As it is becoming more and more common to order online, I recently had an experience that was pretty telling.
I wanted to order some things as a gift for a birthday present. I ended up ordering from the MSC, because I knew the lady had shown an interest in this.
On my order page, it was stated that the shipping could be delayed as much as 10 days.
Note: Due to increased volume, all orders are taking an average of 3-10 days to be shipped from our warehouse.
Well I thought I had enough time to receive the whole package. So I placed the order on Sept. 4.
Nine days pass, still nothing. I sent an email asking when I might expect my order to be processed. Nothing. No reply. After another email, again asking if someone could please check on my order. Still no reply. On the eleventh day, again I sent an email. Crickets....
On Sept 16th, I get an email stating that my order is ready to roll out with a FedEx tracking number.
So I track my package and it comes close!! Like in the town where I live. But then an amazing thing happens. The package is sent to Orlando!!!!! Huh?????
The package finally arrives at my door on Sept 24th. TWENTY DAYS after I placed the order.
Ok we are not to compare, right? But I have to testify that Fat Quarter Shop did not do this kind of thing to me.
I contacted the FQS and asked about a pattern. I missed the bundle they offered but I still liked the pattern and wondered if they still had it available. The NEXT morning I received an email from Michelle Moss letting me know that the pattern I like WAS indeed available with the purchase of Sunday Stroll Jolly Bar. I was totally thrilled because I really liked the pattern and the colors in the Jolly Bar. So I placed my order Friday Oct 22. On Oct 26, I received a message that my package was on the way with a USPS tracking number. The tracking said I could expect the delivery on Oct 30. Guess what? I received the package TWO days early. On Oct 28!! That's coming from Texas all the way to Florida folks.
Ok so what is the deal. Why did it take twenty days to come from MSC and only TWO days from FQS? First I have had this same thing happen with delivery from Fed Ex before. Because of tracking I can see where things are going. Lately they seem to take the long (scenic?) route to deliver. Once before I had a package almost to my door, and it goes to Michigan before coming back down south. Is someone not knowing what is in the truck?
Secondly why could no one at MSC not answer my emails? That is just not good customer service in my opinion.
So the conclusion I came to is I have deleted all emails, Instagram's, blog and newsletters from MSC. They obviously are too busy for my little orders. I will just keep my business with companies that care enough about the their customers.
And I am so happy with my pattern and Jolly Bar.
5 comments:
I have had excellent customer service with FQS from the point of order to receipt. I've only had one problem which was during the peak of covid 2020 and their site did warn that there was a big delay in shipments. Sadly, with that order I ended up giving up and cancelling all together. But I think the staffing issues and problems with covid were not their fault. Thus, they are my preferred online quilting resource to purchase from. I could still share some stories of USPS delivery problems and I fear those problems are going to get worse in 2022.
I've had the same experience. I only order from companies i can get a response. Last year I ordered , in November, a specialty pan my DIL wanted. It was suppose to arrive in 10 days but it arrived after Christmas. She wants another one and I tried ordering the beginning of October. They could not give me a ship date only that shipping would be delayed. There was no phone number to call customer service. I said to heck with it I'm not ordering a $167 pan and not be able to get a response from anyone. Made up my mind to only buy from businesses where I can reach their customer service and get answers. Fat Quarters has always given me great service. I've ordered for many years and can always speak with someone if necessary.
I too have had problems with MSQ with delayed orders. I do try to purchase from my local quilt shops whenever I can, but if not MSQ will not be my vendor of choice. Customer service like you said is non-existent.
I have had multiple problems with MSC's customer service, including the very same issue you've described. What's really frustrating to me is that I live only an hour away from them. And, when I order pre-cuts (as in, all they have to do is pull it off the shelf and put it in the mail!), it shouldn't take two weeks or more to get to me. On the other hand, FQS gets my orders out promptly, they reply to my e-mails, and my merchandise is always packaged with great care so that if the UPS person drops the box in a puddle, my stuff isn't going to get ruined. I decided I'm not going to give my limited retirement funds to anyone who doesn't seem to want to be bothered with me, which includes MSC unfortunately.
Yes MSQ doesn't seem to care about it's customers anymore. FQS DOES care and takes great care of it's customers. I'm not big on ordering online unless I can't find the product locally (which is also getting harder and harder lately). It's sad that some companies forget that customers are what pay the bills, so good customer service should be a given.
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