Online Inconvenience

<p>18 November 2016, I ordered some fragrances on the Foschini Online with their recent promotion where fragrances were on a 20% discount, but if you purchase online, you would get an additional 5% if you use the coupon code “FRAGRANCE”.</p> <p> </p> <p>I logged on and proceeded to place my order. On check out I punched in the coupon code “FRAGRANCE” and it looked like it was being app**** but when I got the invoice the additional 5% discount was not app****. I cancelled the order and tried to order again… I think I tried about 3 times, and the additional 5% discount didn’t go through, before I called the call centre. I spoke to a lady who said her name was Cara and she said that I was not the first person to experience this issue. They were investigating it. She asked that I not cancel my order until she gets back to me but when she calls me back she’ll ask me to cancel the current order and place a new one where the additional 5% discount will be included.</p> <p> </p> <p>I waited for the call and it didn’t come through. On 21 November 2016 my order arrived even though the additional 5% was not app****… Later in the day, I got a call telling me that I can go ahead and cancel my order and place the new order for the additional 5% discount and I explained that I already received the order. Cara then told me that I’ll need to return the order that I had received, place a new order and wait for it. Even though it would be for the EXACT SAME PRODUCTS. I asked why can’t they just credit my account with the difference since I had used my store card to make the purchase. Like, why should I go through all this unnecessary admin just because their system didn’t apply what it was supposed to apply. The manager said that their online system does not “talk to” the account system (which was complete nonsense to me because if this was true, then how was I able to put my store card as my method of payment, but anyway) I gave in because they claimed that this was the ONLY way to resolve this issue. I placed the new order while I was the phone with her and gave her the order number. She told me that she would put it on the list of orders to be prioritized so that I get my order on the same day or first thing in the morning, the following day…. She even pretended to be writing my order number down…</p> <p> </p> <p>So the day went and my new order did not arrive. The next day came and went and I still had not received my order. Now I’m sitting and wondering, did this lady even “prioritize” my order like she said she would?? I honestly wonder because I still haven’t received my order.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have some issues with this:</p> <p>1. They acknowledged that their system is not doing what it needs to do, but they couldn’t just give me a credit on my account</p> <p>2. They allowed for my order to be delivered even though they knew that I would have to cancel it.</p> <p>3. They created admin for me in the sense that they suggested that I go to my nearest Foschini store to return the order. Had they held my order like I suggested in point 2 above, they would have avoided making me return the package to a store closest to me.</p> <p> 4. My order is now delayed by a further 3 days because I have to place a new order</p> <p>5. They didn’t prioritize the order like they said they would. More disappointment.</p> <p>6. She said that everyone who placed their order between the 18th and the 20th had to basically return their goods and re-place their orders….</p> <p>7. Nobody has come to pick up the order that I was meant to return because I sure as hell am not going to a Foschini near me. I work all day, I don’t have time to be going to the stores. And they better not be billing me for their inefficiencies.</p> <p> </p> <p>This system is inefficient. I wonder how much additional delivery costs they had to incur because of this silly process which also inconvenienced clients.</p>