Best price, nice people, but poor electronic customer contact
Written: Nov 11 '03 (Updated Nov 12 '03)
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DigitalFotoClub.com has truly great prices and generally nice people (once you get through to them), but suffers from very poorly managed electronic-based customer contact.
Ordering Experience:
DigitalFotoClub.com's website has a relatively simple layout but is very "busy" with text and graphics. Finding my product was easy, though, as I had used a search via DealTime and the link took me right to the item. For those not using such a service, their website search engine seems to work well.
The ordering process was pretty straight-forward and much like other web-based storefronts. However, the ordering system automatically added an item (a replacement blade and foil kit) for another $45. (This kit is not needed, but people would not know this from the page.)
I ordered my Panasonic shaver shaver early Sunday morning (October 26th) using my Discover card. Later that day, I remembered that my American Express card extends warranties of items purchased with it. As a result, I placed another order for the same shaver later that night with my preferred card. I also sent an email just after midnight to their customer service department telling them of the situation to cancel the first order.
The next morning, I received emails telling me that both orders had been successfully entered. By 10 AM, I had a nice note from a lady in the customer service department telling me that my order had been terminated. So far, all was fine.
Problem Experience:
However, I received a letter a half hour later telling me that my Discover card order (the one that was cancelled) had been declined by Discover. I figured this was a possible problem, so I called Discover and confirmed that I had no problem with the card. I then called the toll-free number for DigitalFotoClub.com.
The system routes you through an environment that is supposed to let you check your order without ever talking to someone. Unfortunately, even after ten minutes, I could not successfully get the system to tell me anything about my order(s). I would follow the instructions and press the appropriate key, but it would only pause and never give me information. It also never gave me the option to talk to someone. I needed to call back to order something to then tell them the phone system wasn't working, that my card wasn't actually declined, and to assure the right order (my AmEx) was going through.
The person I spoke with apologized for the problem and confirmed that all was fine (but couldn't explain the decline on a cancelled order).
I called back again on Tuesday to validate my second order was okay and the computerized system was not activated, so I got right through to a customer representative who was courteous and responsive. At 7:30 PM, I received a letter that included the tracking ID for my order.
On Monday of the next week, I received another notice telling me that my previously declined order was declined yet again. Thinking their IT department needed the information, I called and got right through to a customer representative. Unfortunately, when I told this fellow of the second decline on a cancelled order, he simply told me, "Well, you have your other order, so what is the problem?" I told him that the only reason I was calling was because there was some sort of problem with their computer that they needed to fix. He didn't seem to care, but this might have simply been because he had no ability to do anything about it.
Overall Experience:
In the end, the shaver was in stock and arrived okay for a great price. The women with whom I had contact were kind and helpful. One person wasn't that responsive, but at least I didn't get another email yesterday (two weeks after the original cancellation) declining my card, so I think he got the message through to the right people.
I would order from DigitalFotoClub.com in the future, despite the problems I encountered.
[Update:
In retrospect, it seems likely that the lady I talked with on the first order may have thought that telling the system my credit card was bad was a better internal assurance the product wouldn't be sent twice than just cancelling the order.
If this store seems to have a lot of reviews, please know that they subscribe to some sort of service with Epinions meant to review orders placed with the company.
I encourage companies to do such external polling as it keeps everyone involved "honest". My hat is off to DigitalFotoClub.com for such eagerness and openness.]
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Panasonic ES8092 Shaver
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Epinions.com ID:
aaronm
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Location: Normal, IL USA
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Recent MBA graduate with an IT and consulting background. I enjoy church activities.
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