Tales of Sales Prevention
On September 13, I decided to upgrade the operating software of my 4-year old Apple Mac G5 computer. I needed OS X 10.5 (Leopard): an upgrade that’s long overdue.
About two weeks before this, Apple had introduced their NEW OS, “Snow Leopard”. But my Mac’s a non Intel-based machine and Snow Leopard won’t run on it. So, I ordered a 4 Mb memory upgrade, AND a single user edition of Leopard from
MacMall.com. Including shipping, my order totaled $183.57. Now, as a sale it’s NOT an amount that’s going to jumpstart the economy.
But $183 is $183!
On Monday September 14, MacMall’s e-mailed order confirmation told me that half my order (the memory upgrade) had
shipped, but that my order for the newer (new to me) software (a $95 order in itself) had been cancelled. No explanation. They just cancelled half my order, which means they turned away almost 53 percent of my custom!
FIFTY THREE PERCENT!
So I e-mailed them to ask why. An automated reply promised to get back to me in 24 hours. 30 hours later? Nothing.
So I called them, and by now, my credit card had been charged. When I got through to someone with a heartbeat, I explained what had happened and asked why half my order had been cancelled without any notice or explanation. Their customer service representative told me that the item had been discontinued.
I protested: “But it’s available for sale on your website and marked as ‘IN STOCK’”. He muttered something about needing to update the website, but that didn’t really help me. Then, Apple got the blame for pulling the product because their new Snow Leopard was now available which I’m not sure I believe, but if that’s true, it means that anyone using a non-Intel based Mac (which amounts to 20 percent of Mac users) who WANTS to upgrade from OS 10.4 to OS 10.5, is basically screwed.
These people (all of whom are LOYAL APPLE CUSTOMERS) have to either do without an upgrade, or they have to spend at UP TO TEN TIMES their anticipated budget to buy a new, Intel-based Mac.
Now, in all fairness, the guy I spoke to DID give me the old “I’ll check our warehouse” spiel and they just happened to have one in stock. But as far as I was concerned, the damage was done. When the FedEx package arrived, on the packing slip, next to the software item that
MacMall cancelled it says “The following items have been cancelled per your request“ (the bold Italics are mine). So, I order something that MEETS my needs, but I’m the one that cancelled it?
No, I think not, but another entry in the Sales Prevention Department proves the point that “It’s all about the customer, stupid!”
