[mostinterestingmanintheworld]I don't do much online shopping, but when I do, I'm serious about it.[/mostinterestingmanintheworld]. And yet, several times over the past 18 months, I have encountered retailers that don't bother to monitor and/or update their websites, costing me purchases.
Some highlights:
1) I've had my overnight online purchase of a guitar negated by an in-store sale the following morning.
2) I've had a transaction cancelled because the last available unit was defective. (I appreciate this, but shouldn't they have figured this out beforehand?)
3) During the hunt for one particular guitar, I actually had the maker ascertain whether a certain website was accurately listing a whole flotilla of them, only to find out that page hadn't been updated in more than a year- all had been sold.
4) several retailers I emailed sales inquiries to have not answered. They've had weeks if not months. Some are rumored to have gone out of business- I'm investigating this- but others are CLEARLY announcing new sales and products.
And why am I venting tonight? Well, after completing a transaction for a pedal this weekend while all the online sales were going on, just a few minutes ago, I received notification that the transaction was cancelled due to lack of availability. Not only will I not get my pedal in 2 days, if I can find another, it will probably cost me an extra $50.