Sometimes the only thing to do is to tell the merchant off (stores, deal)

[harry chickpea]

I tend to be pragmatic when dealing with various online merchants. If an online store has a product that I'm interested in buying, and there are a couple of unusual hoops to jump through, as long as the intent and good will are there, chances are I will do what is needed, or call a customer service line, and end up being a satisfied customer.

Some merchants may be a little slow, but many are exemplary in preforming fulfillment quickly and accurately. Vitacost, most of the Amazon merchants, various online booksellers ALL get the concept that the internet makes it a whole new ball game, and doing their job well is vital to their staying afloat. They also know that many of us look for online complaints, and ask friends about experiences before ordering.

Then there are the companies that are just too big to care (or fail, according to the govt.). Certain large banks, insurance companies, medical providers all are of the opinion that people will HAVE to use them and that they can hide behind automated websites and telephone response lines. We all know which companies those are, and wait for the day we can pull the plug on them.

This thread isn't about either of those two groups, but about online merchants that are clueless in responding to customers and even fulfilling their own business plan.

Today, I would like to nominate a top contender in the
"I WANT TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS BY LOSING CUSTOMERS" category.

My nominee? HealthWarehouse.com

I have used the company in the past to save about $20 on some maintenance prescription medications when purchasing for a six month period. Inevitably, when I have been given a paper prescription and faxed it in, there have been problems. My first attempt at using the company had to be aborted, because by the times the order was sorted around, I was out of pills. The second time, it took a direct call to them from my doctor before the order was filled, and this third time, after faxing, then verifiying with one of their telephone reps that THEY would be doing the verifying, there was a delay and then the usual automated email message to have my doctor call them. Mind you, these are the SAME prescriptions, non-restricted, coming up at normal renewal times. They couldn't be bothered to make the phone call OR just look to see that "Oh yes, same person, same order, time frame correct, go ahead and fill."

After the automated email this time around, it was plain to me that unless I got an immediate apology from them that I would no longer be using them and be telling others about my experiences, so I did something I haven't done in DECADES. I sent them an email Starting out with a bolded red "BULLSH**!" and then proceeded to tell them exactly what they had done and promised and not fulfilled, and launched into some choice profanity to describe how they could handle it. My blood pressure immediately dropped 20 points.

It amazes me when a merchant can't figure out the basics.
1. Customer places and pays for order.
2. Company verifies that order is correct.
3. Company fills and sends order promptly.
4. Customer is satisfied.
What is so difficult that some companies just can't figure that out?

Anyway, unless you want to experience an emergency need for high blood pressure medication, avoid HealthWarehouse at all costs.

What other online merchants or brick and mortar stores have ticked you off because of total incompetence?