Dicking around.
Written: Feb 07 '02
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This review is true for the Major on line stores I have dealt with, I had very similar experiences that would be a waste of time to write several reviews for each individual
Company, stores a dealt with:
Sport Authority, Dick’s, Fog Dog, Bally’s, overstock
I must mention, my only experience buying or trying to buy from these stores are related to weight lifting equipment to which I have been obsessed with lately. I never tried
To buy small items like: socks, baseball bats, shirts, balls….etc…
Why buying from Big Stores can be such a hassle?
- I did not know why all my 6 attempts of buying Free weight equipment from dick's site was such a hassle.
Hassles:
I have been trying to put a home gym together, like some people I want to learn about the item I am buying, dimensions, weight, shipping charge, delivery time and method, I don’t like surprises. I am familiar with equipment, the information I needed was accurate dimensions, capacity, type of cushion and so on.
Out of five times attempting buying from Dick's (I kept coming back because their price was a bit lower, thinking at this time they won't do this, they just can't, they will remember my previous bad experience and do their best ---yeah! right) they consistently charge you and don’t ship the item, you call them and they say it has been shipped, but after two weeks they admit they don’t have in stock.
Product information:
On the site is limited to what they write there, and most times the dimensions and size they provide have some major unforgivable discrepancy .
Calling or sending them e-mail, it is a waste of time, you may get one of the answers below:
-We don’t have the information
-System is down call later
-We will call you back
-Wrong information
-Call the manufacturer
Why such a hassle? Secrets they don’t want you to know
I finally got a guy on the phone that claimed was his last day there, thus he freely gave me some inside information:
Major on line retail/phone order stores don’t have their own distribution center, specially when comes to Exercise machines, free weights, due to weight, size, expenses to handle and storage.
They rely on drop shipping, but drop shipping is not such a beautiful world, they take your order and in the end of the day they fax it to the distributor or Manufacturer that handles the drop shipping, by the time these distributors get the request, the turn around is no less than 3 days and usually it is up to 5 days, that’s if they have the item handy or do not screw up the order, mistype, the more hands the order see the more likely is to be messed up.
Why they charge you and don’t Deliver?
If the Distributor does not have the item they usually take a few days or sometimes even forget to notify Dick's. Contacting the distributor isn’t easy, usually Dick's leaves a message or send the Distributor an e-mail. But the representative of these Distribution Center/Manufacturer usually have 100 accounts from 100 different stores, they can’t go around given up to date information on a single order. Ex: A Manufacturer of gym equipment called Key fitness has 6 representatives for the entire country, to cover thousand of Retail stores around the world (not just the US)
That’s why big chain stores will never have a tracking number or have no idea what is going on, sometimes after weeks they may get a message back but it is not always the case, and that’s why they frustrate us to death. How else can you explain a store that has computerized inventory, everything in and out is accounted for and go straight to the system and yet there are several screw ups and excuse like "out of stock" even though they confirmed and processed your order, could be because it is no integrated to their systme because they never had the item in their facilities? all is done by out control drop shipping, that's why.
What should I ask to protect myself?
-Ask if the order will be drop shipping, if they say no, it is good, but They may just say yes or No, must of time they don’t know themselves, regardless of the answer ask the person if he/she knows what drop shipping is, the odd is they don't and that gives it away that tehy are just saying whatever gets you to place an order.
- ask if they are able to provide a tracking number within 24 - 48 hours, if not be advised to buy from them.
-Ask if it is UPS or regular trucking company, if they don’t know or it is regular trucking, beware, it is drop shipping.
Best choice:
Small on line companies, but they are hard to find, usually they don’t have such high volume for dropping shipping. I found one on line for my home gym equipment, they
Shipped most of my orders within 24 hours, if was out stock they shipped within 3 days
4 maximum, but I knew they shipped themselves, because it came from their own address and not from some strange place.
Pick a store that are specialized in one area of your need, I needed Weight lifting equipment, I picked a store just specialized on exercise equipment, and not a whole host of junks.
They knew their equipment, the people there go to the conventions and knew everything about their product, it is easy to know when they know, they just answer your questions on the spot.
No shipping hassle, no out stock or any other excuses you read all over epinion.com
I found another one not far from where I live, but they are old fashion don’t sell on line, the other ones is www.k9fitness.com very flexible people, the owners run it, thus they are the ones that respond to discount request, usually they give you some when asked, depending on what you buy.
Ebay is a good source for these small on line stores, that’s where I found this one I mentioned.
Even if Dick's price is a bit less expensive, a saving is just a saving when you actually get your merchandise. I know that the illusion of getting a discount is not worth the hassle, frustration, in the end you spend more on Prozac to control your frustration with these people.
Friedns of mine that went against my advise trying to buy a bench weren't so lucky as I, I got my refunds within 2 weeks, they got their credit card refunded after 3 long months of playing tag on the phone or being put on hold.
I hope this helps, I am sure I could write more, but may run out space, just ask meif you have an specific question, I will answer based on my experience.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
brunildu
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Reviews written: 17
Trusted by: 2 members
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