There is a lot of discussion about online shopping versus in person shopping at retail outlets. Are shops and stores suffering because of an inability to match online prices; should the Goods and Services Tax apply online and if so at what level?
I've been shopping online for ages. That is; if you regard using my computer for theatre bookings, flight bookings, hotel reservations, car hire, travel insurance as online shopping. Even more so if you take into account online banking and payment of bills as online shopping. But I don't think that is what most people consider to be 'shopping'. I imagine most people think of online shopping as something you purchase online that has to be delivered to you.
I dipped my first toe in the water of online shopping about ten days ago. It has not gone well.
I tried on a pair of jeans at a store, found they fit well and that I liked them and decided I wanted to purchase multiple pairs. Unfortunately the store only had one pair in my size and two other stores in the same chain had none.
I went online to locate other stores in the chain that I could visit and found the jeans, in my size, available for purchase online. Not only available for purchase online but available for purchase $30 cheaper than the pair I purchased in the store.
Well, I thought, what better opportunity to start online shopping than this? I ordered and paid for the jeans online. I received an immediate email confirming the purchase and informing me I would be notified of the progress of the delivery of my purchase to my home. How wonderful!
True to the promise, two emails followed 'tracking' the delivery. Terrific, I thought.
Then something strange. A third email. My purchase had been delivered. But it hadn't. Not to me anyway. It was signed for by someone at Alexandria. I don't live at Alexandria. The delivery address was not Alexandria.
Now I'm in a formal complaints process with Australia Post to ascertain, who in Alexandria has taken delivery of my purchase, why they have done so and how do I get my purchase delivered to me.
Take two.
ReplyDeleteAlexandria? I don't think you want them if they were delivered somewhere there. Who may have touched them?
Assuming the store correctly addressed the jeans, it will be interesting to see if you get full compensation from Australia Post.
Andrew, the address used by the retailer (as recorded in their emails to me) was correct. Why the purchase ended up in Alexandria remains a mystery.
DeleteThe peril of online shopping for me, is situations like this. Also, I much prefer walking out with an item straight away and having it at my disposal immediately.
ReplyDelete