anywhere, unless you mean the head office at Slough. Would it be worth writing to the Slough office and if so, is there anyone there worth writing to?

Having perused the UK site again, I'm amazed that I ever managed to find their freephone number because there is no evidence of it now. The head honchos at Amazon keep a very low profile.

System

I can't find an address for their registered offices anywhere

Name & Registered Office:
AMAZON. COM U.K., LTD.
MITRE HOUSE
160 ALDERSGATE STREET
LONDON
EC1A 4DD
Company No. 03499011

The managing director of Amazon UK is Steve Frazier.