Online store keeping me on edge

[tvtoms]

So I ordered from Midwest Supplies Inc.. On my first order ever, I needed a few things. One of which was a spray bottle. Between the time I ordered, and the time it was picked, they sold out. The nice dude called me up to let me know. I let him know I was placing another order next week, so we agreed I'd put a note on the order to include the spray bottle from the previous order as per phone call yada yada. So I did that.

The next day or so, a spray bottle shows up. Oops. Then another day, my next order shows up. With another spray bottle. So clearly someone else saw my first order was shorted, so they sent the bottle. Then they included one as per my note. So now, I've paid for 1 spray bottle and I have 2. I appreciate the prompt attention, but it's still not quite right and I owe them.

To my third order, and I include another note saying "you've sent me an extra spray bottle I havent paid for, so feel free to charge me the $2.95, thanks". I get the order. It has a hand written note on the order for $2.95, .....and another spray bottle. Now I have (I think) paid for 2 spray bottles, and received 3.

I unpack the beer kit ordered, it has the wrong yeast. No biggy I say. I have some yeast in my fridge, I'll use it. I write an email to them explaining the spray bottle thing (again and for the last time) and mention the yeast and am told I can just keep the extra bottle, and if I want the yeast I ordered to let them know and they'll send it right out. Thats cool and all, and I give good credit where good credit is due. So I'm thinking thats that, everything is squared away after a comedy of errors.

Last night I went to clean my bottling stuff and notice a noise in the basement. Long story short, I caught and drowned a mouse. Bottling day ruined, but I decide that maybe I'll call it Maus Haus Ale.

At 3pm today I go back to the newly scrubbed and cleaned basement, and hook up my brand new 6 ft of 5/16 inch siphon tubing to my siphon to clean them. WTF? It slides onto the cane loosely! It's the wrong @#*& size!!!!!

So I just wrote them an email asking if I can order from them and have the right s***** show up in the box, or not? Blah. Any advice to remain calm when I'm ready to chuck everything out the window and take up knitting?

 

[Bopper]

That's a lot of errors!! I can't imagine how frustrated I'd be!!

I'd definitely give them a call so that you can get the correct tubing and let them know that this kind of thing is going on.

I haven't ordered from Midwest myself, however, I do know that a lot of people on HBT use them and I've read a lot of good reviews. Maybe they have a new guy processing the orders or something. Either way, if I were the owner, I would want to know about it.

 

[passedpawn]

Try another place. Or, if you have a local shop, use them. This lets you make the mistake yourself

They are all good, and they all make mistakes sometimes. Your job is to do what is right for you. If we all do that the best store will win. I use brewmaster's warehouse for my stuff.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

$2.95 for spray bottle? Plus shipping?

WalMart has them for a dollar!

 

[tvtoms]

Yeah, it's a nice chemical resistant sprayer.. Really nice actually, and I should know.. I have 3 of them. Shipping was spread out among all the items. If I only needed 1 good sprayer, I would not order it online. Thats the key with online shipping.. make it worth it or wait.

I'm happy with their online store and selection. And I really dont mind someone screwing up the yeast. But dang the tubing sent me over the edge. I emailed them asking if I have to drive there and pack my own orders, lol. I think that was strong enough.

I managed retail for 10 yrs and I know stuff happens sometimes. I just wonder if the guy packing my 3rd order was stoned for real. Wrong yeast, misread the note, wrong tubing. Come on. It was just some bottles and a beer kit and tubing.

 

[impur]

That sucks. I order almost all my stuff from them and haven't had any problems. I don't know what could have went on, but I'd try to get them on the phone as well as emails until you get all the correct stuff. I'd be pretty mad too. But hey, RDWHAHB!

 

[steinsato]

Explain to me how you drowned a mouse?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Been there done that. Ordered some swivel nut and barb sets from another supplier and kept receiving either a nut or a mismatched barb. After half a dozen calls and receipts, I gave up. Bought them from a place that knows what they are.

 

[klyph]

I have an order on the way from Midwest, now I'm worried.

 

[brewagentjay]

I order all my equipment online minus things I have found way cheaper from Midwest. Never had an issue and always quick turn around. I did get some really dirty kegs but I emailed them and they offered to send me some free cleaning solution, or asked me what they needed to do to make it right.

 

[maxamuus]

Really nice actually, and I should know.. I have 3 of them.

This made me LOL.

Hope you get it all sorted out.

 

[tvtoms]

Explain to me how you drowned a mouse?

Near my utility sink sits the box that my RO filter came in. The filter has clear housings instead of solid, so I keep the light out by placing it in the box. I had to cut a slot down the face of the box to allow the waste and water tubes out without kinking them. I located the noise as coming from inside! When I thumped the box, there was no doubt something was in there. Mind you, the ONLY opening on this box is where the waste and water tubes go in. So this mouse had to have entered there and fallen in, trapping itself. So my luck balances out I guess. Got a mouse, but it trapped itself.

In the other part of the basement I had just moved my primary out of a large tote, so I got it and filled it with 4 gallons of RO waste water I had sitting there. I carefully lifted the RO filter out of it's box, leaving only the mouse in the box. Then I dumped the mouse out and into the tote and slapped on the lid.

Hate to do it, but I've never had a mouse in this house and I'm never going to if I can help it.

I have an order on the way from Midwest, now I'm worried.

I wouldn't worry. I'm sure it's a unique problem, which is why it took a lot to get me frustrated enough to mention it. At this point, it's almost just funny. Nothing has been a tragic mistake. I can even make use of the tubing, just not how I'd planned.

 

[passedpawn]

Explain to me how you drowned a mouse?

Slightly OT PSA here: Never put rat poison in your attic. Ever. In August. In Florida. It will kill the rats, but then you need to find them, dead, bloating, in and under the insulation, exploding with maggots. You follow your nose is how you find them. You can actually locate them (using your nose) from inside the house. One will likely never be found because it will die in a wall somewhere (but the smell will last a while).

This has been a public service announcement.

 

[brewagentjay]

Side Note: How about Bats? And Birds?

So I got bats in the attic and birds in chimmney.....Need to get them out. I want to keep the bats around cause I have no misquitos but not in my attic.

 

[passedpawn]

Traps are the way to go. They will work for bats too with fruit.

 

[nickmv]

I've had nothing but great experiences from both Austin Homebrew and Rebel Brewer. Rebel's cheap and my order arrived the next day on the basic shipping charge.

 

[tvtoms]

I was going to use that tote to sterilize my tools in too. Will an overnight soak in oxiclean followed by a soaking in star san remove the stigma of dead mouse? man.. I guess it's a mental hurdle more than a sanitation one... right? isn't it?

 

[jkreuze]

Midwest is a great store. Sorry to hear about your order getting screwed up, but sometimes these things happen. They are pretty good about working with you to straighten these things out.

I go by there every couple of weeks because they're local for me--about two miles down highway 100 here in St Louis Park. It's a neat store, and the people there are very pleasant and helpful. Don't let an order mixup give you a bad impression of Midwest Brewing, they're pretty awesome.








(wonder if I get a free corny keg for the internet plug, hmm )

 

[CortexBomb]

Aside from some personal quibbles that I have with their standard crush, I've had nothing but good experiences with Midwest.

I have to assume that it's just what some of the other folks have suggested, a new packer on the job, as I've never had incorrect things show up period, let alone that many mistakes on just a couple of orders. They always ship promptly, their prices are competitive with local places (even with shipping added) and their selection is on par with the best of them.

 

[tvtoms]

Well, I guess it's over. They asked me to check the slip for the stamps the employees put on there for who picked the order, and who packed the order. Those stamps are completely missing from my slip, so nothing is going to happen.

They're shipping me the tubing I said I didnt even think I wanted them to. Thats it.


I bottled last evening at long last, a delicious 6.2% ale that needs to carb up quick because it tasted so good flat.

I attempted to wash the yeast. Using my coopers fermenter, I dumped in a gallon of preboiled and cooled to room temp water. Swished the fermenter around in a bear hug. Then tilted the fermenter with a wedge so that the spigot would line up with the settled-out band of viable yeast. Then dribbled off 4 jars worth of liquid and stuck them in the fridge. I know I skipped a step.. but I didnt have a large enough jar to pour it off the small amount of trub.

 

[pwndabear]

I was going to use that tote to sterilize my tools in too. Will an overnight soak in oxiclean followed by a soaking in star san remove the stigma of dead mouse? man.. I guess it's a mental hurdle more than a sanitation one... right? isn't it?

I would just fill it up with a bleach-water combo to sanitize. cheap and effective and you wont have to waste oxiclean. make sure you use unscented bleach unless you want your next beer to taste and smell like a summers breeze.

 

[tvtoms]

I would just fill it up with a bleach-water combo to sanitize. cheap and effective and you wont have to waste oxiclean. make sure you use unscented bleach unless you want your next beer to taste and smell like a summers breeze.

I DID end up using some bleach in there, rinsed clean.. repeated. Didnt detect a hint of mouse, lol. Always a plus.

 

[lilwiggum]

Nothing like your experience, but I was shipped the incorrect hops in a kit I ordered from Midwest. I just called and they sent the correct ones the same day. Very helpful but I always open my kits as soon as I get them to make sure everything is correct.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

After having two bad back to back experiences with AHS I am officially done with them.

 

[tvtoms]

Just thought I'd mention that I still have yet to receive the length of tubing that I'd already said not to bother sending, but which they sent last Wednesday. Emailed them yesterday. Was told ANOTHER length would be sent fedex. Just got back to them, asked please not to bother. I just want it to be over!

And a quick comment. Dont tell a customer sorry for the inconvenience after you've screwed up their order. Take some responsibility. It's your opportunity to win a customer for life.

Sorry you have a stubbed toe = takes no responsibility.
Sorry I kicked your toes and hurt your toes = takes responsibility.

 

[pwndabear]

i always just go to home depot for vinyl tubing if thats what youre really looking for. theyre usually cheaper and you can get a pretty long length

 

[bsdx]

I ordered 4 #10.5 solid stoppers from somewhere, they sent me drilled, ugh. Combine that with the handful of #10.5 drilled stoppers someone bought for me instead of the requested #10, and the few #10.5 drilled I already had, and now I have a ton of unwanted #10.5 drilled stoppers! For the value its not worth my time or money trying to return them. I might just buy those tiny stoppers that go in the middle hole so I can use them as solid.

 

[count_dookie]

I ordered a beginners kit from them a few days ago and much to my surprise when I was opening the boxes there was that better bottle I was wishing I had ordered. I was very confused and had to go back and check some things, turned out they sent me a nicer kit then I ordered which is ok by me

 

[tvtoms]

Ok, last post, final chapter. The tube they sent prioity mail never arrived at all. When I emailed to just let them know and repeat that the "wrong" tube they had sent was fine, they wanted to fed ex me another length. I said no, I dont want it.

This morning I noticed a refund notification for the amount of money that the tube costs. I didnt ask for a refund, and I'm not sure I wanted the activity on my credit card. But I guess now I need to wait ANOTHER month to see my card slip and make sure this relationship is all wrapped up. I just want it to be over. I'm just not that into you guys, let me go.

 

[TomSD]

What a horror story. I've ordered from them a couple times. I even emailed them mid-order to change things and everything arrived promptly and in order.

Like everything it is your mileage may vary though. Probably better finding another retailer as I'm sure it is frustrating at their end too and you are probably "that guy" now, lol.

 

[Ludovico]

Buy local.

 

[mlyday]

Ive ordered a bunch of stuff from midwest, never had a problem.

 

[tvtoms]

I never emailed them to change anything.

Here's a nutshell.

I ordered 6 foot of tubing, a fermenter, a beer ingredient kit and a case of bottles.
In the comments section of the order, I referenced my past order and pointed out that I owed them 3 bucks.


Thats it.

And the problems were:

1) no noticed that order shipped
2) order arrived with the wrong yeast
3) order arrived with the wrong tubing
4) employee hand added an item to the order which was not asked for.
5) the employee's who picked and packed the items did not stamp the packing slip, making it impossible to even know who screwed up when they asked me for it.


So lets be clear that this was a simple 4 item order, and not something where I tried to ask them to do ANYTHING whatsoever after the fact.

The ONLY email I sent before receiving the order was 4 days after the order was placed when I realised that I hadnt gotten the notice that it'd shipped. And in that email, I even assumed (correctly) that it HAD shipped and that it was a screw up on the shippers part (not so clear on this, never confirmed).

So again, I want to state clearly: This was a simple online order and the tale that grew naturally from it.

 

[FlatcapBrew]

Doesnt really sound like a horror story actually. You were wronged and the company tried to fix it, there was confusion and they tried to fix it again, when you decided that you didnt want a replacement product they decided to be nice and refund your money, as a good company should do. the funny thing is that if they hadnt tried to fix things this would have been a thread about how there customer service sucked, except for the tubing size when you wanted to rack your beer there didnt seem to be huge inconveience other than having to write a few emails. I would personally like to see a company try to fix their mistakes, even though they shouldnt have been made, that just tell me that its un lucky that they screwed up. just my .02

 

[starrfish]

i always just go to home depot for vinyl tubing if thats what youre really looking for. theyre usually cheaper and you can get a pretty long length

Is it food grade tubing? sorry for the hijack

 

[klyph]

None of what I use is food grade. It is all however, beer grade.

 

[tvtoms]

Doesnt really sound like a horror story actually. You were wronged and the company tried to fix it, there was confusion and they tried to fix it again, when you decided that you didnt want a replacement product they decided to be nice and refund your money, as a good company should do. the funny thing is that if they hadnt tried to fix things this would have been a thread about how there customer service sucked, except for the tubing size when you wanted to rack your beer there didnt seem to be huge inconveience other than having to write a few emails. I would personally like to see a company try to fix their mistakes, even though they shouldnt have been made, that just tell me that its un lucky that they screwed up. just my .02

Well, it's wrong to assume that if they hadnt tried to fix it that I'd have made a thread about it. I posted this because it was funny, like the keystone cops. Like the three stooges getting stuck in a doorway on the way to correct a problem is what it felt like and was the theme going in.

And you can see from my posts that I was making it clear that I knew they'd try to do the right thing. But some would agree that it became quite comical. All I was trying to do from the first was pay the extra money for the bottle, lol. And then they kept giving me free ones, then made me pay for one, haha.

And with the yeast, they offered to send me the correct as I knew they would (which was beside the point of course of getting it right the first time), and also I knew they'd want to correct the tubing issue. As I'd hoped, they also wanted proof of which of their employees had screwed up. I even sent them a photograph of the slip to PROVE nobody had stamped it as they were supposed to have (and they'd always stamped my previous orders perfectly).

So of course they tried to correct the mistakes as I knew that they would, and said all along up there ^^ that they did.

I WILL say though that "sorry for the inconvenience" is a lame attempt to tell someone how sorry you are for your own screw up and how much you want their future business. Thats just a simple common sense thing though, right?

 

[Mbart]

I WILL say though that "sorry for the inconvenience" is a lame attempt to tell someone how sorry you are for your own screw up and how much you want their future business. Thats just a simple common sense thing though, right?

I am confused, I thought you said in addition to apologizing they did everything they could to correct the order and gave you a refund??? That sounds exactly like they are showing you how much they want your future business. Not sure what more they could have done. You were upset when they refunded your money because of the credit card activity? Never had a problem with Midwest.

 

[tvtoms]

It could be that I expect more out of people than others.

In the decade or so of retail management that I put in though, I never had the balls to tell someone with a problem that I was sorry for their inconvenience after I clearly and demonstrably had screwed up on multiple occasions on one ticket.

It conveys as "this was merely an inconvenience to you and nothing else. End communication"

 

[Mbart]

It could be that I expect more out of people than others.

In the decade or so of retail management that I put in though, I never had the balls to tell someone with a problem that I was sorry for their inconvenience after I clearly and demonstrably had screwed up on multiple occasions on one ticket.

It conveys as "this was merely an inconvenience to you and nothing else. End communication"

I would bet that the majority of people could care less how a company worded their apology and care a lot more about what they did to address the issue. All I expect is for the retailer to admit a wrong and fix it ASAP. A properly worded apology will not help me make beer.