The bitter disappointment of Australian online businesses

[Evanism]

Oh, Aussie businesses, let me count the ways.

When the inevitable downturn occurs, your doom is not only inevitable, but of your own self making. There was once a Seinfeld episode where he booked a car after a flight. He arrived at the counter to get said booked car, but it wasn't there. So sorry they say. Its a classic, for he said "you can TAKE the reservation, but you cant HOLD the reservation".... https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=4T2GmGSNvaM

This is the modus operandi of Australian business and especially those online. They can say "here is the thing for sale", they just cant SHIP the thing for sale.

Now, before I get shot down and people say, "but, there are plenty of good examples"... let me demonstrate EVERY purchase I've made this week online (it is 11.30am Thursday):

* AUS BUS: Paslode Air nailer. Ordered Tuesday morning. Still not shipped. Email apologising and still farting around... no idea WHEN though.
* AUS BUS (another): Nails for Paslode gun: So sorry out of stock, will take FIVE days minimum before we can ship
* TUES: inquired about 32mm MDF from local supplier via email. No response
* MON: inquired about specialty pinboard material. No response.
* MON: inquired about Hoop Pine from another local company. No response.
* FRI, MON and TUES: A paint supplier. Local. Email, forms. NO response to any of the three inquiries.

On the converse, my international experience:
* HK BIZ: Ordered printer cartridge Monday night. Arrived Wednesday arvo.
* HK BIZ: Ordered printer drum Monday night. Arrived Wed Morning
* Amazon: Ordered "certain tool" consumables Monday. Arrived this morning. FROM THE US! (un-be-lievalbe!!!!)
* HK Biz: Ordered 6 gas struts on eBay. Shipped Monday, arrived this morning. Same model here: $33.40....EBay, $2.97 (yes, identical model!)
* US based Big Wood co: Ordered router bits Tuesday, shipped SAME DAY (but not yet received, but they were shipped)

I've ordered a lot over the last week online as I cant get out. A big operation has knocked me low for a bit. My take on Aussie businesses online? THEY ARE RUBBISH. They can provide forms and emails and ordering systems, but they cant be F*$%%N BOTHERED even responding - OR SHIPPING.

I am not talking of the guys who advertise here. They are exceptional and truly seem to be the exception. SMALL biz is definitely worth patronizing. However, for the others, I would love to NAME NAMES but it goes against the boards policy, but these are very real.

What an utterly infuriating process dealing with these AUSSIE BUSINESSES.

The whinging and whining and complaints to government for protectionism and bailouts will soon start in earnest when consumers get totally sick of this unrelenting apathy.

[BobL]

It's not just online.

I tried to purchase a BS blade on line from a well known WW store - payment failed at CC entry - "sorry the number of your credit cards starts with XXXX which means it is not one of our required cards please use another card".
The card was a VISA which is one of their accepted cards.
OK ring Perth store, they say I have to ring Brisbane to sort the CC problem.
Meanwhile I ask them if they have the blade in the store, they have none in stock but can get them in within 2 days - will call you when they arrive - so I ask them to do so and will come in to pick up.

I also send an email via the website to flag the CC problem - less than an hour later I get a call and they apologise - glitch on the website but can they take my order over the phone, I said thanks but have already placed an order with the Perth store
5 days later still no call so I call the Perth store but they don't know about any order - will have to order again.
15 minutes I get a call back saying it will take a week to get them in.

Overall my experience with them has been mixed but I have to say that lately it has been all poor.

[david.elliott]

Neighbour and I drove the half hour, Saturday before last, to sight a new wood heater for the refurb of an old cottage I'm doing/organising for her...
just needed to get a idea of it's visual "weight" and get comfortable that it will fit into the existing fireplace and look right.

Once there we established that it did have a rear flue ability as well, even better for us...the only unknown was how far forward the rear exit into an elbow would throw the unit...(we're running the flue up an existing brick chimney), so whilst there I emailed to the fellow a photo of the hearth, with my mobile number and he wrote my number on the book with a promise to call back on the Monday.
We agreed the cost at $1800.00 so all I needed with the depth of the elbow...To date NO phone call...
A guaranteed sale, right in front of them, gone begging... If they had the size of the flue to hand we would have given them a cheque right then...

[jimbur]

I've had two online dealings recently. One with Timberbits that was absolutely perfect and the other with a telco.
The latter had the excuse of the month. I'd been emailing them daily for about ten days with no real response. then they rang up to ask how things were going. i mentioned the email correspondence and was told that they had been getting a lot of it and were trying to catch up on the backlog.

[delbs]

Cant speak on behalf of other Aussie businesses as i usually by from overseas but as far as CWS and Timberbits go. amazing! fantastic bunch of guys running these businesses.

[jimbur]

Cant speak on behalf of other Aussie businesses as i usually by from overseas but as far as CWS and Timberbits go. amazing! fantastic bunch of guys running these businesses.

Couldn't agree more.

[The Bleeder]

On the 12th Jan ordered and paid for an item for my daughter from an Aussie online store.

Item not delivered after two weeks. Rang the customer support number. Got a lovely girl there and she said the online purchasing supervisor would ring me back.

No phone call. Rang again a few days later......same story and ......hello....same result.

Since then I have rung the on 2 futher occasions and .....hello...same result.

Now in a big bum fight with them over $95......pick on me is not a very good way of doing business....

The item was paid for by a company credit card.... now you can see where this is going.....got the directors names of this online company and they are about to get a bad credit rating.

[rod1949]

Its the same with these companies that set up their website with the only means of getting in touch with then is via an online enquiry form to which their response can take lots of days or you don't hear from them at all.

[artme]

Its the same with these companies that set up their website with the only means of getting in touch with then is via an online enquiry form to which their response can take lots of days or you don't hear from them at all.

A shame!!!! I say it's a bloody disgrace!!!

[tea lady]

I ordered a camera on Dec 14th from a certain Australian electronics and furniture store that is always complaining that people buy from over seas. Nermerous phone calls and emails later (during which you are made to feel like you are a harassing customer) They had lost my original order. (Required many phone calls cos all the outlets are franchises so don't know what anyone esle is doing.) They are now out of stock of what I ordered. Decide to give me another more expensive version. Terrific. Now already more than a month since I ordered it. Someone puts the wrong address on the new order. Package goes around and around. More phone calls and emails. I finally got it yesterday. More than 3 months later. Still feel like they blame me for all the problems. I'll not be trying that again soon.

Meanwhile got about 6 other packages of various things from OS that I could not even get in Australia any way.

[DJ’s Timber]

First time I've dealt with this company, but very happy their service, ordered on their eBay site very late Tuesday nite or early hours Wednesday and received the item lunchtime today.

http://www.gotstock.com.au

[Superbunny]

I sent an enquiry about a Harvey Table Saw and I'm sill waiting for a reply. I'm glade there are two distributors of this saw so guess who is not getting my business.

SB

[AlexS]

Don't do much online shopping, mainly for the reasons given above. However, I regularly buy online from the Sandpaper Man and Boxmakers Brass, and have had good service from both.

[Robson Valley]

I observe that the large part of your general difficulties stems from your less that critical mass
for online economics. All your wannabe businesses have no opportunity for the quantities of hits
that grease the wheels. Consequently they stumble.
In part, because they don't know how to behave on line.
In part, because they have so little mainstream internet experience.
In part, because you are stuck with a marginal traffic flow.

In their heart of hearts, they are absolutely aware of the fact that they have you by the
"short and curlies". I see that you have little choice in the marketplace.

I lived in Melbourne for 4 years.
That was long enough to gain a sense of the economics
that businesses enjoyed crippling for the consumers.

[John T]

timberbits what very good service, i orderd 50 pen fancy pen mechanisms on monday at 330pm they arrived on my door step in deloraine tas at 10am tuesday, morning the 24th, try dealing with telstra NBN it is unbeliveable never had so much trouble,Trying to change a plan so far it has taken 26 days and counting so far,