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Just jumping on the forums to check that my view that a particular Dick Smith Electronics store rep is lacking in intelligence is justified; and to vent my frustration on the click and collect process I experienced.
So here's what happened:
My partner purchased 3 fitbits through the DSE ebay store, and I went to pick them up on her behalf. Should've been a straight forward transaction, but it wasn't.
1) The first day I walked into the store with the tax invoice, they told me they made an error in their system and did not have stock for one of the colours. However, another nearby store did have stock. It absolutely fascinates me that they didn't bother attempting to source it and bring it over BEFORE I came to pick it up. They definitely had time to do this, because there was 5 days between the order and the day I went to pick the items up.
To add insult to injury, they said they attempted to call my partner to inform her about this issue without any luck. They also said they did not leave a message because … "what if she loses her phone or someone steals her phone. Someone could listen to the voicemail and come collect the items".
2) Being strapped for time, I wanted to speed things up a little. I asked if I could just swap out the missing stock for another colour. Their response 'no, because it was click and collect and the system doesn't let us'. Next I asked if I could pick up part of the order, and come back when they sourced the missing item which they should've had in stock. Again, their response was 'no, because it was click and collect and the system doesn't let us'.
Such a backwards process, or the store rep didn't want more admin work…
So, couldn't get it resolved on the first day. I left and told them I'd be back tomorrow after they had sorted it out.
3) Day 2, I'm back at the store to pick up the fitbits. This time, at least they had the order complete, but rather than let me just grab the items and go, they told me that I'm not allowed to pick up stuff on behalf of someone else DESPITE having the pickup slip and tax invoice. Their reason… "what if people hack your email and they find this receipt and come pick it up". After laughing at them and having a debate with them, possibly questioning their intelligence, they handed the goods over.
What surprises me is the view this store rep has on stealing and hacking.
If I were a criminal and got access to someone's phone or email, I doubt I'd be digging through their emails / voicemails to find stuff they've bought and go to the store in hope they haven't already picked it up. I would rather target their bank accounts. =P
She must have watched some cyber crime movie to have formed these views. These risks are so remote, the burden they've put on customers (ie not leaving voicemail and restricting pickup to purchaser) to try to stop such risks is not worth the trade-off.
Even banks allow you to transact on behalf of someone else if you have delegated authority.
In any case, this was such a frustrating experience for two reasons - stuff-up of stock, and the lack of action to resolve the problem sooner, with the store rep trying to justify it by shoving her concerns of stealing and hacking down my throat… But am I right to form a view that this store rep is stupid? I really hope this is a unique case and DSE's general staff isn't as stupid.
Has anyone else also had bad experiences with click & collect?
I had a similar-ish experience a couple of weeks ago, except mine was even weirder.
Bought an item in my name, with my credit card, my email, my billing address, my phone number, everything with my details. Received the text saying it was ready and popped into the store during my lunch hour. Gave the guy my name and he couldn't find it, so gave him the order number and he finds the order, but for reasons completely unbeknownst to me to this day, it was in the name of a family member! I showed him how the email and everything were in my name, he refused to let me collect. The reason he gave was the same as what you received, that I could be stealing someone else's goods. He insisted the family member listed come and pick it up. Try and make sense of that, he wanted to prevent theft of the goods by preventing ME the purchaser from collecting it! Should also add that the email said anyone could pick it up given it was under $100 (only $30), so there should have been no problems to begin with.
Anyway eventually organised with some hassle for the family member to come and collect, and to add insult to injury printed right there on the receipt was MY name! And they still gave it out. I contacted Dick Smith customer service online and they promised a response, but didn't hear anything. As a result, they won't be getting my business again.