This is not the blog post I intended for today – it was supposed to be something that I think is pretty funny and was going to be titled “Two Souvenirs from Florida That I’m Not Keeping.” That will have to wait until tomorrow – unfortunately, today I have to deal with a work issue that has made me quite upset.
Several customers have contacted us over the past couple of weeks asking about the status of their orders for the new Tim Holtz Distress Markers. Gary has been checking with Ranger two or three times a week, and was finally told that they intended to start shipping last week. So we have been watching patiently each day when the deliveries arrive.
Today, I have taken two calls and an e-mail from customers who want to know when theirs are coming. So I passed this on to Gary, and he asked me to call Ranger – honestly, he told me he hoped that a different voice would get a better answer.
I spoke with Ranger this morning, and the only answer they’ll give me is "we ran out". They won’t tell us anything else, including how many sets they shipped before they ran out or who received them. We have ordered far more sets than we have sold so far, and Ranger has no explanation for how other companies received orders while we didn’t get a single shipment. Ranger told me that they won’t have any more until mid-March. Delays been quite common with Tim Holtz products over the past few years. They’re fantastic products — but they consistently ship later than promised. This is different though, and it makes us look bad and disappoints customers like you who trust us to handle your orders promptly.
So I asked Ranger what I should tell our customers, since the estimated ship date I put on our site came directly from them. I was told to tell you that I passed on the best information I had at the time, but the date has changed.
At this point, I can do nothing other than apologize — which is very frustrating because I really have no interest in apologizing for Ranger, especially when they offered no apology and no acceptable explanation to us. But I care about our customers, and as such I am truly sorry for disappointing you. We will ship your markers the same day they arrive here.
Thanks for waiting patiently. We are doing our best.
This is ridiculous that you all are being treated this way. I'm going to post on fb for Tim Holtz and Mario to see if maybe they can put some pressure on 'cause this reflects badly on them, too. Sounds like Ranger's getting an ego that is overriding customer service.
From what I heard, they ran out of the plastic cases. The pens as individuals seem to be going out to all the vendors but if anyone wants the complete set in the plastic barrel case, that is the hold up. I got mine two weeks ago. I could have lived without the case as I put them in a Copic case. Ranger continues to make vendors and customers unhappy (after the TH Fall Distress ink fiasco).
I haven't ordered them (yet?), now I'm glad I didn't. As for Marco's…you have nothing to apologize for! You always have the best customer service. You can only ship the products that you receive, you can only post dates that are given to you. I'm starting to wonder if Dana and Jan (above) are right and if Ranger is getting to big for their britches?! Yes TH stuff is popular, but they know that going in. Don't worry Greg, we know this is NOT Marco's fault!
R/
Your loyal customers know you are at the mercy of the venders. I remember when it was difficult getting Cuttlebug folders after they started selling on HSN. TH is in Europe at the moment Tuesday his distressed markers were on QVC-UK quite often through out their craft day. They sold out of almost all Ranger and TH products. Not sure if he is doing QVC-Germany this trip.
It is not Marco's fault that Ranger is not behaving ethically. They seem to think that the customers will put up with whatever they hand out. Maybe they need to learn that you can only push people for so long and so hard. I will continue to wait for my pre-order markers with no hard feelings for Marco's – but it does make me less inclined to support Ranger and their TH products. JF
What world do you people live in? What a bunch of petulant, entitled, unreasonable, babies.
How about apologize to your customers for selling them stuff you didn't have? Who made you do that?
How can you sit there and talk about receiving phone calls from irate customers who don't understand the physical limits of your business, and then in the same breath turn around and be that exact same irate customer to your manufacturer/vendor?
And you have the gall to speak of ethics?
Really? What business is it of yours how many of something a manufacturer happened to make before they ran out, and who got them? Did Bobby get more corn flakes than you? How does ethics come into this unless they simply never ship and never answer the phone about it? Manufacturers don't have magical infinite stockpiles of the things they make, they have to _make_ them. They have to make some finite amount, and then customers buy them, and then they are out until they make more. Did they lie about this? Do you claim that maybe they never made any and took your money and never do plan to deliver? Short of that, the only ethical issue here is this blog post and the comments.
Buy a different brown marker or pink glitter glue and get on with your lives holy cow. If you weren't all such rabid herd of Tim Holtz sheep, you wouldn't all be trying to buy 8 zillion of the exact same thing all at the exact same time and you wouldn't have this problem.
Ah but that isn't a buck you can pass on to anyone else is it? So we won't even consider that will we? Take the blame for your own actions? Unthinkable.
You all always do a fantastic job of keeping us informed. Don't sweat the small stuff! 🙂 I think we are all noticing the delays in product availability from several manufacturers over the past couple years. It's not your fault and you did deserve an honest explanation and they could have headed off everything with a simple update to thier customers. Maybe a lesson to be learned for them. Have a great weekend and happy packaging. 🙂 SWade