Frankly Friday

Frankly, my dear, you need to get your stories straight!

I thought I wouldn't have anything to complain about today until I contacted Cabelas customer service this afternoon to check on an order.

Back at the end of February I placed an order at Thomas' direction for a Hasting's rifled slug barrel for a Remington 1100 LT. The one we ordered was for a 20 gauge, and it was the one with the cantilevered scope mount. We'd already gone to a LOT of trouble to make sure that they were sending us the right item because I was uneasy with how their Hastings rifle barrels were displayed in their online catalog as well as their print catalog. It really was unclear that what we wanted was what was being offered. I called, then Thomas called, spoke not only with the person taking the order but with some kind of special-supervisor-person to MAKE SURE we were getting what we wanted. We were ordering from Cabellas in the first place because they had the item in stock and were offering it a bit cheaper than some other places.

We got a package from Cabelas four days after I placed the order! Wow! We were really impressed. Until I opened the box. I pulled it out and looked at it. It did have the cantilever scope mount, but I held it out to Eler Beth and said, "Does that look like a 20 gauge to you?" She said, "No, it looks more like a 12 gauge." Sure enough, it was a 12 gauge barrel.

So I called to tell them. The copy of the order that came with the barrel said 20 gauge, and their records said 20 gauge, but the rifle was stamped 12 gauge. I was instructed about sending it back (return UPS paperwork had been included with the order), and I took it to UPS the next day.

In one week I called them to make sure it had got to them and to ask about the correct item. They did show that they'd received the return, but the 20 gauge barrel that I wanted was now on back order, due to come in on April 15.

So I called on April 15. Sorry, it isn't here. It should be in any day now, and please check back in a couple of days.

So I called on April 17 -- last Friday. First I was told it was still on back order. Then the lady said to hold on, she would double check. She came back on the line to tell me that it was in, and then she asked if I still wanted it. (?!?!?) I asked her if it was a Hastings rifled slug barrel for a Winchester 1100 LT 20 gauge, with a cantilevered scope mount. If so, then, yes, I want it! She said it would ship right out and I should have it between five and seven days.

Today, the 24th, is the seventh day. I call and say that I am checking on an order that had been a back order, that was supposed to have shipped out on the 17. Has my order shipped? I have not received it yet. The gentleman checked and told me that the item was still on back order. How can this be? On the 17th I was told it was there and would be shipped. He says to let him check. He comes back on the line and says that the item had indeed come in but there were none left and now it was on back order again until June 15! I VERY CALMLY said, "Look. We ordered this in February. The wrong item was shipped to us, and we returned it. When I called to check on it I was told it was on back order until April 15. Then on the 17th I was told that it was in stock, and then I WAS ASKED if I STILL WANTED IT! Since I DO STILL WANT IT, I was told it would be shipped right out. Now you are telling me that it is on back order again and it won't be in stock until JUNE??? Yes, he says, and he apologises, and he says he has no idea why ours wasn't shipped out first. I thank him, but before I hang up I say that I definitely DO WANT THIS ITEM unless I call and cancel the order. I want it shipped automatically to me when it comes in. I don't want anyone to wait for me to call or to contact me to see if I still want it. I WANT IT!!

So then I call Thomas at work to tell him about this, and I suggest that he call them as well, because I'm really curious if the story will be different. Well, guess what! The story was different! He asked to speak to someone higher up than the person I spoke to, and this gentleman told him that the item had NEVER been in and had been on back order since the first of April. Thomas asked why I had been told last week that it was in stock and would be shipped out and why April 15 had been the date that I had been told it would be in stock, and this guy said that we must have been given misinformation.

Misinformation???

I was obviously given the wrong information, but I'm not sure now by whom. Was it ever there? How could two people, checking (I'm assuming) computer records tell me that it was there at one time, and then another guy tell me it was never there. He actually got snippy with Thomas when Thomas told him exactly what I had been told each time I called. He just kept saying, "Well, sir, you obviously were given misinformation. The barrel is scheduled to be here on June 15, and it was never here or we would have shipped it to you all ready." Thomas said, "Okay, will it actually BE in stock on June 15 or thereabouts, or should we just ask for our money back and look for it somewhere else?" The man said, "That's entirely up to you. June 15 is not a definite date. It may be here then, but it may not be. We're not guaranteeing that it will be here then." He didn't offer to find out WHY I was given "misinformation". If it had been me talking to a customer about that kind of mess-up I'd be swearing to get to the bottom of it and promising to stay on it until the customer got the right order.

If I can find it somewhere else I'm cancelling the order with them. Cabelas is a big company, and I would have thought that they'd have their act together a bit better than that. I'm very disappointed in them.