Machine Mart Works In Mysterious Ways.
Discussion
About 2 weeks ago I wanted a 1/4" drive, 3/8" deep socket.
I had a look in the Machine Mart website and saw that they sold a nice little set of 1/4" imperial sockets which included the one I wanted.
Great I thought and went of the the local shop.
When I got there, there weren't any on the rack so I asked at the desk and they confirmed that they hadn't got any in stock but the guy said that I could order a set online and either pay for the postage to my house or have them sent to the shop for free.
As the postage was quite a lot, I decided to have them sent to the shop and paid for them online. This was the 21st of August.
Several days pass and the I get an e-mail to say that my order has now been processed and will shortly leave our warehouse. (27th)
The next day I get 4 e-mails. (28th)
2 to tell me that my order is "due for delivery to your chosen store shortly", one to tell me about the new catalogue and one asking me to rate them "in order to improve the satisfaction of our customers".
Great I though. Today or tomorrow they will be there.
Then, it all goes quiet.
Today, I was in the area so I thought I'd pop in and see if they had arrived. It's been almost 2 weeks after all and the stores must get a delivery every week you'd think.
I speak to the guy in the store and he has a look on the PC for my order.
He finds the order on the system but it hasn't arrived at the store yet.
In fact, the system tells him that it has only just been picked at the warehouse so the previous e-mails about it arriving shortly were nonsense.
He is a little confused about why I ordered online in the first place though because they have several in stock so I could have just bought one on my previous visit even though the other guy said they didn't have any.
Great I thought, I'll have one of them instead.
"No. Sorry, I can't do that. As you've ordered one, you'll have to wait for that one to arrive. You can have one off the shelf, but you'll have to pay again for it."
So, I have to return on Thursday, when the one I've ordered will arrive.
I hope they don't accidentally put it on the rack and mix it up with the ones I can't have.
Sorry if I've bored anyone. It just seems like an odd way to run things.
I had a look in the Machine Mart website and saw that they sold a nice little set of 1/4" imperial sockets which included the one I wanted.
Great I thought and went of the the local shop.
When I got there, there weren't any on the rack so I asked at the desk and they confirmed that they hadn't got any in stock but the guy said that I could order a set online and either pay for the postage to my house or have them sent to the shop for free.
As the postage was quite a lot, I decided to have them sent to the shop and paid for them online. This was the 21st of August.
Several days pass and the I get an e-mail to say that my order has now been processed and will shortly leave our warehouse. (27th)
The next day I get 4 e-mails. (28th)
2 to tell me that my order is "due for delivery to your chosen store shortly", one to tell me about the new catalogue and one asking me to rate them "in order to improve the satisfaction of our customers".
Great I though. Today or tomorrow they will be there.
Then, it all goes quiet.
Today, I was in the area so I thought I'd pop in and see if they had arrived. It's been almost 2 weeks after all and the stores must get a delivery every week you'd think.
I speak to the guy in the store and he has a look on the PC for my order.
He finds the order on the system but it hasn't arrived at the store yet.
In fact, the system tells him that it has only just been picked at the warehouse so the previous e-mails about it arriving shortly were nonsense.
He is a little confused about why I ordered online in the first place though because they have several in stock so I could have just bought one on my previous visit even though the other guy said they didn't have any.
Great I thought, I'll have one of them instead.
"No. Sorry, I can't do that. As you've ordered one, you'll have to wait for that one to arrive. You can have one off the shelf, but you'll have to pay again for it."
So, I have to return on Thursday, when the one I've ordered will arrive.
I hope they don't accidentally put it on the rack and mix it up with the ones I can't have.
Sorry if I've bored anyone. It just seems like an odd way to run things.
So annoying when this happens - I ordered some parts from Evans Cycles before, when they arrived they were wrong, took them into the shop in London when I was working that day & they weren't able to refund or exchange them for me in the shop, I had to fill in a form, post them back and wait for my refund - pathetic.
Machine Mart (in the few times I've shopped there when I needed something that only seemed to be there) get my vote for most miserable and unhelpful staff.
In a different retail story of "the world's gone mad" (insert suitable grumpy old man phrase here), I asked why there appeared to be a world shortage of meatballs lately in the small-but-expensive version of Tesco near where my ex now lives; "oh, they get stolen, and because they haven't been through the till, the computer thinks we still have them so it doesn't order any more".
In a different retail story of "the world's gone mad" (insert suitable grumpy old man phrase here), I asked why there appeared to be a world shortage of meatballs lately in the small-but-expensive version of Tesco near where my ex now lives; "oh, they get stolen, and because they haven't been through the till, the computer thinks we still have them so it doesn't order any more".
OldBuoy said:
Cromwell tools get my vote. 
An item not in stock (single socket)the guy behind the counter says "I suppose you need it today" so goes and splits a set till the socket comes in.
That's service.
I have to +1 this. An item not in stock (single socket)the guy behind the counter says "I suppose you need it today" so goes and splits a set till the socket comes in.That's service.
The service I have had from Cromwells is excellent but in this instance I couldn't find what I wanted on their site.
longshot said:
About 2 weeks ago I wanted a 1/4" drive, 3/8" deep socket.
I had a look in the Machine Mart website and saw that they sold a nice little set of 1/4" imperial sockets which included the one I wanted.
Great I thought and went of the the local shop.
When I got there, there weren't any on the rack so I asked at the desk and they confirmed that they hadn't got any in stock but the guy said that I could order a set online and either pay for the postage to my house or have them sent to the shop for free.
As the postage was quite a lot, I decided to have them sent to the shop and paid for them online. This was the 21st of August.
Several days pass and the I get an e-mail to say that my order has now been processed and will shortly leave our warehouse. (27th)
The next day I get 4 e-mails. (28th)
2 to tell me that my order is "due for delivery to your chosen store shortly", one to tell me about the new catalogue and one asking me to rate them "in order to improve the satisfaction of our customers".
Great I though. Today or tomorrow they will be there.
Then, it all goes quiet.
Today, I was in the area so I thought I'd pop in and see if they had arrived. It's been almost 2 weeks after all and the stores must get a delivery every week you'd think.
I speak to the guy in the store and he has a look on the PC for my order.
He finds the order on the system but it hasn't arrived at the store yet.
In fact, the system tells him that it has only just been picked at the warehouse so the previous e-mails about it arriving shortly were nonsense.
He is a little confused about why I ordered online in the first place though because they have several in stock so I could have just bought one on my previous visit even though the other guy said they didn't have any.
Great I thought, I'll have one of them instead.
"No. Sorry, I can't do that. As you've ordered one, you'll have to wait for that one to arrive. You can have one off the shelf, but you'll have to pay again for it."
So, I have to return on Thursday, when the one I've ordered will arrive.
I hope they don't accidentally put it on the rack and mix it up with the ones I can't have.
Sorry if I've bored anyone. It just seems like an odd way to run things.
I think that'd be the point I'd cancel my order and ask for a refund. How is their useless supply / logistics chain your problem. I had a look in the Machine Mart website and saw that they sold a nice little set of 1/4" imperial sockets which included the one I wanted.
Great I thought and went of the the local shop.
When I got there, there weren't any on the rack so I asked at the desk and they confirmed that they hadn't got any in stock but the guy said that I could order a set online and either pay for the postage to my house or have them sent to the shop for free.
As the postage was quite a lot, I decided to have them sent to the shop and paid for them online. This was the 21st of August.
Several days pass and the I get an e-mail to say that my order has now been processed and will shortly leave our warehouse. (27th)
The next day I get 4 e-mails. (28th)
2 to tell me that my order is "due for delivery to your chosen store shortly", one to tell me about the new catalogue and one asking me to rate them "in order to improve the satisfaction of our customers".
Great I though. Today or tomorrow they will be there.
Then, it all goes quiet.
Today, I was in the area so I thought I'd pop in and see if they had arrived. It's been almost 2 weeks after all and the stores must get a delivery every week you'd think.
I speak to the guy in the store and he has a look on the PC for my order.
He finds the order on the system but it hasn't arrived at the store yet.
In fact, the system tells him that it has only just been picked at the warehouse so the previous e-mails about it arriving shortly were nonsense.
He is a little confused about why I ordered online in the first place though because they have several in stock so I could have just bought one on my previous visit even though the other guy said they didn't have any.
Great I thought, I'll have one of them instead.
"No. Sorry, I can't do that. As you've ordered one, you'll have to wait for that one to arrive. You can have one off the shelf, but you'll have to pay again for it."
So, I have to return on Thursday, when the one I've ordered will arrive.
I hope they don't accidentally put it on the rack and mix it up with the ones I can't have.
Sorry if I've bored anyone. It just seems like an odd way to run things.
V8forweekends said:
In a different retail story of "the world's gone mad" (insert suitable grumpy old man phrase here), I asked why there appeared to be a world shortage of meatballs lately in the small-but-expensive version of Tesco near where my ex now lives; "oh, they get stolen, and because they haven't been through the till, the computer thinks we still have them so it doesn't order any more".
Very odd. If stuff goes missing from us, we double check it when the stock variances/shrink reports come down, and if we still can't find it, we count it off the system so the stock record is accurate. I wouldn't be happy just having an empty space on the shelf, or having to face the gap over with something else as a long term solution.Sounds like they're maybe at the limit of a budget for counting off stock...
+1 for Machine Mart being useless. Refused to sell me an engine crane a few years ago as I wasn't a "trained mechanic".
I tried to explain that a trained mechanic would be coming to my house to help with removal of said engine, but to no avail. £200+vat lost to them.
But that's just one example. Frequently don't have stuff in stock, but say they do. I was in there in July, when they had run out of torque wrenches, but had a massive display of workshop space heaters. In July.
I tried to explain that a trained mechanic would be coming to my house to help with removal of said engine, but to no avail. £200+vat lost to them.
But that's just one example. Frequently don't have stuff in stock, but say they do. I was in there in July, when they had run out of torque wrenches, but had a massive display of workshop space heaters. In July.
I did meet one assistant at MM Croydon, an guy about 55, white skinny miserable git, who no matter how I tried, used to just be the most off putting aid in any shop anywhere.
MM are good for cheap chinese made cr4p.
I don't expect quality from them, at all.
They probably pay the worst wages on the planet.
MM are good for cheap chinese made cr4p.
I don't expect quality from them, at all.
They probably pay the worst wages on the planet.
CB2152 said:
Very odd. If stuff goes missing from us, we double check it when the stock variances/shrink reports come down, and if we still can't find it, we count it off the system so the stock record is accurate. I wouldn't be happy just having an empty space on the shelf, or having to face the gap over with something else as a long term solution.
Sounds like they're maybe at the limit of a budget for counting off stock...
Dunno about that - just what the woman on the till said. I did notice that the packet of mince I bought to make my own had a security tag on it. One of many reasons my ex left to live in this paradise area was the "high crime" where I live ha ha ha ha haSounds like they're maybe at the limit of a budget for counting off stock...
longshot said:
He is a little confused about why I ordered online in the first place though because they have several in stock so I could have just bought one on my previous visit even though the other guy said they didn't have any.
Great I thought, I'll have one of them instead.
"No. Sorry, I can't do that. As you've ordered one, you'll have to wait for that one to arrive. You can have one off the shelf, but you'll have to pay again for it."
So, I have to return on Thursday, when the one I've ordered will arrive.
Great I thought, I'll have one of them instead.
"No. Sorry, I can't do that. As you've ordered one, you'll have to wait for that one to arrive. You can have one off the shelf, but you'll have to pay again for it."
So, I have to return on Thursday, when the one I've ordered will arrive.
What a numpty. Sounds like a contender for this thread: JobsworthsUnfortunately, they have me over a barrel.
I can't cancel the order because they seem to be the only people who have the type of socket I want.
I've looked everywhere else and couldn't find one.
I suppose Snap-on would sell them but I'm kind of attached to both of my kidneys.
I could have bought one off the shelf and asked for a refund on the ordered one but their system isn't filling me with confidence so heaven knows when or if I would have got my money back.
I'll add a
to V8s post.
I can't cancel the order because they seem to be the only people who have the type of socket I want.
I've looked everywhere else and couldn't find one.
I suppose Snap-on would sell them but I'm kind of attached to both of my kidneys.
I could have bought one off the shelf and asked for a refund on the ordered one but their system isn't filling me with confidence so heaven knows when or if I would have got my money back.
I'll add a
to V8s post.RedBull said:
longshot said:
He is a little confused about why I ordered online in the first place though because they have several in stock so I could have just bought one on my previous visit even though the other guy said they didn't have any.
Great I thought, I'll have one of them instead.
"No. Sorry, I can't do that. As you've ordered one, you'll have to wait for that one to arrive. You can have one off the shelf, but you'll have to pay again for it."
So, I have to return on Thursday, when the one I've ordered will arrive.
Great I thought, I'll have one of them instead.
"No. Sorry, I can't do that. As you've ordered one, you'll have to wait for that one to arrive. You can have one off the shelf, but you'll have to pay again for it."
So, I have to return on Thursday, when the one I've ordered will arrive.
What a numpty. Sounds like a contender for this thread: JobsworthsThere's 3 of them working in there and they all look like they are broken men.
They have to work with this stupid system and I think the system has won.
I had visions of it being an hour on the PC, a dozen phone calls and a b
king from upstairs to cancel the order and let me have one off the shelf.doogz said:
3/8 drive do you?
http://www.halfords.com/motoring/garage-equipment/...
Or do you just want the one socket?
Just one socket but it needs to be a 1/4" drive. It's to go into a long thin tube with a 3/8" nut at the bottom.http://www.halfords.com/motoring/garage-equipment/...
Or do you just want the one socket?
I've even got to grind about 1mm off of the outer diameter to get it in.
longshot said:
Sadly, I don't think that's the case here.
There's 3 of them working in there and they all look like they are broken men.
They have to work with this stupid system and I think the system has won.
I had visions of it being an hour on the PC, a dozen phone calls and a bking from upstairs to cancel the order and let me have one off the shelf.
Reminds me of a cartoon they had on the wall of my local Motor Factors when they got a new computer system - there was a bloke leaning over the counter pointing at the part he needed and a confused worker saying " it's no use you pointing at it, the computer says we haven't got any"There's 3 of them working in there and they all look like they are broken men.
They have to work with this stupid system and I think the system has won.
I had visions of it being an hour on the PC, a dozen phone calls and a b
king from upstairs to cancel the order and let me have one off the shelf.longshot said:
Just one socket but it needs to be a 1/4" drive. It's to go into a long thin tube with a 3/8" nut at the bottom.
I've even got to grind about 1mm off of the outer diameter to get it in.
I had one like that years ago but 1/2 drive to adjust the locknuts on mini handbrake cables .I've even got to grind about 1mm off of the outer diameter to get it in.
Edit. It might have been 7/16 ths.
longshot said:
Just one socket but it needs to be a 1/4" drive. It's to go into a long thin tube with a 3/8" nut at the bottom.
I've even got to grind about 1mm off of the outer diameter to get it in.
I had one like that years ago but 1/2 drive to adjust the locknuts on mini handbrake cables .I've even got to grind about 1mm off of the outer diameter to get it in.
Edit. It might have been 7/16 ths.
doogz said:
Ah, I see.
Check out the Snap-On website. They list all external and internal dimensions of all their sockets, quite handy, I use it in work a fair bit.
It would be nice to buy Snap-on but I can't justify the cost for a use once item. The ones I bought were £6 or there abouts for the set.Check out the Snap-On website. They list all external and internal dimensions of all their sockets, quite handy, I use it in work a fair bit.
Thanks for the help though.
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