I would guess that the customer service problem might start at the top. Overstock's CEO, Patrick Byrne has such a colorful history w/ Overstock, that if anything, it makes for good reading on some night (or day) when you have a few hours to kill.
I speak from experience, because in August, Byrne sent out the strangest email This prompted me to do a search on the man, where I found out he has quite a history.
Wiki is a good place to start to get the summary on Overstock. Not surprisingly, the entry is locked.
btw....I wish this was a new thread, because I would have loved to use the title "Naked Short Selling" LOL
Overstock.com
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ToLiveIsToFly
- Posts: 2364
- Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2007 11:34 am
- Location: Kalamazoo
- Contact:
Not sure if it will make you feel better, but this week's (rerun) episode of This American Life has someone on it who knows your pain:
http://www.thisamericanlife.com/Radio_E ... pisode=253
More to the point, here are a couple links that might be more useful:
http://consumerist.com/consumer/happy-e ... 328932.php
http://consumerist.com/consumer/how-to/ ... 259713.php
http://www.thisamericanlife.com/Radio_E ... pisode=253
More to the point, here are a couple links that might be more useful:
http://consumerist.com/consumer/happy-e ... 328932.php
http://consumerist.com/consumer/how-to/ ... 259713.php
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peacock2121
- Posts: 18451
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:58 am
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traininvain
- Posts: 433
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 3:22 pm
- Location: Earth by way of the Empire State
Is this "I've had it will certain retailers" thread?
Target is now at the top of my list of not to shop at.
On Saturday I got out all the outdoor Christmas light, specifically the 'icicle lights' to decorate the outside of my house, unfortunately 3 out of the 4 strands didn't work. I had worked with a guy recently who told me about the Light Keeper Pro, which somehow fixes the problem that so many mini-lights have where half or all the strand doesn't work. Anyway, the only store that I could find that had it was Target, it was listed on their website Reg. $19.99, on sale $9.99, unfortunately the website was out of stock and I was directed to look for it at a local store. All the stores on Long Island had it and since I was going to be close to one later that night I figured that I'd stop by and pick it up. I found the last one there and when I went to purchase it, it rang up for $19.99, I told the cashier (what was I thinking) that it was listed on the website for $9.99, "I just started working here last week" was his response. I asked someone at the service desk, "I can't do anything about that". So I went home and figured that I'd print out the web page with the price and try another store the next day. So I trudge off to another Target and bring the item to the register and show the cashier the printout and he calls over was I suppose was a supervisor who told me that they couldn't do anything. I let them know that I expect to speak with a manager and that basically come Hell or high-water I was going to be "satisfied" one way or another so you'd better talk to a manager. The supervisor came back with an answer that they can't do anything, BUT she did have a $3 OFF WITH OUR APOLOGIES coupon and a Guest Comment Card.I nearly had steam coming out of my ears. I DID NOT purchase the item, I did purchase new lights, but I didn't use the coupon. I finally got in touch with Target via the 800# and told them of my displeasure. They told me that they do not match Internet prices, EVEN THEIR OWN! I calmly told the person on the phone that that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard; you didn't even have the item in stock online! And in this day and age of 'Guest First' service someone should have done something for me to make me happy, and giving me a $3.00 coupon is NOT the way to go about it. I told the person on the phone that I would NEVER shop at Target again. She apologized (a few times) and said that she would forward this to company executives, and that they do read them.
I've been in retail for 25 years and most recently with Golfsmith who preach "Guest First" and where the executives do read and call the guests when they are unhappy. I would never have let a customer leave my store that unhappy, store managers/directors/GM's have the digestion to do whatever it takes to keep customers happy, which includes matching prices off their own websites.
OK, my mini rant is over, but Target you are on the bad list
BTW, I tried to find the Light Keeper Pro everywhere, but couldn't, so I begrudgingly when back to Target and purchased it (I had to get the lighted reindeer to light up or the 8-year old would have been distraught).
And the Light Keeper Pro does work and I highly recommend it, but purchase it somewhere besides target.
Target is now at the top of my list of not to shop at.
On Saturday I got out all the outdoor Christmas light, specifically the 'icicle lights' to decorate the outside of my house, unfortunately 3 out of the 4 strands didn't work. I had worked with a guy recently who told me about the Light Keeper Pro, which somehow fixes the problem that so many mini-lights have where half or all the strand doesn't work. Anyway, the only store that I could find that had it was Target, it was listed on their website Reg. $19.99, on sale $9.99, unfortunately the website was out of stock and I was directed to look for it at a local store. All the stores on Long Island had it and since I was going to be close to one later that night I figured that I'd stop by and pick it up. I found the last one there and when I went to purchase it, it rang up for $19.99, I told the cashier (what was I thinking) that it was listed on the website for $9.99, "I just started working here last week" was his response. I asked someone at the service desk, "I can't do anything about that". So I went home and figured that I'd print out the web page with the price and try another store the next day. So I trudge off to another Target and bring the item to the register and show the cashier the printout and he calls over was I suppose was a supervisor who told me that they couldn't do anything. I let them know that I expect to speak with a manager and that basically come Hell or high-water I was going to be "satisfied" one way or another so you'd better talk to a manager. The supervisor came back with an answer that they can't do anything, BUT she did have a $3 OFF WITH OUR APOLOGIES coupon and a Guest Comment Card.I nearly had steam coming out of my ears. I DID NOT purchase the item, I did purchase new lights, but I didn't use the coupon. I finally got in touch with Target via the 800# and told them of my displeasure. They told me that they do not match Internet prices, EVEN THEIR OWN! I calmly told the person on the phone that that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard; you didn't even have the item in stock online! And in this day and age of 'Guest First' service someone should have done something for me to make me happy, and giving me a $3.00 coupon is NOT the way to go about it. I told the person on the phone that I would NEVER shop at Target again. She apologized (a few times) and said that she would forward this to company executives, and that they do read them.
I've been in retail for 25 years and most recently with Golfsmith who preach "Guest First" and where the executives do read and call the guests when they are unhappy. I would never have let a customer leave my store that unhappy, store managers/directors/GM's have the digestion to do whatever it takes to keep customers happy, which includes matching prices off their own websites.
OK, my mini rant is over, but Target you are on the bad list
BTW, I tried to find the Light Keeper Pro everywhere, but couldn't, so I begrudgingly when back to Target and purchased it (I had to get the lighted reindeer to light up or the 8-year old would have been distraught).
And the Light Keeper Pro does work and I highly recommend it, but purchase it somewhere besides target.
Enjoy every sandwich
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littlebeast13
- Dumbass
- Posts: 31112
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:20 pm
- Location: Between the Sterilite and the Farberware
- Contact:
traininvain wrote:BTW, I tried to find the Light Keeper Pro everywhere, but couldn't, so I begrudgingly when back to Target and purchased it (I had to get the lighted reindeer to light up or the 8-year old would have been distraught).
And the Light Keeper Pro does work and I highly recommend it, but purchase it somewhere besides target.
I've unfortunately logged a lot of time in the Christmas room, and as I've never heard of Light Keeper Pro, we don't have it at the Wal. In fact, we don't have a whole lot of Christmas left period since we have a good department manager over there who aggressively works all the seasonal stuff out to the counter...
Well, we do still have plenty of clearance Hannukah merchandise....
lb13
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Bob Juch
- Posts: 26470
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:58 am
- Location: Oro Valley, Arizona
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I just checked Amazon.com. They have it listed though one of their merchants for $24.99: Overstock.com!littlebeast13 wrote:traininvain wrote:BTW, I tried to find the Light Keeper Pro everywhere, but couldn't, so I begrudgingly when back to Target and purchased it (I had to get the lighted reindeer to light up or the 8-year old would have been distraught).
And the Light Keeper Pro does work and I highly recommend it, but purchase it somewhere besides target.
I've unfortunately logged a lot of time in the Christmas room, and as I've never heard of Light Keeper Pro, we don't have it at the Wal. In fact, we don't have a whole lot of Christmas left period since we have a good department manager over there who aggressively works all the seasonal stuff out to the counter...
Well, we do still have plenty of clearance Hannukah merchandise....
lb13
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.
- Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)
Si fractum non sit, noli id reficere.
Teach a child to be polite and courteous in the home and, when he grows up, he'll never be able to drive in New Jersey.
- Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)
Si fractum non sit, noli id reficere.
Teach a child to be polite and courteous in the home and, when he grows up, he'll never be able to drive in New Jersey.