Silk Road forums

Discussion => Shipping => Topic started by: qokepow on November 29, 2012, 11:51 am

Title: Established vendor, terrible shipping
Post by: qokepow on November 29, 2012, 11:51 am
I've been having an issue with a specific vendor I've used several times, and wondered what others opinions might be.

I've had 4 successful transactions with them already - the product is generally good, the packing is mostly OK, but the shipping times have been poor. All transactions were paid for as next day delivery and then took 5 - 7 days to arrive after being marked as "in-transit".

The vendors reason for this, which I've seen them remark to other buyers is "blame royal mail". I'm generally OK to wait a while for my shipments, but not when it's consistently the same delay and I've paid for a quick service and told the products have been dispatched.

Anyone in the UK should agree that something posted 1st class should almost always arrive the next day, and take 2 days at the absolute most.

The vendors profile page states (reworded slightly to avoid pointing them out):

"We dispatch all shipments first class the same day and they will arrive the next day".

Being the good natured buyer I am, I've still always given them a 5 star rating, albeit with a comment about slow delivery times.

This is where things get interesting.

On Tuesday I sent them a message saying I was thinking about making another purchase, but only if they could guarantee delivery by Friday. This should be 100% possible if the item were sent that day or even the next day. I was reasonable and civil in my message and outlined my previous experience. I said it was OK if they couldn't make this promise, but that in that case I would not be buying from them anymore and might have to reconsider my ratings of them.

Today I received a message from them which essentially confirms my suspicions they've been talking nonsense and are almost certainly only bulk dispatching once or twice a week and not every day as promised.

They said they were sorry for my delay, but it was because there was a postage strike (there definitely isn't). They said my package was in the depot and  I should definitely have it tomorrow and that they'd included an extra to make up for it.

Given I haven't actually made another order, it's clear they are just giving out cut/paste answers about postage delays which are total bullshit, and aren't even bothering to read customer messages properly.

So now I'm considering dropping all my previous ratings for them from 5 to 4 (or even 3 for one that took ages).

Does this seem like a reasonable thing to do?

Also, the bigger question I have is, should we feel so obliged to be giving all vendors a 5 star rating regardless of postage problems. Almost all vendors, especially this one, have a message to the effect of "GIVE US A 5 STAR RATING OR YOU WILL NEVER BUY FROM US AGAIN". This seems like a complete imbalance in favour of the vendors, and skews the real ratings they deserve.


For what it's worth, my stats are as follows:


Total transactions: 13
Total spent: ฿65.63
Refund rate: 0%
Auto-finalize rate: 0%
Member for: 2 months

2 orders pending

escrow (usd)  $345.25
escrow (btc) ฿3.33


All other transactions have received 5 stars (and actually deserved it).


Apologies for the long post, please let me know what you think.
Title: Re: Established vendor, terrible shipping
Post by: h3n on November 29, 2012, 02:39 pm
Ratings should accurately reflect the service and product received. It seems like at the time, you thought they'd earned 5s, but now in hindsight, you think a more accurate appraisal is 4s or 3s. I think in this case it's fine to revise your ratings, as long as you give a clear explanation what they did wrong to lose points.

If you're dissatisfied with a transaction, it's best to tell the vendor privately and give them a chance to make it right. After that, rate them as accurately as you can.

If a vendor is telling you nonsense in PM, that's definitely bad communication and deserves points off. If they have a "5s only" policy but won't actually act like a 5-star vendor, don't buy from them again until they shape up.
Title: Re: Established vendor, terrible shipping
Post by: qokepow on November 29, 2012, 04:55 pm
Thanks for the reply. I kind of considered my original message to them a "fair warning" that I was thinking of downgrading their ratings.

As they clearly didn't actually read it, I've sent them a final request for explanation, after which they're going to be dropping a fair few points.
Title: Re: Established vendor, terrible shipping
Post by: James Hardens Beard on November 29, 2012, 06:14 pm
Try to think about it from the vendors position. He probably gets around 5-10 orders a day, works his ass off to make sure everything goes out in a reasonable time (<1week) and now has someone threatening to drop his ratings because they didn't get their drugs the next day. I do agree that he shouldn't be advertising next day delivery if that's not the case, but you also have to be patient and understanding too.
Title: Re: Established vendor, terrible shipping
Post by: qokepow on November 29, 2012, 06:32 pm
Yep, I totally agree. I've never had or given any grief from any other vendor. I've currently got an order that's 2 weeks late because the vendor is having some troubles and I've spoken to him and I understand that. It's also why I gave the vendor in question in the original post 5 stars to begin with.

But when they are clearly not doing anything near "dispatched the same day" as advertised, and giving completely false/unrelated responses to customers messages, I think it's fair to rate them accordingly.
 
Title: Re: Established vendor, terrible shipping
Post by: wsg on November 29, 2012, 06:38 pm
I am not familiar with Royal mail but with my mail, if it was sent 1st class you should be able to tell by packaging/cost.   When we get mail there is always a postmark telling when it started thru the system. 

Were your packages sent first class?   I live in an area that guarantees an additional day for posted times

Do the postmarks come close to the date that they were marked in transit...give or take 36 hours.

If you can say no to these questions, i would tell the vendor to edit there advertising or you would be forced to change feedback.

I think you would be satisfied if the vendor stopped advertising this!  Am I correct?
Title: Re: Established vendor, terrible shipping
Post by: qokepow on November 29, 2012, 06:50 pm
I don't still have the packages, but I do remember checking them previously. They did have a first class postage mark, but no date (which is normal for some postage).

I guess I would be satisfied if they stopped claiming same day dispatch and next day delivery, but I'd still probably downgrade their last rating (and would imagine I wouldn't do business with them again, if only because I wouldn't expect it to turn up at all now).