Strange Customer Service Scenario. Am I an A-hole?

Last week I ordered (an expensive) set of Bilstein suspension for an e36 m3 at around 10pm. Within about an hour, I had decided it wasn't the right time to make this purchase. I emailed the company I had purchased from and asked them to cancel the order.

The following morning, someone from the company called and said "we're a small company. we'll refund your money, but you are banned for life from making any future purchases." He didn't offer any kind of explanation other than they're a "small company".

5 minutes later, the company owner responds to my previous night's email with the Star Trek face-palm meme and tells me to never contact his company again.

I'm at a complete loss as to why a company would react this way. I'm sure that my order cancellation inconvenienced him slightly but I'm guessing it takes just a few mouse clicks and maybe 5 minutes to correct the issue. I even apologized for my canceled order twice but that didn't seem to matter.

Why would a business owner react this way? When I clicked the "purchase" button at 10pm, did I set some massive machine in motion that cannot be stopped? Maybe the Bilstein parts are not kept in stock and I did set a drop-ship scenario in motion? But I think they do stock the items.

I'm just baffled by the company's choice to handle the situation this way.

screw them... post their name everywhere and publicly shame them...

They are complete A-holes and clearly have not heard of the internet and social media. Please post the company name so they they can learn their lesson properly. I mean, be pissed if you want, but always, ALWAYS keep it to yourself.

They probably have some sort of auto-drop-ship ap running. You order and they auto-order from their supplier who then drop ships to you. You ordering and cancelling probably screwed up their whole system. They don't want your business. Fine, spend your money elsewhere.

It is a generally well-respected company that I believe advertises with GRM, which contributes further to my surprise.

Dr. Hess wrote: They probably have some sort of auto-drop-ship ap running. You order and they auto-order from their supplier who then drop ships to you. You ordering and cancelling probably screwed up their whole system. They don't want your business. Fine, spend your money elsewhere.

Yeah. That's the plan. They do make some quality parts. I guess I'll have to talk a buddy into ordering for me if I need any of their stuff. :)

Screw them. I wouldn't buy anything from them, even through your buddy.

Have you caused this small business to pay credit card processing fees to take in your money and fees again to refund the money?

wish you would let us know who they are ... and I'm pretty sure GRM would like to know also

JohnRW1621 wrote: Have you caused this small business to pay credit card processing fees to take in your money and fees again to refund the money?

I did use a credit card to set up the initial purchase. Did they have to pay fees? I don't know. I'm not too familiar with how refunds are handled. They did not make any mention of this but maybe that's the cause.

wbjones wrote: wish you would let us know who they are ... and I'm pretty sure GRM would like to know also

Vorshlag

can you check your CC account on line ? if so you can see if you were charged and then refunded ... usually a refund takes several days, whereas the initial purchase shows up the same day, or the next at worse (seldom takes longer than that) and if it did in this case then, no, they didn't have to pay any fee until they passed it on to the CC company

In reply to wbjones:

Not always... I don't do a large volume of credit card processing for my business... and any disputed or refunded charge will have some kind of cost simply because of the contract I have with the processing service..

But....... that is just part of doing business....

In reply to wbjones:

I made sure the refund showed up before posting about it. My account showed the refund within a day. But I just looked again and the initial purchase and refund are both not showing up.

Lof8 wrote:

wbjones wrote: wish you would let us know who they are ... and I'm pretty sure GRM would like to know also

Vorshlag

If I recall, there was a thread a while back about someone who had an issue with them and made a thread about it. Then an employee (owner possibly?) chimed in on the thread and seemed to clear things up. Maybe you'll get the same thing here.

Either way, sending you a meme in an email is not how you run a business. I don't care how good/cheap their parts are.

Maybe I'll order some parts tonight then....

"Banned for life from purchasing from us"? Man, that's really aggressive. But the Star Trek face plan from the owner? That's someone with anger management issues.

Glad I don't own a BMW and don't need their parts....

JohnRW1621 wrote: Have you caused this small business to pay credit card processing fees to take in your money and fees again to refund the money?

That's no excuse for a business to act that way.

A simple cancellation/ restocking fee would solve the problem.

Hey, we are talking BMW's, right? I mean, there's a reason that "porcupine" joke is out there. Maybe it's like lawyer jokes. As in "Q: How many lawyer jokes are there? A: Three. The rest are all true."

Never order again? I'd take it up with GRM directly, not on the forum. Then I'd heed their request- never order from them again- and spread your experience. Berk them...

it seems a more appropriate email would have contained things like "what made you change your mind?" or "if there is anything we can do for you in the future please let us know" - not "get berkeleyed never call us again"

Terry Fair sent you a Star Trek meme? You should be honored, not upset.

So on your death bed your grandson asks for one last request and your dying wish is to buy him a sweet Bilstein suspension but you can't? I'm not sure how you can go through life with that hanging over your head. Banned for life is serious.

All kidding aside I don't think you did anything wrong but I think the owner needs to chime in and explain.