Long Delivery: A Story of Music, Large Mammals and 101cd.

TonyTheSuperPerson

I am a lazy man, so i'll just paste in the email I sent to them.

Hello.

On April 14th 2006, I ordered the Mirrormask soundtrack from your site. It was for a friend's birthday as she just seen the film fairly recently in the cinema and enjoyed the music. The delivery date was 'Normally 3-5 days'.

A month passed and no CD arrived. I had to buy something else to replace this present for her birthday in May and I thought maybe it'd do as a late present.

So I waited.

May became June and the film was released on DVD, June became July, as you would expect, but no CD arrived.

Summer fell and I lost hope of it ever arriving.

Well in to winter, with Christmas approaching, a package arrived. I tore open the package to reveal 'Mirrormask: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack' and an invoice from 101cd.com. The date was 23rd November 2006.

I checked online and my order date is clearly stated as '14/04/06', the despatch date is stated just as clearly as '20/11/06'.

That's seven months and six days between order placement and despatch, seven months and nine days between order placement and receiving the item.

This is just shy of the gestation period of a hippopotamus. Somewhere out there, daddy hippo and mummy hippo loved each other very much and decided to make a baby hippo on the same day I ordered your CD.

We're expecting the pitter-patter of giant hippo feet soon; hopefully it'll be a smoother delivery.

I expect a refund or similar. Don't worry about finding the hippopotamus, i'm sure it's fine.

- Anthony Heugh

I know it seems pedantic and long, but so was the delivery.

RichyRich

I like it. But I wouldn't expect anything from them

Rich

hjb123

Its not a bad letter but I wouldnt expect much from them - but I do like the bit about the hippo!

Just dont buy from them again - though I guess form this you probably wont!

TonyTheSuperPerson

If that didn't convince me not to shop with them, the reply I got did:

Dear Anthony Heugh,

Thank you for your informative email and apologies for the delay in sending your
order for 'Various Artists ~ Mirrormask'.

Unfortunately we will not be compensating you for the delays encountered as this
item is an Import. We do not hold stock on the premises for import titles, but
order directly from the relevant distributor as we receive your order.

This means that we cannot send goods by return (but it does mean that we are
able to keep our prices down). As such, import titles usually take longer to
deliver than domestic titles, as was the situation with your order due to our
suppliers being temporarily out of stock.

If at any time you had wished to source the item elsewhere, you could have
easily notified us where we would have immediately cancelled the order and
processed a refund.

Once again, please accept our sincere apologies for the delays and any
inconvenience caused in this matter.


Kind Regards

Louise Reeds
Customer Service
101cd.com Online Ltd

Please do not reply to this email address as it is unattended.

All enquiries must be submitted via the contact page on our website.

http://www.101cd.com/contactus.aspx

I was half hoping for tickets to the zoo.

iceicebaby

Oh dear thats terrible. Even if they were importing it like they said, where were they importing it from that took so long ? Mars ?

I would compain higher up the chain. April to November is far too long to have to expect to wait for a cd.

PeteMc

iceicebaby wrote:

Oh dear thats terrible. Even if they were importing it like they said, where were they importing it from that took so long ? Mars ?

I would compain higher up the chain. April to November is far too long to have to expect to wait for a cd.

Don't bother you'll get nowhere with 101cd even if you go knocking on the MD's door. They are notoriously bad when they have no stock of the item and can take forever (as the OP has found out) if at all.

ViJay_3

No offence...but they sort of have a point. If I'd been waiting more than say a month, I'd probably have cancelled the order. Bit bizarre to wait 7 months without even chasing the order...

kuohu

Great letter, they probably framed it.

paulie558

Great.
I thought it was just me.
Here's my e-mail to them from earlier this year.All the time the order promised 3-5 days delivery,but I gave up after 5 months.They are a shower of s@ite.
I will share with you my tale of woe concurning this little outfit.
Here is the content of an e-mail I attempted to send them,although true to form,their site is coming up with an error which prevents it.
From: <service@101cdonline.com>
To: Thursday, April 27, 2006 10:15 AM
Subject: Your items(s) cancelled


> Items cancelled:
> Various Artists ~ Mojo - Acid Drops Spacedust And Flying Saucers
> (Psychedelic Confectionary From The UK Underground 1965-1969)
>
> Reason:
> We have cancelled your item(s) as per your request
>
And a good job too.
But why,you may ask.
I placed to order on jan 23rd.
3-5 days it said on your website.
Febuary came and went.
The credit card expired at the end of feb,so I updated the CC info on the
website.
Where is my order I asked.
It's on its way I was assured some days later.
On April 5th apparently it had arrived as you tried to take payment.
But the card had expired.
Why oh why didnt you check your system,then you would have found the same
card with new expiry date.
It took you until April 20th to send me an e-mail informing me the card did
not work.
But rest assured,I was told,resubmit your details within 48 hours and we
will take payment.
This I did,and was informed so on your website.
Alas after some days proccessing the item went back to on order with
supplier.
I had to give up,otherwise it may not have arrived in time for my funeral.
I'm off to post my experiences on a public consumer forum now.
To yourselves I would say-Use common sense,look at the info supplied and
speed up your waiting times,otherwise you will wither and die.
End of sermon.