Loved 'em for years, hate 'em now
Written: Nov 26 '01
| Customer Service: |
 |
|
| Selection: |
 |
|
| On-Time Delivery: |
|
|
The Bottom Line
Once a great bargain hunters dream has deterriorated into a shopper nightmare. Treating your frustration-caused ulcer will cost more than whatever you'll save.
|
| Full Review |
I was an enthusiastic uBid shopper for years, bagging binfuls of bargains - mostly refurbed computers and electronics at rock bottom prices. Items shipped quickly. I loved uBid and turned lots of friends on to it.
About a year ago (after CMGI bought the company, it seems), things turned south for the worst. uBid got too big for its britches, trying to become an eBay wannabe, adding partner and consumer auctions to its core refurb and overstock business. uBid lost track of its knitting.
Friends complained about shipping delays and horrible, unresponsive customer service. My own experiences over the past few months mirrored theirs. Nothing ships out within their "1 to 5 day" processing time. Emails to 'Customer Care' (which should be renamed Customer Indifference) go unanswered. Phone reps - when you can get through to them -placate you with promises to look into your order status and get back to you, but never do. They parrot canned double-speak explanations that make little rational sense. If an item is, in fact, in stock, it shouldn't take weeks to get it out the door. Even the most inept e-tailer with inefficient warehousing and shipping systems, can turn an order in a week!
I'm starting to question whether uBid actually has the inventory on hand when you 'win' a bid. Their ridiculous excuses for delays start to sound like a cover for not being able to ship and item because they don't actually have it.
Cancelling an order is virtually impossible, even if uBid hasn't fulfilled its side of the deal. However, if you're caught in cancellation hell, check out Section 8 of the uBid user's agreement regarding seller refunds if an item can't be shipped at the close of a sale. While this section seems intended for its consumer auctions, no differentiation is made between uBid and consumer sellers. It may give you some leverge. Also note that uBid's form-based email does not provide you with any email record of your communication, so you may want to fax a back-up copy your communications to uBid customer Care at 847-616-0318 so you have a record.
uBid's prices are VERY seductive, but I can't recommend the service right now to anyone. I sure wish they would get their act together.
Recommended:
No
|
|
|
|
About the Author
Reviews written: 17
Trusted by: 1 member
|
