Glitches at the online counter
It’s only when you run into the neophytes that you realize how the professionals in on-line sales have really perfected their craft. Believe me.
I’ve been avoiding the malls for several years now, having realized that I can have the same items delivered to a postal station near me, at a better cost, with nary a parking lot to navigate. Books, music, broken bowls (that was an exception); all are out there waiting for me to click “BUY NOW” or “ADD TO CART”. And the model works.
But, there are exceptions. This time last year, I had decided to purchase from a new (to me) merchant. My browser hiccupped, and suddenly I had four or five duplicates in the shipping queue. It took some steely nerved negotiation via telephone to convince the company that nobody (especially this nobody) needed that much hardware in time for the holidays. I kept my email correspondence around for months, just in case the charges suddenly re-reversed.
I had a help desk call from someone at work. Using the corporate plastic, they had made an authorized purchase for service from the postal people. Again, a hiccup; there was no backward or forward in that universe. We’ll know soon if the office has the best mail forwarding service, ever.
Online to buy a book from a new player in the trade. One week later, the order still flags as “on hold”. Remember, we’re in gift acquisition season, so I called the human wing of the bird (brain), where my order was confirmed. Delivery in three months. Not particularly useful, and the agent agreed that should cancel this one while we were both on speaking terms. Oddly enough, I visited a “brick and mortar” branch of the same firm, and found the same article on sale right inside the door. Today, only a few hours later. Obviously the firm is dabbling with this new Internet thing.
But, for the main, I’ll stay faithful to my browser for shopping. After all, the store never closes.
