Is expecting a reply email with 24 hours too much?

[taxman (Matt)]

I placed an order about three (or four) weeks ago for a new OTA/astrograph. I was told it would be a few days or a week to get the items in, which was okay, but as the exchange rate was slowly going up, I paid then.

I even sold my existing OTA to pay for it as I had dealt with this person in the past and the service was always reasonable - if he said a week, a week it would be.

Since paying, I have not heard a peep in response to any of my requests for an update. The last email I sent was pretty terse as I had not gotten a response from my polite emails, but no response in the last 24 hours.

This is pretty much it - if I don't hear anything by Monday, I will cancel the order, request a refund (or lodge a PP complaint if STILL no response) and go elsewhere and never shop with him again. Actually, after this little outing, it'll be unlikely I will shop with him again regardless.

My question is: Is it too much to expect a line or two ("Still on it's way, not sure what's going on but will get back to them if not here in x days") in response when asking what is happening with your order?

Seriously, let me have it if I am wrong, because it seems to be a bit of a pattern with me & astro-suppliers. Many of us put a lot of research into our purchases and have a degree of anticipation tied up in them, but it seems that some of these retailers find this annoying instead of understandable.

I don't mind waiting when something is on backorder, but I do expect, as the customer, to not be treated like an irritant when asking for updates. I mean, it is not like I email every 4 hours or even daily, I email when stated milestones pass (ie it will be here by *date*).

[AdrianF (Adrian)]

I get very impatient when making enquiries about goods. I was in the market for a new Canon 500D with the twin IS lenses. I sent emails to all of the likely suspects (hardly normals, rainers camera house, teds camera house etc) still waiting on a reply from any of them. They have lost any chance of my $1300 as I ended up buying online from Sydney.

I am under the opinion that retailers in this country find customers a nuisence who disturb their coffee breaks.

Adrian
Ps the 500d is a nice camera

[asimov (John)]

Yes, *sigh* I get this kind of 'service' all the time. I totally realize that they are busy taking orders by email, & I think that's half the problem - They'd rather be taking orders & getting the customers money, that's their priority, rather than answering any Q's after the fact.

[casstony]

There's plenty of astro shops that have good service - if you have a bad experience with someone just switch to a different shop next time. From memory I've had good experiences with Bintel, Andrews, Star Optics and Sirius Optics (especially good).

Also, phone often works better than email.

[taxman (Matt)]

Problem is that I am after a Borg 77ED f4.3 astrograph...

Originally Posted by casstony

There's plenty of astro shops that have good service - if you have a bad experience with someone just switch to a different shop next time. From memory I've had good experiences with Bintel, Andrews, Star Optics and Sirius Optics (especially good).

Also, phone often works better than email.

[casstony]

Originally Posted by taxman

Problem is that I am after a Borg 77ED f4.3 astrograph...

Ah, I see. Since it's a foreign shop go ahead and name them as a warning to the rest of us. You really want a reliable supplier if you're buying overseas.

[asimov (John)]

Here's a little story for you guys - (this was a few years ago now)..

Emailed an astro retailer in AU. about refractor objectives; availability & price but never heard back. I then send a somewhat nasty email saying that IF they got my email, I am not impressed blah blah. 4 months later they send me an email saying no need to get my knickers in a twist...4 months to tell me that!?

That's crazy!

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

I feel your pain Matt. I have experienced poor communication from an Australian vendor in the past and decided to shop overseas first and in Australia as a last resort. Hang in there..hopefully there might be a simple reason for the no response.

On a side note I am having a devil of a time finding a Baader Fluorite Flatfield Converter (FFC)..my usual one stop shop doesn't stock this item so I must venture to uncharted sellers. I want to act fast because the exchange rate is fantastic ($1 USD = 0.92 AUS)

[higginsdj]

Depends who it is. Some 'retailers' are 'backyard' operations. If the person works out of town/state/country, there will be occasions when you won't get a response until they are back in town.

Cheers

[casstony]

John, I've also had an occasional annoying experience with the bigger retailers in Oz, but I keep in mind that I've had mostly good experiences and that retaling can be a frustrating way to earn a living. I worked for a short time in a customer service role and no matter how hard I tried to keep everyone happy.........well, lets just say it was an impossible task; so as long as the astro shops get it mostly right I try to cut them some slack.

[rmcconachy]

I'd say expecting a reply within 24 hours of sending an email is asking too much, especially on a Saturday. Such a reply would certainly be worth extra `customer service points' with me if I did get one but I wouldn't necessarily expect it. However, I think that no contact over three or four weeks on a prepaid order is way out of line and I too wouldn't go back to that source again unless I had absolutely no other options.

[taxman (Matt)]

I sent my last email yesterday morning - with a 2 hour time difference, they all day Friday to respond...

Originally Posted by rmcconachy

I'd say expecting a reply within 24 hours of sending an email is asking too much, especially on a Saturday. Such a reply would certainly be worth extra `customer service points' with me if I did get one but I wouldn't necessarily expect it. However, I think that no contact over three or four weeks on a prepaid order is way out of line and I too wouldn't go back to that source again unless I had absolutely no other options.

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by casstony

Ah, I see. Since it's a foreign shop go ahead and name them as a warning to the rest of us.

There could be a very good reason why they haven't responded as yet.
IIS is not the place to name and "shame" them.

Mike has been very specific about this topic and the liabilities it raises, so everyone please be careful here.

TOS rules

[taxman (Matt)]

No intention of naming or anything - just venting.

I also get annoyed at the frackin ants digging up my yard the nanosecond I mow it - there must be about a trillion of them just biding their time...

Originally Posted by RB

IIS is not the place to name and "shame" them.

[GrahamL]

webzone works a treat on the ants

[PCH (Paul)]

Originally Posted by AdrianF

I get very impatient when making enquiries about goods. I was in the market for a new Canon 500D with the twin IS lenses. I sent emails to all of the likely suspects (hardly normals, rainers camera house, teds camera house etc) still waiting on a reply from any of them. They have lost any chance of my $1300 as I ended up buying online from Sydney.

I am under the opinion that retailers in this country find customers a nuisence who disturb their coffee breaks.

Adrian
Ps the 500d is a nice camera

Adrian (et al)

I fully understand your point of view. Most people who price shop for something will also think the same. But as an ex business owner, I can tell you that you could literally spend all day answering peoples' price enquiries and then not have time to get your actual work done.

I'd say that generally speaking, when people 'price shop', it pretty much isn't worth the business owners time responding, since the chance of that business being cheapest, and therefore actually getting to sell the item, is quite slim.

They are far better off behind the counter building relationships with actual customers face to face so that those customers then value the service offered and don't just judge on price alone.

Hope this helps

[taxman (Matt)]

I'll give it a go, although I should say I have tried quite a few chemicals & I swear all it does is give them mixers for their tiny little ant martinis...

Originally Posted by nightstalker

webzone works a treat on the ants

[Jen]

Originally Posted by AdrianF

Ps the 500d is a nice camera

yes it is i love mine too

Originally Posted by asimov

Here's a little story for you guys - (this was a few years ago now)..

Emailed an astro retailer in AU. about refractor objectives; availability & price but never heard back. I then send a somewhat nasty email saying that IF they got my email, I am not impressed blah blah. 4 months later they send me an email saying no need to get my knickers in a twist...4 months to tell me that!?

That's crazy!

They replied four months later with that comment that is crazy and very unprofessional

[multiweb (Marc)]

Yes - every right to be peed off. Being busy doesn't mean that ignoring emails is ok. I can't stand that kind of attitude either. For me it is a show stopper for repeat business.

[TrevorW]

Every reputable shop I have dealt on-line with in the US have answered all my queries within 24 hrs (except weekends and allowing for time differences)