DiscerningReader.com ABUSIVE TREATMENT!! ripoff online business Internet
A warning to shoppers of DiscerningReader.com:
If you are considering an online purchase from DiscerningReader (DR), you'll want to read this before doing so. My experience with this merchant was one of the most disturbing that I have ever had online. In many years of web purchases, I have never been treated in such an unethical and unprofessional manner. Because of this, I felt responsible for filing this complaint (something I've never done before) in an effort to warn other consumers.
I had heard some negative feedback regarding DR's treatment of customers, several months ago from a mailing list that I was subscribed to, but I (regrettably) chose to ignore it. On June 11th, I made my first-ever purchase from DR.
My order consisted of seven books, which were marked on their site as: "Availability: Usually ships the same business day". This terminology is the same as Amazon.com, and so I think most book shoppers have become accustomed to trusting that this phrase means "it's in stock". At least, you get that impression on Amazon, conversely because of all the "not in stock" books that you see marked as "usually ships in 2 to 3 weeks" or some longer duration.
I was surprised when I later found out that DR only sent me three of the books that I ordered; the other four were on backorder. In the nearly two weeks following my purchase, I noticed that these four books were still labeled with "Usually ships the same business day" on their website, even though they were backordered for me. I can understand how big of a job it must be to keep an accurate availability status, updated constantly for a store full of products. But for reasons that are left to the shopper's imagination, DR does not take the same approach as many other small online bookstores, who choose not to put an availability status on their products at all. This practice prevents these other bookstores from misrepresenting themselves in any manner that would have a suspicious appearance.
At this point I was considering a cancellation of the four backordered items, and was surprised to find that their site's "order status" page had no functionality to "cancel" a backordered item. I thought that was unusual, since most bookstores do provide such a capability. Because they have no telephone number listed on their site, I went to their "Quick Fix" customer support page. What transpired next was anything but quick.
I should say that, up until this point, I was not all that concerned with my experience with DiscerningReader, and probably would have remained a periodic customer of theirs on a cautious basis, even though I had to wait longer (than I felt their site initially lead me to believe) for most of the items in my order. Unfortunately, at this point is where the major events began.
On 6/18, I sent a "customer care" message to DR through their "Quick Fix" page. My email inquired as to the status of the backordered items, and also asked them what my options were for canceling any backordered items. Although it is common practice for merchants to handle customer support inquiries within 24 hours, I received nothing for the next several days except for an automated message telling me that they "should get back to me within 24 to 72 hours".
Note: HERE IS WHERE THE MAJOR PROBLEMS START >>>>>>
Three days later (on 6/21), I still had not received a response from (a human at) DR. At this point Im starting to get concerned as to whether I have given my credit card information to one of the Internet's many scams. So I send them another "customer care" message, with nearly identical wording to the first one that I sent three days earlier.
On 6/22, it's now been four days and I have not had a reply to either of my messages. With concern growing, over the possible fraudulent use of my credit card, I sent DR another email indicating that if I do not receive a response within another 24 hours (that's 5 days from my first message), I will then begin contacting a number of agencies including the Better Business Bureau.
The good news is that this particular message to DR did get an almost immediate response. The bad news is that it came in the form of a bizarre personal attack, from somebody I have never had any contact with prior to this, the owner of DR (I will refrain from mentioning his name). Apparently, he looked-up my phone number from my credit card order information.
The owner of DR left a message on my answering machine, not for the purpose of answering any of the questions that I had asked related to my credit card order, but to scold me for not being patient. Then. about mid-way through his long message, he shifts into a personal attack against my character. Even though he does not know me in the least, he tells me that I should question "where my life is ultimately headed" (his exact words were more vivid than this). Then he tells me to call his cell phone (long distance), again - not to talk about my order, but he implied that it was to counsel me! Much of what he had to say on his voice-mail was more abrasive than what I'd care to mention here (in public view). Worth mentioning here, is that my children were within ear-shot of the answering machine at the time, with this man using disturbing language to describe me (their father) personally. Again, I have never met this guy, nor have I had any contact with him or DR,
prior to my credit card order.
I sent another message to DR's "customer care" address later that day, to let them know that I found their owner's voice-mail to be inappropriate. DR's owner replied to my email immediately (suddenly I have no problem getting responses from them), to reinforce his own confidence in "where my life is ultimately headed" (if you get my drift). Again, much more blunt terms were used by him, and I was told that I needed to get my life on track. I was also told that I should not contact them again unless it's with remorse for my actions, and that I have been banned from making purchases on their website. How ridiculous. Im just thinking to myself - all I ever wanted was to cancel my backordered items!
After the above email from DR's owner, and prior filing this complaint, I made attempts to pursue appropriate 3rd party (restorative) mediation with him in a non-public manner. My proposal to do so, was treated uncooperatively and belligerently, by DR's owner.
Out of curiosity, I've recently done some searching for other possible complaints from past customers of DR. I wont get into the specifics of what I found, but suffice it to say - my case does not stand alone, nor does it appear to be the most severe. I would strongly recommend that you search the internet (using sites like Google) for company complaints before purchasing from any merchant for the first time.
I've done my best to post this in a factual and sensitive manner. If you have anything to add, feel free to contact me or write your own complaint on this site.
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Note: I was told by The Discerning Reader's local authorities that they are doing business under the name of:
Antithesis LLC (dba: The Discerning Reader)
3916 Bridgeport Dr.
Medford, OR 97504
The link for reporting DiscerningReader.com complaints to their state Department of Justice is:
http://www.doj.state.or.us/FinFraud/EngExplanation.htm
Jim
Brookfield, Wisconsin
U.S.A.