They think this is okay why????
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
United States
May 2, 2009 1:05pm CST
I ordered a set of three cookbooks from my nieces school fundraiser. Sent my money in and eagerly awaited of my order. The day came when they arrived in the mail and i open them to find three cookbooks all right but not the ones i had ordered. What i ordered was a 1-2-3 campbells cookbook, a hershey cookbook, and an eagle brand cook book...what i received were three totally different campbells cookbook. I was upset because i really wanted the hershey and eagle brand cookbook. I was not let known there was going to be a substitute, or even in the catalog it said nothing about them having the right to make substitutions. What it did say though that there was 100% satisfaction guarantee. So i called there customer service number to see what was up. Well the ran out of the books that i wanted and sent me those instead. She asked if that was okay and i replied honestly..not really because its not what i ordered or what i had wanted. She checks her computer and finds they do have the set of cookbooks i wanted in stock and are sending a set to me..no charge, and i also can keep the set they had sent me. I kind of feel bad for one reason...if they had sent me a letter asking if i wanted a substitute or wait until they got more in of what i wanted i would of waited. Since they did not, they lost out on 24.95 plus shipping and handling for sending me something i did not order nor want. I do not see how companies think its okay to make substitutes like that especially with no notification. On other catalogs for the school fundraisers i have seen it say substitutes allowed, and i usually will not order from those, because you dont know what might be substituted. But why would they send me three different cookbooks than what i had ordered and think it was ok??
3 people like this
12 responses
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
2 May 09
I dont see how they think i would not notice when two of the cookbooks i ordered were not there.
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
3 May 09
It could be that your order got switched with another's order. I would not feel bad about their giving you the set for free, it would cost them more hassle and money to pay for you to send them back - likely. Plus this is always good for public relations - and at $25 they really have not lost out on anything. They are making a large profit margin. enjoy your cookbooks and make a gift out of those that do not actually interest you.
1 person likes this
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
3 May 09
No they told me that they had ran out and did a substitute.
@Bethany1202 (3431)
• United States
2 May 09
I would have also been unhappy and dissatisfied and called the number to complain. It's not like you asked them to send you a grab bag of random things, you chose what you wanted for a reason -- THOSE were the ones you wanted, not random substitutions.
Companies should expressly write somewhere if they tend to make substitutions, or they should try to contact you at the least before mailing out something they chose for you, rather than what you initially chose for yourself.
1 person likes this
@dncmanning (770)
• United States
3 May 09
I understand you're being borthered by getting the wrong items and it has happened to me before I do try to remind myself that it is for a school- I'm not saying you shouldn't get what you pay fro but in the same token I again try to remember its for a good cause. If the company is taking care of the error- I would be happy and let that be it. Glad you are getting what you ordered and happy mylotting!!!
@sweetashoney (3594)
• United States
2 May 09
Because they know that most people don't say anything about it. A lot of people would have opened the box, get mad, but unlike you they don't do anything about it. Company's know this, I kind of think they sometimes do these to get rid of old stock.
1 person likes this
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
3 May 09
I was debating or not on calling about...i have a phone phobia...dont ask its weird...but i am glad i called but i ended up with what i wanted.
@dncmanning (770)
• United States
3 May 09
I think most of them are understaffed or staffed by young people who really don't get it most of the time.
I have personally told my husband I would much rather just write a check directly to the PTO once a year than sell stuff nobody wants.
My sisters sons go to a school where you can choose to either sell or just write a check I think its $30.00 every fundraiser- I wish my boys school did that. Saves time and I would think gets more money to the school- than selling crap, candles, or butter braids. What do you think?
1 person likes this
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
3 May 09
Well I guess there are people out there who too feel bad just like you and let it go or do not want to take up the hassle of calling up and registering a complain. They banked on that, really and since this was a school fundraiser they thought parents and relative of children would not really push it thru. Very stupid but effective I guess. Anyways, it ended good for you…you got 6 books at the price of three so a free gift is always welcome! I remember ordering some cosmetics for myself and a box of special chocolates for my son and this seller had run out of the size of bottles I wanted so what she does is instead of contacting me, she substitutes with bigger bottles and sends a smaller box of chocolates…just imagine! And to think it was for my son!! Well, the seller apologized alright but was not magnanimous enough to send a free box.
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
3 May 09
I usually don't complain, in less i am talked into it. But i am getting tired of not getting what i pay for. And companies should not have the right to do that. We wanted specific things for a reason and thats what we should get.
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
3 May 09
I wouldn't feel bad they sent you the right ones and told you to keep the substitutes at no extra cost. They were fulfilling their gurantee and you actually got what you wanted and then some. Good company politics on their part, although you are right they should have sent something telling you why you originally got different books.
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
3 May 09
i have always had problems when i buy stuff through fundraisers.. i have had my stuff never show up or something totally different and then the people i ordered it from their kids and stuff think im nuts.. i just stop buying stuff through them
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
3 May 09
Well some of the catalogs they sell out of say that substitutes are allowed. Her first one of the year said that, but this one did not. I have never had a problem not receiving my stuff. I know one item on her first fundraiser was back ordered and it took awhile to receive it. And if they are looking at you like your nuts..question...was it something that was supposed to be mailed to you or was it mailed to the school for the kids to take home and give to who it belonged to?
@costas1234 (195)
•
3 May 09
Before they sent you the in correct books, the least the company or fund raiser should have done was to inform you that the books were not in stock. Of course, there gaff has cost them dearly in terms of lost sales, customer(s) and lower reputation. Maybe you should find out about getting your money back.
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
3 May 09
I wouldnt wany my money back, i would be worried that the company then would take it away from the school.
@cjmaltby (34)
•
3 May 09
these companies make such a large profit with these mail order catalogue's they can afford to say please keep them as an apology and send you the correct one's that ordered originaly, or you received one's that they are not able to sell, but if they did'nt have the one's that you wanted in stock, you are right they should have contacted you first before they substituted them with the one's you did'nt want....
