Who else is waiting for a calendar?

[Elmore Hammes]

"Rik Frost" wrote:

I ordered 25 calendars on December 14 with 2-day expidited shipping. The order #3790377, has disappeared from the My Order History and My Account pages. The project itself (2010 Sea Ranch calendar) has also disappeared from My Project List page.

I have not received any notifications about shipment. Did it ship? Is it being fulfilled? Is the order lost?

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That usually means you are logging in under a different e-mail address than the project was created / ordered under. You can check your other e-mail addresses, or contact support using the links on the main HELP page to sort that out if you can't find it on your own.

[(anon)]

I'm logging in with the same email address that my order confirmation was sent to. Wouldn't the confirmation email be sent to the email address that was used to place the order?

Quote:

That usually means you are logging in under a different e-mail address than the project was created / ordered under. You can check your other e-mail addresses, or contact support using the links on the main HELP page to sort that out if you can't find it on your own.

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[mmellnick]

On the 12 days of Christmas Lulu gave to me:

12 form letter emails
11 ignored complaints
10 broken guarantees
9 useless customer service reps
8 massive headaches
7 issue report dead ends
6 upset family members getting nothing from my daughter
5 millions wishes I shopped somewhere else
4 thousand fruitless email checks
3 hundred vows to never shop with them again
2 many times pounding my keyboard in frustration
1 Bill for absolutely nothing
And 0 calendars for under my Christmas tree

At this point I almost have to laugh. This is by far the worst shopping and customer service experience I have ever had, heard of, read about, or could have dreamed up. And this is from someone who has worked in the customer service industry for 24 years. UGH! Hope you all at least get your calendars and this brings a little smile to you out of this disaster. Merry Christmas

- Mark

[carlybrehm]

Wow Mark, that was hilarious! I love it.

I did receive an email yesterday afternoon that LuLu has shipped my order. Thank You Lulu. Tracking says that I will receive by 4:30pm Xmas Eve. This is better than nothing I guess, still if a snowstorm happens, then I'm SOL

It is not the fact that I was almost going to not get these by Christmas. I actually could've lived and explained to my family that there was mess-up and they aren't going to be shipped in time.

What is frustrating is the lack of communication that this website provides. Yes, you responded to my ticket, but with an automated message that every single person on this forum got as well. That does nothing insure delivery or that you're even concerned about our order. Own up to a problem, communicate the issue...don't just leave us here high and dry with no product that we've already paid for. Personal customer services is huge, and I would've been less obstinate if someone was on the other end of a live chat or phone, assuring me that we matter.

[rikfrost1014]

"Rik Frost" wrote:

I'm logging in with the same email address that my order confirmation was sent to. Wouldn't the confirmation email be sent to the email address that was used to place the order?

Quote:

That usually means you are logging in under a different e-mail address than the project was created / ordered under. You can check your other e-mail addresses, or contact support using the links on the main HELP page to sort that out if you can't find it on your own.

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This issue is now resolved and I am able to see my Project and Order. However, the order, Order #8074437 for Item ID 8074437 has not be fulfilled. It was ordered on 12/14 and, according to your holiday shipping deadlines should be received by Christmas with Priority Mail. I shipped it expedited 2-day. It now appears unlikely to arrive by Christmas. As I have stated in prior communications, I will need to have it shipped to another address if it will not arrive by end of day December 23. Please contact me via email or phone to arrange for another shipping address if it is not shipped by next day air today.
Carol in Customer Service has stated in a Forum that calendar orders placed by the stated holiday deadline will be shipped in an expedited manner to arrive by Christmas. I am hoping you will make good on that commitment.

[adam1169]

Out of frustration because I'm in the same boat as everyone else, I came here and saw this thread sitting on the top of the pile. I placed my order (Order #3802066) on December 16th for 20 calendars and even paid the extra money to get their fastest shipping method of "Express". It is now past their four-day manufacturing time and I too am still seeing the order as being "fulfilling". I have sent two support requests on this matter and have not received any response at all. With the shipping option I paid for, I put my order in FIVE DAYS earlier than they suggested I do and my package still has not shipped. Tomorrow obviously is the cutoff for overnight shipping to arrive prior to Christmas so let's see if they drop the ball really bad or not. So far, my first experience with lulu will now be my last and I can't wait to write a blog entry about how horrible a buying experience it has been with this company and their lack of customer service. I was even astounded today to find out that they don't have a customer service number. Pathetic.

Furthermore, I am contesting another issue with them which I'm not sure everyone else has noticed or not. I just caught that on my order, I was charged sales tax. I'm in Nevada, they are in North Carolina. It's illegal to charge sales tax on items shipping state to state unless they have a physical location here, which I doubt they do. I have submitted a customer service request on this matter also and have not heard a response.

So here is what you all can do. If your order does not ship by tomorrow at noon EST, file a chargeback with your credit card company. Companies like lulu are not as big as you think and merchant account companies HATE it when they see a pattern of chargebacks due to poor fulfillment or customer service. You want to hurt lulu for ruining your holiday season, file a chageback with your credit card. I'm giving them until tomorrow at noon before I file for mine.

The bottom line is I just want my calendars to be delivered as promised. I don't want excuses or reasons to have to fight this matter. I just want them to deliver my calendars. I have a bad feeling they won't, certainly not as they said they would anyway. I'll be patient until tomorrow I guess.

[adam1169]

Oh yeah, one more thing. On the top of their website they still have a big notice as to their shipping deadlines which, I think everyone realizes by now, is a lie. So if they continue to have that banner up there, they are obviously committing fraud since they know that those deadlines were not able to be met when the orders were placed and no recourse to any customers in the way of notifications of any kind were sent. So now this has transcended bad customer service and has made it's way into fraudulent business activities which I think the Attorney General's office in North Carolina may want to be informed about.

Furthermore, some research online led me to Lulu Press and their corporate office phone number which is (919) 459-5858. I can assure you, first thing tomorrow morning they will be receiving a call from me, even if it is the HR department. Someone over there needs to answer for this mess.

One last thing, everyone needs to click on that "SHIPPING DEADLINES" link on the top of the website and do a screen capture so you have evidence on your side when you file your chargebacks tomorrow if the orders don't ship.

[mmellnick]

Well after a cordial plea for real customer service and a complaint registered with the BBB of NC I finally got a real customer service response with an apology and refund for my shipping costs. So at least that's something.At least I feel better knowing someone out there actually listened to me and offered real help despite my order not shipping in time. I posted the message I received below so all can read it:

"Dear Mark,

Thank you for your email. First, I would like to offer my apologies for this situation. Our increase in volume ahead of the holiday season was much higher than expected, which unfortunately has resulted in a huge backlog of orders. Your order is among the orders stuck in fulfilling status. I have refunded the shipping portion of your order, in the amount of $16.49, as you have requested.

We work with printing vendors who print the calendars for us and we are demanding they ship out as many orders as quickly as they can. Obviously we at Lulu are not happy about this situation, as people such as yourself are unable to give these books and calendars as gifts on time. Management at Lulu is taking this matter very seriously.

Again, I offer my most sincere apologies for this situation. Your refund should show immediately on your credit card.

Kind regards,

Brad T.
Lulu Enterprises, Inc"

[adam1169]

"mmellnick" wrote:

Well after a cordial plea for real customer service and a complaint registered with the BBB of NC I finally got a real customer service response with an apology and refund for my shipping costs.

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As far as I'm concerned, this absolutely is not good enough and completely unacceptable. This fulfillment issue was not one that happened overnight. They had to have known days and weeks ago that there was no way many of their orders were going to be shipped out as their deadline stated it would. If they were unable to keep up with sales, they should have put a big notice up on the home page saying that orders received would not be able to be shipped for Christmas arrival. Instead, they made a conscious decision to keep taking orders in spite of the fact that they knew they would not be able to be fulfilled. That, in my opinion, is nothing short of fraudulent business activities.

The point here is that had I known they were so screwed up with their printer, I would have had my calendars printed by another source and gladly paid higher prices knowing that I would receive my order on time. Instead, I went with Lulu because they promised something they had absolutely no intention or ability to fulfill and they gladly took my credit card number anyway. Again, this truly is nothing short of fraudulent business practice and I can promise that if my order is not shipped out tomorrow, a complaint to the NC Attorney General's office will be in order. The BBB is a powerless, worthless entity that will never make one dent or impact in the ability of LuLu to do business in any way. Clearly fraudulent business practices like what has been going on here needs to be handled by a legal authority and hopefully their license to do business in the state of North Carolina needs to be questioned if this is going to be the modus operandi of this company. I'm giving them until noon tomorrow to make sure my order goes out via Overnight shipping before my complaints with their local authorities begin. I can most certainly guarantee a barrage of complaint calls to their headquarters first thing in the morning though.

[mmellnick]

My order has just shipped. If I get mine by Christmas and reimbursed for all shipping I really can't complain (but do still feel they really need to revisit their customer support mechanisms). Actually have to give them credit if they do. FYI, I live NH and didn't get charged for taxes Adam. Since my order is on it's way, this will be last post in here. Good luck everyone getting yours and Merry Christmas.

- Mark