Silk Road forums

Discussion => Newbie discussion => Topic started by: lifesucks on May 22, 2013, 08:36 am

Title: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: lifesucks on May 22, 2013, 08:36 am
So I set up my SR account, found a Bitcoin broker, organised a wallet waited and waited for the synch to finish and I'm ready to start buying exciting products. I do my homework on the procedures and check out the feedback on the vendors, select one with 100 and whose feedback suggests delivery within 24 hours and place my first order and wait...and wait. So as I was hoping for 'something for the weekend', I find another vendor with impeccable feedback who ships within 24 hours and place an order and wait...and wait. Both orders are still 'processing' three days later.

I run an ecommerce business on the clear web, so I am familiar with logistics and order processing and I also order from RC sites that promise and deliver 24 hour service. So my question is am I being unreasonable to expect similar service on SR or is it because i am a newbie with no purchase history?
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: BlackIris on May 22, 2013, 08:41 am
Contact the vendors and ask them why they haven't shipped your product yet even if they advertise they do so in the 24 hours in their account.

If they ask to FE because you are a new users I suggest you to go elsewhere or to do it only for an amount of money you are willingly to lose in case something goes wrong.

Until you don't have 5 transactions with 0% refund vendors are (rightly so) more attentive on making business with you. When I was in that range I usually always contacted the vendor before placing the order so that s/he could know me and understand that I was not there to scam.
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: Kingdingeling on May 22, 2013, 08:45 am
I have the same problem.... and my birthday is this weekend ;( ;( ;(
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: android465764E on May 22, 2013, 08:51 am
It's not unreasonable at all to expect a similar service here.

I've had dealings with vendors that specify free next day delivery etc, but it doesn't always work out like that. Only a vendor can tell you the reason for a delay, everything else is just speculation.

In my eyes, a newbie placing an order shouldn't make any difference to the processing times. In-fact, I would think it'd be good business to bend over backwards for noobs - potential new customers.

Message the vendors and see what's up.

After 4 days, if the orders haven't been shipped, you are entitled to cancel the orders and get your money back anyway.
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: lifesucks on May 22, 2013, 09:03 am
Thanks for the quick replies guys! I contacted both vendors because I wanted to make sure I was doing things right, and to be fair, both replied fairly quickly. However the replies didn't give any indication of how long processing would take, one said they looked forward to my feedback and the other indicated that FE would be necessary, although since the order is still processing that isn't even an option.
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: BlackIris on May 22, 2013, 09:05 am
In my eyes, a newbie placing an order shouldn't make any difference to the processing times. In-fact, I would think it'd be good business to bend over backwards for noobs - potential new customers.

Certainly not, it should not make any difference, and I agree on what you say that a vendor should be even more kind and caring for newbies, but, as I said, it is also true that vendors are (rightly so IMO) more cautious with newbies for the possibilities of scams, and for this IMO it is better to contact the vendor before placing the order when you are new so s/he can have the possibility to acknowledge who you are and that you are not an imbecile only wanting to cause trouble.

I think many vendors did start in a certain way (e.g. being very caring of new customers etc.) but after so many scams by new users they have become a little too cautious about them. It is the typical reaction to a bad you are done; you tend to go too much on the untrusted side of the thing, so to speak.
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: BlackIris on May 22, 2013, 09:13 am
the other indicated that FE would be necessary

There's a rule for what it concerns FE: never do it if you can avoid it, and if you cannot, do it only for an amount of money you are willing to lose.

So concerning that vendor either don't accept and look elsewhere in case it is possible or trust the vendor but know that you can possibly lose that amount because nobody will refund you in case something will go wrong. There's nothing inherently bad on trusting a vendor, it is just that the escrow system is done appositely to protect both the vendor and the buyer so when you FE you willingly step aside that protection.

I've FE'ed myself on an order at beginning and I received it without problems, but still I took in mind that I could possibly lose the money and I was willing to do so because I trusted the vendor and in my case I didn't want to cause him/her trouble (I did FE because I had a problem in my line, I wasn't either asked to). In case something did go wrong I would have had nobody else to blame but myself.
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: DrCol on May 22, 2013, 09:36 am
That's a shame as you sound very reasonable to deal with...

It may be genuine...these things happen.

I am a new vendor so have yet to start building a feedback profile - yet I have probably some of the best product available and will obviously deal professionally with all transactions (they are coming now, but it takes time)

Good luck - sometimes it might be good to try a new vendor like me as we are very keen to do well and build customers like your business no doubt does!

Cheers

Doc
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: lifesucks on May 22, 2013, 09:51 am
Once again, thanks for all the quick feedback! I guess I'll just have to keep waiting until either the 4 days are up and I can cancel or some thing arrives.

Since all my coins are now in escrow I can't place any more orders Doc, maybe I'll give you a try if these other guys don't come through.
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: DrCol on May 22, 2013, 01:29 pm
Fingers crossed for you pal...

Doc
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: lifesucks on May 22, 2013, 08:12 pm
Just to let all the kind folks who responded that both of my orders have moved to in transit so it looks like everything should be good...
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: MrChinoCat on May 22, 2013, 08:18 pm
So I set up my SR account, found a Bitcoin broker, organised a wallet waited and waited for the synch to finish and I'm ready to start buying exciting products. I do my homework on the procedures and check out the feedback on the vendors, select one with 100 and whose feedback suggests delivery within 24 hours and place my first order and wait...and wait. So as I was hoping for 'something for the weekend', I find another vendor with impeccable feedback who ships within 24 hours and place an order and wait...and wait. Both orders are still 'processing' three days later.

I run an ecommerce business on the clear web, so I am familiar with logistics and order processing and I also order from RC sites that promise and deliver 24 hour service. So my question is am I being unreasonable to expect similar service on SR or is it because i am a newbie with no purchase history?

What is it that you're looking for? I may be able to point you in the right direction.
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: b85ZpYX on May 22, 2013, 11:27 pm
Just relax it'll get there
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: preedfott on May 23, 2013, 12:01 am
The higher the vendors score, the more popular they are, the more orders they have to process, package, label, and ship every day.  Some of them may not even have other people to help them out with all this.  Some of them, if you are new and have a limited transaction history, will require you to FE before they will ship to you.  This is to protect their score and their reputation.  I have had to FE before.  I don't advise EVER doing FE, unless the seller is like in the top 25% and it is apparent that they are all kinds of professional based on their profile, their feedback, their policies, and how long they have been around.  Most of the really legit vendors do not require that though, even from new users. 

I too am hoping to receive product before this weekend, so I can make a damn good impression out there, spark some interest, but I have not figured out how I am going to get BTC into my wallet yet, and I haven't yet placed an order, let alone have it go from processing to confirmed and in transit.  Some vendors only have one or two listing that they sell so they can ex. package five pills each in each and every package they make, and have 1,000 of these packages sealed up and ready to be labeled as soon as an order comes in.  I do not understand even the basic dynamics of vending, but I imagine that vendors with tons of customers have to go to multiple shipping drop off points, change the style and shape of their package often, or relay information to others who work with/for them so the others can ship packages.

I watched a very nice laser light show recently at an RAVE (lol), and it reminded me SO much of the global mail system.  The dots moved past borders in vast, unstoppable swarms, bouncing from one continent to the next and then back again, and as the intensity of this movement grew, the borders began to grow massive holes in them, until they were entirely non existent, and the packages (the metaphor my head created for the dots) flowed freely, at all times at all places in constant, sweeping, unstoppable swarms, like a flock of 10,000 birds in flight.  It was very inspiring, at least in my mind, probably because logistics and statistics and business fascinate me when I can understand them.  Gives a whole new meaning to "the cloud".  I just wonder how we can further disrupt  the postal services and break each and every border check, until they give up on fighting drugs and focus purely on stopping violence and other destructive activities.  Let's rip the postal system a new asshole.  I guess SR has already done that, but let's make another one, just for good measure.  Like that bridge in Germany, I think it was, where the uphill angle of the bridge, combined with other structural aspects, caused the large group of people crossing it to point their feet more towards the sides, and sway back and forth as they walked over it, causing the bridge to wobble and contort in a very eerie looking way.
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: necromaniac on May 23, 2013, 12:23 am
Some of these people probably have a hell of a lot of orders to ship. Just give people a break sometimes and maybe next time you order they'll hook you up!
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: RobLoblaw on May 23, 2013, 12:33 am
So I set up my SR account, found a Bitcoin broker, organised a wallet waited and waited for the synch to finish and I'm ready to start buying exciting products. I do my homework on the procedures and check out the feedback on the vendors, select one with 100 and whose feedback suggests delivery within 24 hours and place my first order and wait...and wait. So as I was hoping for 'something for the weekend', I find another vendor with impeccable feedback who ships within 24 hours and place an order and wait...and wait. Both orders are still 'processing' three days later.

I run an ecommerce business on the clear web, so I am familiar with logistics and order processing and I also order from RC sites that promise and deliver 24 hour service. So my question is am I being unreasonable to expect similar service on SR or is it because i am a newbie with no purchase history?

i dont thing you have unrealistic expectations about this. i consider 24hr processing fast, 48 regular, 72 slow, after that i would hope i would get some kind of explanation. if its reasonable i wouldn't hold it against them and probably still do business in the future. that being said it is annoying when all your funds are tied up in processing and the dude fucks off for 5 days. most vendors do realize people want there shit and i have had a couple move mountains to make sure i get my order by the weekend. those sellers are priceless and i stay loyal for that.
glad to hear your stuff is en route. when your opening those envelopes your not even going to remember about the processing times  :D
Title: Re: Unreasonable expectations in a Newbie?
Post by: lifesucks on May 23, 2013, 06:13 am
Once again, thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply and offer your input, I appreciate it. The OP wasn't intended as a dig at vendors, just a genuine information request from someone who doesn't yet know the ropes.