On Getting It Wrong and Making It Right

I've managed to do most of Christmas shopping online this year.  It's great- no lines, no waiting, no fuss.  And I've gotten some really great deals.

Back in November, I found a great deal on my Amazon Local Deals site. It was a deal for a 8.5x11 photo calender from a company I'd never heard of called Printer Pix.  I was a little hesitant to buy since I didn't know anything about the company.  But last year I had purchased photo books for our parents, and they were a big hit.  So I took a chance and bought two.

I selected my photos and made my calendar immediately and placed my order for two.  Then I waited.  And waited. And waited.

I was getting a little nervous and planning to contact Printer Pix when I finally received a package from them in the mail.  I opened it excitedly to find...

There was a small, very small, 8x5 inch calendar with really fuzzy, tiny pictures.  And there was only one calendar.

I immediately emailed the company- "I only received one calendar. It's the wrong size. The quality is very poor."  The next day, I received an answer.  The company offered a sort of apology.  "We're sorry. You ordered the wrong size.  Here's the invoice."  There was no mention of the fact that one calendar was missing or that the calendar was so pitiful.

I emailed back. "Why would my voucher work with the wrong size of calendar?  My vouchers were for 8.5x11 calendars." And an answer back- "We're sorry.  Sometimes customers order something different with a voucher."  Huh?

I realized that I was getting nowhere fast.  So I quickly placed the calendar order with Shutterfly, a company I've used very successfully in the past.  I guess I should have stayed with a company I trusted in the first place.  I received two beautiful calendars within 2 days- the correct size.

Meanwhile I waited and waited to see if another calendar would surface from Printer Pix.

After another week, I emailed Printer Pix again.  "I haven't received a second calendar or any satisfaction from the first one being the wrong size and poorly made.  I am going to contact Amazon Local Deals and the Better Business Bureau."  No answer.

I finally received the second calendar.  It came in a plain brown wrapper and was bent in two.  It had a pretty good sized ink smudge on the cover.

I notified the company again.  This time I received another "apology" and an offer to remake the calendar if I would send the defective one back.

By this time, I had contacted Amazon Local Deals and the Better Business Bureau.  I let the company know this and let them know that I didn't want a remade calendar because they were so bad to start with and I certainly couldn't give them as gifts.  I also let them know that I knew I wouldn't have time to wait for a new calendar even if I wanted one because it had taken so long to receive anything else.

This time I received another "apology", a postage paid shipping label, and promise to refund all my money.

I mailed both calendars the next day.  That was just the end of last week, so I have yet to see if I get a refund.  I did thank the company for making things right.

There is a moral to my long tale: Stick to a trusted company- especially when it comes to something important.

A secondary moral: Don't try Printer Pix.  I hope they will stick to their word and make things right, but it sure has been an ordeal.

And lastly: I do recommend Shutterfly.  I'm not getting anything from this recommendation.  But, they've always done a good job on cards, calendars and photo books.  They also have good prices- even without an Amazon Local Deal.