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Amazon Incompetence...amazing what a few hours can change...

5K views 77 replies 50 participants last post by  ssnvet 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I ordered my SawStop from Amazon this past weekend …in stock and ready to ship…and received a shipping confirmation from Amazon that it will be delivered this Thursday and I was very excited. I put an ad on Craigslist for my Grizzly Cabinet Saw and in a little over 30 minutes later it was sold….Great…out of the way for setting up the Saw Stop..
I got a call earlier today from the shipping company saying they will deliver my package Friday afternoon…..what?

I already made arrangements to have help Thursday to carry it to the barn so I asked if the delivery company would be able to help me carry it in…The lady on the phone said it only weighs 45 pounds and is one package…What exactly are they shipping me that weighs 45 lbs. and is not a SawStop????

I called Amazon and was now told by a customer Service rep who had a "I Couldn't Give A Crap Attitude" that it would ship sometime after May 25th….because it wasn't in stock….absolutely no concern on their part about getting this corrected and getting me a saw that has already been charged to My MasterCard…even at $100 higher than the SawStop listed price…I just earlier sold my saw and have a ton of work to do and no SawStop being delivered.

Their response was you can get a refund and buy it somewhere else…oh yeah, by the way, the free SawStop accessory offer ends today.
Amazon's pathetic customer service and incompetence has really caused me problems, loss of shop time and $$$$ and this is one person who will never do business with them again…
 
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#28 ·
Out of curiousity Greg, what could Amazon have done to remedy the situation to your satisfaction??
My understanding is that they (half-heartedly) admitted their error, offered a refund or $100 credit. Was there something else they could have done, after the fact, to make you a happier customer?
 
#29 ·
happy clients are a #1 top priority to me and I always do whatever it takes to keep it that way.

sound business philosophy. however, with the continued evolution of the mega-retailer, each individual customer is increasingly expendable. ten years ago, i go a refurbished finish nailer and it was defective. as amazon didn't have any more refurbished units, they offered a refund, or having it repaired. they handled everything relative to the repair and i still use it. i seriously doubt they would do that today.
 
#30 ·
sorry to hear you've run into a pickle.

but in all fairness - it isn't Amazon's fault you sold your Grizz saw and am now without a saw. I personally always make sure I overlap the time I get a new replacement with the unit it needs to replace -after all, even if you got the SS as planned - who's to guarantee that the unit isn't faulty? and you would have to deal with a return/exchange - or SS tech support to get it resolved, and that could also take some time - in which you would be sawless still.

heck - they offered you $100 credit - I don't know any woodworking supplier that would offer you that if they end up running out of stock.

hope you get your saw soon
 
#31 ·
Kreegan….I really have no interaction with their "top quality tech people" and apparently their tech department is not good enough to keep track of their inventory or otherwise they would have not emailed me and said it was shipped and included a tracking number.

Tedstor… if Amazon had handled it professionally they would have immediately located another saw and had it shipped right away since it was their screw-up. A company their size most certainly has the ability to fins and have another saw shipped if they wanted to.. Their refund offer was a joke because they did not deliver what they promised and I hardly consider a token $100 credit on the saw as any satisfaction for the loss of productivity in my shop. I spoke with SawStop customer service and they are most certainly more professional.

toolie…you definitely are correct that the mega-retailers consider us increasingly expendable.
 
#32 ·
Purplelev…It is Amazon's fault…the reason I sold my saw was because Amazon sent me a shipping confirmation and tracking # saying GUARANTEED delivery in 2 days. If they did what they promised I would not have this problem…
Why send a shipping confirmation and tracking # with guaranteed delivery if it is not in stock…???
I don't need their $100 discount on the saw…I need the saw…not lost unproductive time..
Maybe you would personally make sure your new replacement saw is delivered before selling you old one but not all of us have all that extra space in the shop
 
#35 ·
Greg....I read your forum topic and skimmed through the responses so I apologize if I repeat anything already mentioned. I would cancel your order and purchase with a local dealer or Woodcraft, and that new order should arrive long before May 25th….I agree that it is clearly Amazon's fault since they sent the delivery confirmation….
 
#36 ·
Greg, sorry to learn of your troubles. If you haven't already, I would contact SS now, explain what happened and see if they will honor the free upgrade deal when/if you still purchase a SS. The vendor probably won't be able to honor it but SS might let you go through them for it. Good luck.
 
#37 ·
Sorry to hear about your troubles.

I received a 50 lb bench grinder from Amazon today, and had to laugh when I opened the outer Amazon box to reveal the inner Delta box:
Packing materials Shipping box Wood Package delivery Carton


I took some pictures in case there was any damage, but the Delta box was very well packaged. The grinder is fine despite its upside-down journey.
 

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#38 ·
I ended up driving to PMC Machinery in Hammond, La and buying a Saw Stop. They were about $100 cheaper than Amazoon but I did have to pay taxes so I ended up paying a little over $100 more.
However, sometimes bad luck happens in multiples because when I got back home and opened the box with the rip fence it was missing all of the hardware mounting kit and instillation instructions…The box was re taped and sealed and apparently someone opened it and took out the hardware kit & instructions and re taped the box.

I will call SawStop in the morning and get them to send me the missing stuff instead of PMC machinery…all they would do is rob some one else's parts to give me what was taken from my box.
 
#40 ·
I find it interesting that you're not steaming mad at the retailer this time. You went with the big big box store to save a buck and I presume the convenience of free home delivery. I would be more upset with the current store than amazon for presumably selling you a saw that has been opened/altered and is short parts. Won't you be without a saw for a while until this is resolved too?

I would hope the difference would be that the local retailer would be quicker or more willing to respond to the issue. Good luck in getting it all straightened out. Even with all of your hassles, I am still quite green with envy over your purchase.
 
#41 ·
Maybe it's time to rethink your purchase. This model has the same "stop the saw when your finger hits the blade" safety features.



Seriously, though, your situation really sucks, hopefully you catch a break!
 
#42 ·
Really sorry to hear you're having such a crappy time with all this…
I hope that once you get your saw in complete working order you'll be pleased with it and just be glad you don't have to do it all over again.
 
#43 ·
Wow, I just bought one from them too at the 11th hour to qualify for the SS deal. I have spoken to them and received emails from my "concierge" rep for large item purchases. I didn't sell my other saw yet (not worth much) but hope not to have problems like waiting three weeks either. I have bought large items from them in the past without issue. Sorry you got the bad apple.

However, I did buy my wife's engagement diamond online from Blue Nile (yes people told me I was crazy) but the jeweler who appraised it couldn't believe the quality for the price. (Highly recommend) Plus a 3hp table saw is much harder to lose than a diamond, so not worried…...YET!!

Good luck with the new saw.
 
#44 ·
Your Amazon experience is unfortunate and, contrary to my own experience with them unusual. They have always gone out of their way to make things right. This sounds like one of their third party contractors that went off the rails. I hope you post your experience on the Amazon site or at least direct their attention to your comments on this site. Losing time in your shop for weeks has to really be be hard. I hope you at least enjoy your new saw.
 
#45 ·
Honestly I don't see why you're so mad at Amazon, you're the one who sold the old saw not them. What would have happened if the SS came on time and when you opened the box there were parts missing or damaged? You still would have been out of work for a few days if not weeks getting the proper parts. Personally if I were purchasing something that I absolutely relied on to make money I would keep the old one until I knew the new one was going to work for me and be there when I needed it, kinda like a woman… ;) :D JK.

I have bought literally 1000's of dollars of items from Amazon and never had one single issue with them or any of their sellers. In fact I am in the middle of a commercial businesses bathroom remodel and purchased over $5000 of items from them in the last month. Including and not limited to 5 Toto toilets, 2 urinals, 7 Sloan flush valves, 7 auto flush sensors, Xcelerator hand dryers, 4 auto faucets, and a myriad of other misc. items. Everything came in on time(or early) and the one item I had an issue with was one of the Xcelerator hand dryers, it came in the appropriate box for what I ordered, but when I opened it(factory sealed) it was the incorrect model. It was clearly not Amazons fault so I called the manufacturers CS to get it straightened out, they talked to me like I was a moron and you could feel the ladies eyes rolling when I was explaining the issue. She pretty much said I need to contact Amazon, so I did, and within 5 minutes of me asking for a return authorization I get an email from an actual human being(clearly not a computerized response) saying they apologize for the inconvenience and will be next day airing me a replacement at no cost, and I just need the bad one boxed up and ready for UPS to pick it up. Now that is some pretty awesome CS if you ask me!

And if you're wondering why I purchased everything through Amazon? I prefer to spend my time working wisely, not running around town wasting gas and searching for the correct yet overpriced items, or having to order through a supply warehouse and paying their insanely high shipping prices, and usually needing to order through multiple vendors(saves paperwork). Amazon is a one stop shop that delivered everything directly to my door on-time and saved me a TON of money and time.
 
#46 ·
Caman…you are dam right I am mad at amazon….If they would not have said they shipped it and I would have it in a few days and even sent a tracking # I might feel different ...but I expect professionalism from a company this size. They could have found one and had it shipped immediately since it was their screw up…

Buying a Saw Stop is not like your toilet, urinals and accessories where I can run down to the local supply store and get them in a pinch.
 
#47 · (Edited by Moderator)
You missed my point, what would you have done if the SS came in damaged or missing pieces?? ###cough###cough### PMC Machinery###COUGH### Sh!t happens and YOU are the one who put yourself in this situation NOT them. And I'm pretty certain you contacted Amazon with the same "professionalism" you display in these posts. :rolleyes: Which is why you received the same "professionalism" in return.

And YES my plumbing supplies are EXACTLY like your SawStop. The TOTO tankless toilets are not stocked anywhere, they are a special order. Since the hand dryers come in multiple colors, voltages, and nozzle arrangements they are normally not stocked and usually need to be ordered. And the automatic faucets that the customer wanted are not a stock item either. FYI…these items are not pieces that can just be picked up at your local Menards, HD, or Lowes! My local plumbing supply store is almost an hour away!
 
#48 ·
That is a load of baloney…Amazon is the one that screwed up and you can brown nose them all you want…but they still promised something they did not deliver… and did not make any effort to get it right.

At 65 and having worked for myself all of my life I have always gone above and beyond what it necessary to get the job done and have a long track record of very satisfied clients… My professionalism is second to none.. and who the hell are you to question it…some plumber with absolutely no woodworking posts
 
#49 · (Edited by Moderator)
Greg TCBS: I admire your candor throughout your ordeal, But something needs to be said here: If you relate a story about a personal misfortune in these forums, some mean-spirited people will perceive it as a weakness, a vulnerability on your part. They will then find the words to humiliate and criticize you, and throw salt in the open wound. I found your thread informative and engaging, but indeed it is difficult to speak of a bad experience without a feeble-minded few to jump on it and amuse only themselves. This is not the Lumberjocks mission, I'm sure. It just happens.
 
#50 ·
Geez people, your starting to sound like a Micronsoft/Apple crowd!!!

EVERYBODY, Take a DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP breath and exhale!

Greg came to share his experience. Don't attack him for it. Unless you work for Amazon, why are we ragging on the guy? Do we just like piling on?

Can all of you GUARENTEE Greg would have a buyer for his old saw if he had waited? Can you GUARENTEE he'd have all the room for two saws if he'd waited? Can you NOT see why he wouldn't be confident, having a tracking number and delivery date GUARENTEED (allegedly)?

Seriously, ya'll sound like a bunch of Apple fanatics. Give the guy a break.

Milo
 
#51 · (Edited by Moderator)
OT

First - I use Amazon for music, books, streaming video, household items and woodworking supplies. I am a Amazon Prime subscriber.

I've seen a fair amount of Walmart bashing in various threads and I agree with the school of thought that it has a negative effect on local retail economies. But at least Walmart offers some level of employment to local residents. If I spend a dollar at Walmart at least a few cents goes back into my community in wages, business taxes, etc. Amazon's contribution to local economies is nil (aside from maybe an extra UPS driver). Amazon has zero employees in all but a few local areas. When I spend a dollar on Amazon absolutely nothing goes back into my local economy.

Amazon is to local retailers as China is to American manufacturing.
 
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