As we all begin our holiday shopping online, this word of caution: scrutinize everything on the screen, fine print or not, before finalizing your order. If not, you may be in store for an unexpected surprise.
Last week, MrConsumer decided to send a toy to a friend, Jami, in Colorado for her kids. Toys-R-Us had a crazy low price for an electronic version of Scrabble, so he proceeded to order it at their website. Here’s the shopping cart showing the item:
Since this order qualified for free two-day shipping through Shoprunner (hint: AMEX cardholders should sign up for a free account good at many retailers), MrConsumer clicked the Shoprunner button and entered the Colorado address that the toy should be shipped to.
Not wanting this purchase to go on his American Express card, MrConsumer dismissed that screen and clicked the regular checkout button knowing that free shipping would still apply even entering a different credit card number.
The final checkout screen all seemed to be in order with the gift going to Jami, so he clicked the submit order button.
A few days later, FEDEX sent a notification that the gift had been delivered. Checking with Jami, she said she never received it. Did someone steal it from her doorstep?
Checking back at the FEDEX site, there was a notation that the package was left on a porch in LINCOLN, NEBRASKA! What??? Lincoln is where Jami used to live. Could MrConsumer have been so absent-minded as to erroneously list her old address on the ToysRUs.com order?
Going back to retrace his steps on the Toys-R-Us website, MrConsumer created a test order for the same toy. And just as depicted above, when clicking the Shoprunner button, the Colorado address automatically appeared. However, when clicking the regular checkout button, it appears that Toys-R-Us changed the address to Lincoln, Nebraska because that is the address it had stored from previous orders.
*MOUSE PRINT:
MrConsumer called Toys-R-Us and walked the agent through all the steps above so she could see the glitch in the system. They generously provided a merchandise credit, and said they would forward this issue to their tech people.
The lesson here is that you have to scrutinize every Internet order, big print and small print alike, before hitting the submit button. Is it the right item? Is the order for only one item and not two by mistake? Did all coupon codes get accepted and deducted? And surprisingly, is it going to the right place?
The same thing happened to me with an order from Walmart. It should have been sent to me in PA and it was sent to someone in Nebraska. I have never used an address in Nebraska. The man that received the item was kind enough to sent it to me in PA.
I have a problem with some websites insisting that my address is wrong (I think I know my own address!) If I put waterloo it says sedan, if I put highway 6 it says the grand army of the republic highway. Those were both names used many years ago well before the internet was a thing. But if I put THOSE names then it says the address doesn’t exist.
Just an FYI – the free ShopRunner membership offered via American Express requires the order be paid with American Express. It only makes sense, why else would they offer the free membership?
By trying to do a work-around and pay with a different credit card, ShopRunner has the right to cancel MrConsumer’s ShopRunner membership. I use my ShopRunner membership quite often and make it a point to always pay with my AE card. I’m grateful for the free membership and I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize it.
And possibly, had MrConsumer simply continued on with the order paying with his AE card, perhaps the problem with the address wouldn’t have happened.
Edgar replies: There is nothing in Shoprunner’s terms and conditions that requires a member to use only an American Express card. The requirement is that it be listed first, as the default payment method. However, you can add additional cards of any brand as acceptable and alternative payment methods right at the shoprunner site.
It may take me longer to order than most people, but I definitely try to “measure twice and cut once” when I am making orders.
I also read through whatever confirmation email is sent just in case that looks different than what I thought I ordered.
Also, when you add a new shipping address, make sure it’s not listed as the default. I ordered something from Woot for my nephew, sent to his address. Next time I ordered something from them, guess where it went? Not Woot’s fault in the least–I should have double-checked–and now I’m more careful.
Some merchants always send my order to the wrong city. They claim that their postal address software comes up with the other city when my zip code is entered. Supposedly, delivery goes by zip code, but my orders have been sent to the nearby bigger city more times than is comfortable. Yes, I’ve been told by the merchants that I don’t know my own address because their computer is telling them something different.
@Marie D
I live in a town like that. I live in a small town (but the zip crosses 2). However I always put the zip matched city name. In this case if you want your stuff you use the system as is. Then ask for it to be corrected. If I put the town I really live in on my address my mail would end up in the wrong sorting center or worse ‘hand sort’ or even worse on the wrong delivery truck and delayed by days.
If it keeps getting missorted ask your local postmaster what to put on your mail so it ends up at your house. They know how their system works. That is their job to help you.
Dont worry so much about it ‘being correct’ but ‘how do I get this system to put stuff in my mailbox’.
I had this happen a couple of times with Amazon.com. Despite changing my default address when I moved and checking that it was correct before check-out, stuff still got sent to my work address, which was OK but a hassle because the mail room did not appreciate getting a big box. Amazon apologized but it happened twice before somehow mysteriously correcting itself. I have also had this happen with merchants who use PayPal and let PayPal choose the address to send it to despite the address you choose or type in when you check out. I ordered something for my Dad and wanted it sent to him directly. I made sure my default address with my account on the merchant site was not checked and I entered his address instead. Everything looked fine all the way through. Then it got sent to me instead. When I called them they said it defaulted to whatever my default address was with PayPal. That was a huge hassle for me because it was a TV set and I had to drive it 100 miles to give it to my Dad. Now I am wary of using PayPal on certain sites.