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Thread: Whats up with the chaotic online ordering system of high street dealers?

  1. #1
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    Whats up with the chaotic online ordering system of high street dealers?

    Just posting my recent experience of ordering a watch from a well known high street dealer and saw on SC discussion that H Samuel seems to have exactly the same problem.

    I had been after a particular watch for a few weeks and thought that being a model that was about to be discontinued, it might appear on Spring sales. I saved links to the usual high street dealers and checked in most days. A couple of weeks ago, it did appear in the Ernest Jones sale with a substantial discount. I ordered straight away, probably minutes after the sale had actually started and got order confirmation. Couple of days later, I had the email saying the order was cancelled due to insufficient stock. I spoke to customer services and they said the click-and-collect store my watch was allocated from had an error in stock-taking, didn't actually have it and there was no more stock available in the open part of their network. Any physical stock in completely closed stores might be available but wouldn't be known until they re-open. When I pointed out that means they are running a lucky draw as opposed to first-come-first-served, they said don't worry the last time that watch was actually sold was weeks ago, long before the sale started...ie there were none available when that watch went on sale!

    Over the next few days, the website flicked from 'sold out' to 'available' but when available you clicked to order to find your basket saying it was unavailable. Then, I persevered for one more time when it said available and it let me order. I then get a confirmation email saying my watch is dispatched!

    In the end, I got my watch. The store called me to say that there are slight marks on it but with the discount I'm still happy. Anyone else suffered from the horrendous ordering system though?

    I suspect covid closures don't help the system but moral of the story...if there is something you really want, persevere and keep checking on availability even if it has previously said out of stock!

  2. #2
    Master
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    Unfortunately it is not uncommon and happened to me numerous times, from different AD. When you got numerous brick and mortar shops, it makes it even more difficult but you would think they would know their stock inventory.

  3. #3
    Master earlofsodbury's Avatar
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    On one hand, I feel your pain, on the other I have some experience of trying (and ultimately failing) to coordinate bricks-and-mortar retail with online retail, and can assure you that even the best fully-integrated systems have masses of real-time flaws and blind-spots, but none more so than the stupid idiot human in the middle. That was bad enough when that idiot was just me - at least then just one idiot has complete oversight - but I can barely imagine how chaotic it gets when you're relying on the average employee, be it warehouse-smasher, shop-resistant or sales-drone...

    Most people are very lazy, very sloppy and if they are (frankly) sparingly-paid, lightly motivated and not overly bright, the only time they become creative and innovative is when dreaming up fresh new ways to f-up... Meanwhile, you're trying to pull-together diverse stock that may sell online 24/7/365 or in-person, and indeed may well also be no more than an anticipated delivery from distributors (who are even more disorganised than you are), in-transit, returned either to branches or depot from purchasers who've had a change-of-mind, may well be missing tags and tickets, be hiding forgotten in cupboards, store-rooms or staff-lockers (...), or may have long since been sold but the sale incorrectly recorded and so it appears to be inventory... and-on-and-on-and-on ad nauseam...

  4. #4
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by earlofsodbury View Post
    On one hand, I feel your pain, on the other I have some experience of trying (and ultimately failing) to coordinate bricks-and-mortar retail with online retail, and can assure you that even the best fully-integrated systems have masses of real-time flaws and blind-spots, but none more so than the stupid idiot human in the middle. That was bad enough when that idiot was just me - at least then just one idiot has complete oversight - but I can barely imagine how chaotic it gets when you're relying on the average employee, be it warehouse-smasher, shop-resistant or sales-drone...

    Most people are very lazy, very sloppy and if they are (frankly) sparingly-paid, lightly motivated and not overly bright, the only time they become creative and innovative is when dreaming up fresh new ways to f-up... Meanwhile, you're trying to pull-together diverse stock that may sell online 24/7/365 or in-person, and indeed may well also be no more than an anticipated delivery from distributors (who are even more disorganised than you are), in-transit, returned either to branches or depot from purchasers who've had a change-of-mind, may well be missing tags and tickets, be hiding forgotten in cupboards, store-rooms or staff-lockers (...), or may have long since been sold but the sale incorrectly recorded and so it appears to be inventory... and-on-and-on-and-on ad nauseam...
    Very true. Whilst the stock system was chaotic, it would be unfair if I didn't also say that the EJ customer service was excellent. They were very honest about what was going on, even telling me when the model was last purchased. Then, the branch staff that sent the watch were also great. Overall, would purchase from again.

  5. #5
    Banned
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    Yup it happens with not only watches. I ordered a bunch of hillwalking gear which was all showing as in stock. Turns out none of the 5 items were in stock. Don't know if it's just them not doing a good enough job keeping the websites updated or some tactic to get money flowing through their system.

  6. #6
    Craftsman enndriz's Avatar
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    Whats up with the chaotic online ordering system of high street dealers?

    I think the software that some places use is absolute junk. I’ve come cross a fair few sites recently where you can get all the way to the payment page only to hit an error cos it’s out of stock. Go back to the product page and still shows as in stock. Definitely frustrating and not really forgivable these days - it’s not like the internet is some new and mysterious way of buying things!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by enndriz; 11th April 2021 at 14:40.

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