Great Disapointment with Scottishkilts.net

[Space Moose]

Here's an email I just sent off to them, which describes my plight. I'm generally a very laid back and understanding guy, but you can see that I'm quite angry about the situation.

Craig

PS: Anybody know where I can get a plain Argyll tweed quickly?


Email Below:

My order from October 23rd ([Order Number]) was delivered on November 7th, but it was incorrect. The wrong jacket was sent and the wrong sized waistcoat was sent.

I phoned up that day (in the morning GMT, late on the 6th my time zone) and spoke to [Customer Service Rep], and was told that the correct jacket and waistcoat would be shipped that day, which would get it to me in plenty of time for the Dec 2nd deadline I quoted. After hearing nothing for a couple weeks, I called up on Friday morning (GMT late Thursday my time zone) and asked what the status was. I was told that they'd have to check on it, and that I'd be emailed back that day (I'm not sure who I spoke to).

When I heard nothing for 4 days, I called up Tuesday morning (GMT, late Monday my time zone) and spoke to [Same CSR] again. I asked the status. It was only then that I was told that the item was not in stock, and that you were waiting on it from the factory. I expressed my great disappointment that nobody had decided it was important to tell me this in the 21 days since I was told it would ship that day. I would have been able to find an acceptable alternative for my deadline on Dec 2nd. Even had I known on Friday with an email about the status I would likely have been able to find an alternative.

[Same CSR] was quite helpful and suggested that it would still be possible to ship it directly from the factory (which is run by the same company as scottishkilts), and that it could ship as late as Wednesday at noon, and still arrive for me by Friday noon. I told him that I'd be very appreciative if they could make this happen, but that it was much more important for me to know ASAP if it was possible as not getting the jacket from scottishkilts.net was not nearly as bad as not knowing if I was getting the jacket (or being told that I was, and not recieving it). [Same CSR] said that I'd recieve an email very shortly with the status. I had him confirm to me the email address that was on file, it was correct. I even gave a second email address (additionally he said that my telephone number was on file).

Needless to say, it was very important that I know today if it was going to be possible to get my jacket on time, as there was just barely enough time to find an alternative.

Imagine my disappointment when I awoke to find no email from scottishkilts.net.

I understand supply issues, and I don't at all expect that a jacket can be produced any faster than is humanly possible. However, I cannot comprehend why I was told that the jacket was to ship, and kept completely out of the loop when it wasn't going to. Further, when I tried to get a status, I was told I would get an email very shortly, but heard nothing for several days. When I was persistent and followed up, I was finally told it hadn't shipped, but might be able to. When I described the terrible inconvenience of being told one thing, but being kept out of the loop on the truth. And also explained the importance of knowing the status, one way or the other, even if it was still unknown if it would ship, I was offered apologies and assured that I would be sent an email shortly.

Supply issues are one thing, but it seems likely that I may not have a jacket by Friday, purely due to poor customer service. Had I known at any point before tomorrow (which will be the earliest I'll know), I would have been able to arrange for another jacket. I cannot express my disappointment about this.

Please, please, as soon as humanly possible, send me a status on the shipment. Telephone at 3am, email 5 times to any or all of the addresses below, at the very least, try just once to contact me with a status (which as of yet has not happened).

Craig Temple

[Telephone Number]
[Email Address 1]
[Email Address 2]
[Email Address 3]

[Colin]

That sucks man. I have actually been waiting on some buttons (plain) for my argyle, and 4 swatches for kilts for a friends wedding. I have been told twice that they have been sent out, but alas not buttons and no swatches

On a more positive note (and maybe some hope) when I ordered my jacket and waistcoat in April, I had emailed them twice about status and let them know about the deadline I had for another friend's wedding. I got a call from David (6 am our time) and was told they didn't have the jacket in my size and it was being made up at the factory. He said he could get it out by Tuesday and have it here by Thursday. While needless to say I was bummed when it wasn't waiting for me when I got home Thursday night, but within an hour UPS pulled up with the delivery.

Here's hoping the jacket still shows up.

What's the problem with the other one again? Jacket too small and waistcoat too big? Is it still wearable if the other doesn't show?

[Graham]

Sounds like what I find here so much in organisations - lack of communication between staff members.

Having said that, I order hose from them last night, I had email confimation right away, I phoned the order and they were very good.

[GlassMan]

When I bought my Lovat Blue Tweed Daywear/Argyle jacket from Hector Russel they had it to me in 2 days. I'm planning on buying a black Argyle and vest from them in the near future.

When I called their SF store they actually checked to make sure they had my size while I waited on the phone.

[Space Moose]

Poor communication might explain why I was never notified that the order never shipped, but there's no excuse for the agent on the phone on Friday saying "I'll check on this and send you an email in a couple hours." and then doing nothing. I assume he did nothing. I assume that after I called asking how long ago it had shipped and when I could expect it, he did not find out that it hadn't been shipped at all and then neglected to tell me.

There's absolutely zero legitimate reason why I got no email today though. Ater I explained how disapointed I was that I was told I'd be emailed a status and then I wasn't and how not being kept in the loop has really inconvenienced me, and after the agent on the phone apologized, was very helpful and asuring, and said "I'll make sure I send an email out this morning and let you know what's happening.", after I made it explicitly clear more than once on the call that I want to hear back that day one way or the other. There should have been an email in my box.

Other than a physical impossibility of email being sent (I've already received email at that address from them, and I've no spam filters or whatnot), the only reason that I wasn't emailed was that I was not a high enough priority to for them to remember me. This is especially baffling to me that they didn't care enough to do it right after I called in the second time after they'd failed to give me the propper regard, and even vowed to make up for it.

I was nothing but gracious and accomidating while on the phone with them. As I said, I'm laid back, and very understanding. The language and tone of my email this morning is by far the strongest I've used when talking to them. I was a little dissapointed last night that it hadn't shipped, but pleased that scottishkilts.net was going to make it up to me.

I'm certian that I've just been unlucky in this matter. I'm sure that 99% of thier orders go smoothly, and that they don't normally drop the ball with customer service once (especially not twice). But I'm equally sure that the 2 individuals I spoke to just didn't care enough to try to provide me with customer service.

I'll likely order from them again, as they have quality goods at good prices, but I'd be a fool to order something on a deadline from them. There's an old saying that goes:

Fool me once... shame on... shame on you. ... ... ... ... Fool- ... We can't get fooled again.


Craig