I Think I Might Have A Problem...

[digital*ghost]

I just thought I might get some input on this in case it develops the way it's looking like it will (I hope it won't, but I want to know the best approach to take if it does) - if anyone has had experience with a similar situation, advice etc very welcome.

I've been buying from a supplier well over a year, no problems (not any worth noting, anyway). They have two sites which I use, one is for smaller wholesale quantities, the other for much higher wholesale quantities - for the sake of ease. I'll refer to the smaller one as site 1, and the bigger one as site 2. In December, I made orders on both sites a couple of weeks apart - site 2 has a longer lead time, but they told me my order would ship out on the 19th of December. It did not, but before the 19th, I ran out of an item unexpectedly and made a second order on site 2, so I then had two open orders there. 

Later in December, they shipped my site 1 order via DHL, and I received that no problems on the 29th. I sent an inquiry asking about my site 2 order that they said would ship on the 19th and their response was "we think you've already received it, hope you like it" 😞

I replied and said no, I have not received it, according to the order details it hasn't been sent, and mentioned the only order I had received from them is my site 1 order.

They replied with "sorry to mislead you, we can see you have 2 open orders on this site now - we'll send the first one tomorrow, and the other one the day after".

Now, I've received a shipping notification for the first of the site 2 orders, only they've used the DHL tracking number that was for the site 1 order. (Shipping method I selected for this order was in fact USPS). 

If I need to dispute the site 2 order, they will have tracking information to show they sent me something that's definitely been received, so I know I will need to talk to PayPal and discuss options and make sure I can show that if they supply information from another order, PayPal will actually believe me. 

Has anyone experienced similar, and if so, how did you approach the dispute or PayPal? 

[kopenhagen5]

Hi DG, I haven't experienced it.

But if it's a regular supplier, I am confident you will get both orders.

I would keep asking them for shipping number for order site 2.

Pointing out the one they have given is incorrect or was for order site 1.

[digital*ghost]

Thanks kopes - I'm freaking out a little over here because I tend to think of every possible implication if things go south. Usually it turns out to be much ado about nothing, but I don't want to be caught out unprepared, either. 

[clarry100]

We have not experienced anything like this.

But we find that our regular bulk suppliers (in China)  will bend over backwards to help if/when there is a problem just to make sure they keep your long-term custom.

So I would tend to lean this way a bit and whilst watching it have the confidence they have just gotten a bit confused and will try to help the problem come to a good end.

[digital*ghost]

Thanks clarry, I hope you're right, it's just that a couple of things aren't adding up - when they responded to my first enquiry, what made them think I had already received it? And when I insisted I hadn't and they conceded it hadn't been sent and would send it the next day, what made them upload an old tracking number that would show shipment from December instead of a new number from a new shipment? The problem is, there's lots of people out there with stories that start out "I'd been buying from X company for ages without any problems, until...". 😕 

I have sent them reply explaining about the tracking number they used, so I guess I'll have to wait and see for a bit. 

[i-love-my-sheep]

I was wondering, if there were 2 orders that haven't been sent, why would they send one today and then one tomorrow? Could they not have both been sent today? It does seem rather strange, especially when you say they have always been reliable in the past. I wonder if they have a new employee that doesn't realise you are a long term, regular customer, so is just trying to shut you up?

[character_parties_aus]

I reckon that they think they have combined both your orders into one shipment but they havent

Is it possible to send them an e-mail with both order numbers on it asking for delivery information and details for both orders. They may then realise if its an honest mistake.

You might also look at the weight issue I have mentioned before in regards to disputes which is a useful tool.

[englishrosegardens]

If they were scamming you, wouldn't it be a bit silly to use the same tracking order as they used for a previous order, or am I missing something? 

What I'm saying is that if it's fairly easy for you to prove they've applied the same number to two separate orders, they're not likely to try and scam you by using that number twice (unless they're pretty dumb).  If you can't prove they've used it for two different orders that's a whole different story, but if you can, I'd say that they've got mixed up somehow and put the wrong number in.  In that case you can hopefully get it sorted.

I buy a lot from overseas (not China or Asia) and most of my orders are from one particular place.  They've never ever given me a tracking number and I've sometimes wondered how I'd handle it if something didn't arrive.  I spent $900 last week and my order will come in two boxes.  I asked them to insure it and add the charge to my total bill, but a lot of these places are really busy and I don't know whether they'll do it.  It should only take seconds to add the extra charge when they print the label. 

Even though they don't notify customers of tracking numbers, they may keep a record of them, but I don't know.  They're really good in other ways so I can only assume they've never thought of supplying tracking numbers.  It might pay me to ask them about it one day.  I'd hate to have to make a claim against a place I want to continue trading with.

[clarry100]

The ones we use (from China) never supply a tracking number voluntarily.

If there is a delay or you otherwise question it then they will.

So there is always a number just that they never tell until asked.

We had a bit of a problem recently where an order was shipped in two separate boxes each with its own tracking number. They left over there at the same time but did not arrive here together. We received one and after a few more days had elapsed we queried it with them and they provided a tracking number. When we checked it said it had cleared customs in Sydney and had been passed to AP for delivery. But after yet a few more days when it still did not show we queried them again.

Turns out that it had been rejected by Sydney customs and returned to sender. We don't know why just yet (may never know). Anyway they received it back, repackaged it all and resent it. So now its in transit again with yet another tracking number. Still none the wiser as to why it was rejected by customs. Bit odd this one.

[digital*ghost]

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@i-love-my-sheep wrote:

I was wondering, if there were 2 orders that haven't been sent, why would they send one today and then one tomorrow? Could they not have both been sent today? It does seem rather strange, especially when you say they have always been reliable in the past. I wonder if they have a new employee that doesn't realise you are a long term, regular customer, so is just trying to shut you up?

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Both sites provide quite a few different shipping options - the only time I don't get a choice over the delivery carrier is when I order enough to qualify for "free" shipping (which for them means instead of a shipping charge, I pay a handling fee per kg), which was the case for my Site 1 order - but for order one on site 2, I selected USPS, and for order 2 on site 2, I selected DHL (because....reasons. 😄 Good ones, mind, but bear in mind also that site 2 is the bulk wholesale site / manufacturer, they tend to have up to 30 days lead time (sometimes longer) on orders because they need to get the factory to make the items after my order is placed, whereas site 1, aside from the smaller quantities, tends to list in-stock ready to ship items. Plus, both orders on site two were made several days apart and paid for separately - so technically they need to be shipped separately if they want protection, not that I have any intention of making them need it...I just want my stuff. 😞 ). 

I think character_parties may be right in that they may have initially thought they sent the first site 2 order with site 1's order, but... they then admitted it hadn't been sent. If they were looking at the tracking number for site 1's order when they said "we think you've received it", they must have reaslised at some point A) what the tracking number for site 1 was, and B) that it didn't apply to site 2's first order in order to be able to admit they haven't sent it after all, but then that would mean they almost definitely knew what they were doing when they provided me that tracking number for the new order, because they would have already looked into it. Hence why I say it doesn't seem to add up at the moment.

englishrosegardens - just to reply to the first question - that would depend on how silly they hope I am (if indeed they do, and at this stage I'm not making presumptions, just questioning their responses to me so far - "we think you've received it, hope you like it" was actually - minorly - offensive to me, because they may as well have just said..."nahhhh, you're lying").

Let's say for argument's sake, I simply open a dispute for site 2's first order and they upload the tracking number for site 1's shipped (and received) order. Unless I can convince PayPal it is for an unrelated order, the dispute will close in the seller's favour without them ever actually having to send me anything. 

Hope everyone can follow the site 2 order one stuff, sorry if it's a bit confusing...