Bandsaw Table email special

wannabewoodworker · Post by **wannabewoodworker** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 2:35 pm

So I got an email on 7-7-11 advertising a special on the aluminum bandsaw table retrofit kit. Well I have wanted that item for quite a while so I went ahead and ordered the kit. I also ordered the table extension as I already have the circle cutter and needed the extension to use the cutter.

So my first disappointment in this saga was as soon as I finished the order I get an email order confirmation which also extends a new offer of 20% off any regularly priced item purchased within 5 days. Well damn it if I had known that I would have waited to purchase the extension table and used the 20% off offer.

So I go today to check the status of my order and it says it has not shipped yet???? What the heck it was on the 7th that I ordered it? So I call them and it takes 5 tries before I get someone on the horn. The lady then proceeds to tell me that the order is on back order status because they had an overwhelming response to the offer. She said there were 20 table kits on back order and she had no idea when they would ship? She couldn't even check the back order status as the system was down or something. So then I ask her about the 20% off email offer after I had already purchased the table extension. She tells me she can go ahead and redo the order and create a new order for just the extension which is not on back order and give me the 20% off. So I tell her to please do that.

So at least i got the 20% off on the table extension kit but I still have no clue as to when the table retro fit kit will be shipped to me. And people wonder why Shopsmith had/has problems??? Before you run an email special you should make sure you have plenty of said item in stock before you run the special because if you don't then you are going to have a bunch of really unhappy customers. What a joke!

P.S. How many of you here took advantage of this email offer just curious???

------------END of RANT-----------

damagi · Post by **damagi** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:19 pm

wannabewoodworker wrote:So I got an email on 7-7-11 advertising a special on the aluminum bandsaw table retrofit kit. Well I have wanted that item for quite a while so I went ahead and ordered the kit. I also ordered the table extension as I already have the circle cutter and needed the extension to use the cutter.

So my first disappointment in this saga was as soon as I finished the order I get an email order confirmation which also extends a new offer of 20% off any regularly priced item purchased within 5 days. Well damn it if I had known that I would have waited to purchase the extension table and used the 20% off offer.

So I go today to check the status of my order and it says it has not shipped yet???? What the heck it was on the 7th that I ordered it? So I call them and it takes 5 tries before I get someone on the horn. The lady then proceeds to tell me that the order is on back order status because they had an overwhelming response to the offer. She said there were 20 table kits on back order and she had no idea when they would ship? She couldn't even check the back order status as the system was down or something. So then I ask her about the 20% off email offer after I had already purchased the table extension. She tells me she can go ahead and redo the order and create a new order for just the extension which is not on back order and give me the 20% off. So I tell her to please do that.

So at least i got the 20% off on the table extension kit but I still have no clue as to when the table retro fit kit will be shipped to me. And people wonder why Shopsmith had/has problems??? Before you run an email special you should make sure you have plenty of said item in stock before you run the special because if you don't then you are going to have a bunch of really unhappy customers. What a joke!

P.S. How many of you here took advantage of this email offer just curious???

------------END of RANT-----------

You aren't the only one. They do these specials to help drum up demand. Hopefully they get enough orders to produce the item right away, but more often then not you will have to wait. This has happened to me for both of the larger upgrades I got. The incra fence setup was drop shipped from incra right away, but the router table part took a few months. Same as for the overarm pin router. Both were email specials.

Oh, and you should feel luck that they let you use the 20% off coupon on the extension. I bought the kreg fence kit and it went on sale the next week. They wouldn't adjust the price nor apply the coupon - lame

wannabewoodworker · Post by **wannabewoodworker** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:25 pm

Better not be a couple of months or that will be the LAST email special I get roped into.

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:44 pm

Well hopefully you did not trade 20% off of a $26 item for $8.50 of additional shipping costs.

wannabewoodworker · Post by **wannabewoodworker** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:24 pm

SDSSmith wrote:Well hopefully you did not trade 20% off of a $26 item for $8.50 of additional shipping costs.

I didn't think about that but it is probably a wash because the original order was adjusted.

8iowa · Post by **8iowa** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:37 pm

Ya gotta realize that Shopsmith is a small place. They can't afford to tie up a lot of working capital in inventory, not to mention the taxes on inventory. They can't take an order for small quantities to their suppliers and expect them to tool up for a onesy twosy run. Holding a "special" enables Shopsmith and their suppliers to do an efficient production run of sufficient quantity.

A lot of companies, many larger than Shopsmith, have to do this same thing, or have products unavailable until they can justify a new production run.

Maybe American consumers have been spoiled by places like Wal Mart, where we expect 40% discounts, instant gradification, and 24/7 service.

wgander · Post by **wgander** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:49 pm

You did get a good deal with the 20% off. That discount was a result of your order, good for the next order (usually within 5 days when ordered by phone).
I don't order much - I've already bought almost everything, but try to remember that when I place an order I'll probably get an email with that discount so if I'm ordering more than one item, I'll hold off on ordering something the 20% would be helpful for.

wannabewoodworker · Post by **wannabewoodworker** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:31 pm

wgander wrote:You did get a good deal with the 20% off. That discount was a result of your order, good for the next order (usually within 5 days when ordered by phone).
I don't order much - I've already bought almost everything, but try to remember that when I place an order I'll probably get an email with that discount so if I'm ordering more than one item, I'll hold off on ordering something the 20% would be helpful for.

Yup live and learn for sure on that one. This was the first time I ever ordered anything from SS direct.

wannabewoodworker · Post by **wannabewoodworker** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:36 pm

8iowa wrote:Ya gotta realize that Shopsmith is a small place. They can't afford to tie up a lot of working capital in inventory, not to mention the taxes on inventory. They can't take an order for small quantities to their suppliers and expect them to tool up for a onesy twosy run. Holding a "special" enables Shopsmith and their suppliers to do an efficient production run of sufficient quantity.

A lot of companies, many larger than Shopsmith, have to do this same thing, or have products unavailable until they can justify a new production run.

Maybe American consumers have been spoiled by places like Wal Mart, where we expect 40% discounts, instant gradification, and 24/7 service.

I completely understand that 8iowa but they should mention that in the email special in some way to alert those who are not used to waiting for something they order that it could be quite a while to get your item. I am sorry but it isn't much to expect to get something you paid for in a reasonable amount of time. If that is the way they do business then I won't be doing business with them again as I don't agree with "specials" that are basically based on "lets see how many people order before we stock it" mentality. I ordered based on the "assumption" that my order would be shipped within a few days of being purchased, to find out today that it was back ordered (20 kits no less) and nothing was sent to me regarding that fact was disappointing to say the least. If you are fine with ordering something and waiting months to receive it more power to you but I am not fine with that.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:55 pm

wannabewoodworker wrote:I completely understand that 8iowa but they should mention that in the email special in some way to alert those who are not used to waiting for something they order that it could be quite a while to get your item. I am sorry but it isn't much to expect to get something you paid for in a reasonable amount of time. If that is the way they do business then I won't be doing business with them again as I don't agree with "specials" that are basically based on "lets see how many people order before we stock it" mentality. I ordered based on the "assumption" that my order would be shipped within a few days of being purchased, to find out today that it was back ordered (20 kits no less) and nothing was sent to me regarding that fact was disappointing to say the least. If you are fine with ordering something and waiting months to receive it more power to you but I am not fine with that.

I agree they should have informed you of a delay.

Unless they have changed their policy, you will NOT be charged until it ships to you!

They definitely need to be more up front regarding possible delivery delays.

They do not have the resources to pre-build on speculation before a 'special'. The special promotion IS a way to make stuff available at a slightly reduced cost. Delays are expected even for 'normal' orders as you can see in the online information for many items when inventory gets low.

Not what we would like. but they are not like Wal-Mart etc.(if you see it today and are interested, better get it today since it will NOT be there tomorrow)! Next month?-You gotta be kidding. Next year?