Anyone Else Feel Like Returns Take Forever??--Vent

[pamperedgirl3]

I get sooooo frustrated with returns! I had 3 returns the week of June 10. Two I did online, but the third was for an exchange so I had to call. After waiting an hour for them to call me back, I finally got that taken care of. Instead of having Fed Ex come to my house to pick up the product (like UPS always did), I had to take it to a Kinkos. Of course, the closest one is 20 minutes from my home & I had to take my 3 year old nephew & 2 year old daughter with me. Get there & the guy isn't even sure the Customer Service rep gave me the right info! Luckily, it does go through. I can't remember exactly which day I took it back, but it was June 13 or 14. The customer told me she still hadn't received it last week & was wondering if everything was ok. I checked the status & nothing had been done. The other two returns had already been shipped to the customers, but nothing with this one. So I email customer service & they told me it is just showing as the returned item received TODAY! Excuse me?????? It took Fed Ex a MONTH to send it from IN to IL?????????

I hate when customers have returns--they always end up getting upset that it takes so long. If they can have entire shows shipped in one day (or less sometimes!), why does it take 3-4 weeks to do a return--after they've received the product???

Ugh!!! Sorry--had to vent! This customer is a potential host & I don't want her to not host b/c this took so long.

 

[christy_c]

I feel the same way! I had my first return a couple of months ago & they sent me to the Kinko's about 15 minutes from my house...didn't mention anything about picking it up. Anyway, I get there & the info they gave me wasn't correct. So, I called HO back on my way home & told them and they tried to get me to turn around & go back to Kinko's with the same info after I told them it wasn't the info Kinko's needed. THEN, they let me know that FedEx can pick it up at my house!! I'm like, "Why didn't you tell me that was an option to begin with??" FedEx picks it up the next day....3-1/2 weeks later, they ship out the exchange. My customer didn't mind, but I wasn't a happy camper. I also had a return for my sister & it took her almost a month to get her check in the mail. I guess you have to take the bad with the good (fast shipping), but come on...it's a little ridiculous! HO could definitely use some improvement in that area.

 

[chefkugler]

I have found the same frustrations with returns. I too have been told to go to a Kinkos and they are not close to my home. Then kinkos says you can have Fed Ex pick up. Adjustments do take way to long. I haven't had one yet under 4 weeks.

Melissa Kugler
Director

 

[StacieB]

I had the same problem where the sent me to Kinkos and the info was wrong. Then they were going to send me a mailing lable. Never came. Finally said a FedEx guy would pick it up. That worked fine.

 

[DebbieJ]

Hmm...I've never been sent to Kinkos. They always send Fed Ex.

But yes, the returns and exchanges take WAY too long. I'm currently waiting on a pizza cutter.

 

[susan g]

I would be shocked to be sent to Kinko's. Do you that have had that happen live in rural areas or what is PCs reasoning on that? To not totally hijack this thread, my returns also take way too long (but at least I don't have to deliver the return to Kinko's!)

 

[christy_c]

I don't live in a rural area. I think if there is a Kinko's in the vicinity, they would prefer you take it there yourself. But I won't be doing that again, not if they'll pick it up from my house! Guess I'm lazy like that...

 

[KellyTheChef]

I have called in returns for customers and when they tried to tell me to have them TAKE it into Kinko's I have said NO- FedEx needs to pick it up. Especially if it's a broken item, etc. why should they (or I for that matter) have to go out of the way?

I agree, too...the length of time it takes for a return is sometimes staggering! If it doesn't show up within 2 weeks, I am calling them. There has been times that it's been "stuck" somewhere in the system and it would have NEVER gotten resolved if I didn't call.

I always tell my customers it takes 3 weeks or so ONCE HO RECEIVES THEIR RETURN, so they don't get mad. Still, I think that's way too long!

 

[jrstephens]

I would have to drive 90 miles to find a Kinkos, so, if they ever tell me that they will be out of luck. When I have done returns they either have FedEx pick up or send me a label for the mail.

I do think it takes WAY too long to process them. Especially when you know they receive the product quick and it just takes them weeks to put in through the chains of command. I have had to call after 3 weeks before and get a supervisor to release it to be sent out. And if you can do that, why can't they just automatical ship them out.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Well, I will NOT be going to Kinko's anymore! They can send Fed Ex. The lady on the phone didn't even give me an option. I told her that it would need to be picked up at my house b/c the host dropped it off, but delivered to the guest & she was like, oh no, you will need to take it to Kinkos. Not anymore!

Checked the status & it's still not shipped, but interestingly enough, the online adjustment I did SUNDAY has already shipped! It was just a missing item, but still. Hers gets shipped 2 days later & this other guest has to wait a month??!?!?!?! Glad they don't know each other!

 

[cathyskitchen]

Wow - I've never had to deal with them telling me to go to Kinko's - I would never do that!! It sounds like they're trying to save money by having us (or our hosts/customers) take the items to Kinko's instead of paying a FedEx driver to pick up the item. But, like someone said, if the item was received broken, then HO should be going out of their way to make it right - not making the cust. do extra work!

I have had the same experience with returns taking forever. If it's past the 30 days from the date the order was shipped, I always send everything via USPS and put a tracker on it. That way I can track when it got there, and it's usually cheaper. I've had to call to get a few "released", too, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I wish this part of our return procedures could get ironed out, since it does make us look bad, no matter how good we are to our customers or how many times we say "I'm sorry"!