Yesterday I went on-line to Dillard’s (“The Style of Your Life”) at www.dillards.com (Canadian version) to purchase a pair of pants. When I didn’t receive the usual acknowledgment of purchase by email (after having paid the account with my credit card) I became concerned. My concern was heightened when I subsequently received an email from a company called Zonos (of which I had never heard) thanking me for having made my recent purchase at Zonos (which I also found to be curious). When I tried contacting Zonos I spoke with a gentleman but the moment I revealed my concern that the payment was a scam, the call was disconnected. I then called Bank of Montreal which confirmed the payment had been processed. The bank agent could only suggest leaving it for a few days to see what happens as though the problem were somehow connected to Thanksgiving (which of course is only a holiday at this time of year in Canada not the United States of America where Dillard’s is located).
I then called Dillard’s. The agent advised there was no record of either the order or the payment. When I called Zonos again, I spoke with an agent whose theme was “Don’t worry, be happy!” I wasn’t yet convinced the problem was solved. When I called Dillard’s again the agent’s immediate response was “I have bad news for you!” There was no record of the purchase whatsoever (even after providing the Item # from the web site plus the size, colour, date and time of purchase). She said she would speak with a supervisor. She put me on hold.
Some time later the Dillard’s agent responded, confirming my purchase account had been located. When at last I received an email (which until later today I mistakenly thought was from Dillard’s – though it was not – confirming the purchase) I was further dismayed to discover that the total bill for the CDN$55 pair of pants after FedEx, tax, duties and fees (“Order is over the de minimus threshold for tax“) was CDN$169.93 an amount which makes one question the utility of on-line shopping especially when one is not even assured the purchase was legitimate. Overall the unpleasant experience has turned me off Dillard’s and high tech. While naturally one can expect problems in any event, this particular story nonetheless diminishes the value to me of having done so. This quelled disposition was however before I noticed the mistaken identity of what I thought to be the Dillard’s communicator.
In the meantime (before I noticed the mistaken identity of Dillard’s) I received a cryptic message from Monica Goethe of Zonos. The substance was to leave Zonos alone even though it was they who contacted me initially. And while everyone (including I mistakenly thought Dillard’s) had now communicated with me, no one had answered my sole question, “What is my tracking number?” It is a detail I have yet to receive.
Hello,
Yes, you should receive tracking updates. For any other customer service inquiries surrounding this order please contact internationalsales@dillards.com.
Thank you,
Monica Goethe
Customer Retention Manager, Zonos
Then things got only worse. After contacting Dillard’s first by email – which they have yet to answer – and then by phone at 1 (800) 345-5273 I was advised by the Customer Service agent that there was no record of my purchase. I reiterated to the agent all details surrounding this trifling purchase. While I waited for the agent to speak to a supervisor about the matter (and it was a long wait) I immediately initiated a transaction objection with my bank, requesting cancellation of the payment to Dillard’s. After an annoyingly prolonged wait upon Dillard’s for what I would have thought to be a fairly routine matter of confirming a sale, I was told by the Dillard’s agent that there has been a technical problem between Dillard’s and Zonos (about whom she had earlier advised me she had never heard). The Dillard’s agent did however confirm that my purchase had been processed and that I would hear from someone soon. When I asked to have her confirm that advice by email to me she initially said she could not do so. I told her accordingly that I did not intend to reverse my request to my bank to cancel the payment. The Dillard’s agent then put me on hold once again; and, after further waiting, this is what I received from someone who is supposedly a supervisor with Dillard’s; this supposedly from Dillard’s customer_service@dillards.com:
Hello,
Just to confirm that your order # XYZ (redacted by lgwc), is processing through Zonos.com
for Dillards. You will receive updates from Zonos but can always check with Dillards.
Thank you,
Dillard’s Customer Service
This totally unhelpful communication entirely conflicts with what I have been told by Zonos (that is, to deal not with them but with Dillard’s). I am literally going in circles and getting nowhere in the process.
And of course I have yet to receive the pants that I ordered.