Are "expected arrival dates" a good idea?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by LincolnK, Aug 15, 2011.

  1. LincolnK
    LincolnK Member
    At first I liked that there were expected arrival dates on the orders I placed.

    But, now I am not sure if it is a good idea. It would be, if orders arrived by those dates, but I have 3 orders now that haven't even been shipped that are past there dates. 2 of them are already 4 days past the listed date.

    It looks like the "expected date" has nothing to do with any delays or actual time it will take, but probably just a date based on the amount of days it would take if there were no delays.

    Does anyone think that it is more annoying to a customer to see that date, and watch it get passed by, than it would be to not have any date listed?

    I have gotten used to long delays with my orders here, so I am asking this question more as a seller of products. Do you think it would annoy our customers less to not have a date listed that will often not be accurate?

    Lincoln
     
  2. Youknowwho4eva
    Youknowwho4eva Well-Known Member
    I think you need a date. I have suggested any delays be added to these "expected" dates. At least something needs to be said when purchasing, as not everyone that orders reads the forum or the blog.
     
  3. I tend to agree with Mike - customers at least would want an expected delivery date, even if we designers aren't so bothered, but it should be a realistic one based on current expectations. If you don't know when you should expect an order, you don't know when to start e-mailing them when it hasn't arrived yet.
     
  4. LincolnK
    LincolnK Member
    I agree that a date is very important. If SW would send an update to the date when there are delays, or have some way of giving a more accurate date, that would be fantastic.

    But, as is stands right now, the "expected date" seems to be pretty meaningless.

    Lincoln
     
  5. 58009_deleted
    58009_deleted Member
    The expected dates should be adjusted if there is slippage and emails sent.

    I've ordered a sample kit and it's late, which quite frankly is ridiculous given it's something they should have in stock and shipped the next day!

    Stephen.
     
  6. CGD
    CGD Member
    Novaking:

    In my order page the date is mark as "expected delivery date", not "expected arrival dates". So that is the day Shapeways dispatch the models, rather than we receive them? :D

    Shapeways:
    Can you rearrange the order of the list so that newest orders are at the top? I now have to scroll 50 or so delivered orders before I can check on those not delivered. I don't think a lot of people care much about delivered orders?


    CGD
     
  7. LincolnK
    LincolnK Member
    I have an order that was placed July, 23rd 2011 for silver, and it says it is expected on August, 12th, yet here we are, a month after it was ordered, and no sign of it what so ever. :(

    This is the kind of thing I am talking about.

    Lincoln
     
  8. Smolderz
    Smolderz Member
    novaking,

    I have a question about that order in Silver, did it take long for it to go into "in production" status? Or does it still have the status "Accepted"?

    Rob
     
  9. Youknowwho4eva
    Youknowwho4eva Well-Known Member
    Expect an update on delays shortly.
     
  10. Jettuh
    Jettuh Well-Known Member
    Hi Novaking,

    I'm sorry to hear about this!
    Could you please send me an email service@shapeways.com I will have a look at your order right away when i'm in the office tomorrow and see what has happened!
    At the moment im traveling back home so I can't have a look!

    Thank you in advance :)
     
  11. CWVMODELS
    CWVMODELS Member
    I placed my very first order with Shapeways on July 5th, received confirmation of my payment that same day, and confirmation that my item was in production on July 7th. Estimated delivery date was July 29th. I emailed Shapeways on July 28th asking for an update as I had not received any confirmation that my order had shipped and was told they were behind schedule and my order should arrive by August 10th. On August 15th I again emailed as I still had not received any shipping confirmation and received a reply two days later that my order had not yet returned from the polisher but that it "has to be any day now" and that he would get back to me with an update on my order. It is now August 24th and not only do I not have any parts but I've yet to receive any "update to my order". I do a great deal of business with very small mom & pop companies and so I am accustomed to long wait times. However, communication is key to keeping your customers happy. I would offer that if there is nothing that Shapeways can do in regards to the long wait times then at least make a stronger effort to keep your customers informed.

    Chad Veich
    www.cwvmodels.com
    Scale Model Design & Construction
     
  12. stop4stuff
    stop4stuff Well-Known Member
  13. LincolnK
    LincolnK Member
    That page just isn't accurate. My order I mentioned above was silver yet that page says silver is on schedule.

    Lincoln

     
  14. 97361_deleted
    97361_deleted Member
    Agreed, you guys are creating expectations you can't live up to. My confirmation email says:

    Your order will be delivered on or before August, 23rd

    Well, it's August 25th, and the only reason my order is even in process is because I emailed to ask what was going on. I finally got a UPS notification yesterday, but the tracking number shows that the package still hasn't been picked up.

    This is a pretty poor way to do business. If this is the best you can do, change the language in your email to something more like:

    Your order will be delivered sometime in the next couple months.

    I was very clear in my email that this order would have no value to me if it arrived after today. I think I'll call my bank to contest this charge...
     
  15. Youknowwho4eva
    Youknowwho4eva Well-Known Member
    Novaking- I believe that silver had a backlog, but now all orders made today should be delivered on time. I know Jettuh is on the case, I personally emailed Ralph about it, and have talked to Ana. So Shapeways knows about it, and hopefully will get you resolved soon.

    kevinladas- Without saying too much, I agree with you about the email, and the checkout screen (it says the same thing). Have you asked customer service for a refund?
     
  16. 97361_deleted
    97361_deleted Member
    I haven't asked for a refund yet, but customer service has been very slow to respond to my requests. I asked them to verify whether the UPS package had ever shipped, and still have had no reply. Since the package was supposed to ship overnight, a prompt reply would be appropriate.

    At this point, I don't feel like I have much reason to expect results from them.
     
  17. stop4stuff
    stop4stuff Well-Known Member

    Hi and welcome to Shapeways! :)

    For the material you ordered, what was the status of the material when you contacted customer services?

    Did you take into account the expected lead time is working days?

    Two days and maybe not updated UPS tracking info does not equate to "Your order will be delivered sometime in the next couple months.
    "
    ... please explain how you deduced that.

    Thanks from a happy Shapeways customer,
    Paul
     
  18. 97361_deleted
    97361_deleted Member
    Wow.

    Wrong.

    One simple fact is in question here. You made a commitment. That commitment was a firm date:

    Your order will be delivered on or before August, 23rd

    You failed.
     
  19. 58009_deleted
    58009_deleted Member
    Totally agreed don't promise what you can't deliver.

    Stephen.
     
  20. LincolnK
    LincolnK Member
    This was my point of this thread. I think that having a date that it is claimed we will receive stuff is almost as much of a problem as the inability to meet that date.

    That is why I asked, if the date will almost never be met, perhaps from a customer's "perceived" sense of satisfaction, the date should either be one that shapeways is 99% sure will be met, or perhaps it shouldn't be given. If people were told a date that it is a week after when SW actually thinks it will get there, and it arrives early, people will think SW is great.

    If this is the same amount of time it would take but the date given was a day before it actually arrived, people start to get upset.

    The point of this thread was to point out that I am not sure that the date being given when it will often not be met is a good idea for making customers happy. (see proof above)

    Managing customer's expectations is important to creating customer loyalty and the perceived value they place on the service.

    Lincoln