The selection was not what I'd hoped for and decided to go online instead. Back at my office I visited the online version of the campus bookstore site and was underwhelmed at the selection again. I found a pair of shorts and a sticker for my car - with a total price of over $25 dollars. I entered the first card and then couldn't find a spot to enter another card or my credit card. Instead, the order got submitted - even though I hadn't paid enough. The shipping info said it would be delivered to the campus bookstore, so I figured that I would be contacted to sort things out.
A couple days later I got an email indicting a problem with my order. Which wasn't a surprise, I hadn't really paid for the items. I called the phone number on the email and was transfered to 5 different people before I got someone that knew what they were talking about. She indicated that yes, the system will let an order go through without sufficient payment. She asked for my credit card number to complete the order.
I suggested that since I'm on campus, we could just cancel the order and I could stop by in person. She said she would cancel it and I could pick up and pay for the items at the counter.
Shortly after that call, my room-mate called and said that someone from the bookstore called and said there was a problem with my on-line order. I thanked him for taking the message and explained I'd already called to sort things out.
After my swim, but before I got my lunch, I stopped by the bookstore and indicated that an online order was being held for me at the counter. They looked around a bit, then sent me downstairs to the online pickup area. I head downstairs, wait for a clerk and then explain what I'm doing there. They look though the records, can't find it, and send me back upstairs.
I go back upstairs to the counter and explain I've been sent back up. They call back downstairs and after a few minutes find the order sitting on the counter. Less than two feet from where the cashier was standing. I use my gift card and then cash to complete the transaction.
I was lucky to have been on campus to sort this out - it could have been much worse.
The shorts are cool and fit great, the sticker is pretty cool too. I think for my other gift card, I'm going to the main barnes and noble site and just get some books.
In other retail related news...
I don't listen to the radio much in my car, except when I'm stuck in traffic. And then I only listen to AM stations. It makes me appreciate how lucky I am to be in traffic than to be the kind of person that listens to AM radio all the time - and believes what they are being told. Yesterday, road construction prompted me to listen to a "doctor" that was promoting digestive health (i.e. over-eating cures) by - I think - "mud-packing emotional scars". This would align your Chi or something and make you not be fat. Or something. He also promoted a special formula for sale of 13 different types of pollen, specially blended to prompt genital health. Operators were, presumably, standing by. As his show ended and the traffic cleared, there were two separate announcements indicating that pretty much no one was willing to back him up on anything he had said.
On a final note of confusion, I went out to dinner with my room-mate and his sister. We had a coupon for one free entrée with the purchase of an appetizer and another entrée.
I usually get a "3 course meal" with appetizer, entrée and dessert. Which is not valid with the coupon.
He ordered green bean fries for me (which I was going to do myself as part of 3 courses) and another appetizer of mozzarella sticks.
The server left and I told my room-mate this might be a problem since the 3 course is usually ordered all at once.
The server came back to take our order and I asked if the previously ordered green beans could be shifted to my 3 courses. He said he would have to have his manager do it, but yes. I felt bad, but not as bad when the rest of the orders were taken. My room-mate's sister got an entrée and he then ordered pot-stickers. An appetizer - and thus not valid with the coupon. The server thought about it for a minute and said that if my order was not treated as the three courses -then it would count as one of the entrees.
So, everything worked out - and I made sure we tipped the server well for the trouble we caused.
No comments:
Post a Comment