My Sewing Machine Rant

[Tequila]

A few months ago I bought a new machine from one of the vendors that supports this forum.  My frustration and rant is not with the vendor it is with the trucking company.  The machine made it from the vendor’s location to the trucking company’s terminal that services my area in 4-5 days, I was tracking it and thought this is good.  That’s where the good feeling ends, since it was going to a residence the trucking company sent it to another outfit that handles their residential deliveries, that was over 3 weeks ago.  I’ve hit stone wall after stone wall and heard almost every excuse you can imagine, all the usuals (COVID, labor shortage, etc.) to the Final Four basketball game.  I offered to pick the machine up, that’s when I found out that it was loaded on a trailer and the company has to figure out which loaded trailer it’s on, so I can’t even pick it up.  The vendor has helped by getting their sales agent involved, I’ve called their national customer service number, but no one has been able to crack the code to get this delivered.  I don’t know about you but I’m tired of getting excuses and thinking that saying “I’m sorry” is going to make me feel better, sorry don’t feed the dog.   Ok rant is over for now.  

[Handstitched]

@Tequila Sorry to hear the frustrations you're going through atm. We too here in Oz aren't immune from courier & postal delivery delays.    This is a truly  horrible sickening thought, and pray its not the case,  but just wondering if the machine has been damaged and someone somewhere isn't telling you ? The vendor has been quite helpful by the sound of it.   Do you have a ' consumer affairs/ protection  dept'  or someone you can complain to? .  

I'm still waiting for some sealer & hardware  from Queensland ( in the east of Oz ) . It arrived at a depot in my state (only 3 hrs away) ...and thats where its stayed since March 29 . Postal tracking keeps saying ' its delayed ' and ask them to "investigate if it doesn't arrive"  It would be quicker for me to pick it up .  I'm starting to think  that some numb nuts has dropped it . 

Hope your machine arrives soon. 

HS

Edited April 8, 2022 by Handstitched

[suzelle]

Tequila,

Oh gee, that sounds horrible. Nice of you to point out it's not the fault of the Sewing Machine Dealer and I'm glad that person is involved in helping your sort out just where your machine is. I think I'd be pretty upset myself. I'm waiting for the delivery of a new Juki 1541S. Hoping all will be well, but it started out a little weird, I must admit. I was told just 3-4 days to get it to my address, which will be a Commercial address. No lift gate needed. So we will see. It's supposed to be here Monday for delivery now, which turns out to be more than twice the time they quoted, but it's nowhere near the length of time you have been waiting. Keeping fingers crossed for you!!! Hopefully if you cannot get your machine very very soon, you will be fully compensated and will be able to move forward in another direction. Good luck to you!

[Tequila]

Thanks folks I see I’m not alone here.  Wishing both better luck than I’m having 

[VIIXCIV]

I'm just going to quickly chime in and say one of the things which annoys me the most is incompetence. And I say this all the time. If you're going to do something, do it properly or don't bother doing it at all 

[MtlBiker]

@Tequila - That's gotta be tough... waiting and waiting and not even sure it'll ever get to you.  Crazy!

I'm going to add to the ranting with a little rant of my own... I placed an order through Amazon for a small item I really wanted (actually it's two small Arkansas oilstones which I would use for sharpening my awl blades).  Delivery was scheduled for almost 10 days out, on a Friday.  But on the Monday morning prior to that expected Friday delivery, I got a notice that it was out for delivery.  Only problem is that my office/business is closed on Mondays.  It's never been a problem with any other delivery or courier... they see we are closed, our business hours are clearly posted on the front door, and they always make a second delivery attempt the next day.  That's been the case for the delivery companies Amazon contracts to as well as Canada Post, Purolator, Canpar, UPS and FedEx.

But in this case the delivery company simply brought (supposedly) the package to a pickup location FIVE KM away!  (There are lots of dropoff/pickup locations much closer).  They made NO attempt on a second delivery (as Amazon tells me they are contracted to do).  So two days later I went to that pickup location and the package was not there.  The delivery location is a small corner store absolutely jam packed with candy, soft drinks and other stuff and it was the size of a larger cupboard.  The man running the place could hardly speak English and spoke no French and he couldn't find my tracking number in his records.  All the packages waiting for pickup were just stacked at the side of his counter.  No package.  I called Amazon and they agreed to refund the purchase and said that if I wanted the product to reorder it and they were sure this wouldn't happen again.  So I ordered again and guess what?  The same thing happened!  Scheduled delivery for a Friday but out for delivery on the Monday before.  And again sent to the pickup location without a second delivery attempt.  And again I went there only to find it wasn't there.  And even though it's possible that someone just picked it up (stole it) from the store because the packages are unattended, the man showed me his list of waybills received and mine wasn't there.  I suspect the courier company and particularly the driver.  I went through the whole customer support thing with Amazon and again they agreed to a "goodwill" refund.  And that they would "de-priortize" that delivery contractor for my future orders.  A week later, because I really wanted the product, I ordered for the third time, but this time used my home as the delivery address.  And it was finally delivered!  Left at my door by the same delivery service (so much for de-prioritizing them) but obviously a different driver.

Now my little less than $100 order doesn't compare with your several thousand dollar sewing machine, but the frustration (and yes, anger) certainly was there.

I hope you get your machine soon, and that everything works out well in the end.

 

[Dwight]

2 hours ago, Tequila said:

Thanks folks I see I’m not alone here.  Wishing both better luck than I’m having 

I know it was probably not an option for you . . . but it won't take you long to figure out why I personally drove there and picked up both of my machines.

May God bless,

Dwight

[kgg]

8 hours ago, Tequila said:

My frustration and rant is not with the vendor it is with the trucking company.

I do hope you do get the machine. I assume you paid for the machine the day you ordered it months ago. How long is the vendor going to let this go on before they declare it lost / stolen and ship another machine or refund your money.

It seems this is happening more often these days. Most times it isn't the vendor at fault except they choose the shipper to handle the item. It doesn't seem to matter whether it is a small envelope size item or something needing a pallet.  I ordered 25 meters (82 feet) of 21 oz canvas which is 60 inches wide. So it isn't a small package. The vendor had it pickup up by NationEx on Feb 8 in Montreal, Quebec who handed it off to Midland in Toronto, Ontario. who shipped it to Moncton, New Brunswick then someone figured out it needed to go back to Toronto, Ontario. It then was shipped to Ottawa, Ontario where Midland handed it off to Canex who did the final delivery to me on Feb. 17. I asked the vendor if it came with a mileage warranty. At least I did get the item where as a small envelope sized item I order from Amazon being sold by an US supplier on Feb. 17 is still on a walkabout.

My main rant these days is the shipping costs. I was am looking for two single hole singer style sewing machine hinges and found them in the US for $5.10 plus shipping plus import taxes to Ontario, Canada. I decided against the purchase as the shipping cost was $16.95 US.

kgg

Edited April 8, 2022 by kgg
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[eblanche]

I know most on this thread have not had decent experiences lately, but I have to say, I was just shipped a crated up machine (to a commercial address) from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire and the process was smooth. From hanging up the phone after payment mid morning Thursday to delivery the following Tuesday mid afternoon. This includes the weekend which freight typically doesn't account for. The cost was IMO very reasonable and much less than estimated quotes from back in December. Total shipping/crating costs of less than $200.

There is hope and the fact the vendor is working with you is a good sign. With the recent ongoings, it could very well be held up in a trailer just waiting for a truck to take it along. In my experience, you can't let up and keep trying to contact the necessary people. Talk to the right people and they'll find your machine and be able to tell you what the hold up has been.

 

Edited April 9, 2022 by eblanche
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[jrdunn]

@Tequila,

I know this won't help you now.  When I ordered my CB4500 from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, I had it delivered to my local feed store(A place I visit reuglarly.).  They have a dock and a forklift, no problem.  I have a forklift too but would have to make an appointment for them to deliver, take off work.  If they miss a delivery date, we go through it again.  It all worked out great.  I made the manager a token "gift", everyone was happy.  Bob Kovar at Toledo said that it wasn't the first time to deliver to a feed store.  I suppose any other cooperative business with a dock or forklift would work.  I guess I'm just more comfortable around people with bovine feces on their footwear.  Maybe this will help you if you have to have it reshipped or you order another later.  Maybe it will help someone else.  As with most of my posts, it's JM2C.

Jim