This is really interesting. I paid for shipping, and @Chain__Reaction claimed that my package would arrive in 2-4 days.
Guess what? It is day 5 now, and I still havent received my goods.
Even more interesting is the shipping status updates from Parcel Force (the logistics company that Chainreaction.com uses). Fitst of, it took two days before the goods where sent from Chainreaction.
This is the first shipping status that they published:
After a while, the tracking info changed to:
Notice that 006 has changed to CHAIN/RE (wich probably is normal) but the time has changed as well, wich seems odd. Dont you think? And they seem to think that Denmark is the recipient country, which is an epic fail since I live in Sweden and also stated that as the delivery address when I placed the order at chainreactioncycles.com
But it isnt finished with that. I emailed chainreactioncycles and requesting the GLS info so that I could track the shipment locally. Thats two days ago, and the only info I got from chainreaction was an autoreply stating that they woul get back to me.
After that the shipping info was updated once again
Denmark is now changed to Sweden, and the time when the shipment got to Sweden/Denmark aparantly changed as well.
I payed for a shipment that would be delivered in 2-4 days, we are now on day 5 and nothing has been delivered.
I emailed chainreactioncycles customer service two days go, and the only thing I got back was an autoreply.
Chainreaction, you really need to get better on the after sales communication. I would probably not buy anything else from CRC if this was my first order. Really bad chainreaction!
UPDATE 2011-05-13
When I wrote this blogpost at 22.30 local time 2011-05-12 I checked the Parcel Force website to see if the shipping info was changed. It wasn’t.
This morning, it sure has changed…
The thirteenth, they update their websute that the shipment was held in depot the eleventh? Yet another fail.
UPDATE1: This morning CRC had sent me an email with the GLS reference. It took them almost three days to do so?
When I check the GLS website I get some shocking news.
”Not out for delivery due to unacceptable goods” What? Why?
Whst is this, amateur night or what?
UPDATE2: Aparantly, this is amateur night with the logistics companies. At Happymtb, this is discussed over and over again (one example, in Swedish) and here is a google search that shows that this is not the first time it happens.
What happens is this:
CRC hands the shipment over to ParcelForce, and gives that tracking number to the customer. ParcelForce ships it to the nearest logistics hub, where a local logistics company takes over. ParcelForce’s tracking web is updated on a ”need to know basis” it seems.
When ParcelForce hands over to the local distributor, wich seems to be Schenker in Sweden, the shipment changes tracking ID. Although, Schenker sends tracking info to ParcelForce. The customer, eagerly awaiting his new shiny things, now has two places to track the order, with somewhat confusing/contradicting information.
Not out for delivery due to unacceptable goods
In my case it is the ”not out for delivery due to unacceptable goods” that is causing havoc. I haven´t confirmed this with CRC/ParcelForce/Schenker but it seems that Schenker wants more money to handle the goods. The shipment is bigger so they want more money. It seems like it can´t be the first time that CRC ships a bike to Sweden, so it ca’t be the first time Parcel Force has to hand over a shipment this size to Schenker.
Now I´m just guessing, but Chainreaction is probably going to blame it on ParcelForce/Schenker and Schenker is blaiming ParcelForce and ParcelForce has done what they are supposed to do, deliver. In the end of the chain we have me, who paid extra for 2-4 days delivery. Is it even remotly possible to get 2-4 days delivery with this kind of logistics chain?
UPDATE 2011-05-18
CRC claims that they have been in contact with the local courier (Schenker). Schenker claims that CRC hasn’t contacted them at all. Schenker claims that they have contacted CRC because they want CRC to pay extra for the shipment, but CRC haven’t responded.
i was in contact with both Schenker and Chainreaction today.
CRC claimed yesterday that they where in contact with the courier and that the courier would deliver as soon as possible. That was news for Schenker this morning…