Another credit card dispute....

[Rick Lee]

I ordered a dozen roses on Feb. 9th to be delivered to my gf's (now fiance) office before noon on Valentine's Day. The flower shop is in the Nat. Press Bldg. and I've been buying roses there for all my Asian girlfriends for over five years. I paid $95.18 for the roses and delivery.

V-Day came and went with no phone call from my lady thanking me for the roses. I called the flower shop and the owner's wife said the driver was unable to get into the bldg. and drop off the flowers so he brought them back. Since I picked my gf up from work that night, several hours after the "attempted delivery", I know there were people there to let him in and I had also given him three phone numbers, none of which he called. Anyway, the owner's wife asked how they could make it up to me and I said to just knock 50% off the price and deliver them the next day, to which she agreed. 50% off the price I paid is what a dozen roses there cost on any other day of the year.

Feb. 15 I call my gf at lunchtime and no roses have arrived yet. So I walk over to the flower shop to see what's going on. Owner says his delivery man didn't show up and points to the package in the fridge with my gf's name, address and three phone #'s on it. I was getting steamed by then. He handed me a $20 bill and asked if I would mind taking a taxi to deliver them myself. So I did. I even offered to give him $3 back, as I knew the round trip plus tip wouldn't be $20. He insisted I keep it.

Today I opened my credit card bill and there was no store credit there. So I walked over to the shop and told the owner. Mind you, I consider(ed) this guy to be a friend, the kind of guy I waive to every time I walk past his window, the kind of guy I ask to stop giving me discounts on flowers because I want him to make money, etc. Today he was a different person. He told me he had already given me $20 and that was it. Then he said the delivery guy did leave the flowers at the gf's office on 02/14 and that I got a free dozen the next day. I reminded him of what his wife and I had agreed to on the phone V-Day night. He said it's been too long, he's already lost money on this, etc. I reminded him that he stood to lose a lot more than the $45 I wanted back if I stopped buying flowers from him forever. Too bad. He told me he'd rather lose me as a customer.

Ok, so I immediately called my cc company to file a dispute. 10 min. later I get a voice mail from the flower shop guy apologizing profusely and begging me to let him make it up. Since I walk past his shop at least once or twice a day, I guess I'm gonna have to step in there and talk to him again. Unreal some people.

[teenerted1]

Originally posted by Rick Lee
I guess I'm gonna have to step in there and talk to him again.

why? do you have to go thru his shop to get someplace else?

[CJFusco]

Originally posted by Rick Lee
I've been buying roses there for all my Asian girlfriends for over five years.

This passage stood out to me.

Hah, I guess you have a type...

[Rick Lee]

I have to walk past his big window just about every time I go to get lunch. And if he's gonna reverse positions and refund 50% of my money, I'm willing to forgive and forget. So it's worth my while to go do it.

[craigster59]

Personally, I'd find another flower shop and let my daily walk past his window be a constant reminder to him of customer service being priority #1.

[Rick Lee]

Honestly, he's a nice guy. I'm not a nice guy, but I am very forgiving and I'd rather make this better for both of us. He does have excellent roses too.

[Joeaksa]

Lets hope he learned from this. Give him one more try and if that does not work out move on...

Joe

[deanp]

You've been a customer for 5 years.

You asked for flowers to be delivered on V-Day and they weren't, with no notice.

You worked something out so they would be delivered the following day and they weren't.

You ended up delivering them yourself, using your time because his delivery guy didn't show.

He tells you he'd rather lose you as a customer.

After all this you feel you should approach the business owner to work it out??? He should come out, greet you when you walk by and do the apologizing. If there's no gesture on his part, forget about it and find another shop, your business isn't valued.

[Noah930]

I'm with deanp. There must be other good flower shops in the area. If there's anyone who should feel uncomfortable as you walk in front of the shop daily, it should be he--not you.

[URY914]

Do you buy flowers for your non-Asian g/f at another shop?

[Rick Lee]

Originally posted by URY914
Do you buy flowers for your non-Asian g/f at another shop?

What are non-Asian girlfriends?

[Noah930]

The ones you don't bring home to Mom and Dad.