On Aug 7, 2014, I ordered a new tail light for my motor scooter. I expected it to arrive within a week since it was described as being "in stock".
I had planned a flight to Europe to visit family, departing August 18 and returning September 24. Much to my dismay, the shipment didn't arrive before my August 18 departure, a full 11 days after I placed my order. In fact, they didn't ship it until August 27, a full 20 days after I placed the order!
When I returned on September 24, I retrieved my mail the following day (Sept. 25). I found the delivery from this company, opened it, and found that it contained a headlamp, rather than the tail lamp that I ordered.
I called the company, but when I said I wanted to speak to customer service, I was forwarded to a recorded message that said that customer service was "by email only". So I sent an email to them explaining that their shipment arrived late and it was the wrong part.
Their reply was exactly this:
"Sir, you waited 24 days to contact us that you received something incorrect? The terms and conditions state 10 days. We show you were shipped a tail light on our end anyway. Thank you for your business ! The customer service team"
I replied as follows:
"Dear customer service, I was in Europe from August 18 to September 25. Attached below is the flight itinerary if you don’t believe me. I was hoping the item would arrive before I departed Aug 18, but it didn’t. I contacted you as soon as I received the package and discovered it was the wrong part. Do you want me to send you a photo of the (wrong) part?? It’s a head lamp, not a tail light. Give me a break. You sent me the wrong part after all."
They replied:
"We did respond to you and we let you know that we have a 10 day return policy and you waited 5 weeks to contact us. Please read the terms and conditions on all of our websites and also these are emailed to you with your confirmation of order"
I replied:
"dear customer “service", I understand you have your “policy”. But there are times where any company should be a bit flexible with the “policy”, because there may be some situation for which the “policy” as written had not anticipated. First of all, I ordered the tail light, fully expecting it to arrive BEFORE MY DEPARTURE TO EUROPE. However, contrary to expectations, it didn’t arrive until AFTER I DEPARTED ON A 6 WEEK TRIP TO EUROPE on Aug 18, returning Sept 24. It was YOUR fault that the item arrived late, and after I had left the country. And was certainly YOUR fault that you sent me the wrong f****** part. As soon as I returned from my trip, I unpacked the item and discovered it was a head lamp, not a tail lamp. I immediately notified your company. You say, " If we receive a return after the 10 days we will give you an in store credit which you can apply to any purchase within the proceeding 12 months.” I don’t even mind paying a restocking fee. That would be fine with me. That’s all I’m asking for here. So please send me the RMA so that I can return this headlamp you sent me, which I have no use for at all. Meanwhile, I can’t drive my bike because it still doesn’t have a tail light."