Letters To Buy.com

Dear Buy.com,

I placed my order about a week ago and it hasn't shipped yet.
What gives?

Nick Tully


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Hello Nick Tully,

Thank you for contacting Buy.com.

This is in reference to your email regarding order #34948329.

We apologize that the delivery of your order is taking longer than expected. Due to a setback from our supplier, item #202149884 on your order is currently on backorder.

We update our web site once every 24 hours. Occasionally, items run out of stock before we can update this information. We are working on providing more frequent updates in the future.

However, we do not have an estimated time of arrival. You will receive an email from us once the product you ordered ships. Since you have placed the order using Google Checkout, your account would be charged before your product is shipped.

We thank you for your patience in the matter.

Sincerely,

Veronica
Buy.com Customer Service
www.buy.com
Order #: 34948329


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Dear Buy.com,

So as I understand it, according to your response, my shipment has been backordered for more than a week. But during this time, I had absolutely no idea. Know why? Because you folks at Buy.com didn't tell me. How come?

Nick Tully


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Hello Nick Tully,

Thank you for contacting Buy.com.

This is in reference to your email regarding order #34948329.

At Buy.com we strive to provide the widest assortment of high-quality products at everyday low prices. However, sometimes circumstances beyond our control affect our selection.

Please note that item was on backorder since the time you placed the order. We do not have an estimated time of arrival either. You will receive an email from us once the product you ordered ships.

If you do not want to wait for the item, you can request a
cancellation using the link below:

https://secure.buy.com/corp/support/guestordersearch.asp

We thank you for your patience in the matter.

Sincerely,

Kevin
Buy.com Customer Service
www.buy.com
Order #: 34948329


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Dear Buy.com,

I guess my last email was unclear. My gripe is not against your selection of products or your prices, nor was I challenging the fact that my item was backordered.

All I'm asking, Buy.com, is how come you didn't tell me that my shipment wasn't coming?

Nick Tully


------------------------------------------


Hello Nick Tully,

Thank you for contacting Buy.com.

This is in reference to your email regarding order #34948329.

We apologize that the delivery of your order is taking longer than expected. Due to a setback from our supplier, item #202149884 on your order is currently on backorder.

We update our web site once every 24 hours. Occasionally, items run out of stock before we can update this information. We are working on providing more frequent updates in the future.

However, we do not have an estimated time of arrival. You will receive an email from us once the product you ordered ships.

If you decide not to wait for this product, you may request for a
cancellation by visiting our Web site at:

http://www.buy.com/corp/support/login.asp?What=cancel

We are working on providing more frequent updates in the future.

Sincerely,

Larry
Buy.com Customer Service
www.buy.com
Order #: 34948329


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Dear Buy.com,

I recently read that most Old Testament stories can be directly traced back to Sumerian myths. The Sumerians are the oldest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in lower Mesopotamia. The earliest records date back to the middle of the fourth millennium, B.C., and continue through the rise of Babylonia, late in the third millennium, B.C. This bit of information, along with the fact that, outside of the Bible and Koran, there are no historical references to Moses and the Jewish Exodus, kind of affirmed my notion that, on the whole, people have been duped into religion. When otherwise religious people scoff and shake their heads at Mormons or Scientologists, it seems exceedingly ironic to me, the main difference being that they can point to who first spewed a Scientologist's bullshit. But maybe I'm just a self righteous know-it-all jerk, I don't know. What do you think?

Nick Tully


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Hello Nick Tully,

Thank you for contacting Buy.com.

This is in reference to your email regarding order #34948329.

We are eager to answer all your queries, but to do this; we need more information from you.

Please tell us in more detail how we can be of service to you?

Sincerely,

Richard
Buy.com Customer Service
www.buy.com
Order #: 34948329


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Dear Buy.com,

This in reference to your email regarding order #34948329. I, too, am eager to have my queries answered, but after two attempts, I was only receiving the same one-size-fits-none form letter in response.My most recent letter was more to test your "Customer Service" - specifically, I wanted to see if anyone was actually reading my letters. Well, Buy.com, you failed the test.

However, since I am actually starting to have a little bit of fun with our correspondences, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you really are eager to answer my query. I will repeat it as clearly as I can : Why did I have to contact you to find out my shipment was backordered? Shouldn't you have told me as soon as you knew?

Please send me a real response this time.

Best,

Nick Tully


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Hello Nick Tully,

Thank you for contacting Buy.com.

This is in reference to your email regarding order #34948329.

We apologize that the delivery of your order is taking longer than expected. Due to a setback from the manufacturer, item #202149884 on your order is Temporarily Sold Out.

We update our web site once every 24 hours. Occasionally, items run out of stock before we can update this information. We are working on providing more frequent updates in the future.

However, we do not have an estimated time of arrival. You will receive an email from us once the product you ordered ships. Since you have placed the order using Google Checkout, your account would be charged before your product is shipped.

Our Customer Support Department is available via telephone 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Our toll-free phone number is 1-800-800-0800 (Press Option #3).

Please contact us with any further questions you may have. Your satisfaction is important to us.

Sincerely,

Enrique
Buy.com Customer Service
www.buy.com
Order #: 34948329


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Dear Buy.com,

I hope our interaction over the past several days has been as fun for you as it has been for me. There was one thing I noticed in all of your replies; no, not the fact that every letter you've sent me has been nearly identical. I was actually thinking about how, in the five letters you've sent me, each one of them was written by a different "employee." This curiosity has raised quite a few questions that I'd like you to weigh in on.

First, how is it that so many of you folks at Buy.com have such a similar voice? I mean, being cordial is one thing, but all of these responses are written to a very specific form, almost verbatim. Is this part of their training? I, personally, am a fan of individuality. But, since you are a corporation, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you discourage it.

Second, how could my letters have reached five different people, and not one of them was able to identify or answer the one question I had? They kept telling me that my shipment was on backorder, but none of them could tell me why I wasn't told of this until I came a-calling. You really should have a talk with them, or maybe even double check their qualifications.

Third (and somewhat seriously), it's fairly obvious that you have some kind of automated customer service that identifies keywords in a letter, selects the pre-written response that is most likely to answer the question based on the selected keywords, and slaps a generic first name above the "Customer Service" title to make the customer feel like they're talking to a human. My question is how many female or ethnic sounding names are in the mix? So far, I've heard from Veronica and Enrique - is there a Tamika or a Keisha coming soon? How about a Darnell? Why not go old-school and throw a Mavis in there? How many non-white sounding names did you determine you needed in order to appear PC? (Sub-question - even though these are not real employees, do they count as Affirmative Action hires?)

Eagerly awaiting your reply,

Nick Tully

PS - If you need more black or hispanic sounding names, I can send
you a list.


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Hello Nick Tully,

Thank you for contacting Buy.com.

This is in reference to your email regarding order #34948329.

We apologize that the delivery of your order is taking longer than expected. Due to a setback from the manufacturer, item #202149884 on your order is Temporarily Sold Out.

We update our web site once every 24 hours. Occasionally, items run out of stock before we can update this information. We are working on providing more frequent updates in the future.

However, we do not have an estimated time of arrival. You will receive an email from us once the product you ordered ships. Since you have placed the order using Google Checkout, your account would be charged before your product is shipped.

Our Customer Support Department is available via telephone 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Our toll-free phone number is 1-800-800-0800 (Press Option #3).

Please contact us with any further questions you may have. Your satisfaction is important to us.

Sincerely,

Jenny
Buy.com Customer Service
www.buy.com
Order #: 3494832