The ordering experience

[Jan]

For those who paid extra taxes

This just on the newsgroup from JMS:

Title: Re: Attn JMS: Babylon5Quotes.com
Author: [email protected]
Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2005 02:37:48 +0000 (UTC)
Message-ID: <[email protected] .com>

BTW, a couple of small updates.

Appparently some of our Canadian brethren (and sisthern? sistern?) to
the North have been hit with GST because Cafe Press isn't correctly
labeling their boxes. So if folks up there want to hold off on their
orders on stuff for a bit (it might take a couple of weeks to
straighten this out), there's a way to carry over the discount for
y'all.

Also...we're tweaking some of the quote stuff to make it look spiffier,
so a few things will be coming off in a bit for a while as we make it
better. Just FYI.

jms

I posted that I thought some of the UK folk had had the same problem. If so, you might want to use the feedback form on the scripts site (as opposed to Cafe Press) to let them know.

Jan

[alex_t]

Can't they just mark it as a book?
I guess I will know if German customs went berserk on Monday - I got notification that scripts (1st book) finally arrived. BTW, wrong customs marking could be a reason for such delivery delay!

[jahkneebee]

I got real upset at the delays, couldn't call the 877 number, got upset at the "next' button for e-mails that didn't work, and finally e-mailed the Feedback Form that Jan posted earlier on the thread (just tried to paste it here, but I am a cyberklutz).

I was respectful and asked for help nicely. Jaclyn responded and was professional and helpful. She got the Cafe Press person who could make changes to call me directly. Samantha was great! She explained that they didn't know that it would be such an inconvenience to ship UPS to a US Territory, and has RESHIPPED another copy of Book 1 to me, as well as changed the method for all subsequent shipments to me and other VI residents. She indicated that they had to do the same thing for Hawaii earlier when it became apparent that they needed US Postal service also.

So, it appears that honey works (except I still like 12 yr Balsamic better). Kudos to Cafe Press which will hopefully be solving the problems others are having also. Give them a Feedback e-mail with frustrated kindness, and if your experience matches mine, you will feel better.

Of course, I still haven't gotten either of the two Book 1's or the Book 2 that are on the way. But I feel better about not getting them yet now. My new-found mellowness will need working on to last: thankfully I can self-medicate (I think I will use a couple of Firefly episodes in antici............................................ ............................pation of my Dec 20th Amazon Pre-order of Serenity, which never showed in the VI and for which I am also waiting.

[cornholio1980]

BTW, wrong customs marking could be a reason for such delivery delay!

Yes, that was exactly my thought, since it hasen't arrived over here yet. Hope I'll get it on monday too!

[OmahaStar]

Here we go again

After the gross incompetence and absolutely rude customer service rep from my first order, I was given free overnight shipping for the next 4 orders (volumes 2,3,4,&5).

I placed my order on the site 11/28, so with the 2-day production and overnight shipping, I should have received my order 12/01, last Thursday.

Today it is still in production status. I called them a few minutes ago to ask the status of the order. I was told there was a computer glitch and it would be sent right over to the production manager to get sent out tomorrow and received the day after.

I asked why it was that I received an email confirming overnight shipping on the next day, 11/29, but I still don't have it. "Computer glitch."

Ok, so if they have a glitch, how many others are being held back? She said there was no way to know, because they didn't know my order was glitched.

This is two orders, and two orders in a row that have been completely fucked up.

Cafe Press is NOT impressing me.

Yes, I have left feedback for them, letting them know how disappointed I am in this ordering process.

[Nacho]

OmahaStar,

Are you saying that Cafe Press has already processed all orders that they received that far back? I ordered on 11/26 and mine still shows "in production", dated 11/26 at 18:06:00. Wondering if mine might have been "computer glitched" too. The first volume they sent right away for me.

[OmahaStar]

OmahaStar,

Are you saying that Cafe Press has already processed all orders that they received that far back? I ordered on 11/26 and mine still shows "in production", dated 11/26 at 18:06:00. Wondering if mine might have been "computer glitched" too. The first volume they sent right away for me.

Yes. She said they have no way of knowing how many orders are stuck in "production" due to their glitch, and they don't know until someone calls in and they check on the specific order number.

If you ordered on the 26th, it should already be in transit, if not already arrived.

[Sigma]

Has anyones (other than Jan's) Volume 2 order been shipped?

edit. read it wrong, ignore this post

[Satai Delenn]

11/26 and mine is still in production status so it definately should have arrived by now ?Even with the two day processing .I have not been impressed by either cafepress or the scripts team.They are f***ed up.

[Satai Delenn]

I just got this response from Cafepress regarding my shipment .

Thank you for contacting CafePress.com!

We sincerely apologize for the delay that has affected your order. Due to overwhelming demand for this item, processing times have been lengthened. Our production office is working diligently to catch up on our processing times and make sure the orders are delivered as quickly as possible. Your shipping service has been upgraded to 2nd Day Air at no additional cost to help compensate for this delay.

I will believe it when the book is in my hands.

[phazedout]

Mine hasn't, I've already mentioned (at length) about it in the thread on "the ordering experience". It's a shame we can't just switch to another retailer, or maybe JMS could.

I wonder are we the only people so dissapointed with the process, or just the more vocal members of the community. I'd hate to see the whole idea go down the swanny because CafÚ Press are "the only game in town" and other (non-fan) people who've ordered get stiffed by poor customer service and decide not to bother ordering any more - although it would make the copies we've got that bit more exclusive
I've left a query for them on my "in prduction since the 27th" status and will see what happens.
Phaze
on the "Must take a good look at volume one" ID

[Nacho]

OmahaStar,

Thanks for the "heads up" post. I called, and where she didn't say it was "computer glitched", she said something about bringing it up "forward in production to be done very soon".

If it hadn't been for your post, I'd be sitting around waiting another week for it.

Anyway, I didn't give her a hard time, I'm still way-way humbled about how they responded to my email to them about having trouble with the binding of the first book. I told them I was having trouble, and that I might (later) want to send it back, and that I was mainly letting them know so that if they were having production problems, they could adjust their process .. 2 days later I had a replacement book in my hand! No quarrels, no mess, no huff; and they didn't even ask me to send back the other book!

[Sigma]

When i order Volume 3 (the first i'm planning to buy), i would be happy if i get the book 4-5 weeks after ordering and in good conditions. This is going to take time and we have to get used to it. They are overwhelmed and it takes time.

[Jan]

11/26 and mine is still in production status so it definately should have arrived by now ?Even with the two day processing .I have not been impressed by either cafepress or the scripts team.They are f***ed up.

Whether it should have arrived by now depends on what shipping option you selected. I went with a slight upgrade for the script book and it's due on Wednesday. My other order, which is only quote items doesn't have a due date because I went with 'basic' shipping.

Folks, maybe Cafe Press should have changed their website to show a longer production time but...after they were so overwhelmed before, I'm not sure why anybody was trying to hold them to a strict 2-day production time.

Before I put anything on the newsgroup, maybe one or two others could call and see if the same situation exists?

Jan

[Nacho]

... I'm not sure why anybody was trying to hold them to a strict 2-day production time.

Exactly. That's why I've been waiting, patiently, and not asking them about it. I figured they couldn't hold to that 2 day production time, given what I think is the popularity of the item, and that me taking some of their time wasn't going to help in the long run.