Online Stores Inc.

Review: I made an order with "[redacted]" in Dec. 2014. Within the week, I was told that the product was on back order. I have called and e-mailed since then to check on the status, each time receiving a response that they did not know when to expect the product. Earlier this week, I sent another note relaying my confusion. I tried to express my confusion without conflict. The text is here:

"Thank you for the prompt reply,

Can you please help me understand the problem? I still see the product I ordered on your website:

So are you out of stock or not?

And despite that, is it your normal policy to have no idea when your inventory is going to be restocked? That seems like it would be a difficult way to manage a business.

With some confusion,"

I found their response to be inadequate with information and rude in its tone. Their response is as follows:

"Dear ...,

The product is listed online, because we sell the product. Each of those cases, once you click on a desired finish, are listed as "Ships in 7 to 10 business days". We are expecting the backorder to fill, however, it has not. I would not question the way we manage our business, because we are very successful. Due to many different variables, a backorder date is subject to change on us, which has happened.

Sincerely,

Customer Service

Online Stores, Inc.

I sent a note back asking them to cancel my order. In my opinion, the lack of information provided to me as customer was inadequate - and the rude tone of their last note was unnecessary. Thank you for your time.Desired Settlement: N/A

Business

Response:

I do apologize for the inconvenience that this has caused our customer. In many cases the reason that we cannot give a date for back orders is due to the fact that the manufacturer has not informed us as to when they will be getting product back into inventory. I have addressed the comment made regarding questioning our business. I can assure you that the intent was not to be rude. The message that the rep was trying to convey was that we are indeed a reputable company and that there is no need to be concerned when doing business with us we have been in business for may years. I do agree with the customer that the delivery did not come across that way.I have also noted the customers order that if they were to place an order again they will receive a 20% discount. Again I apologize for any problems that were caused.Thank you

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Review: I ordered a US Flag that was supposed to be 2' x 3' before Christmas. However, the flag measured 22" x 38" on the top and 36" on the bottom. It was clearly poor quality.....actually they obviously don't have a quality department. So, I asked to return this one and retrieve another. They nicely sent me one, but it had the exact same problem. After repeatedly asking for assistance (dozen emails and phone calls), they finally sent me a return label and agreed to send me a replacement 2' x 3' POW / MIA Flag for the 2 flags that were defective. However, it's been another 2 weeks and they refuse to respond to my emails again. The last customer service person sent me an email that said, we can't find any record or your orders. Then I got another one that said they received my returns but refuse to tell me when my replacement will ship. The customer service rep actually scolded me for inquiring. I still have no idea what's going on. As a matter of fact, I believe they are keeping the flags they sent me and not sending me the replacement as the agreed. Thus, stealing my money too.Desired Settlement: Send me a decent quality 2' x 3' POW / MIA Flag that actually measures 2' x 3' and you'll never hear from me again.

Business

Response:

We have refunded the customer $17.99.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Despite them not doing as I asked or as they agreed. They were to send me a replacement, but failed over and over and over again to do so. Terrible company with terrible quality and customer service. I'll never use them again and think they need an investigation of their customer service skills. Especially if Revdex.com is on their website.

Regards,

Review: I am very disappointed with my experience. I ordered the Safety Girl Steel Toe Waterproof Womens Work Boots twice and have paid shipping twice because I really need the boots asap so I cant wait for the replacement process. I ordered Tan in size 7M but it was too big so I ordered the Pink one in size 6.5M. When I received the Pink boots, they were not in the shoe box. The shoe information tab showing the size of the boots was erased with a black marker. I can see through it and it says size 7.5. I thought that was very deceiving. I compared both the Size 7M Tan and the Pink one and they are the same size. It was frustrating. I had to send the Size 7M Tan back and I received my refund for the price of the boots but not the shipping cost. I sent the Pink one for replacement and just now (5/6/14), I asked for the status and the customer support representative mentioned that the size I am ordering IS NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL SEPTEMBER. It is currently showing in their website that size 6.5M is available but the customer support said that "I realize it shows it is available, however I have checked the inventory and the website has not been updated yet. The item is out of stock. We cannot hold the order until September. You will have to substitute or cancel". I'm guessing that the item was not actually in stock when I ordered them back in April so they sent the wrong size, did not include the shoe box, then erased the size. I want this resolved but it looks like no one from their company wants to take action so I am filing a formal complaint.Desired Settlement: I can't wait until September so please refund my payment in FULL (e.g., including shipping costs that I paid twice).

Business

Response:

I spoke to the customer and have refunded her the disputed amount. I also told her to keep the merchandise. She was happy with the outcome.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Review: I ordered 6 American flags and 3 Poland flags. My order was delivered but came in incorrectly. I received the 6 American flags but instead of the 3 Poland flags I received 3 Grenada flags. I called them and again they sent 3 Grenada flags. This happened 5 times and each time they kept sending the Grenada flags instead of the Poland flags. After the 5th time the supervisor himself went and pulled the correct flag but informed me they could not send me them that they would just credit me. Is it my fault that they couldn't get the order right. I want the flags not a credit. I sent them an email with a picture of all the Grenada flags for each 5 shipments and they said they sent the correct flag. In other words they called me a liar. How could they say that when I sent a picture of all of them in one picture listing each shipment. I don't understand why the supervisor took the time to pull out the right ones and turn around and tell me they won't ship them to me! Crazy. We are talking about flags that cost $1.80 a piece.Desired Settlement: I told them I don't want a credit. I want the 3 Poland flags that I ordered.

Business

Response:

I will re ship these flags one more time. We by no means are calling the customer a liar that was not the intent. I personally checked the location in the warehouse and they are Poland flags. I refunded the order because of the problems it was causing the customer. The order will go out today.Tell us why here...

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me IF they send me the three Poland flags and NOT the Grenada flags again. The supervisor said they sent the right ones but you can see by my first picture all 5 shipments were NOT Poland flags. So yes to me that was calling me a liar. I went online again to find out where to buy these flags and came across The [redacted]... Guess what? It's actually Online Store with just another name. Geez I wonder why that is????thank you for your help in this matter. I will let you know what flag arrives at my door!!

Regards,

I ordered and paid for two flags however only received one. This company did not even have the common courtesy to reply to my emails notifying them of the problem. order # **SSN**

I ordered two pairs of painting pass from construction gear.com and paid an extra $21 for two day shipping on Wednesday the 13th of January. They are not scheduled to arrive until the 18th of January this is an outrage $21 and change for delivery and I don't get them for 5 days? I called them twice trying to resolve this issue they said because I ordered them after 3 o'clock on a Wednesday that monday would be considered the two day shipping this is ridiculous. I feel taken advantage of and very upset as I needed those painters pants for this weekend. Their customer service could care less. Will never shop here again.

Review: On 11/22/14, I made my first online order with their website, EnglishTeaStore.com. However, my order was not sent out until 12/6/14, and only part of it. The remainder of it was sent on 12/11/14. On 11/26/14, I received one computer generated email to notify me that one (1) item was back ordered and I would not be charged for it until it was shipped out. I received no other emails except for one dated 12/11/14 notifying me that the remaining item was sent out on 12/11/14.I contacted them twice by email without a reply from them. today, Friday, 121214 I telephoned them. [redacted] contends that they sent emails notifying me that one item was backordered and the order can be broken into two or wait for the entire order and waited for my response. I never received this email. To date, I have received the computer generated emails, but not the ones supposedly sent by customer service representatives.I made this order on 11/22/14 but shipment was not made until 12/6/14. They offered me a 10% discount or $4.00 for my inconvenience and to make things right. I asked for $10.00 to which the supervisor [redacted] replied, "I'm not giving you $10.00." They held onto my order for fourteen (14) days before shipping it out, and made no notice to me about offering partial shipment. But nowhere on their website under shipping policies does it state that a delay in shipping could occur if an item was backordered.This was my first order with this company. I have been shopping online for many years, since at least 1996. This sort of service is unacceptable. I cannot recommend this company to anyone. They were argumentative from the start. In one sentence, [redacted] said they value their customers but in the next sentence, they only offer a mere 10% discount as recompense.Desired Settlement: As I recommended to both [redacted] and [redacted] when they offered me 10% discount or $4.00, I would accept $10.00 refund on this order to be applied to my credit card as their gesture of goodwill for customer service. They already said they wouldn't, but if they did, I'd be willing to give them a second chance.

Business

Response:

Below are all of the notes and a copy of the email sent to the customer. I can verify all being true I listened to the entire phone conversation.Itook sup call from [redacted]. Customersaid that this is the 1st time she had ordered from us. Customer was upset that we took so long topartial ship her order. Customer claimsthat she got the email about the kit kats being backordered but not the emailoffering to sub or partial ship. Advisedthat we had sent both on 11/26 and verified the email address which iscorrect. Customer could believe that wewouldn’t call her about the BO. Told herthat we are an online company and we email all of our customers. Advised that we took it upon ourselves topartial ship the order anyways since she did not get back to us which was at noadditional cost. Advised that wenormally do not partial ship unless if cx requests. Advised that the kit kats came in sooner andare in process to ship to her. Told herthat the website would have shown that this item was on BO. Customer said that she is not satisfied andthat she wants a $10 refund. Advisedthat I would give her 10% off the order only because she had already gotten a10% off with the coupon she had used. She said that was not good enough. Customer told me to have ahorrible holiday and called me an [redacted] Customer then hung up on me. Hereis a copy of the email that was sent to her on 11/26 and the customer didverify that it was sent to the correct email address. Subject:Order information from Online Stores, Inc. Dear[redacted], Thankyou for your order! We are currentlysold out of the Nestle Kit Kat - 1.7oz (48g) that you ordered. We sincerely apologize for anyinconvenience. We have this item onorder and we are expecting it to be back in stock Dec 17 Thereare three options that I can offer you. Please let me know which one will provide you with the best service. 1) Hold your order and ship it complete when theout of stock merchandise arrives at our warehouse. 2) Ship part of your order for which we havestock available (if applicable), and ship the remaining merchandise when itarrives at our warehouse. 3) We can offer you a different product. Pleasecall us back at ###-###-####. Ourcustomer service department is available Monday-Friday 8 AM – 7 PM EST and 10AM-5PM EST on Saturday, or a message can be left on our customer service lineafter normal business hours. You can call us any time today, tonight, includingthe overnight hours, tomorrow all day, or tomorrow night overnight. Pleasedo not reply to this email, send all replies to"[redacted]", and reference your order number"[redacted]" in the subject line. Sincerely, OnlineStores, Inc.Phone:###-###-####[redacted] Ouroffer still stand for 10% off which is a total of $4.51 even though thecustomer said no. We did process the customer’s order and even shipped apartial order as a courtesy even though the website clearly stated that one ofthe items were on backorder. The customer was informed on 11/26 that her otheritem was on backorder. Please advise if the customer wants the 10% discount andI will credit her card. I cannot do so without the customers approval. Thankyou [redacted]Sales ManagerOnline Stores, Inc.###-###-####[redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]I shopped with this vendor for the first time in hopes of shoppingfor many years to come as stores I’ve been shopping with since 1986 before theywere online and now are online. I placed a “test” order for $45.09 since it wasa new company to me. My order wasn’t free. After two weeks of waiting for this order, Inoticed that though I placed the order on 11/22/14, it wasn’t shipped out until12/6/14. I received no word from them, except for one computer generated emailfrom Online Stores stating an item was backordered. As a result, I sent twoemails to which I received no reply. Two days later, I sent two more emails andstill no reply, though they said they sent a human generated one. Today,12/16/14, I finally received the balance of my order, which finally completesmy purchase with them.When I called the English Tea Store, I got Online Stores andspent nearly half an hour on the phone with them all the while the customer servicerepresentative named [redacted] kept telling me they sent a human generated emailgiving me a choice as to wait for the entire order to ship, or to send apartial shipment. However, to date, I never received any such email, not in myspam box, which I check regularly or any other way. Coincidentally, I received this company’s computer generated email from Online stores informing me of adelay, but of no such option to choose and notify them. I never received the email they showed theRevdex.com in their reply, though I did receive the computergenerated one lacking an option to partially ship also sent that same day. (See attached email received from Online Stores about backordered item but no option to partial ship offered.) Since Ireceived no human generated emails, I must assume one was never sent. Theone shown could easily have been written up to cover their lack of sending one.After tiring of going back and forth with [redacted] to noavail, I asked for a supervisor and after listening to her repeat the same info[redacted] had done, (she told me that she [redacted] didn’t tell her anything aboutour phone call,) I had to interrupt her and ask how they were going to make thingsright for me. I wasn’t satisfied and this was no way to do business: No companyshould sit on a consumer’s order for two (2) weeks before they send it out.This is not my first online shopping experience. I shop regularly with dozensof other companies without issue, especially such an issue as this. [redacted] askedme how she could make things right? She felt that shipping my partially shippedorder was a courtesy only because they noticed it was kept so long. The companykept my order. How is it a courtesy when I already paid for it? I asked for$10.00 discount on my next order in order to give them a chance to make itright, which I felt was more than fair if they wanted me to return. [redacted] shotback, “I’m not giving you $10.00.” Of course, I got angered. Anyone would have.That is, however irrelevant. Fact is, despite nothingwritten in their shipping policies or practices (see attached Policies from their website) regarding how they handle outof stock items or partial shipments, they sat on my order for two weeks withoutany proper word to me. When I called to inquire, they were not helpful at alland full of excuses. Further, I thought I was dealing with a small business inthe English Tea store, but the English Tea Store is just one “of the websites thatOnline Stores maintain.” “They” being alarger company named Online Stores. As evidence, when I printed out my receipt,the receipt came from Smart Electronics and not the English Tea Store. When aconsumer is dealing with English Tea Store or Online Stores, who actually isthe consumer dealing with then, one must ask? I’m glad I found out their lousyway of treating and deceiving customers now rather than later when I spent moremoney on a larger order. I’m sorry but I cannot recommend this business toanyone else and I will not in good conscience be returning when there are morethan enough companies online that appreciate their customers, new and old. It’sa shame because I regularly purchase items they sell and they seem to packitems safely. However, their practices are deceiving. There is no English TeaStore. They are not a small business. In one sentence, [redacted] told me that theywere a small business. In the next sentence, when I asked why they didn’t callme since they hadn’t heard from me after they supposedly sent me a humangenerated email, she told me that they were a “large” business constantly sending/receivinglots of emails and can’t possibly call everyone. In closing, this company hasmany complaints with the Revdex.com and I wished I had looked that up before I made mypurchase with them. Be forewarned about them. You can look them up on theRevdex.com site. Choose wisely, or learn the hard way in the end,as I did. Obviously, anyone can put up a website and claim to be whatever storethey wish to be. I find it hard to believe that they are a [redacted] trustedstore.

Regards,

Review: I purchased a flag and flag pole mounting bracket and pole kit for my son in law when he became a U.S. citizen. The mounting bracket and pole both broke in less than 6 months. Since it was given as a gift, my daughter contacted their customer service via email. She never received a response. The company instead wrote me and refused to stand behind their product. Not only should this issue have been addressed with my daughter who emailed them, but their product should last more than 4 months under normal weather conditions. Not only is the product subpar but the customer service and the fact that they won't stand behind the products they sell makes them a subpar company that I will never recommend or do business with again.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund for the product that I purchased. Not only did it not withstand normal use in a 4 month period, but I would never trust a second product from a company that clearly doesn't put their customer first.

Business

Response:

I have sent out a replacement part for the broken bracket. I am not able to give a full refund because the rest of the item was not damaged. With the new bracket they will be able to use the flag pole again.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

I had purchased 2 pool floats from the company. One was for my 4 year old. The float is advertised for kids 4+. After 2 times using it the bottom fell out. I called to see if they would send me another one and I was told since the float was in the water so they can't exchange it. How am I suppose to know its a piece of junk until I blow it up and put it in the water? I was shocked over a matter of $22.99 they wouldn't send another one combined with the fact I had bought other things from them. I would never do business with them again with so many other toy companies out there with better customer service.

Review: Iplaced an order with Constructiongear.com aka Online Stores Inc. on Dec 22, 2014.Order # [redacted]$58.65 was purchased on my credit card.The fexdex tracking # provided by Online Stores Inc. aka Constructiongear.com is invalid.I spoke to Fedex about this matter. Fedex says that the tracking # http://fedex.com/Tracking?tracknumbers=[redacted]&action=track&language=...⇄ is invalid. Order date: 22-Dec-2014Order # [redacted] Order # [redacted]Shipping to: [redacted]Billed To: [redacted]Shipped (as of 12/23/2014)Track your package by clicking on the tracking number below:Carrier:Tracking Number:Pickup Date:FedEx[redacted]/23/2014SKUItem NameOrdered/ShippingStatusCSGBOTW[redacted]-6.5M-ST-WPSafetyGirl Steel Toe Waterproof Womens Work Boots1 Ordered, 1 ShippingShippedwww.constructiongear.comHello, [redacted]This email is to confirm your recent order from constructiongear.com, the Construction Gear division of OnlineStores, Inc. please check your order details and email us at [email protected] or call us toll free at ###-###-#### or ###-###-#### if you have any questions about your order. Our Customer Service Department is open Monday through Friday 8am - 7pm, Saturday 10am - 5pm EST. Closed Sunday.Thank you for your business. We will do our best to contact you if any items are out of stock. Please note: This charge will appear on your credit card statement as "Online Stores, Inc."Order StatusYou can find out the current status of your order by clicking the link below and entering your order number and email address.http://www.constructiongear.com/order-status.htmlYour Order #[redacted] (placed on December 22, 2014 12:39:43 PM EST)Billing Information:Payment Method:[redacted]United StatesT: [redacted]8 Credit CardCredit Card Type:MasterCardCredit Card Number:xxxx-[redacted]Processed Amount:$58.65Shipping Information:Shipping MethodDesired Settlement: I would like the product I order.I would also like to be compensated for it being delivered to another address other than my own.I obviously do not have the product by Christmas

Business

Response:

This is the first I am hearing of this. The customer never called us so that we could address the issue. We cannot solve these issues without being made aware of them. I have reshipped the product and issued a credit of $9.70 for the shipping.

Review: This company advertises the price of a boat at 1 price then when I tried to place a order for it they changed their price and advised me that the Web site was incorrect I advised them that would be considered false advertising the supervisor stated there's nothing she can do about it and ended the call all I'm asking for was to get the boat for what it's advertised for..

.. thank you sincerely [redacted]Desired Settlement: I would just like to get the boat for what it's advertised for...

Business

Response:

The customer found our store on [redacted] as one of the many companies that sell this raft. When you click on the link it takes you to our [redacted] site. [redacted]

The price for the 2 person raft is $39.99. This customer wanted a larger raft that fits 6 people. If you look on the site the size option for the 6 person boat list the price of $87. The customer wanted us to give him the 6 person boat for the price of the 2 person boat since the first price listed is $39,99. The site if very clear and we did not false advertise in any way.Thank you.

Review: I bought boots from [redacted]. Didn't fit. Returned the boots on January 19th. Online stores received them on 2/3. I didnt hear anything until 2/20 when I called. I was told that the order had been processed but no tracking number was available yet. Then I called back and got another order number and was told the boots had shipped. Then I get a notification saying the boots had shipped. I emailed online stores to get a tracking number. Was told that I would receive an email right away. And am now told that there are no boots as they are on backorder. I dont know if the problem is with Online Stores, [redacted] or [redacted] but rest assured I will never deal with any of these people again. I dont mind the delay but the smoke screen and lies that OnlineStores is complicit in is totally unacceptable. Sincerely[redacted]Desired Settlement: Tell me the date that replacement boots will be sent. No lies. When they ship, provide a tracking number. If the ship date is later than Mid March as stated in the most recent email sent by Online Stores, give me an opportunity to receive my money back.

Business

Response:

I am sorry for the inconvenience that this has caused. Unfortunately these boots are on manufacturer backorder until March 22. I will be happy to refund the customer for the boots. Please keep in mind that the manufacture date is what we were given by them. They do at times change the dates without notice. Below is a copy of the email that was sent to the customer.As a follow up to your [redacted] Boots exchange. [redacted] has advised us the boots are on a manufacturer backorder until Mid March. We are holding the order and will have shipped to you as soon as they are available. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.Customer ServiceOnline Stores, Inc.###-###-####[redacted]

Review: Ordered products from this vendor because its' website advertised that it provided free shipping to any orders over $50. Also, it stated that the order would be delivered in 2-3 business days. When I did not receive the delivery, I called customer service. I was told that actually my order would be shipped off in 2-3 business days and that it would be up to 10 business days for delivery because I chose economy shipping. I explained that I didn't "choose" any particular shipping, and that the shipping selection was automatically "chosen" for me during checkout because my order was over $50 and I was eligible for free shipping; therefore, assuming that what I would have paid for in shipping was waived because of their promotion. No where on their website did it state that although I met their promotional requirement of placing an order over $50 that I would still have to pay an additional amount if I wanted my order in 2-3 business days. I made this purchase as a Christmas gift and was depending on their 2-3 business day delivery time stated on their website. I placed the order on Dec. 11th and am STILL WAITING for the product to arrive (it is Dec. 22nd), just so I can return it. The company's website is not clear during the purchasing process, and their customer service is the worst I have experienced in a long time. They were willing to give me a refund when I returned the products, but would still charge me a restocking fee for a little over $6.00. When I asked to have the restocking fee waived because their website was unclear about paying additional shipping cost for their "free shipping" promotion, I was declined.Desired Settlement: Full Refund...restocking fee waived.

Business

Response:

Our website clearly states that that free shipping is economy shipping and takes 2-3 days to process and up to 10 days to deliver. The customer does have the option to pick another method at checkout if desired. However I tracked this package and it is at the local post office for delivery. Below is the tracking information.12/23/2014 - Tuesday 6:21 amAt U.S. Postal Service facility[redacted]Arrived at local Post Office - Allow one to two additional days for delivery3:32 amIn transit[redacted]In transit to local Post Office - Allow two to three additional days for deliveryIf the customer does not want the package she may return it without any additional charges.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. The company's website is NOT clear on its shipping policies in relation to their free shipping promotion. I have returned the items and requested a full refund. Company has not offered to waive restocking fee.Regards,[redacted]

Business

Response:

I said the first time I replied that the customer can return the item at no additional charge. The customer is stating that we did not make the offer to waive the fee and I clearly did. Please see the response below. Please advise the customer to read the entire response again. It is written in the last sentence.Our website clearly states that that free shipping is economy shipping and takes 2-3 days to process and up to 10 days to deliver. The customer does have the option to chose another method at checkout if desired. However I tracked this package and it is at the local post office for delivery. Below is the tracking information.12/23/2014 - Tuesday 6:21 amAt U.S. Postal Service facility[redacted]Arrived at local Post Office - Allow one to two additional days for delivery3:32 amIn transit[redacted]In transit to local Post Office - Allow two to three additional days for deliveryIf the customer does not want the package she may return it without any additional charges.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and it is satisfactory.[redacted]

Review: I ordered a pair of shorts from Online Stores in March 2016. The pair of shorts I ordered were brown. The shorts that were delivered were black. I returned them. I had been charged $35.37 for the shorts and the "shipping fee". The amount refunded was on $18.50. When my wife called on my behalf, she was told we had to pay as well for the return shipping. So, I ended up paying for shipping both ways for the wrong shorts.Desired Settlement: I would like to be refunded the rest of the $35.37 I was charged.

Business

Response:

I have pulled the customers order and he did order a pair of Men's Cargo shorts in black (not brown) in size 42w. The customer called and did not say the color was wrong they said that they did not fit. See notes below from 4/6/2016. CX CALLED IN SAID HTE SHORTS DID NOT FIT RIGHT ALL. THEY WANT TO SEND THE MBACK FOR A REFUND. I CONFIRMED EMAIL AND SENT MRL. As you can see we sent him a return label.We do not refund for shipping and there is a restocking fee since it was not our error. There is no refund required.

Review: English Tea Store is a business apparently also operating as "Onlinestores". They maintain a website that offers teapots, tea and brewing accessories of various price points. Their website reflected an icon offering free shipping for orders of $75 and above. After selecting approximately $100 of merchandise, I moved into the checkout phase of the transaction, only to find that there was no "free shipping" confirmation as indicated on the website header. To successfully conclude the transaction, I was required to select a shipment method with a corresponding fee. I initiated a "live chat" option and was soon put in touch with "[redacted]", a customer service representative. I repeated my story to her and she indicated that the company "did have exclusions". I advised that there was no indication of any exclusions in the offer shown on their webpage. She said that I must be purchasing low-cost teapots as those were one of the exclusions to the free shipping. She provided a link to their shipping policy which had a brief mention of the exclusion buried in the policy. There was no further definition of what defined the low-cost status of the merchandise and there was no reason for a consumer to infer that there would be caveats to the free shipping offer made on the header. I explained to [redacted] that I felt that the offer was misleading and she replied that she could see that there was no mention of the exclusions on the principal web page and stated that she would have that information clarified. As the exclusion was published elsewhere on the site, the free shipping offer would not be honored. I explained again that there was no link to any policy that would have informed me about the exclusions but the individual held firm. I advised her that I would cancel my order and she wished me good day.Desired Settlement: I would like the opportunity to purchase the merchandise I selected and achieve delivery without shipping fees. I would also like a more clear notation of the company's shipping policy reflected on their website's main page - as part of their "Free Shipping on orders of $75" advertisement.

Business

Response:

The customer is correct there are exclusions. She was ordering low cost tea pots and it is clearly stated on each item if it does not qualify for free shipping. Bold and in red Here is the link to view the site it will not copy and past bold and color. [redacted] This was also pointed out to the customer by [redacted]. She still insisted that she should have the item shipped for free.Dimensions: 7 inches length x 4.5 inches width x 4.5 inches height (opening of teapot is 2 inches)This teapot does not qualify for any shipping promotions. This is also listed under our shipping policy see below.Interruption of Service: Online stores, USPS and UPS shall not be liable for any interruption of service due to causes beyond its control, including, but not limited to, the following: the unavailability or refusal of a person to accept delivery of the shipment; acts of God; acts of public authorities acting with actual or apparent authority; acts or omissions of customs or similar authorities; insufficient information provided by a customer; the application of security regulations imposed by the government, or otherwise applicable to the shipment; riots, strikes or other labor disputes; civil unrest; disruptions in air or ground transportation networks and natural disasters.Economy shipping takes 3-10 business days and is not guaranteed.Free Shipping over $75 ! Orders over $75.00 qualify for FREE Shipping Within the Continental USA. This applies to Economy 3-10 days. We reserve the right to choose the shipping method based on cost.Free Shipping does NOT apply to APOs, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, or any US Territory. Free shipping does not apply to custom items or our low cost teapots.We also offer all UPS services including 3 Day, 2 Day and Next Day Air at an additional cost.Shipping Times Most orders that ship ground usually ship the same business day if placed before 3:00PM EST and the items are in stock. Orders that ship economy will ship within two business days if placed before 3:00PM EST and the items are in stock. Expedited Shipping Information: Deadline for orders requiring Next Day, 2 Day, or 3 Day delivery is 3:00 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time) for items in stock. Expedited orders placed after 3:00 PM will ship by the end of the next business day for items in stock. Next Day, 2 Day, or 3 Day orders placed on a Friday after 3:00 PM EST will ship the following Monday. Shipping costs are calculated at time of checkout by our shopping cart, based on the weight of your order and the method of shipment.We ship to all US States, US Territories, and to Canada only.As you can see it is not something that is hidden the customer is made aware on every item page if it DOES NOT qualify for free shipping an in the general shipping policy just as every other web site lists this information.Thank you.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and will accept the response with the caveat that I am doing so only because it is apparent that it's futile to do otherwise. I no longer have the printscreen of the way their header appeared on the date this matter occurred. At that time, [redacted] acknowledged that there was no indication that there was any restriction to the free shipping offer on that header. I would not have "insisted" that my purchased be shipped at no cost if it had been otherwise. I can honestly say that I recall no notation "restrictions apply" at that time. If it had been there, I am certain that I would not have taken my dissatisfaction this far - and that their representative would not have acknowledged the absence of clarification on the header and stated that she would request that clarification be added. Those comments - admittedly paraphrased here - occurred during our live chat interaction. I will own the fact that I did not see any restriction language on the individual item screen but I wasn't looking for it either. I made my selection, updated the screen and did not look further. At that time, I didn't feel the need to do so as the header did not alert me to the potential for exceptions to the shipping offer. Apparently I should have been more thorough. I appreciate the speed at which the Revdex.com has addressed this situation.

Regards,

Review: I am incredibly disappointed with both your product and customer service.I purchased 4 of the same pair of work overalls and each of them has been faulty in that they have come apart/tore at the seams. I proceeded to call the customer service line, upon which time the female customer service rep was not only rude, but extremely short with me. She put me on hold more than once and cut me off repeatedly. I supplied her with my order number right off the bat so I don't understand why she was asking for my credit card information, as you should have that stored in my order/file. I have NEVER had this problem with other companies product of the same nature. I fully expect them to contact me and give me the appropriate refund. I have no problem sending back the merchandise if they need it to review but at this point I am ready to spread the word both in my trade and to family/friends to NEVER purchase from this company again. I expect to hear from someone soon, otherwise I will take other actions to have this handled.Desired Settlement: I expect an appropriate refund for the 4 items purchased.

Business

Response:

I spoke with [redacted] and went over his concerns. Mr [redacted] was issued a credit for one pair of overalls on 12/16 for $24.95. He said that he was unaware of it because he was upset and hung up when he called. In addition to that credit I offered to credit his card for an additional $100. He asked that I just give him store credit because he would be ordering again soon. So I gave him a store credit he was very happy with the outcome of the conversation and he was given more than what he requested. he said that he would be giving us a positive feedback response.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I spoke with there manager [redacted] and he was overly helpful with this situation!

Review: I made an online order of several items. 5 days after placing the order, I went to tracking online and noticed the order had not shipped. I wanted to cancel one of the items in my order, so I called customer service and requested to cancel one item. I was told by customer service they could not cancel anything because it was getting ready to ship. They suggested I just return the item when it arrives. I complained that I didn't want to incur the expense if return shipping and restocking fee. Customer service simply said "sorry" cant help.Desired Settlement: Assuming the process will continue as Online Stores has indicated. I will receive my order and return the unwanted item pursuant to their return policy. I desire to have the restocking fee and my shipping costs reimbursed to my credit card.

Business

Response:

The customer is correct. His order was picked and packed. There is no way to locate the order in our warehouse at this point. We process thousands of orders daily and at this point the box would be somewhere with these orders. Before a customer submits an order on our website a warning pops up stating that once an order is placed the order cannot be changed or canceled. If a customer places the order with a rep they are asked if everything is correct and verbally given the same information as the website.I will be more than happy to accept the return, however no fee exception can be made due to the fact that it was not our error.Thank you.

Consumer

Response:

Review: ordered flag pennants. arrived red is more maroon, don't like them. called after return form online showed return amount to be less than half the expense for the product. contacted costumer service by phone. stated a restocking fee was deducted and that it was stated in return policy. I stated that the flags were maroon not red. she stated that "they look different than in the pictures due to different vendors producing the product." to me that's false advertising and I should receive a complete refund. The agent stated I could exchange for another product at the full value. I stated this product is bad why would trust that a replacement would be any better. I declined to accept the less than 50% refund offered. I want a complete refund.Desired Settlement: Each pennant cost 7.95, I would like a refund for the total cost of the two pennants, 15.90.

Business

Response:

Our return policy is clearly stated on our web site for any customer to read prior to ordering merchandise through our site. We will gladly take an exchange for other merchandise within a 30 day period if the customer would like at no charge. It is not a problem. I have also had inventory pulled from stock and is red. Please keep in mind that different computer screens will vary depending on resolution. I have no way of telling what a customer is viewing in regards to color on their screen. I have copied our return policy below. It is by no means meant to "scam".

Most products sold by Onlinestores.com qualify for free exchange or replacement within 30 days from the date your order ships. Please visit our Online Returns Center to process your return. The product must be in its original condition, unused and in its original packaging. If we do not receive your return in its original condition, a service charge of $6.99 will be deducted from your refund. Returns other than for exchange or replacement will be assessed a fee of $6.99 which will be deducted from your refund. We do not refund any shipping charges. This policy applies for domestic orders only.

Consumer

Response:

I do not accept there response. Item does not resemble image shown on website. I will not return item so they can resell it to another unsuspecting buyer. I have been scammed and will have to suffer the loss. I will share my experience with others so they won't be taken as I have been.

Review: On June 29th, 2014 I placed an order for 12 Valley Forge cotton US flags from united-states-flag.com (a division of Online Stores Inc.) On June 30th, I received an e-mail telling me that the flags were out of stock. I checked their website, and it was still showing them as in stock. I called the company and spoke with their representative (after 30 minutes on hold). She told me it was out of stock and the estimate was weeks until it would be in stock again. I opted to have her change the order to cheaper, Chinese made flags instead which were in stock. I asked her to quote me the new price and to send me a copy of the new bill. The next day I got a notice that my new order had shipped but the address it shipped to had a typo in it, and was not the one I had submitted with my original order. The representative must have made a mistake when she resubmitted the order. I then checked my credit card account online and found that I had been overcharged for the cheaper Chinese flags (no bulk discount, no military discount, both of which I was supposed to get). I then e-mailed the customer service explaining all of this. Their response was that the flags were shipped and if I wanted them to go to a different address, I would have to place a new order and that no credit was due.Desired Settlement: At this point, even if Online Sales Inc. were to ship me the flags today it would be too late. I needed them here by next week and have had to order them from a different (more reliable) company. The flags that were shipped to the wrong address will hopefully be returned to sender. I am requesting a full refund since I submitted my shipping address correctly, their representative/system changed it to the wrong address (I have all of the documentation to demonstrate that).

Business

Response:

Review: I have contacted this company several times regarding a warranty return/exchange. Every time I call they give me the "run around" and tell me my boots will be shipped and "sorry for the inconvenience." But I call again after the date they say it should be shipped, and the order has not been processed.Desired Settlement: I would just like the replacement boots.

Business

Response:

I am showing that these boots were delivered tracking below.[redacted] Tuesday, 05/12/2015at 6:14 P.M. Left At:PorchThank you.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.