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I haven't had any problems communicating with them about my "special order". They are very courteous and have been able to update me promtly. I'm sorry your having a bad experience. As far as them being out of stock on certain items, it may be a good thing if you look at it in a different light - they are obviously getting a lot of business. Also, I'd like to add there prices are pretty good. Aren't they behind because of their birthday special or something? Anyway, when you do get your order, I'm sure they will throw in some freebies, I don't think it's intentional.
I'm sorry you have had some issues with them. I have had nothing but wonderful experiences. I would email Joy and let her know that you are unsatisfied with the shipping time on the backorder and want a refund. I'm sure she would be more than happy to work it out. And also to just clarify one thing regarding the message on her website regarding shipping times. To the best of my knowledge they are still shipping outstanding orders but the new orders coming in will not be shipped until after CHA.
And regarding the suggestion about hiring someone to help with the shipping. I would have to ask that you put yourself in there shoes. They are trying to get a small home based business off the ground and still manage their every day lives. From what I hear they just had a growth spurt (as far as orders ) and have been trying to get out from underneath them. I'm sure they can't afford to hire a staff so to speak. I just wanted you to think of it from the other side of the coin. I hope you get your issue resolved soon.
I just had a very disappointing experience with them also. I placed an order based on the positive reviews from this website, especially the fast shipping. Well it took just over 2 weeks for them to ship out my order bc they received so many orders from their birthday celebration. I do think they should have been more prepared to handle the high volume of orders and it doesn't seem like the shipping time is going to get any better since they are not processing orders that come in while they are at CHA and that will cause even more of a backlog.
I, for one, appreciate ScrappinStampinMama's post. And I don't think she is bashing the company. If a company can't deliver what they advertise, and apparently this company has many unsatisfied customers, I look at it as a favor to us, other potential buyers, to be alerted to their poor service. She's only preventing us from the same frustration she's going through.
Ladies I understand your frustration and I am sure that Daisy and Joy would be more than happy to work it out either with a refund or an agreed compromise.
It is unfortunate that things happen but guess what they do and that is life. We all have lives and sometimes our lives get in the way of our best laid plans.
As for backorders...well guess what supply does not always keep up with the demand. My orders with other companies have been cancelled (not even promised later) on many occasions and to be honest there was not a thing I could do about it. Life will go on!
__________________
Shelley
The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.
Ladies I understand your frustration and I am sure that Daisy and Joy would be more than happy to work it out either with a refund or an agreed compromise.
It is unfortunate that things happen but guess what they do and that is life. We all have lives and sometimes our lives get in the way of our best laid plans.
As for backorders...well guess what supply does not always keep up with the demand. My orders with other companies have been cancelled (not even promised later) on many occasions and to be honest there was not a thing I could do about it. Life will go on!
I'm sorry you have had some issues with them. I have had nothing but wonderful experiences. I would email Joy and let her know that you are unsatisfied with the shipping time on the backorder and want a refund. I'm sure she would be more than happy to work it out. And also to just clarify one thing regarding the message on her website regarding shipping times. To the best of my knowledge they are still shipping outstanding orders but the new orders coming in will not be shipped until after CHA.
And regarding the suggestion about hiring someone to help with the shipping. I would have to ask that you put yourself in there shoes. They are trying to get a small home based business off the ground and still manage their every day lives. From what I hear they just had a growth spurt (as far as orders ) and have been trying to get out from underneath them. I'm sure they can't afford to hire a staff so to speak. I just wanted you to think of it from the other side of the coin. I hope you get your issue resolved soon.
I think it's great they are a small business -- I love to support and buy from these types of companies. Jacksonbelle, CHF, MFT, Lizzie Anne and many more all get my business. I love that you can talk to the owner directly ! My parents started their own business so I understand the time/sacrifice, etc. But at a certain point, if you are getting so many orders, then you are growing financially and should be able to hire some part time help.
I don't expect any business to be perfect -- there are always things out of your control, but I do believe that EP are good people who are trying their best and will work to fix things! But I am looking at ScrappingStampingMama's side... She is frustrated -- I would be too everyone is raving about their wonderful experiences and how they got their order within several days and hers is still in limbo after several weeks.
When you use paypal to pay for a purchase, paypal takes the money off of your credit card or bank account and puts it into the paypal account of the store. So, even if the stores policy is to not bill until the product is ready to ship, (that's our policy,) when a customer chooses paypal, even if they purchase a backordered item, there is not way for the store to prevent the charge from happening instantly.
Just wanted to put that out there because there seems to be a little misconception about how all that works.
(I think that maybe a lot of companies are on their way to the CHA and may be a little behind on returning calls and emails. But they will have great new things to bring back for all of you. )
__________________ Be polite to those who are rude to you. Not because they are nice, but because you are.
Owner- Gina K. Designs
I really like supporting small businesses, but I'm so glad you posted your experiences. I am happy to avoid dealing with those kinds of frustrations. I believe VISA (even used via PayPal) rules don't allow charging until the items are ready to be shipped so you may have some relief if you shopped with that (though "backordered" items may have their own rules).
I hope you can get this resolved soon.
When you use paypal to pay for a purchase, paypal takes the money off of your credit card or bank account and puts it into the paypal account of the store. So, even if the stores policy is to not bill until the product is ready to ship, (that's our policy,) when a customer chooses paypal, even if they purchase a backordered item, there is not way for the store to prevent the charge from happening instantly.
Just wanted to put that out there because there seems to be a little misconception about how all that works.
(I think that maybe a lot of companies are on their way to the CHA and may be a little behind on returning calls and emails. But they will have great new things to bring back for all of you. )
Will your store be open while CHA is going on? I live in the area and hope to visit your store soon
And regarding the suggestion about hiring someone to help with the shipping. I would have to ask that you put yourself in there shoes. They are trying to get a small home based business off the ground and still manage their every day lives. From what I hear they just had a growth spurt (as far as orders ) and have been trying to get out from underneath them. I'm sure they can't afford to hire a staff so to speak. I just wanted you to think of it from the other side of the coin. I hope you get your issue resolved soon.
Another note about hiring more staff...yes, if it's needed, then by all means. But just remember, the more people that touch the product, the higher the prices will have to be! I appreciate companies who choose to keep prices lower and keep a personal touch.
I'm sorry you're frustrated, but I agree with Shannon and this is a situation that YOU need to rectify with them, not the masses of SCS. There is nothing anyone here can do to help you, and while you have had a negative experience, I would suspect that you are in minority.
I've been ordering thru catalogs, over the phone, online - you name it - since I was a teenager. I've had mostly good experiences. But I for one want to know if even a few people have negative experiences with a company. Ebay asks for good and bad reports and you get to see the rating and decide on your own, so why should we only hear glowing reports here at SCS? Complaints against a company should help them learn from their mistakes if they're interested in staying in business.
__________________ Cheryl "Mom" to Jazz & Cubby bungalowdays
I am one that likes to hear both sides of a company. The bad will not stop me from ordering unless it is LOTS of bad experiences listed and they outweigh the good. I never knew of about 75% of the stamping companies until I came onto SCS. So I do like to know what to expect as I basically got screwed on an order a few years ago and now I am very leary of ordering from new places unless I hear from other customers.
If no one can talk about their negative experiences with a company, then the good experiences should not be discussed either. There are going to be some bad experiences with EVERY company. It does make a difference though on how the company handles it to make things better. That is what I like to know about any company I may buy from.
Things do get back ordered from suppliers all the time, especially for smaller businesses. I once waited almost 3 months for a stamp set that was on backorder but the company did answer me and kept me up to date so I was OK with it. If I did not hear anything on it then I would have been upset and so on as well.
I work in customer service so I know how important it is to be honest and keep a customer up to date on backorders.
I don't think anyone was really doing any bashing, just venting feelings about a back order.
If it is to long and you need your items, then I would ask if oyu can cancel the rest of your order and buy it from somewhere else.
Good luck to you and I hope it all works out
Last edited by meluvstampin; 02-08-2008 at 08:06 PM..
I also want to hear both sides. This is how capitalism works. It does not work if it becomes taboo to mention dissatisfaction. I joined this thread because of my very similar experience. I plan to be posting on my blog those companies which satisfy and why as well as those companies that do not satisfy and why. My readers are smart enough to make up their own minds, as are all consumers. It is OK here to have long threads praising only?
Another vote for wanting the good, the bad, and the ugly to be out there on stores. I know we are in a "warm fuzzy" hobby, but it doesn't mean that we should make endless excuses for poor customer service.
NOT that EP has poor customer service--I certainly can't speak from firsthand experience. In fact, I like small businesses, too, and will be checking them out, now, and making my own mind up on whether or not to order from them. But I appreciate knowing *now* that shipping might be an issue... not after I've sent them my money. :-)
I think that too many people think life is all sunshine and tweetie birds. Just ain't so. And that's okay! Vent away, that is a legitimate use of a message board, I think. Interested parties, like myself, can read, and people who don't like these types of threads are free to ignore them!
NOT that EP has poor customer service--I certainly can't speak from firsthand experience. In fact, I like small businesses, too, and will be checking them out, now, and making my own mind up on whether or not to order from them. But I appreciate knowing *now* that shipping might be an issue... not after I've sent them my money. :-)
I agree wholeheartedly! Someone posted above that the OP was probably in the minority with her complaint, but how would we know if we're encouraged to make only positive comments?
__________________ Cheryl "Mom" to Jazz & Cubby bungalowdays
Another vote for wanting the good, the bad, and the ugly to be out there on stores. I know we are in a "warm fuzzy" hobby, but it doesn't mean that we should make endless excuses for poor customer service.
NOT that EP has poor customer service--I certainly can't speak from firsthand experience. In fact, I like small businesses, too, and will be checking them out, now, and making my own mind up on whether or not to order from them. But I appreciate knowing *now* that shipping might be an issue... not after I've sent them my money. :-)
I think that too many people think life is all sunshine and tweetie birds. Just ain't so. And that's okay! Vent away, that is a legitimate use of a message board, I think. Interested parties, like myself, can read, and people who don't like these types of threads are free to ignore them!
.... It is OK here to have long threads praising only?
No, I don't think that's it. Most companies are bound to have issues at times. I don't think it's wrong to vent about it, or even to post about it on a forum like this.
After the 5th or 6th post, though? From the same person? I don't think that's productive. I don't think it's necessary. I do think it reflects badly on the person who started out with a legitimate complaint. It gets way too personal, I guess. There's a fine line between voicing dissatisfaction with a vendor and libel. It can be difficult to see, for sure.
The stamping industry is full of little start-ups, often just another stamper wanting to make a living by doing what they love. Shopping with them is never going to be like shopping at Macy's. More often than not, the companies are under-capitalized, under-staffed (because they're under-capitalized), and ignorant to a degree. They are literally learning as they go.
A lot of companies "enjoy" a huge burst of business before they're fully prepared. It's sort of a gamble either way, really. Stay as small as you know you can handle and expand slowly only after completely mastering every nuance of business. Or, try to "strike while the iron is hot," lol, knowing that there's a new company starting up right under their noses, willing and able to lure customers away....
So. Does all that mean that customers just have to suck it up, live with miscommunications, delayed deliveries, etc.? NO! We have every right to expect the best possible service from vendors. It's just that, because "they is us," fellow stampers, it behooves us to make a few more allowances with them than with a Macy's or Bloomingdale's. When given possible explanations for why things are going wrong, try to be a little understanding. If you decide not to shop with a vendor because of these kinds of things happening, so be it.
One more thing -- yeah, I know this is too long already, lol. Backorders in particular are rampant in the papercrafting industry. Sometimes it's because there was a monsoon in China and ships don't get loaded. Sometimes it's just that a manufacturer cannot keep up with the demand for a product. Last week one of their widgets was just a regular ol' part of their product line. Super Stamper Stella mentions the widget on her blog, shows her latest production using it, and all of a sudden 50,000 stampers NEED that widget RIGHT NOW.
We just need to try and be flexible, understanding, and supportive. Not just of these lovely vendors, but supportive of those like the op who are having problems like this. We ALL could cut each other some slack...
OK, I can't even follow what I'm saying anymore...
Another note about hiring more staff...yes, if it's needed, then by all means. But just remember, the more people that touch the product, the higher the prices will have to be! I appreciate companies who choose to keep prices lower and keep a personal touch.
EP already charges full price on many items (from what I can tell) unless they're having a sale, or clearing out seasonal items....i.e. Christmas. I'm thinking particularly of the stamps and paper I've considered purchasing from them in the past. I've almost always gone elsewhere because EP's price was highest I could find. Perhaps that helps explain why they haven't hired additional help.
Although I agree that the OP can't resolve her order problem here on SCS, I appreciate her chiming in and letting me know about her experience. I always take these things into consideration. I don't think it was wrong of her at all to tell about a bad experience...I think it's wrong of people to bash her for doing so.
P.S. I've only ordered once from EP because of a free shipping deal quite a while ago. Although shipping was free, I did end up paying full price for several items and the shipping was, as many others have mentioned, SLOW.
I also want to hear the good and the bad. It sounds like the OP has tried to resolve this and has been told it was shipped? If so, where is it?
One more note, we are only hearing one side of this story. And without all the facts, how on earth do we, as consumers, know that that one side is the *right* story? For all we know, there has been communication, has been offers of resolution, has been regular contact, and the OP has chosen not to convey that part of the conversations between herself and eP. And has only chosen to voice the negativity. None of us know the real truth except for the OP and eP.
As far as the Ebay rating system, that is for their site, and perfectly appropriate. It is not on sites that aren't connected to Ebay, which is what this situation is.
No, I don't think that's it. Most companies are bound to have issues at times. I don't think it's wrong to vent about it, or even to post about it on a forum like this.
After the 5th or 6th post, though? From the same person? I don't think that's productive. I don't think it's necessary. I do think it reflects badly on the person who started out with a legitimate complaint. It gets way too personal, I guess. There's a fine line between voicing dissatisfaction with a vendor and libel. It can be difficult to see, for sure.
The stamping industry is full of little start-ups, often just another stamper wanting to make a living by doing what they love. Shopping with them is never going to be like shopping at Macy's. More often than not, the companies are under-capitalized, under-staffed (because they're under-capitalized), and ignorant to a degree. They are literally learning as they go.
A lot of companies "enjoy" a huge burst of business before they're fully prepared. It's sort of a gamble either way, really. Stay as small as you know you can handle and expand slowly only after completely mastering every nuance of business. Or, try to "strike while the iron is hot," lol, knowing that there's a new company starting up right under their noses, willing and able to lure customers away....
So. Does all that mean that customers just have to suck it up, live with miscommunications, delayed deliveries, etc.? NO! We have every right to expect the best possible service from vendors. It's just that, because "they is us," fellow stampers, it behooves us to make a few more allowances with them than with a Macy's or Bloomingdale's. When given possible explanations for why things are going wrong, try to be a little understanding. If you decide not to shop with a vendor because of these kinds of things happening, so be it.
One more thing -- yeah, I know this is too long already, lol. Backorders in particular are rampant in the papercrafting industry. Sometimes it's because there was a monsoon in China and ships don't get loaded. Sometimes it's just that a manufacturer cannot keep up with the demand for a product. Last week one of their widgets was just a regular ol' part of their product line. Super Stamper Stella mentions the widget on her blog, shows her latest production using it, and all of a sudden 50,000 stampers NEED that widget RIGHT NOW.
We just need to try and be flexible, understanding, and supportive. Not just of these lovely vendors, but supportive of those like the op who are having problems like this. We ALL could cut each other some slack...
OK, I can't even follow what I'm saying anymore...
I understand your frustration, but bashing them on a public forum is not the best way to go about this. It seems like at this point you're just trying to make them look bad, not resolve the issue. There are two sides to everything, which makes situations like these best hashed out privately.
I always find it interesting that there can be 1,000,000 threads about good experiences with companies, but when someone posts bad experiences it shouldn't be spoken about publicly.
There are plenty of threads around here that are in big, vocal praise of other ordering sites so I don't see why there would be anything wrong with her voicing her frustrations with the one particular company. I don't think she is really trying to make them look bad, she's just bringing to light her personal experience. And I can appreciate that because I try to steer clear myself of companies who give yucky customer service.
I love to see the "YAY! ABC Generic Stamp Co. is the best!" and I appreciate seeing when people have negative experiences so that I'll know what to expect if/when I place an order with that company.
All I see that she has said is that she is frustrated with not getting her order. I would be, too! And she also alerted everyone to the no shipping until the week after next. I, myself, would have liked that information before I placed my order, but I didn't see it on the bottom of their front page.
I too appreciated BOTH the good and the bad reviews - I don't think she was bashing them either. It is good to know what can be expected, especially if you haven't ordered previously or perhaps haven't heard of a company yet.
While I appreciate (and agree) with the concepts of positive and negative comments being aired, I do think it's a little unfair to have this discussion when the EP owners can't defend themselves, given that they are (as has been pointed out over and over) at CHA, giving us (as Valerie said) only one side of the story.
I actually can't remember if I've ordered from them before this, so it's not as if I am a huge fan and supporter of the company, I'm just a huge supporter of allowing everyone to have their say, and this discussion does seem a little one sided when the owner's can't.
There are plenty of threads around here that are in big, vocal praise of other ordering sites so I don't see why there would be anything wrong with her voicing her frustrations with the one particular company. I don't think she is really trying to make them look bad, she's just bringing to light her personal experience. And I can appreciate that because I try to steer clear myself of companies who give yucky customer service.
I love to see the "YAY! ABC Generic Stamp Co. is the best!" and I appreciate seeing when people have negative experiences so that I'll know what to expect if/when I place an order with that company.
All I see that she has said is that she is frustrated with not getting her order. I would be, too! And she also alerted everyone to the no shipping until the week after next. I, myself, would have liked that information before I placed my order, but I didn't see it on the bottom of their front page.
I agree. It does rub me the wrong way when someone does one of these threads without giving the company a couple days to respond or a week or so to make things right. But it seems like you have waiting much longer. They shouldn't have taken your money yet or at least offered to refund it by now if you don't wish to wait any longer. It seems like quite a few people have the same concerns as you & as a consumer I like to know these things to help me make choices. Hope you get your order soon.
I always find it interesting that there can be 1,000,000 threads about good experiences with companies, but when someone posts bad experiences it shouldn't be spoken about publicly.
*Nobody* is saying she shouldn't be upset, she shouldn't post it here, and her story shouldn't be told.
She has a *right* to be frustrated. She has a right to post it here. I would be frustrated as well if it indeed was taking as long as she is saying.
However, she has posted her vent, and it is continuing to post unproductively as Betsy mentioned. Now, just what is being resolved from that?
That's all we are saying. Not "don't post your negative story". I just don't see the point of carrying on and on and on and on.
It does suck to have to wait for your order for which you paid over a month ago, but is it helping you to keep hashing it out here?
I am sorry you had a bad experience with them, and now we have read that there are a few others who have also, and a few others who have had great service.
Here's to hoping it's resolved!!:-D
I think I ordered from them once before. Got good service, as far as shipping to Canada is concerned. Very slow with all companies. But then, on my last order it has been over a month now. I think it is because I ordered some individual Copics and they are waiting to get the order together. And I paid through PayPal, which automatically takes your money, as GinaK mentioned. Not the companies fault on this. I will be patient .... you have to be in the Great White North.
I envy US shoppers who get their orders so quickly. If I got an order in under 2 weeks, I would faint dead away. I think with this kind of fast customer service, when you get a slower shipping problem, it really stands out as a major inconvenience. But to me, it would be very normal and I would think nothing of it. It's all relative.
I have to say, Ellen Hutson is super fast getting product to Canada. I don't know how she does it.
*Nobody* is saying she shouldn't be upset, she shouldn't post it here, and her story shouldn't be told.
She has a *right* to be frustrated. She has a right to post it here. I would be frustrated as well if it indeed was taking as long as she is saying.
However, she has posted her vent, and it is continuing to post unproductively as Betsy mentioned. Now, just what is being resolved from that?
That's all we are saying. Not "don't post your negative story". I just don't see the point of carrying on and on and on and on.
It does suck to have to wait for your order for which you paid over a month ago, but is it helping you to keep hashing it out here?
I am sorry you had a bad experience with them, and now we have read that there are a few others who have also, and a few others who have had great service.
Here's to hoping it's resolved!!:-D
Well, actually, she hasn't posted since post #39. The other 36 posts have been from other people discussing whether or not she should have started this thread. While several of her posts were repeating what she had already said, some of them were in direct response to questions people asked.
While nobody outright told her not to post here, a few people did say her post was unproductive and she should handle this privately. I think she has handled this privately, and now she came to her "friends" to share her experience.
I, for one, appreciate her sharing her story here. I have only ordered from eP once. I don't even remember what I ordered. I don't remember having any problems, but it was a long time ago.
I have been reading this thread for several days and you know something? I went and looked at EP's web site for the first time and really liked a few of the sets that they have! I have gotten some good info from this thread so if or when I order them, I will not expect the service to be quick and therefor, will not be disappointed when it takes 2 -3 weeks to get here. Had I ordered before having this knowledge, I would have expected the same time frame as I get from Papertrey, Ellen's, etc. Now I have all the info for me to make a decision!
So I, for one, appreciate the heads up. I also think that once the owners see this thread they will work on this problem that seems fairly common and correct it. In the end, I hope it will help their business in both finding new customers (like me) and also turning around the "turn around" time with getting their products to the customers. Growing pains? Maybe, but I really hope and feel that they will take this feedback and use it to impove and expand their business.
So maybe we can take the negative and turn it into a positive for them?
As far as the Ebay rating system, that is for their site, and perfectly appropriate. It is not on sites that aren't connected to Ebay, which is what this situation is.
I was making a comparison between how a hugely successful company works and how some people seem to want a small company to work. The small company shouldn't be exempt from 'bad reviews'. It's true we aren't hearing their side, but we've heard from customers who've had good and bad experiences. That's worth a discussion to me!
Some questions about credit cards and PayPal were even addresssed, so that helps the OP.
__________________ Cheryl "Mom" to Jazz & Cubby bungalowdays
I've ordered from they a few times. In the beginning they were great but ever since the fires they have been perpetually behind and unresponsive. I could TOTALLY understand not being able to keep up during the CA fires...no questions asked.
But around the holidays they took off something like 5 weeks and completely shut down. I emailed about gift certificates and other product inquiries (since most everything I wanted was out of stock) and they NEVER replied.
I got a gc for Christmas and it took weeks for my order to get here.
After Christmas, they claimed they were backed up from being closed all that time and then they had their anniversary sale and claimed they were backed up from too many orders. Now they're away for CHA for nearly 2 weeks.
This is no way to run a business. Even my LSS who is ONE person gets customers and her mom to help when she goes to CHA to cover the store. You can't just shut down and let everything back up.
There are two of them...either they should better coordinate their schedules or get more help.
Until I see some remarked improvement from other people's experiences I am steering completely clear. They don't have anything really that I can't find elsewhere with better service (like PaperTrey!!!)
They're nice ladies but maybe they're overwhelmed/overworked....they need to sort it out.
I don't think that anyone was "bashing" EP. All they were doing was voicing their opinion about something, which everyone has the right to do. why is it only okay to post something "positive" and not something "negative"?? maybe she was just trying to determine if she was the only one receiving poor service, or if there was anyone out there having the same problem.
I appreciate that they are a small company, just starting out, and it can be tough.
I agree with katestamps716 - they just need to sit down and get organized and try to determine how best to handle the situation. And, closing your shop for five weeks doesn't help.
I think that this forum should allow both good and bad things to be said, this is America, people, and we do have opinions and feelings. If you still want to order from EP, you are free to do so, some people just have had a bad experience.
