From BBB:
Additional Telephone Numbers
(305) 944-6200 (order line)
(305) 944-6900 (admin offices in N. Miami)
(305) 944-6971
(305) 949-0053
Additional Addresses
PO Box 619000, North Miami, FL 33261-9000
PO Box 619093, North Miami, FL 33261
PO Box 619098, North Miami, FL 33261
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Placed order 12/6/05 for Christmas gifts... All items said to be in stock per order confirmation email (total merchandise order was $334.50 for 27 items, w/o shipping charges).
A week later I called to find out when I would receive the items and found out some items were already shipped via USPS Parcel Post, which does not have a tracking number, and others were on backorder.
I called again on 12/19 ~10:00 am; on hold 20 minutes, then phone began to ring for over 3 minutes w/no answer, so I hung up.
I called on 12/20 ~11:18 am; on hold 26 minutes, then phone began to ring for 2 rings, then silent, and when I said "hello?", a rep - Shanitra - answered; I told her I am confused and angry at the Order Status page on the Internet, and I need to know the status of these items since was going out of town in a few days and these were all gifts; told her I called last week and still nothing has been resolved, and she put me on hold to "research the account"; 11:44 am came back in 2 minutes to ask if I had receved any merchandise and I told her no, and she said she is having a supervisor research my account with her and to hold... On hold until 11:54 am, at which point I was told when things would ship and have shipped, which were all different than dates shown online.
Each day, the dates shown on their online order status page changed, from "will ship on" dates to "already shipped" (many "already shipped" dates were several days later than the current date) to items claimed to have shipped changed to backordered or cancelled... Just a cluster %.
On one call I asked that the rest of my order be shipped via FedEx and agreed to the more expensive shipping charges. On another call I complained that part of the order was sent USPS Parcel Post AFTER I asked for my items to be shipped FexEx. So the rep requested these items be sent again... However, instead of cancelling the other shipment, the rep just placed another order for those items, so I got double items and had to pay for FedEx twice. Finally got that resolved w/return labels and credits over a month later.
The biggest portion of my order, $226.90, is claimed to have shipped 12/16/05; as of today, 3/19/06, I still have not receieved my order.in mid-January I called re the missing shipment and was told I needed to fill out a missing order claim form (which said:
"We are in receipt of your letter claiming non-delivery of the package noted above.
In order for this claim to be processed, we require the following:
1. Confirm the shipping address is correct as noted above by checking the appropriate box below.
2. Confirm with the mail room, the shipping department, the receiving dock and the reception area that the above referenced package was not received.
(I noted that this is a personal residence, not a "work" address)
3. Please advise, by checking the appropriate area below, if you would like this order re-processed and re-shipped.
Sincerely Yours,
ABC Distributing, LLC
Customer Service Department
ACCT NO: xxxxxxxxxxx INVOICE NO: xxxxxxxxx
1. Is the shipping address correct? (X) Yes () No
2. Signature of the person claiming non-delivery: (signature)
3. Telephone number: (xxx) xxxxxxx
4. As this time, would you like to place a re-order? () Yes (X) No
(Noted that I want a refund)"
I sent this via USPS mail 1/17/06, but scanned it first and faxed it to ABC Distributing on 1/18/06.
On 1/31/06 there still was no indication online that there was a credit to my credit card. So I called again and refaxed the form to "Ricky". I stated "I expect a refund from ABC Distributing by Tuesday, February 14 for the full amount of $226.90, so please expedite this claim; 2/14/06 would give ABC Distributing nearly 6 weeks since first notification via telephone. If there is no credit by 2/14/06, I will be forced to submit a dispute to my credit card company."
Of course, 2/14/06 I checked ABC's website—no credit. I checked my credit card—no credit. I submitted a dispute w/my cc company that day. As of today, 3/19/06, it is still being investigated, though my cc company has given me a temp credit.
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Basically, this company has terrible customer service. It appears that their "great prices" come at non-monetary price—no 800 number, poor customer service, and terrible inventory controls. From what I gathered through about a dozen or so calls, their inventory system works like this: you place an order, and their system shows items either in-stock or out-of-stock; 9n-stock does not mean it will be filled... in-stock means that they had some in their system when you placed the order, but as the orders come in they get put in queue; as orders before yours get filled, the inventory is depleted, so when it is your order's turn, they may not have it in stock anymore—this is definitely NOT just-in-time inventory control! I guess that is how their prices are so darn incredible... They invest very little $ into inventory systems, personnel, and dedicated toll-free phones numbers.
BTW, I had ordered from them before, in May and while shipping was extraordinarily slow (2 weeks before it shipped), the products were decent. I did not like the 8 curtain panels I ordered, and the return and credit process was very simple and quick. However, my experience in December was enough for me to hate them... I will never order from them again.
Just an FYI to those who are considering ordering from ABC.
:)
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