Customer Service Issues with Margo Anderson's Historic Costume Patterns

[Tudortriumph]

Has anyone else run into issues with purchasing from Margo Anderson's website? 

I ordered the men's costume patterns a couple of months back and there weren't any issues.  But about a month ago when I ordered the women's patterns I have run into issues and am shocked by the lack of customer service I have met.

There was never a shipment notification with the tracking number, I patiently waited a week and a half and then went to the website and used the contact tool to alert them that I had not received my order.  Another several days of waiting and no response.  I sent a second email informing them that if I didn't hear back in the next three days I would have no choice but to take the matter up with PayPal (unfortunately that was the only confirmation number I received).  Low and behold I received a prompt response at that point...I may have misinterpreted it but I found the following condescending and snarky:

"According to the Post office, your order was delivered on June 25.  Here's the tracking number: XXXXXXXXXXX
In my experience, missing packages that are tracked as delivered have usually been put away someplace safe by a household member or neighbor, so I suggest asking around. 
If you think this is an error, information on filing a complaint with the post office can be found here: https://www.usps.com/customer-service/customer-service.htm
Good luck!
Margo Anderson"

The post office on the other hand jumped through hoops trying to help me but it appears they may have put the package in the wrong apartment's mail box.  Admittedly this is no fault of Historic Costume Patterns, but honestly had I received a tracking number in a shipping notification I could have addressed this several weeks earlier and stood a much better chance of actually getting the items I purchased.

I am trying to be understanding but the thought that I might be out $80.00 has me peeved.  If you are considering buying from their website stay on top of the delivery time as you will not be receiving tracking information.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

I have never had any issues with Margo's Customer Service. All my orders have come to me in a timely manner.

I can understand concerns with delivering to Apartments, because the boxes are too small for larger packages. Several of my clients I have done garb orders for who live in Apartment complexes have bought space at a UPS like business that can handle large shipments. Perhaps that might be an idea to contend with ordering things online.

[isabelladangelo]

To me, it doesn't sound the least bit condesecending or snarky.  I think your very understandable frustration at the issue might be coloring the words.  Tone is always a difficult thing in writing.

Ask your neighbors.  I'm in a townhome and I get all sorts of mail for my neighbors (and they get mine sometimes too!).  It might be stuck in a pile somewhere that, for whatever reason, they just haven't bothered to check. 

Unfortunately, at this point, you might have to figure out how to file an insurance claim with the post office if you can.  You probably won't get all your money back but it might help.

[Stuben]

I feel your pain Tudor. My mail person is always putting the wrong mail in boxes. Last year my sister sent a box to me which never arrived. Two months later she got it back. They never made an attempt to deliver it and said it was undeliverable. The year before that I had two items with tracking numbers that they showed delivered but they never actually delivered them. I went to the post office and started a complaint report on my mail carrier. The manager there was making excuses and got a bit nasty but I filed the report anyway. What do ya know? the packages showed up two days later in my box. When I order something for delivery if it's not small enough to fit in one of the evelopes they can squeeze in my box I have it sent UPS or FedEx. As far as Margo Andersons I've had nothing but good service from them.

Stuben

[Rowan MacD]

 I too, have had no problem with my 3 orders form MA, but I live in a house.
  The worst scare I ever had was an order from Sophie's Stitches about 9 years ago for a $300.00 Celtic outfit with chemise and petticoat. 
  I emailed SS after 2 weeks and they sent a return email with the shipping info they had used. Whoever packed and shipped it; printed the address label with a house # two doors down from mine; just one number difference.
  Happily, I went over to the neighbors house-and he still had the package.   Note:  I was VERY fortunate the recipient (my neighbor) is a mail carrier himself. My ph# is unlisted so he did not know where to bring it, and was about to return it to SS.
   I checked my order receipt-it had the correct address-so I let SS know about their mistake.
   They offered to replace the order if it was not returned to them, or I never received it, but I explained that it was returned to me quickly, but it was no fault of the post office-they delivered the package to the address on the box. 

Anywho-MA might want to consider registered mail for apartments and P.O. box addresses (she can include the cost on her order page) that way, the recipient has to go to the post office to sign for it, if they are not home when it arrives.   
   Moresca follows this practice for all deliveries.

[stonebiscuit]

The lack of an order confirmation/tracking number (did you check your spam folder?) is really the issue here, as well as the lack of reply to the first email. Personally, I've never had good luck with the Contact tool on the MA website, but I think it's probably because it's ultimately a one-person operation.

[DutchessPDX]

If you didn't receive the package (regardless of the tracking information) you could potentially still file a chargeback with your credit card company if you funded with a Credit Card. AND YES it is the company's responsibility to get the item to you safely. What if they completed the mailing envelope wrong. All the delivery from USPS says is that it was delivered to a particular zip code, it doesn't give the actual address. I would give them a chance to fix it but if they won't help I would file a chargeback and order somewhere else!!

[mollymishap]

If you didn't receive the package (regardless of the tracking information) you could potentially still file a chargeback with your credit card company if you funded with a Credit Card. AND YES it is the company's responsibility to get the item to you safely. What if they completed the mailing envelope wrong. All the delivery from USPS says is that it was delivered to a particular zip code, it doesn't give the actual address. I would give them a chance to fix it but if they won't help I would file a chargeback and order somewhere else!!

Dutchess: If MA completed the address incorrectly, while the customer did give an accurate address, then sure, it goes on MA.  But that does not appear to be the case here.  The PO has admitted that they were likely at fault.  Chargebacks are for when you have been defrauded by a merchant.  How is the PO delivering to the wrong address the merchant's responsibility?

Tudor: Have you asked around?  It wasn't that long ago that DH ordered an item and he just coincidentally decided to go for a walk and crossed the street to use that sidewalk when out of the corner of his eye, he caught his name on a box sitting in front of the neighbor's front door which is three feet from the sidewalk.  LO and BEHOLD!  There was DH's package.  He promptly picked it up and brought it home.  My point is, if he hadn't been there at that particular moment, he may have never received the box.  I hope you take it up with the PO and get some satisfaction from them.  While it stinks to be out that much $, I just don't see where MA is to blame for that.

You could also double-check to see what email MA had for you originally.  That address may have been inputted incorrectly by yourself or them which could also account for your not having received confirmation info sooner.  And there is still the hope that your neighbor sent the package back to MA, in which case they should refund your $ to you once they've received their goods back.  But you would probably do well to make sure they have your correct email associated with your account (vs. just hitting 'reply' on your emails) so they can notify you of any developments.

As others have suggested, if you live in an apt. bldg where such things can happen easily, ask any merchant you want to buy things from in the future to put signature confirmation on your package, and if they cannot/will not, then perhaps chose to purchase from someone else.

OH, and btw, I'm not associated with MA in any way other than having purchased a bunch of her patterns and never had a problem.

[PollyPoPo]

Depending on which carrier is used (US Postal service, vs UPS, etc.) and what type of shipment, there is often insurance available to the sender of the package.  Over the past couple years, I have noticed more and more items are being shipped in those one-price Priority Mail pouches and boxes.

I was always curious why a $50 item might be sent Priority Mail Express, which costs quite a bit more than regular postage for the same box.  Obviously, the cost of shipment is included in the price (even if not listed separately). 

Getting ready to ship something myself, I found out that there is $100 insurance included in the cost of most Priority Mail Express and $50 for Priority Mail shipments.  So, if the shipper has proof they sent it and the shipment never gets there, the shipper gets paid that amount.  Plus the shipper can purchase additional insurance if the item is more valuable.

I don't know what method MA is using, but if the package was insured, but not delivered, then it is not unreasonable to expect the shipper to reimburse the customer. 

[Rowan MacD]

  Polly-good point-I think MA ships in those PM envelopes-It's been a year, since I ordered anything from her...
   I've been ordering LM and she does not use the pouches-just a plain manila envelope.  She also does not let you know when she's shipping, but you can generally count on seeing your pattern(s) inside of a week. 

[Cilean]

So I think all of the lovely people here I hope gave you some help and hope, Margo was at Costume College, during this time, and I also hope you have found your things?

I lost $160.00 of fabric, because my mail carrier did not think that since the original key was lost or gone that she should not put anyone else's things into that box, since I did not have insurance I was told "Oh well".  I was living in an Apartment complex and we moved shortly due to this and several other nasty things.