Good service shocker!

[mandragora]

My Angel Seasons One, Two and Three DVDs arrived yesterday from amazon.com, so I settled down late yesterday afternoon with some glee to watch them. The Eurovision Song Contest was on the telly and I wasn't in a kitschy mood, so thank God for Angel.

I decided to whip through each disc to remind myself of the episodes, before settling down to watch them. Yes, I should be watching them in order but I had certain priorities *cough* Lindsey *cough*. All went well, until I got to disc three of Season One. I inserted it, without looking at the label, into the DVD player, settled back with a sense of anticipation knowing that the disc included Hero (Doyle!) and is unmissable. Only to find the episodes from disc two coming up. WTF! Checked and realised that the set included a couple of copies of disc two but, alas, no copy of disc three.

Went to amazon.com's website and realised to my horror that in order to get a replacement I'd have to send the whole Season One box set back. At vast expense, bearing in mind I'd have to ship it from the UK to the US. So, I emailed amazon.com explaining that I only want Season One disc three and don't want to have to send back all of Season One for reasons of expense and also because I wouldn't have Season One to view and salivate over in the meantime.

I received a response within the hour. The email said that a new order had been placed for this 'item' and that it would be shipped to me as expedited delivery at amazon.com's cost and that I don't have to send the original set back as the cost would be prohibitively expensive. Now that's service. Well done amazon.com. Thought I'd post this because good service deserves recognition and also it may be useful for any UK people who purchase from amazon.com to know that they are very reasonable when it comes to defective items.

Now, I don't know what the 'item' will consist of and whether it will be simply a copy of Season One disc three or whether it will be a whole new box set for Season One (but wouldn't it be lovely if it's the latter). Whatever happens, though, I do have a copy of Season One disc two to give away and possibly a whole Season One box set, sans disc three. So, does any of the London crowd with an all-regions DVD player want it. Answers on a postcard to...*g*

Saw Van Helsing on Friday night. It was pure hokum but very well done and entertaining hokum. Good silly fun. Plus, Hugh gets (a large percentage of) his kit off. Reason enough to go see it, I think.

Comments

[justacat.livejournal.com]

I had the opposite problem when I ordered my Pros DVDs from Amazon UK. Season 3, I think it was, had 2 season 3 discs in it, but the 3rd and 4th disc in the season 3 package were discs 1 and 2 from Season 1! I emailed amazon uk, who told me I would have to send the entire set back - they couldn't send me a new Season 3, even though season 3 is sold separately, in identical packaging to the season 3 package that's included in the 4-season set. And like you, that meant packing it up for overseas delivery - though they did say they'd cover the shipping costs.

Well, the package got caught up in UK customs, who would not release it without the payment of duty that amounted to about US$100, even though this was just a return of goods that had originated in the UK (I know nothing about UK customs law, and I have no idea if this was par for the course or bad luck on my part or a screw-up by UPS). I emailed Amazon UK again - and this time got another person, who told me of course they'd immediately send me an entire new set, that they shouldn't have asked for the original back, and that they'd refund my shipping costs immediately (though they wouldn't pay the customs, and I refused to also, so there's a set of Pros DVDs out there that I'm sure made some customs official very happy!).

They did all of those things post haste. I'm not sure what to make of this entire episode - though I suppose that since in the end they did right by me, without much pain on my part, and the second (and third and 4th) people I corresponded with fell all over each other to help me, I'm prepared to excuse the initial response as a fluke. All in all, amazon are usually pleasant and reasonable to deal with, and definitely a great resource.

Amazon.com and customs

[fides.livejournal.com]

I had a slight hiccup last time I got something from Amazon.com - they sent me the VHS version of the thing I ordered rather than the DVD version (which is what I actually ordered). Sent them an e-mail to check about the return policy, it being international and all, and to also ask about VAT which I had paid on the DVD that I hadn't got. Was pleased to get a quick reply saying that I didn't have to return the video as to much hassle all around (gave it to my mother as a birthday pressie and she loved it), that they would mail me out a new version asap of the fast post and as a one off if I was asked for VAT they would refund it. Couldn't argue with that. As it happened when the DVD arrived it was marked as having a value of zero so customs didn't ask me for any more money anyway. Would have been good to get the right thing straight away but they dealt with their error quickly and I got a pressie for my mother out of it so definately not complaining.

:-)

Fides

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear you had problems with the UK branch. Sounds like the first person you dealt with is an idiot. Alas, they exist everywhere. But they came right in the end, which is the important thing.

I just read your post on your LJ and wanted to say that absolutely you should be able to vent in your LJ. And that is what you were doing, venting, definitely not whining - you'd had a horrible time and sometimes it's the small(ish) irritants/problems that pile up on each other until you think that you're drowning that get to you worse than something really big.

Also, men tend to be great with the practical advice but sometimes all you want is just for a friend to say they understand and sympathise, not tell you how to 'fix' it. Women can do both, I think (not that some men can't but the stereotype has a foundation in reality IMO) and that's why when you're down the best thing is to do what you did. Plus, now you know that there are people nearby who will happily come along and cheer you up - and isn't that great to know?

Hopefully you'll be feeling a bit more chipper soon.

[kittygoslingp.livejournal.com]

If no-one more deserving pops up, I would love the extra disc - I just have home taped Angel Series 1.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Catching up on LJ after a few days illness, complete with lots of whining and bemoaning my lot!

The extra disc is yours - and what's with the 'more deserving' comment? It should go to a good home and it will! :)