Directron.com fubar

[Nebulous]

I remember back in the day Directron.com was pretty awsome. Now it's nothing but a headache

I order a Chieftec Dragon front bezel as they're the only ones that carry legacy case parts on Oct. 1st, 2012. I place the order in, they charge my card, I get a confirmation email of said order:

$10 for the part
$8 for shipping (the cheapest UPS Ground )

So I wait for the next email with tracking number...and wait....and wait.....nothing. I call CS, speak to some woman and she tells me it's already been shipped. I should have it by Friday. I'm like

Friday the 5th....nothing.....Saturday 6th.....nothing. Monday was a holiday so I figure today. I call this morning and speak to the same woman.. I ask her why haven't i recieved an email with Tracking info. She answers with "I dunno, but it shows it was shipped out on the 1st. It takes 5-7 business days thru UPS to get delivered". I'm like no s**t lady. "You should have it today"

That was @ 11:30am EST. I do my errands and come back home. Check mailbox have mail...walk up stairs expecting package....nothing. This is @ 4:30pm. I call again, this time speak to a guy. I ask the same question and give him my order #. He checks the system and comes back with" Your order is unavailable because we don't carry that part in stock". I'm like WTF? "I placed the order because your site showed it was in stock, you charge my card so you got paid, I wait a week, your dumba** female rep told me twice it was shipped, now you gonna tell me you don't even have the item in stock all this time"? "You have my phone number along with my email addy and no one couldn't send me an email or call me notifying me after I placed my dam order?" He goes:" I have no idea why she would tell you it's been shipped when we don't have it in stock, I'm sorry".

I was freakin' heated to say the least! So he apologizes and states he has another bezel similar to the one I ordered, but not the color I want...I told him: "Look bro, just send me any color I don't care, just send me the freakin' part, I'll paint it".

So now I have to wait another week


Do yourself a favor and stay away from these morons at all cost.

We'll see what happens in a few days. I'll keep you all posted.

 

[hank123]

Really? No free upgrade on shipping?

 

[Nathan0490]

Really? No free upgrade on shipping?

My sentiments exactly.

Thanks for sharing your experience Neb. I'll be sure to steer clear.

 

[Nebulous]

No sweat Nathan

Update:

Got an email re-confirming my order. Does not show the bezel was exchanged, just shows original one
I ordered in the first place

Get a 2nd email with Tracking info thru UPS. Instead of showing expected delivery date for this Friday the 12th as I was told by the male rep, it shows it was shipped with estimated delivery date: 10/15/2012

And the hits just keep coming....

 

[Nathan0490]

What a pain in the butt for one part. Did you end up getting your shipment?

 

[Nebulous]

*Update*

After this whole fiasco, there's more:

Part arrives at the UPS annex on Friday..scheduled for Delivery on Monday(15th).. So I get up around 7am and do my routine, coffee, and get in front of the pc screen. Check again and it shows " on vehicle for delivery @ 4:45am". I'm like cool..

So I decided to stay home to wait for it as the ups driver in this area shows up around 12-ish noon.

I recheck tracking @ 10:30am and this time is shows: 1st attempt delivery failed, customer not available". Now i'm angry as all hell

Monday morning was a really warm day, my front door open, all my windows open. I'm in the livingroom not 3 feet from my front door and no one knocked, no one yelled thru the screen door " Hello, anybody home?" nothing! I go outside to check if this moron left a notice on my door..nothing. I checked all over the front of the house...nothing.

So I call the dingbats and trust me it wasn't pretty. Lets just say I used another language other than English and Spanish

So after 10min on the phone rep stated the driver will "try" to redeliver it. I told them that is unacceptable. I want my package TODAY!

Several hours later the original driver shows up with my package and I asked what the hell happend. He explains that my package was put on the wrong truck and because that driver did not want to go out of his route to deliver it, he just punched in his handheld box that i wasn't home

Anyways I get my box and open it up...decent packing ( lots of packing peanuts, sheets of stryro foam around it. I'm pleased thus far...remove the item from the plastic wrapper...check it out....and find the dam thing is damaged

It shows an impact of some sort, discoloring at the impact point. it's like the person packing it banged into something with it and instead of checking it to be sure it's ok, he/she just shoved it in the plastic wrapper and continued to pack it up

So here we go again with the phone call back to CS and again the war dance..The rep apologized and stated he will replace it free of charge. I asked for a return shipping label to ship the busted one back and he sez: "keep it. The new one will be at your door by Thursday(18th)" So I check my email and it's dated for Friday(19th).

What an effin headache

Rest assured I will never buy anything from these bungholes again evar!

 

[Nebulous]

*Update 2*

UPS just dropped off the package. Upon careful inspection, the part seems to be perfect. Only took 3 weeks for them to get it right Thus concludes my first and last order with these guyz.

Avoid them at all costs.

 

[hank123]

LOL WHAT A F-ING BEACH MAN!

 

[Automata]

All for a simple part, wow.

I've also seen the UPS "attempted delivery" thing done before. Ridiculous.

 

[EarthDog]

Im sorry about your singular poor experience with that company. Glad you got your part though. I have ordered a couple of things through there without issue (on their end) so your experience, Im guessing, isnt normal. Thanks for the headsup!

 

[Ajay57]

WOW: I really thought customer service was a big deal in the States guy's, because you rightly complain about bad service. Where here in the UK we tend not to complain so much that's why our service here is so poor at times.

 

[Nebulous]

Yeah fellas, I'm surprise as well. Guess this is one that " fell through the cracks" thing. But still unacceptable.

I've ordered from other etailers and never had any problem like this.

 

[I.M.O.G.]

Im sorry about your singular poor experience with that company. Glad you got your part though. I have ordered a couple of things through there without issue (on their end) so your experience, Im guessing, isnt normal. Thanks for the headsup!

How many times should we see reports of this until it is no longer a singular poor experience? This was the last singular directron experience I saw you share the same opinion on:

No. none. This is paranoid behavior. Bad parts happen. Bad service happens. chances are it wont happen again. That company may not be thw first choice but never would I eliminate.

Also, how many times should a customer put up with them screwing up on fixing the situation? So they allowed him to place an order on an item that was out of stock - it happens. It took a week for him to find out, and he was never notified it wasn't in stock - it happens. Then they tell him it shipped, when they didn't have it - it happens. Then he gets a damaged part - it happens. They kept giving him expected delivery dates that were wrong - it happens.

It happens doesn't just happen that much, unless there is a managerial problem within the organization who is not allowing its employees to work within an environment where they can be successful. There should be an escalation team in place for anyone who has an order problem - they ensure they don't screw the same person around a dozen times on a single order. Or something - but the bottom line is, it shouldn't be possible to screw up that many times without the company having safeguards in place that keep them from screwing up that many times. People make mistakes. The best companies make their business process idiot proof - worked out pretty well for mcdonalds.

It's bad business to be in an order fulfillment business and screw up this many times. Not a singular bad experience. Just a singular experience we are hearing about right now. If you look at the bad reviews on reseller ratings, there are not many (and they are hard to find), but they do list the same issues (fulfilling orders listed as in stock but not in stock), shipping things that are broke but not damaged in shipping.

Your approach may be the right one, I dunno.

 

[EarthDog]

It varies for every person. My threshold is higher than a lot apparently. Some back round is that I am a gambler. I love numbers, love statistics and will bet on just about anything. The odds of something happening like this multiple times are quite slim. I mean if they botched 50% of orders I wouldnt use them, but then again, they wouldnt be in business either with that logistical nightmare. I would imagine at least a 95% success rate (but am just guessing here) out of the THOUSANDS of products they distribute weekly. No system is idiot proof so long as there is human interaction involved. Today for example, I ordered (at Mcdonalds no less!) a 1/4lb w/cheese NO ONIONS... guess what was on my burger... should I not go back, if they did it twice, more? I mean I understand that isnt a 1:1 comparison as they didnt take my order and money, then were out of burgers, didnt tell me, then botched my special order but....i hope my point can been seen anyway.

I guess what it boils down to, for me, are a couple of things...

1. I dont post rant threads on the first bad thing that happens to me with a company and tell others to stay away (not that Neb did this - he is staying away).
2. I dont like to, and dont think I have posted any bad experiences with an organization as I understand things happen.. sometimes multiple bad things happen. I understand it can sour a person quickly though, again, see the numbers on repeat problems.
3. Again, Im a betting man, and I will take my chances regardless.

I appreciate warnings and all but, it SHOULDNT (IMO) stop someone from ordering from a company.

If I told you the gory details about my situation with my 07 Sentra SE-R SpecV (slipping clutch since <10k miles, 14 trips in two years to the Nissan dealership - couldn't reproduce issue, escalated it to Nissan corporate, then once past warranty they did and said wear part we wont fix it free - more details than that with an especially damning detail left out, but... high level you get the point) and told you I was still looking at a new Maxima, you would probably flip your lid.

I guess I'm a glutton for punishment (though luckily, I havent been burned twice...yet). Things like this do not bother me for the most part as I know the numbers say its extremely likely not to happen again.

 

[I.M.O.G.]

Sweet. Wanna bet we see another directron complaint here, involving damaged goods being shipped or order fulfillment on out of stock items in the next 12 months. I take wagers in PM!

 

[EarthDog]

I edited again.. sorry...

Yes, yes I would... however, give me an over/under number... I say 5, and I will take the under...

EDIT: I may lower that to 3 seeing how my search of Directron here turned up a few hits over the past 5 years (at least Im an educated betting man? ).

 

[DOM.]

i just have order some paste from them as i have to pay taxes

but they where even the cheapest with taxes so i was happy

 

[Reefa_Madness]

Well, I'm sorry that Neb had such a bad time with them, and I especially feel bad because I pointed him to Directron a couple of months ago when he was looking to pick up a PSU to use on a build for an acquaintance and at the time they had some refurbs pretty cheap.

I have placed about 10 orders from them over the years, the first back around 2003 and the last one less than 6 months ago. Have never had any problems with my orders.

Ironic that Neb ordered a Chieftec Dragon part, as my first order included one of those cases (the extra large tower). They used to have a great selection of those cases back when they were popular. Still got it, too (that probably doesn't surprise anyone does it?).

I live in Florida, they are located in Houston...maybe they just don't like New Yorkers??? (relax, Neb, I'm just trying to lighten it up a little , besides I know you're update NY, not in the city).

 

[jstutman]

so 99.9% of the OP's complaint was about UPS. I guess you should add your complaint to the UPS post.

 

[Reefa_Madness]

Naw, his problems originated with Directron...out of stock part was "sold", CC charged, told it had been shipped when in fact it was OOS, then the substituted part was received damaged, etc.

The fiasco with UPS was just icing on the cake. They wanted to make sure that his shopping experience with Directron was 100% noteworthy.