Cathe.com

[wisperofsummer]

No

I have had a casheir count me out 20 dollar bills as 10's and I pointed it out because I am honest. Can't say I did not think about not saying anything because I was a university student with 3 kids and money is was very tight.

I always ask myself how would I feel if this was done to me and act accordingly.

I find it odd that my morals and honesty is being questioned because I do not want to be ripped off by a large company.

I have already decided to not litigate. My lawyer (sister) thinks I am crazy but I am done with SNM as a customer and will leave it as that.

[Nuggie's Auntie]

I'm sorry to hear about all this. I can see both sides of the coin, but it reminded me of a less-than-ideal customer service experience I had with SNM a few years ago that had left a bad taste in my mouth. I was JUST about to order something from them using the coupons they sent out, but because of this thread, decided to order from Mary for the first time. Turns out, Mary was cheaper anyway, despite the SNM coupon!

[bubbles76]

Wisperofsummer, for what it's worth, I think that SNM should honor the original shipping price. And I didn't agree with the tone of their email they sent back to you. It sounded like they were irritated that you insisted they honor the original shipping price.

True, you did have the right to cancel the order, but what about this example: who here hasn't seen a really nice outfit on the clearance rack, waited in line to get it checked out, only to find out that it wasn't on clearance? Or seen a really nice item at a store only to find out later that it was actually mislabeled? WalMart is INFAMOUS for not having stuff on their shelf in the right spot (or posted at all on the merchandise, only the bar codes), but having the outdated prices and desciptions right below the item.

Do you demand that the store honor the posted prices? Do you pay full price? Or do you just decide not to buy? Certainly, we all have the option not to buy, but what does that teach the company? I think this would have been a cheap lesson for them to bite the bullet. Yes, it was probably too good to be true that you could ship an item that's 105 pounds for $11.99, but doesn't Overstock ship stuff for $2 or something, no matter how heavy (don't quote me on the price; I just know it's really cheap LOL!)?

Maybe I'm just rambling, but I don't think that the OP morals should have been brought into question. I don't think that the $100 bill scenario is anything like this situation.

At the same time, I had planned on buying Cathe's STS system from Cathe solely because I thought I could use multiple coupons, bringing the price down almost $100. I didn't see where they said you couldn't use multiple coupons. But, of course, you couldn't. I was disappointed, but I kept it moving. I will get my STS elsewhere. And, I probably would have wondered about the $11 shipping, but figured "hey, maybe for once Cathe is offering her customers a deal!". And once I got my invoice and SNM email, would have cancelled quietly, laughing to myself "i knew it was too good to be true". But those are MY reactions. I think the OP was justified in her reactions also.

I'm rambling. Too little sugar. Must stop now

[LynnO]

Ya know, Cathe.com SUCKs and they always have. One of the reasons they still do is that their customers make excuses for them and accept their bad behavior over and over and over. If they hadn't charged your card, it would be one thing, but they did and they believe you are in the wrong. A nice apology and explantion of the error probably would have satisfied you both. But treating paying customers like dog doo is their business model.

I believe they are now starting to pay the price. That post card I got in the mail about the San Diego weekend sure does indicate that their road trips just aren't going the way they expected.

You know things are backwards when people believe that someone who decides to change thier presale policies is taking a swat at Cathe. Amy Bento has had problems with her presales because she does them so far out that when people cancel at the last minute, it causes her problems. When she fixes this, people wonder if she swatting at Cathe (as if the world revolves around Cathe.)

I'm another person who is a little tired of the new business model of ripping off the customers who pay on time and have good credit. I feel really lucky that I can walk away from companies who do unethical things, I know some people, especially those who don't have 25 years of credit behind them don't have that option.

[Wendy G]

Originally Posted by Hej

There's a difference between contacting the company to inform them that it seems they made a mistake, and being understanding when they inform you that a mistake has been made and that they will not be able to honour the price originally quoted because to do so would cost them more than $200!
.

For crying out loud, is Cathe.com such a tiny upstart company that $200 would be a HUGE hit for them? Acknowledge the mistake, honor the PAID IN FULL order, ship the merchandise, correct the computer glitch and know that you upheld the "customer is always right" motto which I think would serve them and ALL businesses much better than "There was a computer error so pony up some more money if you want to get this product" (and I don't care how nicely it was worded!) Someone already stated that they won't be ordering from Cathe based on this incident. I know I'll think twice before ordering from them! Combine the two of us and they probably lost AT LEAST $200 in business, if not more! Mary at Totalfitness probably lost WAAY more than $200 as a result of the Beachbody pricing fiasco. I have no way of knowing, but I would think that she's more than made it up now as she seems to be the absolute "Go To" person for ordering fitness products. She puts the customer first and it seems to be working out well for her!

[jordan]

[QUOTE=wisperofsummer;1522663]I would like honest opinion here. Am I wrong in expecting a buisness to honour their invoices?


The shipping rate would have seemed off to me and I wouldn’t have been surprised at the correction.

I would have been disappointed about the shipping rate mistake but I would have understood. The explanation sounded reasonable and so did the offer on how to proceed. I probably would have cancelled the order because the actual shipping rate was more than I would want to pay. I don’t think I would have thought to do anything more about the situation because I believe it was an honest mistake and I wouldn’t take advantage of the situation. However, if the items had been shipped before the mistake was caught than I would expect the company to absorb the cost and if they didn't than I would take further action.

I don't feel comfortable saying that you are wrong in your expectations because I can see that we see this situation differently. I'm just offering my perspective on the situation.

jordan

[kali1]

If a company tells a customer, shipping will be $11.00 then shipping better be $11.00 and not more than the quoted shipping price. If you bought something and expected shipping to be a specific price but it turned out it was going to cost you $200.00 more, I don't think there's anyone out there that wouldn't complain about the price jump.

[Buzzer]

Originally Posted by Wendy G

I know I'll think twice before ordering from them! Combine the two of us and they probably lost AT LEAST $200 in business, if not more! Mary at Totalfitness probably lost WAAY more than $200 as a result of the Beachbody pricing fiasco. I have no way of knowing, but I would think that she's more than made it up now as she seems to be the absolute "Go To" person for ordering fitness products. She puts the customer first and it seems to be working out well for her!

Add me to the list, and I'll be getting my Cathe stuff from Jen or Mary. I bought my first order from Cathe.com 2 weeks ago or so, and it's gonna be my last. I just don't hear anything good about them. Although I didn't have a bad experience, I'm not going to press my luck!!

[Hej]

Originally Posted by Buzzer

Add me to the list, and I'll be getting my Cathe stuff from Jen or Mary. I bought my first order from Cathe.com 2 weeks ago or so, and it's gonna be my last. I just don't hear anything good about them. Although I didn't have a bad experience, I'm not going to press my luck!!

You know what, you're absolutely right.

Jen and Mary are in the retail business, i.e. their business depends on customer service. Actually because they don't produce the products, their business depends entirely on selling others' products to consumers. If they don't provide good customer service, they are literally out of business. So they eat the costs of their cheaper prices and making good on their end (like the OPs shipping situation) and then make it up through increased volume of sales over a range of products. So from the consumer's POV it is always better to order from them (which I do whenever possible).

OTOH, Cathe.com provides products at relatively high prices (except when there's a presale) and minimal customer service. If you want to order from Cathe that's what you get. It honestly doesn't make a lot of sense to order through Cathe.com unless you can't get whatever product anywhere else. Yet, they're not actually losing anything when you go through Mary, Jen, Collage, etc. There is a logic in and a method to their madness.

Cathe.com provides product to resellers at wholesale prices, but they save all of the costs and hassle associated with customer service. It works out well for them either way. If you refuse to buy from Cathe.com but then go and buy new Cathe DVDs or other Cathe products somewhere else you're not hurting Cathe.com any. That's probably what they wish customers would do. That way they can focus on the other aspects of their business and let customer service specialists (Mary, Jen, etc.) deal with customer issues. They keep the Cathe.com shop open for its "Cathe.com cache" and for people who don't know about or care about cheaper, more customer friendly options.

The only way Cathe.com would ever lose would be if a customer became so angry that they never, ever bought anything new with the Cathe label on it ever again. In practice it seems that happens relatively rarely. People have been sputtering and fuming over Cathe.com's customer service attitude for years and yet the business just keeps on growing and growing.

[Nuggie's Auntie]

Originally Posted by Hej

[I]The only way Cathe.com would ever lose would be if a customer became so angry that they never, ever bought anything new with the Cathe label on it ever again. In practice it seems that happens relatively rarely. People have been sputtering and fuming over Cathe.com's customer service attitude for years and yet the business just keeps on growing and growing.

Hej, you're right, but I do recall Cathe.com mentioning that it helps them if people buy Cathe's stuff direct, so it behooves them to be a little more customer-friendly.

I placed my order for Cathe's Boot Camp with Mary yesterday afternoon, while my son was melting down, and I spaced and didn't choose the 'free shipping' option. I realized my mistake a few hours later and wrote asking if there was still time to change it, but indicating I was totally willing to pay the $2.50 in shipping if I was too late. Mary wrote back right away and offer to refund it.

Awesome. Love her. I'm a Total Fitness convert.