Weird shipping policies - no understand
 

I ordered a small part from a non-Pelican source in California.
I should have known better.
Here's the deal, does this seem normal? Please tell me it isn't. : )

Previous to ordering, I phoned to ensure that they would ship USPS to Canada.
"No problem", I was told.
The part was back ordered. Two weeks max.
They told me they would need approval for shipping costs.
I waited. Patiently. Almost 2 months.
I get in touch with them, at this point in time.
They tell me that the part has been on their shelf for over a month.
I am now told that they want me to mail a small box to them, postage paid, to receive my part.
fwiw: - The source is a major Porsche dealer, not some fly-by-night operation.
Have I entered a parallel universe here?
Opinions, please.

Find another source.

Next they'll tell you they don't know how to do a commercial invoice.

At this point, they are not returning my E-mail(s), requesting clarification.

This.

If you had added the line:
"I finally ordered the part from our host and got it inside ten days. Thanks Pelican!"

I think that would be a nice ending.

Best
Les

Oh, there will be no second chance.
I certainly would like my 200 dollar pre-paid-for part, however.

Here is their considered response.
All of it:





Order Number: 31724762
we emailed you the dimensions and we are awaiting the postage from you.

Well unless you can cancel the card transaction you are kinda stuck at their mercy.

Have you tried calling them?

If they are not communicating now do you think things will get better?

They have your money and they have your part.

You need to figure out how to get one or the other and it may just involve you sending them the box.

They want me to send a box with USPS postage paid.
Impossible, from Canada, AFAIK

Can a Pelican pick up the part for you from the dealership and then just mail it to you?

They don't understand how to ship stuff to Canada, didn't account for it when you bought it, and now want you to fix it for them to get your part.

They are mutually exclusive?

I think you've entered the "I'm to lazy to provide customer service" zone. The zone's tendrils extend into every corner of the world.

I'll bet there will be more than one who is happy help. Or you could have them ship to a US address and have it forwarded. I ship stuff to Canada all the time. Have them send it to me. PM me for the address.

This is your first clue that they don't wish to deal with foreign countries.

Ask for a refund and move on. Or have it shipped to the border and go get it.

Option 3:


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1420494521.jpg

Thank you ever so much for the offer.

I paid by Visa, they will only ship to cardholder address.
I am optimistic regarding getting this resolved, somehow.

Just a weird scenario. Ship your own box, pre-paid, to receive your part. Two months after they process the Visa.

Dispute the charge with Visa ASAP, and order somewhere else, preferably Pelican.

Credit cards have a time limit to make charge backs. Send the company a email cancelling the transaction. Notify your credit card company of the problems with this vendor. Find another source.

Sounds to me like you may have a lower level person running the show that maybe shouldn't be. I would put a call into the owner or the GM at the least, to discuss this situation. This sounds crazy.
I recently had a situation where the company had instituted some "new policies" and the guy on the line wasn't adhering to the "intent" of those new policies. I called the company and spoke with a VP and they had no idea things were being done the way I described. About a week later I received a nice letter and cap acknowledging they clearly weren't following the guidelines and thanked me for taking the time and interest in letting them know. Ya never know!

With a history like that I would be trying to get my money back.

They don't deserve your business.

That is zackly what I would do.
Call the CC company and have them cancel the charges.

Then buy the same part from a company that knows how to treat customers.

A chargeback usually has to be made within 30 days. He'll be lucky to get satisfaction from the cc company unless he starts talking "fraud." I think he would have a good case for that. It might be a good subject to bring up tp the dealer's GM. Make dealing with Mr Cat a bigger pain than just sending the part.

If he talks to the fraud department they will handle it, ran into this before......tell them they charged you and won't communicate /ship part......

+1 on contacting Visa on this....that would be my first step. Just try to get a refund.

Then buy the part from Pelican. :)

FWIW you can add an alternate shipping addy to your CC...even to a US addy if you're a Canuck. Never heard of postage paid box. Didn't they do that kind of stuff in the 80s? Do what everybody else said and cancel the order. BTW who is doing this to you?

This.

^ this seems like the best option.

I was thinking "call them and ask for a refund, if they say no, then tell them you'll just dispute the charge to see if that'll light a fire under their asses." But, I'm afraid that if you force their hand that way that they'll screw you in the shipping some how. So I think the above answer is the best. I would absolutely NOT want to do business with the company if the situation is as described, and if things are as you've described, then I would feel justified in disputing the shipping. They agreed to sell you the part and do the shipping, and they have failed to hold up their end of the deal. Screw 'em!

A simple dispute has to be done within a specific time frame. With my cards it's 30 days but check your contract. You may have to go straight to the fraud department, or since it's never even been shipped the dispute dept. might still take it on.
I had an issue with a vendor in Ca. about 10 years ago. I got my bank and the credit card company both involved, wrote to the Ca. attorney general and the licensing agency for this particular product - basically did what a lawyer told me couldn't be done. It took 6 months and lots of letter writing. I still have the file of letters - about an inch thick - but I got my $15,000 back.

I think OP's hurdles in getting VISA to address will be a) time and b) he agreed to purchase contingent on approval of shipping charges.

Basically he should not have waited so long to make contact and he agreed they would not ship without his approval.

Now to flip the tables.

He can simply not approve the shipping charges then go for the chargeback if they refuse to refund.

Thanks to everyone, for the advice. Much appreciated.

I proceeded up the chain of command.
Finally talked, in person, to the parts manager.
He assures me that he will be (personally) take care of this problem, today.
Seemingly, all is well.
SmileWavy

did you send them the box yet?:D