SO was I acting in a unprofessional manner?

[Darky]

did that

These Tops Sell Out FAST! We allow you to still place an order on them currently, but expect up to a 30 day delay. IF THERE WILL BE A DELAY, you will be contacted within 12 hours of your order and given the option to wait for the next available top in the USA direct from manufacture, or a full refund.

Please no hate mail due to your lack of ability to wait a week to 4 weeks, after we contact you and explain the manufacture cant keep up with the demand. It only makes it worse for those other customers that are respectable and can deal in a professional manner.

nobody likes it when a retailer lists stuff as 'in stock' when its really not, retailers (especially small ones) do it all the time. i think most people here are ignoring that aspect of the situation.

i still think you handled it very well, dont get me wrong.

i wouldnt call the guy a douche, bone head, dick head, any of those..... he wanted to buy from you, you couldnt fullfill the agreement, so he canceled his order?!? wheres the douchebaggery?!?!
it'd be differant if you didnt list it as in stock, if you were vague it would be differant, but you showed it as IN STOCK. i'd be pissed too.

Wow, I actually agree with Matt on this.

I agree that you shouldn't list something as "in stock" when you don't physically have the item. But you've already admitted that this may be an issue.

In the customer's e-mails, he didn't seem to be an ass. He said "thank you" and "please". He probably called you "unprofessional" because of the "in stock" thing.

I'd have to agree with Johnny and xcm as well. If I order a part that's listed as in stock and it's backordered, especially until mid August, I'll be pissed. However, since you've put the disclaimer on now, that's kind of a non-issue. Also, good on you actually contacting the customer and letting him know promptly. My experience with racemart.com went south especially because he never contacted me until a week later, when I e-mailed him, after it'd been special ordered and couldn't be cancelled.

My one recommendation would be to shorten the disclaimer a little...ie:removing the second paragraph.

Please no hate mail due to your lack of ability to wait a week to 4 weeks, after we contact you and explain the manufacture cant keep up with the demand. It only makes it worse for those other customers that are respectable and can deal in a professional manner.

It makes it sound like you are blaming the customer for being too impatient to wait for the item they were hoping for soon.
And leave off the angry e-mail. The owner of Racemart let his (unjustified) frustration show and that did nothing to help anything. In fact it was a large part of the reason I opened a thread here, and a few other sites as well as filing a complaint with Paypal and his local BBB. Even when you're boiling mad, keep your cool and remain professional.

 

[5-90]

nobody likes it when a retailer lists stuff as 'in stock' when its really not, retailers (especially small ones) do it all the time. i think most people here are ignoring that aspect of the situation.

i still think you handled it very well, dont get me wrong.

i wouldnt call the guy a douche, bone head, dick head, any of those..... he wanted to buy from you, you couldnt fullfill the agreement, so he canceled his order?!? wheres the douchebaggery?!?!
it'd be differant if you didnt list it as in stock, if you were vague it would be differant, but you showed it as IN STOCK. i'd be pissed too.

I do something similar - looking down my price listing, you'll see "SI" (Stocking Item) or "SO" (Special Order.) This aren't 100% accurate.

If I have a "logistics break," something that's supposed to be in stock will take a few days (typically less than a week) to go out while I wait for material. I've had good luck so far - I let people know I have to delay their orders, they say Okeh. Sometimes, they ask me how long - I tell them as soon as I can get a hard date from someone. Problem solved.

Contrariwise, sometimes items listed as "SO" are on hand. I deal with vendors that have minimum order requirements, so I might have to order two or three of something that I wouldn't normally keep in stock. So, an "SO" goes out quickly. That never seems to be a problem!

I find that as long as people are informed, you're in pretty good shape. Yeah, sometimes you get someone with a bad case of CRI (Cranio-Rectal Inversion,) but that can't be helped. And, sometimes, you have to deal wiith WHUTA (While Hair Up The Arse,) and that just can't be helped on your end. I've been lucky so far, haven't had to deal with a WHUTA case doing WiP (which is fine - I've dealt with WHUTA plenty of times before. And serial whiners. And the grossly incompetent. And ...)

You did everything right, up until your frustration finally came through (somewhat understandable.) Next time something like that happens, just remind yourself of one thing - "You can't fix stupid." Some people just live to be jackasses, or live to make things difficult for other people. All they need is a hook.

 

[HeepSpeed]

soft tops...sounds like Wrangler people to me...lastara

jk about gay, I'd sport a built JK :gag:

 

[HA1RY DANGL3R]

The customer had every reason to be upset that the item wasn't stocked when the site said it was, so I can understand his frustration.

With that said, you did handle it in professionally with the email notifying him of the situation. He obviously didn't read the email completely and sent his response showing his frustration, to which you responded professionally again. Although, I am not completely sure why he would call you "Unprofessional"..... maybe just frustration? Look at it this way, what he said could have been WAY worse than just "unprofessional".

I honestly think that you would be better off with adding a disclaimer for that product stating "ships within 1-4 weeks" and maybe add something about calling for availability? Either way, if you remove the "in stock" and explain to the customers that it is a high demand item right now, nobody should get pissed.

Just take this as a learning experience, and don't let it bother you too bad. Good luck with your customers moving forward.

-Nick

 

[SanDiegoXJ]

Hmm, frankly, if I was the consumer, I would have seen this as a situation where perhaps when the site was updated last, the item was in stock (even if it actually wasn't....the guy didn't know that...nor was it specified in the emails), but since that time the remaining inventory was sold out. Perhaps I only think that way because I've worked in small business and encountered that very situation where in the processing of online orders, the remaining inventory had already been allocated, but the site had not been updated until we realized the issue. Any orders placed in that window would have to be notified of the situation.

Frankly, anyone who gets back to me within 24 hours of an order and offers to make an existing issue right to the best of their ability gets two thumbs up from me.

I ordered shocks from 4wpw and didn't hear anything for a month, when I finally got hold of someone, I was told the shocks were backorder and wouldn't be in for another month. That my friends is unprofessional.

So yes, I think the obvious sarcasm in the comment about the unprofessionalism is a testimony to the immaturity and ignorance of the buyer in question. And just because he's a buyer doesn't mean he's always right.....there's a reason a lot of folks have disclaimers, primarily in eateries, that they have the right to refuse service....sometimes someone's attitude just isn't worth the few dollars you're going to ultimately make off them.

 

[iheartbenben]

Hi. I'm Mason Kinto. Let's get the other side of the story, shall we?

While I'm searching for some papers I published online in college, before I joined the Army, I find that I'm being smeared due to this very familiar e-mail. In fact, top hits on google. I felt XXXXing famous.

Let's be simple and quick in gutting you.

As you can see I can type very well, the email I got from you was received on my Black Berry about 60 miles off the coast of Venice, Louisiana on a 62ft MSCR/CGA Skimming Vessel named Timbalier Bay our of Galveston Texas. Excuse my spelling, I didn't have time for you, and it's a cellphone. I'm sorry I was frustrated that when I ordered the replacement top from you, you were the ONLY website showing it in stock. You are so right! While working seven days a week, sixteen hours on deck cleaning the worlds largest oil spill EVER, I should remember to treat you with respect, the man who got my business because he essentially LIED to me. I was only able to get off the boat to make that damn purchase, and it was only onto an AB/4 Pipeline barge in the mouth of the Mississippi! Is it ok that I was ANGRY???

Hilarious that I wondered if it really was in stock, or if you were just incompetent. I clearly put faith in a man who doesn't take pride in his business, and would rather attack his customer rather than addressing his very rational point; I only ordered the top because you were the only one with it available. It said, "IN STOCK" for Christ's sake! I call this unprofessional. In fact, every other vendor of Viking and or Jeep Products is more competent than you, because they have websites run by competent people.

Take the time to listen to your customers. Your top was 100 more than any other site. You lost a customer because you don't care if your inventory on the site is updated. It's possible. I got the XXXXing e-mail from you on a phone in the GULF OF MEXICO. Who could it be? My Fiance I haven't seen in 3 months? My brother? My buddies still in the sand box, telling me they are coming home safe again? No, it's you......

Okay, the venting is over.

NOW. Can anyone explain my rights as to why my full name is displayed here due to a man's anger at me? You have ALL my information still sir, and I am alarmed that a BUSINESS is doing this. What would the BBB think about all of this, and how foolish are you to pursue this in a way that I can see, find, track, and record it? You are in store for a lot more hurt from me.

I will have you know that I, Mason Kinto, am a Veteran of the United States Army. I have a squeaky clean record. I do not allow my name to appear in papers, nor do I allow my service to be published. I am a very private person, and I am a very young person, and a very accomplished person. This man run's a business as you can see he does. I deserve my privacy in this situation, this should have NEVER HAPPENED. I would appeal to the moderators to DELETE this thread IMMEDIATELY and the user who created this thread be REMOVED permanently.

I have already taken records of this site and thread existing in it's current content, and my lawyer has been e-mailed.

I ask again, just delete this mindless child like dribbling.

And to the OP : This is so ridiculous. I never thought you would be this childish. This isn't unprofessional...it's downright immature. Let it go.

 

[Skwerly]

Not for nothing, but if you are so worried about your name being known and out on the Web, why would you put it down in your own post, not once but twice?

 

[souske]

Wow mason, dont get so riled up man. Half the users in the thread took up your side, without knowing a thing about you. It can be frustrating to order a product and not have it show up, but at least you got prompt notice about it. Were mistakes made, yeah I guess. But playing E-tough guy and threatening lawyers doesnt get too much goodwill on this site. If you have an Issue with Robert, I suggest you call him directly.


Good day!