Saving Money On Office Supplies Not Worth The Hassle
Written: Jul 26 '03
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Shoplet.com is one of those redesigned one-size-fits-all shopping sites on the web. The site opened in September 2002. The domain has been in place since 1996, originally selling software and gifts. Within a year or so, they had branched out to hardware and more expensive items. Today, the site offers a full range of hardware, software and office supplies, carrying 200,000 items and settled firmly in the Staples/OfficeMax space.
But although there are an impressive number of items available, Shoplet’s infrastructure experienced problems on a recent order that left me wondering if potentially saving a few dollars was worth the effort.
We Have A Catch On Our Free Shipping
Shoplet visitors are greeted by a banner proclaiming “Absolutely Free Shipping On Orders Over $25*” The exclusions are buried on a page the banner links to, not displayed on the page where the offer is made. That practice is becoming more prevalent on the web today, but is not very consumer friendly. A simple instruction in smaller type, say, “click for details” would position the company in a much more positive light.
So, what is the catch?
There are actually several. Only the continental United States are covered (but you Alaskans and Hawaiians knew that), no post office box delivery (standard, but still disappointing) and the most puzzling, orders from different sections cannot be combined. This last means that the site treats orders for hardware and software differently than orders from office supplies or furniture.
After buying a $20 computer item, I clicked to the office supply section, intending to stock up on office supplies to the point where shipping was free. Instead, I was greeted by a refreshed shopping cart. Thinking it might be a glitch, I tried the same maneuver several times with the same results. Do not bother buying a $22 cable and adding several boxes of pens. Your order has to be from the same department to qualify for free shipping.
I ended up spending about what I would have at a local store for some software I intended to buy anyway. But the shipping was free this time.
Order Was Captured and Will be Processed
That message greeted me when I clicked on the service link in my confirmation email. I checked back two business days later to see if a projected arrival time was available. Shoplet boasts online tracking tools, after all.
I was mystified to see the same “will be processed” message. That would be called a backorder, but to be sure, I sent the company an email. To give credit where it is due, the email was promptly answered by someone who assured me that my order was shipped.
I returned to the site to see when it would finally arrive and saw the same “process” message. Two links, one each for UPS and FedEx, were inactive. The company was telling me that my order was shipped, but its fulfillment system was displaying a message that indicated the order was not even packed yet.
Hoping the system was just in need of updating, I replied to the email I received. I was polite and perfunctory, simply asking if the rep would help me understand the discrepancy between his message and the order status displayed on the site. Confusion turned to anger when the mail bounced back because Shoplet apparently does not provide an easy reply-to function. Quick customer service lesson: when someone writes you once, make it easy for them to write again. They have already shown a willingness to track you down.
Frustrated, I decided to deal with the issue in a few days. Imagine my surprise two days later when a package from the company arrived. The packaging was sturdy, and although the fill was a little light, the company was only shipping a box within a box so anything was adequate. Interestingly enough, the packing list showed a shipping date that happened to coincide with the day I contacted Customer Service. I certainly can not prove that my email caused the “stuck” order to be shipped, but I sure wonder.
The kicker? More than a day after receiving the order via UPS, Shoplet’s system still read that my order was “captured and will be processed”.
The Bottom Line, Clicks and All
The clearance items in all areas looked interesting and seemed to be discontinued models of brand names. There is a wide array of commodity office products (pencils, pens, etc.) at decent prices. But there is no loyalty program like Staples has and no affinity partnership, such as OfficeMax’s with MyPoints, so hardcore web shoppers may end up not saving much if anything against the big guys. Throw in some spotty fulfillment and customer service, and you have a site that is worth checking for a substantial bargain, but only worth ordering from if the item is not mission-critical.
Five Things To Remember From This Review
1. Not a fly-by-night outfit, Shoplet has been in business for a web eternity.
2. Ordering more than $25 worth of items from one area does result in free shipping.
3. But only to the first 48 states and not to post office boxes.
4. The online tracking system appears to be malfunctioning.
5. Customer Service was prompt, but one has to jump through hoops to reply.
Joubert’s FunLink
Wonder how I knew what Shoplet was selling nine years ago? Well then, you have not been properly introduced to Alexa’s Way Back Machine, a not-for-profit site that offers surfers a snapshot of what a site looked like at various times through its history. The site is incredibly addictive, but beware of the Alexa toolbar offered for download there.
http://www.archive.org
© 2003 Joubert
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