Shock! A customer service story not about AOL.

(Heh.  I just got the banner ad for Verizon.  They are the only other company I've left due to incompetence.  Too funny.)

Today's story is about a dress and skirt I ordered from Eddie Bauer online.  I've ordered from them a lot in the past.  They have a greater selection online, they ship really fast, and if the stuff doesn't fit, you can return it to their stores (which avoids the hassle of mailing something back).

I placed this order way back on the 8th.  I had just received another order from them, and I liked the skirt I'd bought so darned much, I thought I'd order it in another color.  And I threw in a dress.  I wasn't real sure about the dress, but the order I'd just received included a discount code for free shipping on my next order ... so I figured, hey, what have I got to lose?  If I don't like the dress, I'll return it to the store, and I won't even be out shipping costs.

So, to sum up:  I ordered a skirt and a dress from Eddie Bauer on 11/8, with free shipping.

On 11/15, I received an email from Eddie Bauer.  They said there was a "system problem" that had caused a delay in the processing of my order.  But it was all fixed now.  They said that, as an apology for the delay, they'd waive the shipping charge.  (This would've been rather more impressive had I actually paid shipping charges in the first place.)  They also said they'd send me a gift certificate as an expression of their appreciation. 

I gotta say, Eddie Bauer is class all the way.  They messed up; they 'fessed up; they shipped the order out ASAP; and promised a small token of their appreciation (good for a future purchase).  Man, that's the way to keep customers.

I log on this morning and find a tracking number for my package.  I duly plug it in and am told by UPS that, not only did Eddie Bauer send that sucker out yesterday, it had already made it to my local UPS place as of 8:08 this morning, and at 8:15 got placed on a truck to be delivered to my home.  I credit Eddie Bauer for this, too -- upgrading me to a faster form of shipping to make up for the delay.  They totally rock.  (Stick a banner ad for Eddie Bauer on my journal and I won't mind... heh, they're probably too cool to use annoying banner ads.)

The problem is ... no package.

I checked outside tonight.  No tag either.

I logged back on.  The UPS website now says that (as of an entry at 9:07 p.m. tonight), my package missed the truck.  Honest.  The 8:15 a.m. entry says "out for delivery."  The 9:07 p.m. entry says "the package was missed at the UPS facility."  They'll redeliver tomorrow.  No apology.  Not even an entry in the middle of the day when they noticed my package was still sitting on the shelf somewhere.  Just "the package was missed."

So.  While I was working at home all day today and ready to meet a UPS package, I will actually be at the office tomorrow, and therefore won't be here to let them in.

Who wants to wager whether I'll actually get my skirt and dress before I leave for Taiwan on Saturday?  I'm thinking it's even odds.