StandingWater Creations

I recently found some software that I was thinking I wanted; but not before I tried the software out. Some of the things I’ve been looking at, lately, are rather specialized (and I’m a writer – go figure) requiring me to really think about what I am trying to accomplish and the associative cost before I jump into the river of spending and spend the money that needs to be spent. Anyway, came across a piece of software based off of a writing philosophy, found a demo for it, and decided the writing philosophy and the software (after trying the demo) was worth my time (and effort) in pursuing it.

So, I found a benefactor (I am poor) who would front me the money (his name is…) and then ordered the software on Amazon.com. However, when I got the confirmation in my e-mail that the software was ordered I noticed that the actually charged amount was about $50.00 less than was supposed to be paid. Then I looked closer. When I looked closer I noticed that the $50.00 was actually the outstanding balance on a roommates gift certificate he’s been using to buy books for school. This, by the by, is/was/and will never be a good thing.

My reaction: I tried to cancel the order so I could process a new order without using the gift certificate.

Time involved (so far): less than three minutes.

When I tried to cancel the order Amazon.com told me that the order was already in process to be shipped and that I couldn’t cancel it. So, I found a way to call their customer support number (which actually has them call me) and spoke to a lady who, I presume from her accent and decorum, was in India. When I explained what was happening and why I was calling and that I needed 100% of the amount of the order to be placed on the credit card and that the gift certificate wasn’t mine to use she told me I had to options.

Option One:I could get the package in the mail (on Tuesday) and then return the package and get a full refund.

Option Two:I could order a second copy of the software, spend twice as much money, and when I got the software on Tuesday I could return it.

I don’t know about anyone else, but that feels like the same option, repackaged, and presented twice. And, in the second option, twice the money is spent rather than a single amount. Neither option was acceptable. I said, “These are the only options I am willing to accept. Either, the total for the order is charged to the credit card and the gift certificate is not touched; or, you cancel the order as I made it (at this point) less than ten minutes ago. There is no way on God’s green Earth that the order is already shipping.”

She said, “That would be very difficult,” and then proceeded to explain to me why it would be very difficult.

I said, “Let me share with you the vernacular you are using. You have said, repeatedly,” because at this point it was repeatedly, “that what I am asking for is difficult, not impossible, so, you will either cancel the order or you will make sure that the credit card is the only thing charged. If you can’t do it than I want to speak to someone who can. If you have to speak to someone who can authorize this, fine. But, you have said that it is possible, just not easy, so, make it happen or put someone on the phone who can make it happen.”

She paused. Then she said, “I need to talk to my supervisor.”

I said, “That’s fine.”

She said, “Will you hold?”

I said, “Yes.”

She said, “If I can’t get approval for this you may have to talk to my supervisor.”

I said, “That is fine. I will hold. Go talk to your supervisor.”

Imagine, now, twenty minutes and a strange secondary phone call where someone was speaking (recording) in Spanish and me hanging up on the phone call. Me surfing the internet (which, most people actually can’t imagine). And then, just about the point I am actually mad and not just frustrated, the woman coming back on the line. She said, “This time only, my supervisor has approved me to refund the money back to your gift certificate.”

I said, “Thank you.”

She said, “Amazon will only charge you the $140 (something) that is being charged to the credit card.”

I said, “You don’t have to do that. Just charge the full amount to the credit card.”

She said, “We cannot do that. To do what you have asked us to do, we have to credit the money back to the gift certificate. We cannot charge you the full amount on your credit card.”

I said, not wanting to belabor the point, “Thank you. You have been very helpful. I appreciate what you’ve done.”

Now, truth told, I don’t pay for shipping. When I shop at Amazon.com I have unlimited two-day shipping for everything I purchase through Amazon.com’s marketplace. I like this. I’ve paid for Amazon’s Prime membership many, many times over this way (I buy a lot of books) and since you get a discount on the books you buy AND it doesn’t cost me anything to have them shipped to me (over, say, Borders or Barnes and Noble) it makes sense (at least to me) to use this service. On top of which, they have been very, very, very good to me since I decided to push most of my discretionary book spending (and movie, and music) to this online retailer. In short, I am happy. I want to see Amazon continue to succeed and exist. It is in my interest.

So, when I say I am complaining about the outcome (today) I really am. Granted, I am one buyer in (probably) millions. My purchase (today or normally) isn’t going to make or break the bank for them. What happened wasn’t really acceptable to me. I appreciate it. I am grateful that the software (which normally retails for $270.00) is being sent to be for just shy of $150.00, but, I think, that is probably the point in all of this. You lose margins when you do what Amazon did today.

I am happy with the company and I am looking forward to the purchase, but, at the same time, I am a little taken back by the nature of how things may have been handled. I wanted to pay the amount that I was quoted. I don’t think that something that is moved into a shipping status should be entirely unchangeable. Rather, I would’ve been better off had the CSR said, “Yes, we can do that for you. Hold on. Yes. The gift certificate is not going to be touched and the entire balance will come from your credit card.” I would have been happy with that.

Instead, I get to be persnickety and point out that I am paying a considerable amount less than I should. I should be happy and a part of me is jumping up and down in glee and joy and other happy words. And yet, there is a part of me that wonders if Amazon.com hasn’t started down the path toward a slick and happy solution to most things where most margins will cover a situation like this? I mean, moving customer service to India is definitely a money saver, but speaking to the woman, and to be clear, I had to drop most of what is normal American speech patterns to be understood and to make sure she, without question, understood what I was asking. The complains is that I REALLY would have preferred to pay more, not less; and the paradox is that I am happy to have paid less than more.

Yes, Amazon.com has achieved another level of customer satisfaction (in my book) with what happened; but I wonder if, soon, they might not be more like Wal-Mart than I am comfortable with? Will I have to find another online retailer (or revert to spending a ton of money in a big-box bookstore) to fill my entertainment and reading needs? This is an interesting question for me.

John Hattaway | Alicia Grey | smokingpen | Ansel Adams | Denny Crane | Bond. James Bond