Batman
Massachusetts,#2Consumer Suggestion
Tue, March 05, 2013
Now, you might get mad at me because I come across as harsh and uncaring. I don't dispute that, so don't continue on unless you got your big-boy pants on, okay?
First, I checked out Boca's website and can't see how anyone could possibly assume they'd sent a large order 1 bag at a time. Even with the "coffee club" that has the automated delivery schedules, it's pretty clear your full initial order is simply repeated at whatever interval you select.
So, not to rub salt in the wound, but it seems you didn't understand what you were doing and instead of taking the time to contact them and clarify things, you ended up placing an incorrect order. As a matter of fact, going by the info in your story and your obvious confusion, it's possible you actually did this twice and then ignored the 2nd status and shipping notices, maybe assuming they were duplicates of the ones sent for the initial order. The other possible explanation is that you set up your order to repeat weekly. Whatever the case, multiple confirmation and shipping would've been sent.
I checked out their FAQ pages and though their refund policies are narrow minded, they're still pretty clear. If you did place 2 separate but identical orders or set up a reoccurring order, and they in turn sent a confirmation and shipping notice for each delivery, then I can see why they'd fight you to the end on this.
Frankly, you should enjoy your extra coffee or be happy with whatever the company is gracious enough to return to you. Their refund policies clearly state if you don't cancel your order before it's been shipped, you're not really entitled to anything. Heck, you only get 75% if the order has just been started. They basically give you a small window to change or cancel things and if you miss it, you're out of luck. If your efforts with the BBB got you more back, great! I don't think you technically deserved any more, mind you, but it's a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease.
Is this the best business practice? Probably not, but it's theirs, it's clear, and they have every right to enforce it. Personally, I would've taken the coffee back and refunded every penny just to keep you a happy customer, but that's their call, you know?
Next time, to avoid similar issues, simply pick up the phone before you place an order and ask someone if you don't 100% understand what you're doing online. With a little due diligence, you can save yourself and your victims a lot of time and trouble in dealing with these kinds of issues.