I’ve been wondering a lot recently about honesty in Internet conducted business transactions. I live in an area in SW Virginia where few people wear face masks. At age 68, knowing I must avoid those people to avoid Covid-19, I’ve limited most of my shopping to internet purchases of late. In particular I’ve purchased maybe 15-18 hardcover books, some in sets over the past few months since the local library is closed. Of these purchases from ABE Books, Ebay and Amazon at least half of the transactions have been problematic, including two more just today.
Problems range from the books being severely damaged in transit, late delivery due to Trump’s recent orders to slow the mail being implemented by his newly appointed postmaster backlogging post offices, a request for $200 extra cash for one set of books ordered above the advertised price, books never being sent at all, plus some other issues such as getting inexpensive paperbacks delivered when expensive hardcovers were ordered and paid for.
At first I thought the Coronavirus was screwing things up, but 50% of simple book orders being screwed up, and the OP’s issues, may indicate otherwise. And regarding stereo equipment, It took about ten calls to get orders for twenty-one isolation feet for my stereo components finally squared away a few months back. CD’s ordered frequently come with damaged jewel cases too.
This high percentage of problems seems in the same ballpark as the OP’s even more extreme issues. I’m extremely frustrated with the degree of follow-up needed to get simple orders fulfilled, or waiting on refunds for orders that seem to take forever to arrive or not. In my experience it’s getting to be a crap shoot to order stuff and time consuming to have to track and follow-up on orders. Makes you long for the brick and mortar stores selling books, records, and stereo equipment, not to mention hardware stores that sold decent tools and hardware, instead of low quality junk from China. Well, that’s enough whining. I hope you all are having better luck.
Mike
