I've mentioned this in passing before, but I've now compiled a full email transcript of what happened. I'll let you make up your own mind, but I will say: look at the dates, and note how the guy doesn't respond unless I hassle him, and the responses are rude, threatening, and lazy. It reminds me of a certain
penny arcade comic. The company doesn't give a shit about customer service. I'm never buying from them again.
The guy from minidigital sales was Ben Moran.
Original (Automated) Message, received on the 7th June
www.minidigital.com.au ABN 57328960073
PO Box 181, North Perth, WA 6906.
Ph (08) 9328 2681 Fax (08) 9328 4627 Email
sales@minidigital.com.au
----TAX INVOICE #M1044--------
Date : 6/7/2004
Due Date : 6/12/2004
Terms : 5 days
P.O.No. :
Rep : Minidigital.com.au
*All actual invoice stuff removed*
minidigital.com.au PO Box 181, North Perth, WA 6906
Thank you for shopping at
Minidigital.com.au
Mon, 2004-06-07 at 17:11,
sales@minidigital.com.au (Automated Message) wrote:
Dear Sunny,
Thank you for the following order. For any queries with your order please contact minidigital's sales department - sales@minidigital.com.au.
Tuesday, 8 June 2004 10:42 PM,
foobear wrote:
I'd like to know when my order's been shipped, as well as how to track my order. I'm not sure if this happens automatically. Also, the "due date" of 12th June, is that the date the order's supposed to be shipped or the date the order's supposed to be delivered?
Wed, 2004-06-09 at 01:43,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
Hi sunny,
You should receive it within the week.
Saturday, 12 June 2004 10:22 PM,
foobear wrote:
It hasn't been delivered yet. Could I please get information on whelther the package has been shipped, and how to track it.
thanks.
Mon, 2004-06-14 at 11:58,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
Hi Sunny,
There arent any in stock right now.
Monday, 14 June 2004 11:27 AM,
foobear wrote:
When will it be delivered?
Mon, 2004-06-14 at 13:29,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
Not long, 2-5 days. It is a holiday in NSW today, so it will take longer than normal.
Monday, 14 June 2004 11:40 AM,
foobear wrote:
Is that considering the fact that it's not in stock? Also, will I get a tracking number? I'm not going to be home all week, so I need to know exactly when the package will get delivered.
Mon, 2004-06-14 at 13:47,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
These are in stock now. Please ensure someone is at the address to receive the goods, if there isnt, the courier wont be able to deliver it and it will come back to us.
Monday, 14 June 2004 11:59 AM,
foobear wrote:
I'd need to know the day it was being delivered.
Mon, 2004-06-14 at 14:05,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
Sorry, I cant give you an exact day.
Thursday, 17 June 2004 12:03 PM,
foobear wrote:
Hi, It's thursday now, and I still haven't got it. I'd like to know if you guys have shipped it yet.
Thu, 2004-06-17 at 14:38,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
It hasnt been shipped yet, there arent any in stock right now.
Thursday, 17 June 2004 12:47 PM,
foobear wrote:
In a previous email you said "these are in stock now". What's the go?
Thu, 2004-06-17 at 14:49,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
There arent any in stock right now. Our eta's arent always accurate, sorry.
Thursday, 17 June 2004 1:04 PM,
foobear wrote:
Can you tell me when you'll get some in?
Thu, 2004-06-17 at 15:08,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
Eta is currently 2 weeks.
Wednesday, 30 June 2004 4:13 PM,
foobear wrote:
Has it arrived yet? Please email me when it's been sent out. It'll help a lot in picking it up.
Thu, 2004-07-01 at 11:55,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
They still arent in stock, eta is 30 days at present.
Thursday, 1 July 2004 5:32 PM,
foobear wrote:
how is the eta getting longer? before it was 2 weeks and now it's a month?
Thu, 2004-07-01 at 21:21,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
Logitech cant keep up with demand, there is little I can do about it until they come in.
Friday, 2 July 2004 11:14 AM,
foobear wrote:
But how is it that the eta keeps going up? a month ago I was sposed to get it at the end of the week. Then it was 2 weeks, now it's a whole month. The one I asked for a month ago, they must have built _that_ by now, right? How often do you get your shipments, anyway? I find it hard to believe that it can take 2 months for a product to get to me after I've ordered and payed for it. Especially since you've once said that they ARE in stock, about 3 weeks ago. I'm starting to lose patience, especially if you actually expect me to wait another full month. I ordered this thing in the beginning of June.
Fri, 2004-07-02 at 13:24,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
Hi Sunny,
There isnt a lot we can do about stock inavailability. Please refer to our user agreement:
http://www.minidigital.com.au/terms.aspx
Friday, 16 July 2004 2:36 PM,
foobear wrote:
Is the ETA still correct for the 30th July?
Fri, 2004-07-16 at 16:44,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
It has changed to 10 August.
Friday, 16 July 2004 2:50 PM,
foobear wrote:
Does this include the shipments you get in, or have you not had any shipments since the 7th of June?
Fri, 2004-07-16 at 17:05,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
No, we havent had any come in.
Saturday, 24 July 2004 7:32 PM,
foobear wrote:
Is the ETA for the trackballs still Aug 10?
Sun, 2004-07-25 at 14:06,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
Yes, they are in transit from Logitech at the moment.
Tuesday, 27 July 2004 4:48 PM,
foobear wrote:
So how does it work?
Do you guys get them and ship them out to us?
do you use DHL for shipping?
can you give me a tracking number once you ship?
Tue, 2004-07-27 at 17:05 +0800,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
Once our supplier receives them, they will be forwarded to you. I dont have the tracking details because they arent in stock yet.
Tuesday, 10 August 2004 8:41 PM,
foobear wrote:
They should be in stock by now, correct? Have they been shipped, and can I get a tracking number?
Tue, 2004-08-10 at 21:37 +0800,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
Current eta is 16 august.
Saturday, 14 August 2004 7:37 PM,
foobear wrote:
Have they been shipped yet?
Tue Aug 17 18:13:37 2004 ,
Mini Digital Sales wrote:
No, they still arent in stock.
I emailed him again with an "has it been sent yet?". I was resolved at this point to flood his mail with "Has it been sent yet?" until I got what I paid for. At about this time (Wednesday, I think it was) I got a "Sorry we missed you" letter from the shipping company. My dad ended up having to go up to Matraville to pick it up. The fucker actually sent it on Tuesday, and then told me they weren't in stock yet.
Total time for delivery: 2 months, 10 days.
My ethics lecturer said something like this about minimally decent samaritanism (heavily paraphrased):
"I went into a shop one day and asked the guy for change for $1. The guy said 'why should I?'. I wish I could go back to the guy and tell him why he should! If he gave me change for $1 he shouldn't be patting himself on the back, because he hasn't done any nice thing. He's just done what anyone should have done. If you don't do it then you're a bad person."