Staples are S**t !!! I bought 5 imation 4GB USB stick, today told me out of stock

LNeology on 09/06/2011 - 15:03

I received an email today told me that 5 imation 4GB USB stick I purchased is out of stock.

I purchased by using save20 coupon. Very bad!!

the email attached below:

This email is to advise you that due to limited stock quantities Staples is unable to fulfil your order, this has meant we have had to withdraw your order. Please note that your credit card has not been charged and your pre-authorisation will expire within the next 2 business days.

If you would like to place a new order please contact the Staples Customer Support Team on 1800STAPLES. The Customer Support team will place an order and issue a new coupon code on your behalf.

Please have you current reference/order number available when calling.

The Staples.com.au Team apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Regards,

Head of Operations
Staples.com.au

The information contained in this email and any attached files are strictly private and confidential. This email should be read by the intended addressee only. If the recipient of this message is not the intended addressee, please call Corporate Express Australia Pty Limited on +61 2 9335 0555 or Corporate Express New Zealand Limited on +64 9 271 7600and promptly delete this email and any attachments. The intended recipient of this email may only use, reproduce, disclose or distribute the information contained in this email and any attached files with Corporate Express' permission. If you are not the intended addressee, you are strictly prohibited from using, reproducing, disclosing or distributing the information contained in this email and any attached files. Corporate Express advises that this email and any attached files should be scanned to detect viruses. Corporate Express accepts no liability for loss or damage (whether caused by negligence or not) resulting from the use of any attached files.

General Discussion

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2011 - 15:22
    +11

    you really thought they would honour this when like 50,000 people ordered 5 x sticks with 5 x fake names and used 3 x $20 codes? I love ozbargain but sometimes people here are just plain greedy. what do you need 5 x 4gb drives for anyway? if everyone had ordered 1 or 2 i'm sure they would have honoured it!

    BTW: staples are awesome! they've been basically giving away stock for a flat rate delivery fee for weeks.

    • llama on 09/06/2011 - 17:42

      what do you need 5 x 4gb drives for anyway? if everyone had ordered 1 or 2 i'm sure they would have honoured it!

      If you bought just one, then it would cost you $4 + $5.50 = $9.50 which is about $3 MORE than the market price for a 4GB cheapo USB stick.

      So the multiple purchases were only to get enough value to use the $20 coupon code. It doesn't matter WHAT product it is, the coupon code means that Staples are giving away $20 - that is the whole idea of it!

      Thus, whether they lose $20 for 4GB USBs, or $20 for Arnotts Biscuits… it's still the same $20.

      • retiredfeline on 09/06/2011 - 17:50

        I think the conditions were that if you spent < $20, you would have forfeited the remainder of the coupon code and it would have still cost $5.50 nett. And I don't think it would have helped to buy bikkies with the $16; such buyers got rejected too.

        In any case it's unrealistic here to expect the masses to show restraint. Especially as the supplier is a faceless big company, and the flash drives are mass produced stuff made in the billions. You could read this as a case of the tragedy of the commons or the prisoner's dilemma I suppose.

        • llama on 09/06/2011 - 17:56

          That is the problem - if you ordered a USB stick and 10 reams of paper, and used the Coupon… they cancelled the WHOLE order, didn't they?

          Initially I thought that it the combo of USB + Coupon that killed it?

          But look at finance's post below… they ordered a 4Gb and a 8GB and didn't use a coupon, and that order was cancelled too.

  • scrimshaw on 09/06/2011 - 15:33

    That bargain itself had about 5000 click throughs. Assuming that each person took full advantage of the deal and bought 5 for himself/herself, that's a lot of USB sticks (25,000) sold.

    • illusionarybreeze on 09/06/2011 - 17:36

      Is a click through every time someone clicks on the link? Or is it counted as one per IP address or whatever? (Not very tech savvy lol)

      I think I must have clicked that thread quite a number of times just to see new posts, so if it is the former, and assuming people do check that deal for updates, it probably isn't a very good indication of how many orders were placed. Just an observation.

  • ozshark on 09/06/2011 - 15:39

    I'm with the OP. I was one of those who ordered just one of the 4g USB - within 30 minutes of the deal being posted here. Not happy that it wasn't honoured. Particularlywhen others who ordered later received theirs & when some who ordered 5 were honoured.

    Even less happy that they cancelled my WHOLE order & now the cheap 8g USB is also "out of stock" as well!

  • Lacerta on 09/06/2011 - 15:52
    +3

    The problem isn't that they ran out (that was bound to happen). The problem is what Staples decided to do after they sold out of USB sticks.

    Monday - Many ozbargainers place orders, Staples runs out. The Staples website reflects this.

    Tuesday - Staples places all orders using the coupon codes on hold, but does not notify customers. Staples then allows other customers to place orders for these USB sticks.

    Wednesday - Staples finally decides to notify customers who used the coupons that they are out of stock of the USB sticks. (Of course they are out of stock now, they sold them on Tuesday!)

    So I'm upset that:
    - Staples re-sold the USB sticks on Tuesday
    - Staples took until close of business on Wednesday to start to notify customers of the problem, even though they knew over a day before.

    • tae on 09/06/2011 - 17:03
      +1

      This smells like their database issue all over again? Not as bad as last time. But at least they refund you.. ^_^

    • illusionarybreeze on 09/06/2011 - 17:29

      -

  • finance on 09/06/2011 - 16:21

    one of my order was for one 8gb and 1 4gb and i forgot to use the code but i think that's cancelled also as they are out of stock.

    i didn't know that ppl ordered on tues got theirs, odd!

  • llama on 09/06/2011 - 17:45

    Pooo Bum. My business account's order has been cancelled - that was 6 x 4GB USB sticks for our staff. That order was placed Monday 9.55am - the cancellation email arrived at 12.40pm today (Thursday)

    My home account's order was for a 16GB Verbatim ($15.49 incl shipping). They confirmed that order, and it still shows in their system, but as of this afternoon they still haven't confirmed that it's been shipped.

    Since that 16GB drive is still showing stock, I'd say that order is OK. Unless they matched my IP to the baddie order that they cancelled on me.

    BTW - the 16GB cost me $15.50 which is not too bad… but nowhere near as good as 5 x 4GB for $5.50

  • spliniter on 09/06/2011 - 18:00

    i got mine all good :D

  • retiredfeline on 09/06/2011 - 18:06
    +1

    But really, Staples have only themselves to blame. If their IT system had been up to scratch, the ordering system would have shown later buyers "sold out" immediately. People would be disappointed but not as upset as getting hopes up and then a rejection letter. So their coupon PR spend has now turned into bad press.

  • Damo on 09/06/2011 - 18:53
    +3

    Staples are the best - get a life

  • dadots on 09/06/2011 - 19:17
    +2

    Seriously order what you need and give other a chance too.

  • zhenjie on 09/06/2011 - 19:27
    +3

    Seriously you'd think you'd have more pressing issues in life to cry over. There are plenty more Staple bargains out there. I hate these people who think they deserve everything.

  • robotdad on 09/06/2011 - 19:50
    +1

    Why is the onus on the buyer to chase the voucher, when Staples were the one that reneged on the transaction? Methinks it is just another way Staples are trying to control their costs over this debacle.

    Staples should automatically provide the voucher, rather than just to those who are willing to spend the 40 minutes (yes it took that long) on hold to get a response. Nice negative selection strategy.

    • llama on 09/06/2011 - 20:27
      +1

      You have been linked to OzBargain.

      You have been suitably punished.

      ROFL

  • llama on 09/06/2011 - 22:02

    OK - NOW I AM PISSED TOO

    They cancelled my order for 6 x 4GB USBs with Coupon. OK, fair enough I suppose.

    But the same day I used a different account and ordered ONE of these 16GB ones, and used a coupon to drop it from an outrageous $29.99 to $9.99 + delivery

    http://www.staples.com.au/filing-and-storage/digital-data-st…

    Order was confirmed by no shipment notice. Tonight I get an email that "This email is to advise you that due to limited stock quantities Staples is unable to fulfil your order"

    Well - that is convenient, isn't it? It was a bloody legitimate purchase, and there WAS stock when I ordered it GRRR

    Oh the pain, to be punished just because we are OzBargainers!

  • llama on 09/06/2011 - 22:06

    OK - 3 observations about Staples.

    a) there is NO WAY to find out order status. You can view order history, but that doesn't mean anything

    b) they don't show stock levels and out of stocks clearly. They clutter the site with attractive items, but when you try to order then they are out of stock?

    c) The normal prices are outrageous - look at the 8GB Imation USB drive… $44.95 + delivery = WTF?

  • Ughhh on 10/06/2011 - 13:56

    I called them about the reject email. Funny, as soon as I mentioned about getting the no-stock email, the guy immediately talked about giving a new once-off voucher number, this was BEFORE I even told him what my email address/order number was! I didnt even mention anything about the voucher!

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