Order Problems with Saelig? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: paudav
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 02:50:52 am
content: So I ordered a scope from Saelig on Sunday, and I specified FedEx 3 day shipping. Knowing that Saelig is shipping from the East Coast, I asked for 3 day shipping so I could get the scope in Seattle by Thursday/Friday.In the order notes (I'm sure this is what screwed it up), I added a line that said, "If the product has not shipped by 11/6, please ship via UPS ground, instead of FedEx 3-Day." I figured, if it's not going to be on my desk by Friday, I'll just wait for the free ground shipping to sort itself out the following week.Today, I get the shipment notification, and they've sent it UPS Ground!And they've billed me the extra shipping charges for FedEx 3-Day!I sent some text explaining the situation to Saelig, and asked them to cross-ship a second unit that would arrive when I intended, but I have no idea if they'll help me out, or not.Has anybody else had these kinds of problems with Saelig? Were you able to resolve them? What did you do (or who did you get in touch with)?I've read a lot of positive things about them on the forums here, which is actually the reason why I ultimately placed my order with them. I'm sort of questioning that decision, now.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 04:48:12 am
content: you've stated the problem yourself. it got nothing to do with saelig or any other legitimate sellers. something to learn in the future.

author: paudav
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 05:24:12 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on November 06, 2012, 04:48:12 amRespectfully, did you even read my post?I ordered, paid for, and received an invoice for *air* shipping on Sunday. They sent the product *ground* on Monday. They charged me for *air* shipping.The shipping instructions I includedliterallysay: "If product has not shipped by 11/6/2012, please ship by FREE UPS Ground shipping instead of FedEx Express Saver."They shipped on 11/5/2012.This haseverythingto do with Saelig, and the notion that there's some little lesson embedded here is frankly insulting. If they can't accurately interpret the shipping instructions they encourage you to provide on the order form, they shouldn't collect them in the first place.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 05:41:16 am
content: It's a common mistake,you expected the minimum wage people on the shipping and packing desk to perform date/time maths and make a logical decision based on the answer.

author: paudav
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 05:49:18 am
content: *sigh* That's depressing. I used to work the packing/shipping desk at a surplus electronics store when I was in college...I stand by my earlier statement, though. If their people can't handle shipping and handling instructions, Saelig shouldn't collect them on the order form.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 05:58:06 am
content: I should probably expand on my previous statement.Don't get me wrong, It's not that people in these jobs are stupid, it's that the job itself is simple.When you repeatedly do a simple task you start to expect that task to always be simple. Anything complex is out of the ordinary and often gets ignored purely because you don't expect it.I also worked on shipping and packaging, at a bicycle parts distributor when i was young

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 05:58:29 am
content: It does seem that you gave seemingly confusing messages in your order instructions.In your place I think I would have called them up on Monday and explained my request over the phone. "If I place the order today, will I get it by Friday?" Yes--go ahead. No--OK, no hurry, I'll take ground shipping.As it happens, when I ordered my scope from them I took the free ground shipping and it arrived here on the west coast in under a week.

author: paudav
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 06:17:34 am
content: Quote from: IanB on November 06, 2012, 05:58:29 amWhere did you have it shipped to?Seattle (or maybe my location in the Suburbs) seems to be a "worst case scenario" when ordering things over UPS Ground. If it's coming from the east coast, it's always taken a full week from the shipping date. It's so predictable, you could probably set your watch by it.At present, the UPS tracking number they gave me indicates that it is in transit, and that it won't arrive until Monday.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 07:54:45 am
content: Quote from: paudav on November 06, 2012, 06:17:34 amSouthern California. But you are right, my memory is playing tricks with me. I placed the order on a Tuesday, it shipped on the Friday and it was delivered the following Thursday.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 04:53:02 pm
content: Quote from: paudav on November 06, 2012, 02:50:52 amuse clear cut and simple english, be carefull not to give any ambigous or confusing english. i for one if as a desk reception (with very low qualification, broken chinglish) will think you need very quick delivery. if i cannot deliver within "11 hours in 6 days" you need ground shipping, and i'll tell few level people down the line, service dept, delivery janitor etc etc. guess what message will arrive at the delivery man's ear? "ship this guy by ground"!

author: paudav
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 06:10:31 pm
content: Well, I talked with two nice guys over at Saelig this morning (Nate and Dan); They assured me that the final charges will not actually reflect air shipping, and they offered me a little store credit for the confusion.They did offer to get started on the cross-ship option as well, but they'd get taken for a ride by UPS when the ground package gets refused, which didn't seem very fair to me.Given all of that, I opted to just wait for the ground shipment.I have to say, they were responsive and courteous, and they were going to go above and beyond to get that scope here by Friday if I pressed them on the issue.In the end, I think IanB was right--I should have called on Monday and asked my questions over the phone, and ordered one kind of shipping instead of asking for two different kinds. I guess that makes Mechatrommer right, too.Anyway--I came away from this feeling well taken care of. Now I'm just hoping that UPS doesn't run over the box too many times between here and Rochester.

author: Fet
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 07, 2012, 03:45:17 am
content: To Ship or Not to Ship?QuoteSeems clear enough to me.Customer wanted the item by the end of week and was willing to pay for the extra shipping charges.If “Saelig's” shipping personal cannot or will not differentiate simple shipping instructions because of Poor English or No (?) English , Lack of Motivation , PPM (Piss Poor Management ) , etc., how is that the customers fault?? ,, It is not.QuoteIn case of product or shipping questions, the burden would have been on “Saelig” to contact the customer to clarify. The customer should not have to be a Pest and follow-up for a simple request.And yes, I have ( as most may have ) experienced and Lived vendor Screw Ups for what ever reason and somewhat recently was told that my item had NOT Arrived at said seller's store yet. Yes I was told my RMA Warranty item was NOT at their store and this is even though I had Emailed them 4 times ( at their direction ) with all the info even with Fedex Tracking Number and who signed for the package.I like Mouser, they always seem to have their stuff in a Group and if they screw up, they have Always “Over Nighted “ said items to me.FWIW

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2012, 10:02:34 am
content: The problem is caused by internal communications, The order department sees your request for 3 day air freight and raises the invoice for same and send to finance department who charge your card then an order notice is sent to packing department who read the dispatch to address and no further then the packed up item is put out for collection the order department and or the finance department do not pass on the fact that you have paid for the fast shipping.I have often had such things happen the usual one is when deliveries are to be made on site and there is a request to phone before delivery, the request is not passed to the dispatch or the driver so when the goods arrive there is no crane or forklift this happens so often that I often phone on the day.