Gripe of the Week: Ordering Online Isn't Always Fun and Games

By Dave Carroll
Founder, Gripevine.com


The holiday shopping season is upon us, and this week's Gripe of the Week addresses an issue that's especially relevant this time of year: online shopping and shipping. Gripevine user Mad Mike ordered nearly 300 chess sets and paid for expedited shipping only to find out he'd been sent 300 games of checkers instead. It seemed like the "pawnzi scheme" was set. Check and mate. Toyland acknowledged the mix-up did arrange for a return and refund on the cost of the product, but would not reimburse him for the extra shipping costs he had incurred by requesting a rushed shipment.

Read the original Gripe here.

What can we learn from Mad Mike's experience? First, when you're ordering something online, it pays to double and even triple check to make sure you're getting matches your expectations. On the surface, it seems like Mike did everything right - he worked directly with a Toyland representative to place his order and researched the product on their website. The website listed the board game as a chess/checkers combination, and the Toyland employee confirmed this.

This is a prime example of how important it is to a) seek out product photos and b) consult peer reviews. Companies make mistakes; we can't expect them to be perfect, but we can expect them to be attentive and respectful when addressing those mistakes, and we can take advantage of community platforms like Gripevine to pool our knowledge and experiences in a way that's beneficial to everyone involved - consumers and businesses alike.

When I was young and impetuous, if this had happened to me, I might have asked my friends to dress up like chess pieces and join me on a public field to film an epic battle with our Toyland counterparts (which in my imagination they would lose). In my defense I'll point out that Gripevine didn't exist back then but I would like to commend Mike for taking the high road approach and detailing a very specific request for compensation.

In this instance, he recognizes that holding out for a full refund on the expedited shipping is not something Toyland is likely to agree to. Instead, he has laid out exactly what he'd like to receive in order to resolve his gripe, and it's an offer that seems fair to all parties involved. Asking for a specific type of compensation is helpful for the company you're working with can be an incredibly powerful tactic in ensuring that your gripe gets speedy and effective results.

Three Key Takeways for Planting a Gripe That Gets Results: What Mad Mike Did
Right

1. Be fair and realistic
Depending on the situation, a company simply may not be willing to issue a refund in full. Take into consideration the context of your complaint and weigh whether or not expecting full compensation would be reasonable. It's better to settle for a compromise and have your gripe resolved than to walk away with nothing.

2. Define your ideal resolution
Detailing exactly how you'd like to be compensated makes it much faster and much more likely for a company to repsond to your complaint. Asking for something specific is much easier for a business to respond to than a simple, "I'm unhappy. Fix it."

3. Back up your facts
As always, I highly recommend including pictures whenever possible, and Mad Mike did just that. Specific details like store location, dates, etc are also helpful in getting your gripe resolved as quickly as possible.

Finally, it always pays to double-check shipping and refund policies when ordering online, especially around the holidays when businesses are busier than ever and shipping times are extra important.


About Gripevine:
Gripevine connects customers and companies on a fair and level public playing field where they can come together to create win-win resolutions to common consumer complaints. Consumers can use Gripevine to leverage the power of social media to get their stories heard. Companies can use their Customer Satisfaction Index on Gripevine to show the world the quality of their customer service. By leveraging the power of social media, both groups of users can ultimately affect a company's Customer Satisfaction Index on Gripevine, which provides an effective scale for the quality of customer service.


About Dave Carroll:
Dave Carroll is an award winning singer-songwriter, professional speaker, author and social media innovator based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He began his music career with his brother Don in the band Sons of Maxwell and has been enjoying success as a solo artist for the last four years. Known as a master storyteller, Dave's incredible talent was introduced to millions when his 2009 YouTube music video 'United Breaks Guitars' became a worldwide sensation. Dave is now co-founder of the consumer resolution complaint platform, Gripevine.com. Most recently, Dave published his first book: "United Breaks Guitars: The Power of One Voice in the Age of Social Media" and released his second album, "Raincoat in Vegas."

Online retailing has revolutionized the way we shop and is an incredibly convenient alternative to traditional brick and mortar stores - who wouldn't prefer a package delivered straight to their door step? However, consumers need to take extra measure to protect themselves when ordering a product sight unseen, and as always, Gripevine is there to help customers take the pain out of complaining.