Problems with Online Orders - What Do You Do?

Your package finally came in the mail after waiting for the longest 2 weeks of your life and you open it to find out that you were sent the wrong item, or the dress doesn't quite fit.  Now, not only do you have to send the item back, but you also have to wait for another item and possibly even call customer service.  How do you deal with this situation without deep frustration and the possibility of being charged twice or your package getting lost?  Today I want to share some tips with you on how to deal with online orders that did not arrive as planned.

I recently ordered some items from the Disney Store to get some gifts for my nieces and nephews.  They were having some great sales on toys and I found an adorable Toy Story purse and a CARS waterbottle.  Shipping was $5 but I got such a great deal on the purse that I was willing to pay shipping (I usually don't buy online unless free shipping is offered, such as around holidays or like yesterday, President's Day.)  I placed my order and the next day I received an email saying that the Toy Story purse was out of stock and that the price of that item would be removed from my bill.  I was very upset to have to pay $5 shipping for the water bottle alone, making an $8 item a $13 item.

I contacted The Disney Store via email and asked if I could cancel the order.  I recieved a long automated response containing reasons why they could not cancel the order.  I emailed them two more times asking if I could instead pick out another item, but by the time I got another automated response, the bottle had already shipped. I received my item about a week later only to look on the website and find out that the purse was back in stock.  Was I going going to pay another $5 to have the purse shipped?  Nope.  So what do you do when things just aren't working out with  your order? 


Here are a few tips when resolving your order problems:

Decide how you will contact the company:  Sometimes email works great and sometimes calling the company works even better.  Many times with email, depending on the size of the company you are contacting, you can get automated emails back which can get very annoying very quickly if they don't answer your questions.  Whichever way you chose, stick with that way until you get a response.  I sent an email about the purse being back in stock, but couldn't wait so I called and by the end of the day I had TWO purses coming in the mail and paid shipping for one of them.  Lesson learned - if you call, mention that you have also sent emails if possible.

Know What You Want:  Before calling or emailing, sit down and think carefully about what it is you want to happen in the end.  Chose your words carefully (don't lie) and try to explain things in a way that make sense and express your concern.

Be Assertive, But Polite: I don't like confrontation at all.  Even talking on the phone to some people makes me nervous, but you can't sound like you don't know what you are talking about.  By knowing what you want, you have a goal in mind of where you want the conversation to go.  Treat the person on the other side of the line like you would want to be treated and don't be rude.  But if they start beating around the bush and not helping you with your problem, redirect the conversation or simply ask to talk to someone higher up.  When I called Disney, the lady said I would have to pay shipping for the purse but the lady in my email waived the shipping.  It all depends on who you talk to.  Customer represenatives know that in order to have a customer keep coming back, they have to be happy with their purchse.  They would much rather give you a discount now or let you return the item than lose your business forever.

Follow Directions:  When returning items, it's really important to follow the return directions given to you.  There will probably be a return period which must be followed.  Often times now, companies will provide you with prepaid return labels so you don't have to pay the shipping to send an item back.  Make sure you use the right mail carrier listed in the instructions and that you attatch the right labels and include correct paperwork in the box.  Your order will get there faster and an exchange or return of your money will happen quicker.

Put Things in Perspective:  Sometimes things just don't work out the way we want.  For bigger purchases, you may need to dig deeper and talk to the higher ups for resolution, but if you are dealing with smaller amounts of money and non-essentials items (which is almost everything) then let it go this time and learn from your mistakes.  Mistakes are the greatest teacher after all.

Preventing Future Problems

There are some steps that you can take to prevent having to go through the whole process of returns or customer service:

Check Out the Company:  Have you bought from them before?  Is there an email, phone, and address listed if you need to contact them?  How is your information stored?  Read online reviews and see what kind of experience other people have had with their purchases.  If you can't find any such reviews and you have never heard of this company before, be careful and pay with Paypal if possible.

Check Out the Reviews:  Besides checking out reviews on the company, look at the specifics of each item you are buying from reviews on the store website and other sites.  I was going to buy a Rex from Toy Story plastic toy but nearly all of the reviews said his legs broke off way too easily.  How would you know that unless you read reviews?  Reviews are VITAL for making good purchase decisions.

Read the Terms of Sales and Shipping Carefully:  How long does this sale last?  Can I use coupon codes on sale items?  Can I use coupon codes with the shipping offer?  How long do I have for returns?  Who pays return shipping?  Will I get the items by the time I need them?  Can I pay with Paypal?  Ask yourself lots of questions before even clicking on the "Place Order" button.

Keep You Order Info: Keep your order number, tracking number, and any other papers or email you get for easy order reference.

Open the Package Right Away:  Don't wait 59 days until that 60 day return period is almost up to open your box and try on your new dress.  Open packages as soon as you can in case there is a problem.


In the end, my Disnetstore.com experience didn't quite turn out to be such a great deal, but I definitely learned a few things about dealing with returns and customer service. 

What about you?  Have you ever had any "frustrating" online experiences?



(Both images from freedigitalphotos.net)