Buying @MLN online beware!!!

POWERevolution on 06/01/2012 - 12:05
Last edited 06/01/2012 - 14:12 by 1 other user

I decided to buy a laptop online @ MLN after heard so many Ozbargainers praise of their customer service.

I registered my personal detail/address (in SA) on 2/1/12 and bought ASUS U31F on 3/1/12 as a gift for a family relative in VIC. But during check out there was no option to ship this item to different address. I though leaving the default of my home address in SA and I'll email them to update the postal address in VIC after payment cleared. I email to their sales team of the new shipping address and to my surprise they not willing to do this and come up with the bs security purpose even though they had my phone when I registered. I asked them to give me a call to verify if they're concern about security as there is no contact phone number and the only contactable for online order is via email. Also they won't let my relative pick this item in one of their stores.

I contact their facebook for help but seem like they don't really care.
I post here for OzB to aware of their online services that totally opposite to what others are praise on here.

I'm very disappointed of MLN right now!
Below is the response from their sales department.

Hi
All web orders are for delivery only
For security purposes we cannot change the address of an order after payment has been made,
If you are yet to make payment and wish to change your address, please place a new order with the correct details.
MLN only ships to the same billing/shipping address for security purposes.

Edit: WOW! Could you believe it? Now my comments on their facebook was deleted and they blocked me.

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Comments

  • andy19363 on 06/01/2012 - 12:16
    +6

    But during check out there was no option to ship this item to different address.

    That was the clue I suspect…..

    Personally, I'd rather a company was over cautious about security than the other way round.

    I'm not sure that this should be a 'beware' notice….. it would seem to me to be more like a positive attribute of this particular retailer.

    • cloudy on 06/01/2012 - 12:20
      +1

      I don't really see how it is a security issue when all u need to do is verify it is the payer who wants it shipped to another place or picked up. If they can't provide that customer service, maybe you can consider canceling your payment and just make another one. Since that is your only other option.

      • StewBalls on 06/01/2012 - 23:02
        +1

        I don't really see how it is a security issue when all u need to do is verify it is the payer who wants it shipped to another place or picked up.

        Yup, I have that done by various retailers quite regularly. Purchases as gifts, or on behalf of family or friends, then of course you're gonna have them sent to the intended recipient's place. It's never been flagged as a security issue IME, in fact it's a simple service any decent retailer would tend to advertise!

        • POWERevolution on 27/01/2012 - 17:07

          Yup, I have that done by various retailers quite regularly. Purchases as gifts, or on behalf of family or friends, then of course you're gonna have them sent to the intended recipient's place. It's never been flagged as a security issue IME, in fact it's a simple service any decent retailer would tend to advertise!

          That's what I though wouldn't be much hassle as I did with other retailers too.

  • huntress_love on 06/01/2012 - 12:24

    maybe their system can't handle it. you could just have the billing and shipping address as the VIC and change it after. would've been a lot easier then getting them to change their system.

    That's just my thoughts, would have been nice if they could help but i usually wouldn't expect them to.

    • cloudy on 06/01/2012 - 14:08

      WEll I guess it also depends if they tell you that changing addresses is forbidden, i mean it's a pretty simple request and one would assume it can be done, so if they can't even offer a change of address one would expect them to announce so clearly before someone orders

  • d34dr00 on 06/01/2012 - 12:31
    +5

    yeah cancel your order… Look elsewhere

    • POWERevolution on 27/01/2012 - 16:45

      Was about to but as already promised my family relative about this laptop so I didn't
      But after more than 3 weeks not receive it now I'm regret that decision.

  • Cheeper on 07/01/2012 - 03:00
    +3

    They may have been stung before??
    I think if I was shipping laptops out i would only be sending them to the payees address.
    I can't see why this is a reason to bag what has been a very good company to deal with.

  • joannatan on 07/01/2012 - 03:38
    +4

    guys, this is based on my experience when I have online business with my friend 10 years ago. for computer product the margin is very tight 10-20% only. if you get scam, you loose your money, it is understandable for some company having extra security measure.

    The last scam that we got and cause the company collapse was the first order go trough, the second is okay, the third one they make 3x the size of the second order, then they use stolen cc, and we lost the money $20k one go.
    you got the address, you got the phone number, but we are over confident with this buyer.

    so better sorry at the beginning rather than later.

  • matchray on 07/01/2012 - 10:33

    they also blocked me in facebook when i said they was buying 30k fake account in fb.

  • Melody123 on 07/01/2012 - 14:09

    It is not so secure to place order online. The online store also think about the secerity, so they only ship to the address same as the billing address. Take care.

  • besmirched on 07/01/2012 - 16:10

    I bought a notebook fr mln 2 years ago which didnt come with a sales receipt or invoice. I needed the receipt to redeem an offer samsung had going at the time.

    Trying to get that receipt from mln made me realise saving a dollar or two at the expense of acceptable customer isnt worth it.

    • Nutrino on 13/01/2012 - 01:24

      So what DID you get?….

      nothing?.

  • Olliesh on 11/01/2012 - 20:04

    I still haven't received my order from the boxing day sales. Real disappointed with the customer service.

    • POWERevolution on 27/01/2012 - 16:41

      Same here I still haven't receive mine that ordered on 3/1/12.
      Email them few times and but only received 1 response from James on 12/1/12 with tracking provided showing send on 11/1/12.
      Contact aust post to find where is my item but they can't help me as im not the sender they advice me to contact mln … all she can say was "there is problem with article"
      I email James on 19/1/12 regarding haven't receive my item but still no response from him or mln yet
      That is how good their customer service @ MLN…
      Im sure buying from oversea faster than this.

      • cwongtech on 27/01/2012 - 16:51

        Overseas especially from BHphotovideo takes about 8 days from payment to your door by UPS. This is why I don't buy Australian. No, I don't care about Australian jobs, I care about getting the most things out of my money.

        • tonyjzx on 27/01/2012 - 17:14
          +1

          buying laptops locally only benefits people like gerry harvey anyway

          there's no reason to buy small electronics in australia based purely of patriotic grounds since none of it is manufactured here

      • ATD on 27/01/2012 - 17:26

        How did you pay? Deposit into account? If so you will get a care factor of 0% from MLN. Your experience is somewhat similar to mine and I can relate to the Auspost - I got wrong tracking info first off. Once they get your money they don't care. I threatened to not accept the parcel before they sent it out and their response was "go ahead but you won't be getting your money returned". After that, the full extent of who I was dealing with crystalised. I don't know how these guys continue to get away with it.

        • tonyjzx on 27/01/2012 - 17:33

          and people thought they were getting a raw deal in the Samsung vs. MLN thread!

          hilarious!

        • POWERevolution on 27/01/2012 - 17:36

          I selected bank transfer but then I decided to do it via master card payment to protect myself if something go wrong…
          I just email them again and give them 5 business days to response or send my laptop. If they not response or the laptop not arrive at my front door on 3/2/12 then I will take action.
          What do you guys suggest I could do as I waste my time for this order?

        • cwongtech on 27/01/2012 - 17:39

          @POWERevolution
          TT :D
          And post your experience on every MLN "deal" that comes on here.

        • andy19363 on 27/01/2012 - 17:40
          -1

          I selected bank transfer but then I decided to do it via master card payment

          Can I politely suggest, before making any transaction over the internet, that you perhaps sit down and plan precisely how you are going to pay, and where you want it delivered…. maybe write it down….. Then you might avoid these difficulties in the future…

          Or perhaps stick to bricks and mortar retailers…..

        • maverick on 28/01/2012 - 16:12

          Can I politely suggest that you perhaps develop some understanding and empathy.

          And perhaps not be so patronising as to tell POWERevolution where he should shop and what he should write down. What he did was reasonable. Most decent Australian online retailers would have accommodated his request after taking appropriate measures but even with the security excuse proffered, it is not overly difficult for a retailer to obtain written authorisation or a new authorisation or find some simple solution that provides security and keeps the client's business - the key here is keeping the paying client happy. There are plenty of ways to cover one's ar## if you know what you're doing - the only issue is whether the business can be bothered. In this case, MLN doesn't appear to have been particularly bothered beyond accepting the payment and you can see the result. You have a client who wanted to buy a Laptop and a Business that wanted to sell it but yet the Business ends up having what the client considers to be their "care less" approach highlighted on a site such as this.

        • andy19363 on 28/01/2012 - 16:29

          And perhaps not be so patronising as to tell POWERevolution where he should shop and what he should write down.

          May I politely suggest you look up the difference between the words "suggest" and "tell".

        • maverick on 28/01/2012 - 16:45

          but there is no need to look up those words. Placing the word "perhaps" in front of condescending advice doesn't make it any less patronising and maybe even more so. You are still telling him, like a child, the steps he should go through to avoid the problems that you by implication suggest he has brought upon himself.

        • andy19363 on 28/01/2012 - 17:10

          Before this community became a somewhat aggressive place to berate posters and retailers, it was a community that assisted each other in finding and informing of bargains, retailers and all things 'bargainesque'.
          People helped each other by offering advice…. Thus my post…. a strategy that I have found useful. The OP is free to use or discard it.

          You are still telling him, like a child, the steps he should go through to avoid the problems that you by implication suggest he has brought upon himself.

          I guess there are many interpretations one could make…. Thanks for yours :)

        • POWERevolution on 28/01/2012 - 19:56
          +2

          peace guys…
          @andy19363 thanks for your suggestion :)
          @cwongtech I dont want to see myself on tv :D

      • maverick on 28/01/2012 - 19:21

        It's ironic that you mention the notions of aggression and community because passive aggressive condescension is generally not helpful nor does it promote a nice “community vibe” - just like butting into matters without knowledge.

        "Perhaps" a “nicer” way to be helpful and "community" spirited to the OP would have been to "perhaps" not blame his conduct for an unnecessary impasse created by the less than stellar response of a Retailer.

        • andy19363 on 28/01/2012 - 19:48

          "Perhaps" a “nicer” way to be helpful and "community" spirited to the OP would have been to "perhaps" not blame his conduct for an unnecessary impasse created by the less than stellar response of a Retailer.

          mmm… perhaps…. but avoiding the impasse altogether seems a more effective, longer term solution.
          There are many retailers in the world, but only one of me…. and, important as I am…. retailers are unlikely to change their systems to accommodate me. If I am disorganised, for example, it is not their fault. If I can do things, (as I do, such as making lists, writing down questions I want to ask, etc), to improve my organisational skills, then why wouldn't I?
          Whilst it's nice to blame others, it inevitably leads to frustration and anger, and defensiveness from the other party, and offers little in the way of solutions.

        • dealhunt on 28/01/2012 - 20:07
          +2

          If retailers want to be competitive and alive in the market, they will always find the way to make shopping enjoyable and suitable for their customers.

          Many retailers know this and so they always make fixes and upgrades to their web sites and policies to better serve the customer.

          @andy19363 you don't seem aware of this stuff as well as you never have run a business, you should know that a business will be alive because thanks to its customers, they can clever or "disorganised" that's no matter, the money will be always the same like this $$$$$$
          By your words it sounds like disorganised clients don't deserve credit or respect, I feel like your comment is no help to the OP.

        • andy19363 on 28/01/2012 - 20:37
          -2

          Many retailers know this and so they always make fixes and upgrades to their web sites and policies to better serve the customer.

          All businesses have limits….. go into Myer tomorrow, pull on some pants, then walk out…. tell them you forgot your money and you'll pay them next week… see what happens.

          Retail is a partnership, with rules and responsibilities on both sides….

          By your words it sounds like disorganised clients don't deserve credit or respect

          That would be your interpretation….. However, if a person chooses not to improve their organisational skills, should the fault lie with the company?

          If I book a flight leaving at 10 and I get there at 20 past (cos I don't want to wear a watch) and the flight has left…. should I blame the airline?
          If I book a hotel room for the 24th and arrive on the 25th (cos I don't like writing in a diary) and the room is taken…. is it the fault of the hotel?

  • maverick on 28/01/2012 - 16:09

    …

    • tonyjzx on 28/01/2012 - 16:53

      i honestly don't think any length of future 'research' will avoid these kinds of issues

      at the end of the day, he didn't purchase from a company with a 'colourful' past… he lost no money

      the market is big… i'm sure he'll find a happy purchase somewhere else

  • dealhunt on 28/01/2012 - 19:31

    @POWERevolution your forum name would indicate someone who has good knowledge and skills and so a true Ozbargainer :)

    But joke a part, I would suggest you to contact your credit card bank (if you finally chose that way) and initiate a charge back operation.
    Too much time has gone since you paid for the item also mln's feedback doesn't seem the most friendly (see Facebook ban).

    As @tonyjzx suggested, at the end you wouldn't (hopefully) loose any money and just walk away for a better deal.

    • POWERevolution on 28/01/2012 - 19:52

      I would suggest you to contact your credit card bank (if you finally chose that way) and initiate a charge back operation.

      Now I'm thinking toward that as its been almost a month.
      I might call cc company on Monday if I cant find a good replacement.

  • tonyjzx on 28/01/2012 - 20:12

    thats bloody odd… they charged your card, won't send a laptop, won't communicate with you and therefore can't reverse the charge?

    how is that ok for a business to operate?

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