Online Shopping Companies That Don’t Deliver

The Internet has created a whole new way to shop – online. For many of us, the added ease of being able to browse an online store from the comfort of our homes, in our pjays has even become an addiction.

Online shopping is a highly competitive field, worth an estimated $1CDN billion in North America, which is why most companies offering online deals toss in various incentives to get you to buy from their virtual stores.

I enjoy online shopping – it is so much easier comparing prices from different merchants without having to deal with pesky commission-based sales people constantly pestering me. Also, I like the ability to order something one day, and have it delivered to my front door the next – it’s just like ordering a pizza, without the anchovies.

As competitive as the online shopping world is, there are still some bad seeds out there – it is a buyer beware world.

Recently I had two very bad experiences shopping online, and although I usually devote this blog to news and current affairs commentary, by sharing my experiences – both with major Canadian retailers -- hopefully others won’t encounter the same difficulties.

Before I delve into the dirty details, let me preface this sordid tale – I have bought many things online and never had a problem. There are plenty of quality places that deliver on their promises.

My first really negative online shopping experience actually involves a medium other than the Internet, but just as popular – television.

The Shopping Channel (www.theshoppingchannel.com) boasts wonderful deals 24 hours per day, seven days per week on their Canada-wide television broadcasts.
They have highly engaging hosts, skilled in the art of selling anything to anyone.
My mom is even addicted to watching this channel, and I must confess to occasionally becoming intrigued by some of their sales pitches.

Sometimes I scoff at the slick way they present low-end electronics based on their cosmetic appeal, such as their mini-lap tops which they often refer to as great fashion accessories. When a computer is sold to go along with a pair of shoes, one has to seriously question just how useful that computer will actually be.

Other times I marvel at the inner workings of some of their audio components, such as the Bose Wave Music system. It looks really cool, but they make up every excuse in the book to avoid telling you just how powerful it really is, so there is no way to compare it with other audio systems.

Then there are times such as happened a couple of weeks ago, when I happened to be flipping around the digital television universe, and my eyes happened upon a sleek set of solar powered garden lights. For a mere $30CDN plus shipping, handling and taxes, you get ten stainless steel solar garden lights.

I thought this was a great deal, and happened to really like the modern styling of the product. Also, the lights were solid – glass and steel, not plastic, which many of these are. So, I picked up my phone, dialed the number on the screen and placed my order.

I was offered what they call “Easy Pay” – their installment plan, which would have spanned three-months, but made the payments under $20 on my credit card.

I could have easily paid the total all at once, but opted for their installment plan – why not, it was a smaller financial amount at once, and didn’t cost anything extra.

Three days later, I receive a call from the Shopping Channel telling me that they made a mistake and didn’t put it on their installment plan, so the full amount would be billed to my credit card. I told them that was fine, so long as the order would be sent out that day – I was supposed to get it within ten business days, three had passed, and they were still waiting to authorize my credit card.

The Shopping Channel’s representative assured me everything was okay, that my card would be authorized right away and the order would go out by the end of the day.

The next day, my credit card still hadn’t been authorized – I check these things online – so I called The Shopping Channel back, and got a different representative. He was very courteous and professional, but was equally as confused with my question as to what was happening with my order. He saw in their system that I had talked with someone, and authorized the full amount, but didn’t know why it still hadn’t gone through. He said he left a message for the person I originally talked to, and once she got back to him, he’d get back to me.
I didn’t want to wait for them to figure out why their system wasn’t working – so I immediately canceled my order, and vowed never to order from them again.

Signs that a company may or may not be a legitimate, honest, or reliable company to do business with – no one knows what’s going on.

Granted, this is a Canada-wide television station, owned by one of the largest broadcasting companies in the country – Rogers Broadcasting – but even the big guys can appear all shining and spotless on the outside, but rotten to the core inside.

Had the customer service representative I talked with been able to get the answers to my questions right then and there – I am always willing to wait, no matter how long it takes to get to the bottom of any issues – I would have not felt uneasy about doing business with that company. But instead, he just left it at “I don’t know, I’ll get back to you.”

Sorry, in this high-tech, information overloaded world, “I don’t know, I’ll get back to you,” just doesn’t cut it.

Today, I was forced to cancel an order with www.Staples.ca because they kept making promises, but not delivering – literally.

I ordered a webcam and wireless printer from their online site on Tuesday, and according to their own terms and conditions, was to receive the order the next day. I placed the order well before their early evening next-day delivery cut-off – I placed my order in the morning, and both items were in stock, according to their website.

SO, I should have received both the webcam and the printer this past Wednesday, between the hours of 9am and 5pm. I even made sure I was around and available for the order, constantly watching my building’s in-house security cameras for the delivery driver.

While I was putting my life on hold for a couple of small items, I get a call from Staples.ca telling me that the printer was out of stock, but would be sent the next day. The camera was still on its way for delivery that day (Wednesday). As the person who called was professional and apologetic, I understood, and was okay with this, although I wondered why it wasn’t reporting as out of stock on their website (I checked after the call, it was still listed as available).

I waited all stinkin’ day for that webcam – no one came. I called Staples.ca, and they told me someone did come around 10:45am, but I wasn’t home. I scoffed back that I was home all day, and had anyone attempted to ring up to my place, I would have answered. Had anyone knocked on my door, I would have answered, no one came by at all.

Usually when I’m away and a package comes for me – as for most of us – the delivery person will leave a missed delivery slip on the door, or in the lobby of the building. There were no such slips anywhere to be seen.

The Staples.ca representative apologized for “her mistake” – seems like more of an outright lie – and assured me she was putting “notes” into the system to ensure I received both items the next business day.

SO, again, I waited all day for both items to arrive, and again no one showed up. For next-day delivery, this would be fine if I was in some different time zone, but next day it wasn’t.

I called Staples.ca and politely asked about my order. The person I got, different from the first two, apologized and said she didn’t know what happened.

Sound like a familiar excuse? Big flashing red warning alarms went off in my mind’s eye.

The customer service representative at Staples.ca tells me she’s putting “notes” into the system to ensure I get my complete order the next business day. I complained that the previous person I talked to at her “wonderful” company did just that the day before, and that was unacceptable.

She offered me a ten percent discount on my order, and promised me both the webcam and the printer would arrive together tomorrow first-thing – “I’ll make your delivery a priority” she promised.

Originally ordered on Tuesday, should have arrived on Wednesday, it was now looking like I wouldn’t receive the order until Friday, but I do get a discount . . .
OKAY, I told her I accept her terms.

Today, a delivery driver shows up at my door with the webcam, no printer. I ask him where my printer is. He shows me on the invoice that I am not being billed for it because it is out of stock.

My credit card had already been authorized for the total amount, and hadn’t been reduced by the cost of the printer. And the customer service rep I talked with the day before didn’t live up to her end of the deal – both the printer and the webcam were to be delivered TOGETHER first-thing.

I asked the delivery driver what would become of the printer, and he tells me because it is out of stock I have to re-order it.

Re-order this.

I canceled the whole damn order, refused the delivery of the webcam, and will never do business with Staples retail stores, or Staples.ca ever again.

Although they were always polite, they were caught in several lies, and never fulfilled the terms of their own policies clearly shown on their website. And, they made promises they either couldn’t offer (so they shouldn’t have made those promises in the first place) or just didn’t honor.

Buyer be warned – The Shopping Channel and Staples may appear reliable, honest and credible places to do your online and retail shopping. But appearances are misleading.

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Texting While Driving -- Unbelievable

Canada’s largest province, Ontario, has officially banned talking and texting while driving. Effective this past Monday, the new law allows police to charge drivers fines up to $500 for yacking, texting, or surfing the net any mobile device.

Headsets are allowed provided they are truly hands-free, and you can still use your hands for dialing the emergency number 9-1-1 while driving.

It still amazes me that anyone would try typing out a text message while driving.
Talking on the phone – although distracting – isn’t nearly as dangerous as trying to text someone while behind the wheel.

I couldn’t imagine anyone actually taking their hands, eyes, and mind off the road long enough to type out a text message.

Image via Wikipedia

Until I saw someone actually doing it, that is.

Ironic, the weekend before the new law prohibiting drivers from texting while driving, I see some young kid weaving in and out of traffic, all while texting.

Not to stereotype – though if the lead foot fits – it was a young Asian kid in a supped-up purple and black sports car. It even had those funky purple lights underneath the car – why anyone needs those is beyond me – maybe they hope it will distract other drivers from their poor driving abilities?

This kid – probably in his early twenties, if that – was weaving in and out of lanes, passing cars like he were in the Indy 500. He stopped at a traffic light, and I looked over at him, he was talking on one cell phone, while typing something on the keypad of another.

It’s bad enough to be on one phone, but to be using two, and driving like a maniac too boot – I hope the cops caught up with this racer, and took away his purple and black car with the purple lights underneath.

Since then, I’ve seen others texting while driving – perhaps I was more aware of these people since my run-in with the purple speed demon earlier. Saw another young person, texting while driving. She wasn’t racing in and out of traffic, but she wasn’t watching where she was going. She almost ran a red light, stopping very suddenly, all because she was too busy sending text messages on her phone.

Image via Wikipedia

I know the laws in Ontario are new, but I don’t think the fines are large enough to punish those that text and talk on their mobile devices while driving.

Talking, texting, or surfing the net while on a mobile device while driving – is only different from drinking and driving in that one is chemical reaction on our biological systems, the other is just plain stupidity. Well, come to think about it, both are stupid things to do.

Far worse, you are in your right frame of mind for the most part, while using a mobile device – so you should be able to think first about the consequences of using that mobile device while driving. You should be well aware of the dangers involved. Or those dangers should become all the more evident as you attempt to talk, text or surf while driving, causing you to stop using the mobile device, or the car, or both.

Those caught using a mobile device without a hands-free set while driving shouldn’t be fined – they should be removed from the road right away.

Just as in many jurisdictions, if you have a high quantity of alcohol in your system, the police can legally confiscate your vehicle, they should do the same for those found talking, typing, or surfing on their mobile devices while behind the wheel.

If we took away a person’s license, and impounded their vehicles for this dangerous driving, then fewer people would do it, and those that did, won’t ever do it again.

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Summer in the City of Stink

Summertime brings out the best festivals in Canada’s largest city of Toronto.
There are regular Ribfests, where “ribbers” (the guys cooking up the ribs) from all over North America come to win the ultimate prize – best ribs. It’s also where rib lovers like me can go to get sticky fingers, as we sample all the different ribs.

They even had a Ribfest at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) – another popular summer festival, which opens in a handful of weeks. The CNE – or “the Ex” for us locals – is the largest fall fair in the country, with exhibitions, live stage and music shows, magic, and of course the rides of the Midway and all that food. Though if they have a Ribfest at the Ex again this year, I recommend staying away from all the overpriced greasy crap they sloth out at the Food Building, and go for some high quality, finger-licking ribs.

Image via Wikipedia

But that’s not for a couple of weeks – the big show to hit TO is the annual Caribana Festival. This is the largest Caribbean cultural festival in North America, drawing millions of people from around the world to Toronto. From music and dance, to food and costumes, even the parade, it all adds a bit of excitement to a hot summer in Toronto.

My favourite summer treat happens middle of August – The Taste of the Danforth. Danforth Avenue in mid-town Toronto is known as Little Greece, for its large Greek population, restaurants, and cultural centres. During this festival celebrating Greek culture, they shut down most of the road, so you can have some of the best Greek food, while roaming the exhibits, shows, and other fun things to do.

Summer in Canada’s largest city isn’t dull – but this summer it sure may smell funky, thanks to the 24,000 City of Toronto employees walking the picket lines.
Both the city’s inside and outside workers walked off the job June 22, shutting down city run services. From daycare centres, community pools and recreation centers, to most noticeably garbage collection.

To ensure people have some place to dump their trash, the city opened up temporary trash sites across the city – where us residents must haul our own waste too. These temporary garbage dumps have been located in public

Image via Wikipedia

spaces owned by the city – community center parking lots, football fields, ice arenas, even children’s playgrounds.
Problem is, as the unions continue to refuse to negotiate – instead they demand the city give them what they want without any questions or compromises – the City of Toronto is slowly running out of these public spaces.

One possible site is the Canadian National Exhibition – the CNE grounds. This is a public space, and the city is well within its legal rights to use it as needed. However, it highlights an even larger problem for Canada’s largest city – image.

The CNE attracts visitors from across Canada, the States and around the world. It is one of the biggest summer tourist stops during its brief end of summer run.

Imagine the sounds of the midway, and the smells of the cotton candy interrupted by the ugly sight of thousands of stinky garbage bags, piled high, and growing every day.

The image of Toronto as one of the friendliest, cleanest and safest cities in North America would be shattered – if it hasn’t already been, thanks to a few bullies running an overpowering union.

The City of Toronto has made numerous attempts to end the strike using the collective bargaining process. They have made various offers, but the unio

Image via Wikipedia

ns – as many belligerent bullies do – refuse to accept anything but the whole enchilada.

One of the union leaders demonstrated his thug-like behaviour recently, by uttering an ultimatum – he said, either give us what we want by Sunday at midnight, or he (and presumably his colleagues) will storm out of the hotel where the negotiations are taking place, and join the picket lines indefinitely until we get what we want.

Nice – I didn’t know “Terrorism 101: How to Avoid Civil Discussions and Negotiations” was taught in union management school.

To be fair, I conducted my own informal survey to find out who locals blame for the continued strike. Using our social networks (Twitter and Facebook), we asked you: “Who do you blame for failing to end the five-week-old civic employees strike in Toronto?”

As of this writing, 73 percent put the blame exclusively on the union and its members. Only nine percent blamed the Mayor and his city’s negotiating team, though 18 percent blamed both the city and the union. You can vote on and see the on-going live poll here.

Regardless of who is and isn’t at fault for the continued labour dispute in Canada’s largest city, one thing is very clear – without the services you’d expect to find in such a large and modernized city, the image of it around the world – and even for its millions of residents – has changed forever.

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Doesn’t Anyone Work Anymore?

Why Labour Unions Are Like An Old Shoe

During tough economic times as we’ve been in since late last year, people tend to do whatever it takes to ensure they keep their pay cheques coming in.

That is, unless you have the luxury of being in a labour union. Or so it seems, as this summer is being called the summer of the strike as more organized labour unions in Canada are walking the picket lines at any one time.

Earlier this year, city workers for the City of Windsor, Ontario, Canada walked off the job – just this week they ratified a new deal.

Image via Wikipedia

But Canada’s largest city remains without the basic services that make a city liveable, as 24,000 inside and outside civic workers continue to walk the picket lines. Garbage collection is the most visible victim in this strike, as non-unionized city employees have had to establish temporary trash heaps in community center parking lots, parks, and children’s playgrounds.

But other essential services are affected, one of which are paramedics which aren’t allowed to walk out completely – thankfully – but are working to rule. An investigation is currently underway where a man that died from heart failure could have lived, had the working to rule paramedics reached him sooner.

Image via Wikipedia

And today, Canada’s national passenger rail service, Via Rail Canada added to the picket lines popping up across the country, as their 350 locomotive engineers and yardmasters went on strike, over wages, benefits and scheduling changes.

Unions at Canada’s national airline, Air Canada were in a legal strike position, but going against the grain of many other unions, actually came to an arrangement with management, and have renegotiated their collective agreement, averting a strike.

Organized Labour -- Out of Touch with Today

Labour unions have done good things in the past. Without the labour movement, our employers would most likely still be severely underpaying us, forcing us to work unreasonably long hours, and in dangerous and non-productive workplaces.
Labour unions have lobbied for, and won us decent wages, reasonable expectations for hours of work, and compensation in money or time of overtime, and have helped pave the way for safer, worker-friendly environments.

They have also assisted in preventing the abuse of children in the workplace, sexism, and other forms of discrimination in the workplace through their lobbying and negotiation strategies.

However, maybe the labour union is like an old shoe beyond repair

Image by Beige Alert via Flickr

. No matter how many times you patch an old shoe, there comes a time when there just isn’t anything left to attach the patches too, so it’s time to go out and get a new pair.

The shoe once was comfy, cozy, maybe even stylish. But now it lacks the padding and support necessary to safely be worn.

Labour unions were once comfy, cozy and stylish too. They provided comfort to their members by standing up for their rights, to negotiate fair and equal wages, benefits and working conditions. It used to be a cozy arrangement working in a union shop, as it almost guaranteed no matter what happened, you’d always have a job. And it could even be said that union membership was stylish, as those not in ‘em tried to get jobs at places where unions ruled, so that they too could benefit from the union’s representation.

But like our old shoe, unions are beyond repair. They don’t negotiate anymore, they dictate, command, order, and then hold their members employers hostage by walking out “in solidarity” as they go out on strike, until those orders are fulfilled.

Unions don’t take into consideration the needs of the employer, and what is and isn’t really possible in today’s economy.

They no longer need to fight for fair market value wages – most unionized workers earn on average about five to 10 per cent more than those who are non-unionized doing the same job elsewhere.

They no longer need to fight for better benefits, again most unionized workers have more benefits than their equivalent non-unionized workers. And as the economy has shrunk over the past decade, there has been a consistent decline in the numbers of full-time staff employees in the workforce. These jobs remain, but instead of being on staff, with benefits, companies are hiring people on contract arrangements, so they don’t have to pay for benefits. Not so if you’re in a union – you’re

Image via Wikipedia

pretty much guaranteed benefits.

And unions no longer need to fight for safer workplaces. Thanks to years of lobbying, governments have taken on the responsibility of ensuring employers provide safe working environments, through legislation, inspections and where necessary, fines and enforcement.

So, what do today’s organized labour unions do?

They still have all the fight left in them from the initial labour movement, but instead of putting that energy to good use, they use it to bully employers into backing down to their outrageous demands.

Case in point, in both civic employees strikes in Windsor and Toronto, the cities offered counter-offers to the unions demands. They didn’t offer everything the unions wanted, but that’s not the point of hammering out these things.

The whole collective bargaining process is a negotiation – where all sides discuss what they can give in exchange for what the other wants.

But unions these days, still led by labour movement fighters loaded with piss and vinegar don’t want any part of it – they either get exactly what they want, or they walk away, taking their members – and the employers workers – with them into a strike situation, which benefits no one.

As of today, the 24,000 civic workers for the City of Toronto have been on strike 33 days. Millions of residents in Canada’s largest city have gone without garbage collection, maintenance of public spaces, and reduced ambulatory services for over a month.

Image by Doug McG. via Flickr

Thousands of restaurants across the city have gone without their regular inspections, possibly endangering those who frequent the few bad apples of the bunch.

The city’s health department hasn’t seen a day of work in over a month – yet the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned all major urban centers to be on alert and ready for another outbreak of the deadly H1N1 Swine Flu. Medical experts have come out against the Toronto Strike, saying the city may not be ready for this outbreak, possibly resulting in hundreds of preventable deaths.

Countries around the world have placed Canada’s largest city on their watch lists, warning their citizens not to travel to Toronto, because of the unsafe conditions caused by the labour dispute.

Add in today’s strike at Via Rail Canada, and the entire tourism industry is a right-off.

Yet, Toronto Mayor David Miller and his team have offered the city’s unions contracts which are balanced and fair. They don’t give the unions everything they demand, but the compromises fall in line with what other similar sized cities provide to their employees.

But unions these days don’t want to compromise, they want it all – or nothing.
And that is why unions – like the old shoe – should be tossed out with the trash.

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