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.
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.
Unfortunately, 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.
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.
mrf said:
Heck I would have just ordered a set from ebay.
less than £8 delivered for a set 1/4" drive sockets (probably made in the same factory as clarke etc)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AF-Deep-Sockets-1-4-Driv...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-4-DRIVE-DEEP-A-F-IMPER...
In hindsight so would I. less than £8 delivered for a set 1/4" drive sockets (probably made in the same factory as clarke etc)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AF-Deep-Sockets-1-4-Driv...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-4-DRIVE-DEEP-A-F-IMPER...
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