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03 August 2007

AskMecha: We just bought the awesomest trampoline, but it came missing some springs so we can't use it yet and the company refuses to send replacements overnight. Should I complain to the Better Business Bureau?→[More:]

Or, maybe, I should just whinge here? The company wants $70 to overnight the springs, saying we didn't pay for guaranteed delivery. Which makes sense, I guess.

But it's really disappointing to wait two weeks for the tramp (when they it would be more like one) and then get it and not be able to jump on it, for my kids especially. It's the company's mistake and it just seems they would be willing eat some cost to make it right. Still, we saved hundreds buying online, so maybe that's just the price we pay.

They have this big ole BBBonline image on their homepage, though, so it seems they are kind of inviting complaints, no? If they wanna be proud of being BBB members, then customers should speak up more easily?? Does that make sense? Really though, it's the fact they aren't being at all apologetic that pisses me off.

Help me decide whether I should click submit on this BBB page I've got open.

post by: danostuporstar at: 10:43 | 29 comments

You didn't pay for guaranteed delivery? What the heck? Check what the fine print says, but that sounds like a lame excuse. It's reasonable for you to expect that your item be delivered complete.

Before calling the BBB, try talking to the people on the other end of the phone and saying "What I'm asking is that you make up for this error in shipping by overnighting these things at your expense. If you can't make that happen, please give me the number of a person who can." And then keep going. When you have someone higher up, let them know that your next step will be to go to the BBB.

I do think you might be SOL though if the shipping agreement says anything like "orders might be incomplete bla bla bla."

posted by Miko 03 August | 10:55

We've talked to several people at both the place we bought it from and from their supplier. We being both my wife and I (and she's pretty persuasive ). We haven't escalated to their bosses though. Thanks for the advice.

I'd be perfectly willing to accept being SOL if it weren't for that BBB logo on their homepage. It's just taunting me as sit here stewing in impotent semi-anger.

I forgot to mention a free tool for pulling the springs into place was also missing and I ended up cutting the fuck out my finger trying to use a screwdriver as replacement (but it did work eventually).

posted by danostuporstar 03 August | 11:02

It's the company's mistake and it just seems they would be willing eat some cost to make it right.

Have you tried saying exactly that to them? Both as a customer and as a retailer (in my old life), I've had great success simply explaining the problem and asking them how they plan to make it right. Civility and immobility combined can be darned effective.

And absolutely escalate to the bosses if you're having no luck with the front-line people.

posted by Elsa 03 August | 11:04

Guaranteed delivery? I don't even know what that is supposed to mean!

If you don't pay a surcharge all of your items are in no way shape or form promised to be delivered in your initial shipment? Wtf?

I work for a company that does a lot of internet/mail order business to hobbyists and craftsmen and we pride ourselves on sending out any missing hardware, instructions or components free of charge and we eat the shipping. This sounds ridiculous!

Really, what is the cost of these components going to be to the company in the context of your disparaging remarks and complaints registered with the appropriate forum? Ridiculous!

Will they not even comp standard shipping rate for you?

posted by appidydafoo 03 August | 11:05

Yes, they are sending replacements free. They just won't overnight them (citing the weight), which means a week of my boys asking if they can jump on the tramp yet. (And my sister-in-law's (less adorable :) kids doing likewise when the come this Sunday.)

posted by danostuporstar 03 August | 11:08

I hear they got more bounce in California. Call Arnie and ask to borrow a cup?

posted by trondant 03 August | 11:12

which means a week of my boys asking if they can jump on the tramp yet.

If they can't figure out how to ask for shore leave, I say don't give 'em any hints.

posted by trondant 03 August | 11:17

Thanks for the ear, bunnies...feeling better now.

The new springs (and tool) are going out UPS Ground today and the BBB hassle has been averted -- if I don't care enough to escalate first, I shouldn't complain to BBB.

Heh, trondant.

posted by danostuporstar 03 August | 11:21

I would write to the consumerist

posted by getoffmylawn 03 August | 11:22

I would but the comments at consumerist suck, or so I hear.

posted by danostuporstar 03 August | 11:35

Yes, the commenters are often very mean, but you don't have to read what they say, you can just send your story to them for the negative exposure and not look back.

posted by getoffmylawn 03 August | 11:46

What boggles my mind is that a trampoline is a liability lawsuit in a box, even when assembled correctly. The mere thought of a customer with a shiny new trampoline, an abundance of enthusiasm, yet missing a few springs and some common sense...

"Well, your Honor, I did my best to assemble the unit according to the single sheet of poorly-xeroxed instructions, but I don't read colloquial chinese all that well, and when I came up a few springs short, I figured it was a running design change, and I wasn't doing anything wrong."

posted by Triode 03 August | 11:51

This doesn't really seem like a BBB issue to me, especially considering you didn't pay for overnight shipping initially. Would you have sicced the BBB on them if the complete unit had come a week from now?

posted by Mitheral 03 August | 11:56

Contacting the BBB wouldn't be a good move right now, because all you want is the spring, correct? By the time they will have finished their investigation, you will have gotten what you wanted. I think the BBB is best used in cases where there's a standstill between parties (like when a diner refused to refund my credit card after they double-charged it, because they claimed their machine wasn't set up to issue refunds. How funny that it suddenly was after I complained to the BBB!)

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 03 August | 12:05

Here's hoping UPS is speedier than anticipated.

posted by chewatadistance 03 August | 12:18

TPS, the Better Business Bureau actually tracks complaints about businesses and issues reports. If a business knows you are likely to lodge a complaint, they may get more responsive, because those reports are public.

posted by Miko 03 August | 13:19

posted by Miko 03 August | 13:20

Miko is right. People think the BBB is an enforcement agency, but it isn't. It's just a complaints registry.

It's up to the consumer to check with the BBB before they do business with someone, to see if there are too many unresolved complaints. It's a membership organization funded by businesses (but usually not the fly-by-night ones themselves).

It's probably best to consider it something to use in negotiations but be aware some places consider it an empty threat (not only will most customers not follow through, most of their customers won't check the BBB in the first place, etc.)

posted by stilicho 03 August | 13:27

Well, happy jumping, eventually. I recommend one of those net things that go around the edge of the trampoline to help avoid any injuries, if it doesn't already come with it.

posted by Pips 03 August | 13:35

Happy jumping on the trampo, dano! Just be super, super careful. They're one of the leading causes of serious injuries for kids. Not too many kids at one time and careful with the flips. Trampolines aren't soft. (Sorry. Worked at a summer camp and the trampoline safety lecture was really drilled into my head year after year. There were probably more rules for the tramp than archery, riflery and the pool combined.)

posted by jrossi4r 03 August | 13:55

Trampolines are definitely dangerous! But I also have great memories of jumping on the one we had when I was really little. I can still smell the scent of the mesh in the sun on a hot day. Such fun.

posted by Miko 03 August | 14:08

There used to be a place down the shore that was like a trampoline farm and you could pay money to jump on them for a set amount of time. The weird thing was that the trampolines were set into the ground, like mini rectangular swimming pools covered with a springy tarp. There was padding over the springs, but the whole thing was level with the concrete. I used to beg my mom to take us, but she always said it was too dangerous. So weird. I wish I could remember where it was. Long Beach Island, maybe? Any other East Coast bunnies remember something like that?

posted by jrossi4r 03 August | 14:15

No, but I remember Frontier Town in Delaware. At least I think it was Delaware. I got a coonskin cap there.

posted by Hugh Janus 03 August | 14:33

Wow, jrossi, I found 2 mentions of it on blogs. It was in Surf City int he 70s/80s.

posted by Miko 03 August | 14:41

We did get one with an enclosure, and I don't think any of us is coordinated enough to even try a backflip, but thanks for the warnings, all.

I'm really hoping it just gets the boys out into the yard more often. When I was around 10, my friend had one and a bunch of us spent pretty much everyday on it in the summertime. Not jumping so much as just hanging out on it.

When I was doing research before buying one, I came across some sites that talked about putting them in-ground. Seems funky cool.

posted by danostuporstar 03 August | 14:50

Cool, Miko! The time and place are exactly right. I was beginning to think I had imagined it. We went once or twice, then my mom put her foot down.

I'm impresed with your search skills. I've never been able to find anything about it.

posted by jrossi4r 03 August | 14:51

In-ground? That's fucking excellent! Imagine a bunch of 'em, spaced just far enough apart. Maybe with obstacles between them.

Of course, you'd better have something at the end of it to break all that momentum. Like a nice big, deep pool ;)

posted by trondant 03 August | 15:35

I went to a day camp that had one in the ground. It was made of solid black rubbery stuff instead of mesh, too. It was way fun... one of my best memories, next to box lunches and horseback riding.

I've always wanted to go to one of those tramp parks, too. I wonder if any still exist.

Enjoy!

posted by Pips 04 August | 07:51

I gots springs. I am bouncing!

posted by danostuporstar 08 August | 13:56

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