Quote: Originally Posted by
Heather 
And DP - I am calling you out - how would you react to a forum member that hopped on the forums and said - "hey I just bought a Hummer - can you all tell me what computer to buy and what goes with it and how do i power it?". Most Newbies would not even dare do this with doing a search first.
I think you were trying to be sarcastic, and it looks like you failed.
If you weren't being sarcastic, then you need to open your eyes. Go check the
Newbie forum.
Yes, people should do research before they embark on a project, especially one directly linked to something like a vehicle that is not only expensive and difficult to repair and/or replace, but could pose catastrophic and fatal consequences if not executed properly.
I'm all for people learning, and have been very vocal about that from day one.
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We financially support the forums so that this information is freely available - and we kindly ask customers to use the forums before purchasing products, so that when they do receive them, they actually know how to use them.
So what about non-customers? What about those of us who purchase our hardware from other sources and choose these forums as a venue to assist those in need and be social to a certain extent?
Are the long-time supporters of this community and this hobby who don't need to purchase goods & services from your store going to be denied access to the hallowed ground that is mp3car?
Quote: Originally Posted by
Heather Don't you have anything better to do with your time? I know mp3Car bashing is fun...but really - 99% of the time our service is excellent. Yeah there are always a few issues, a few mistakes, but it is not like we dont try to fix them - the opposite, we engage and work to set things right.
When you're selling hardware, you're going to hit it most of the time because the hardware works out of the box and the customer is happy.
HOWEVER, mp3car.com sells technical equipment, and a lot of it Chinese imports. These companies don't have the resources to create user manuals and such to the purchaser.
They create large volumes of product, not all of which is tested before shipping overseas.
And then its in a container on a ship for however long getting beat around by Mother Nature.
There are any number of reasons there could be a problem with the type of merchandise you sell.
You, as the seller are supposed to be the "expert" in case something doesn't work right or is malfunctioning. In some cases, you would be the one to make the assessment whether the merchandise is defective or damaged and the customer is warranted a replacement.
Instead, you throw a
paying customer to the proverbial lions.
You spent a thousand dollars in our store, and now you should let these anonymous, abrasive, sometimes offensive, frequently boorish, self-absorbed, bitter, *whatever* hobbyists that already understand this stuff.
THEY will help you.
Thats right, those nerdy miscreants over there.
By that token, someone is
EXPECTED to provide some technical assistance to your customer on the forums. Who, exatly shoulders this responsibility?
Is there someone on mp3car.com staff?
Is it you or Rob?
Goce?
Let's face it... None of you have a very prominent presence on these forums. Considering you're running a business, that's pretty par for the course. But you damn sure aren't assistng customers with problems on the forums.
So who is?
It's the hobbyist community. Out of the goodness of our hearts and the desire that drives all geeky types to fix something that isn't working right, we do what we can in the abysmal troubleshooting environment that is internet forums.
So when a customer doesn't get help on the forums from anyone who can help him achieve his goals, then what? What further recourse does a customer have?
How can this poor guy even figure out if his device works properly? He got harrassed by a bunch of self-righteous dicks on the internet and now there's nobody to call to and complain?
Or get a refund?
Or an RMA?
Honestly, I can't fathom any other resell-style operation that can continue to sustain itself without providing acceptable customer service. The ones that thrive try to offer the best customer service. They understand the products they sell and do their best to help you know the product you purchase. In this day of instant-on web stores, customer service is the
ONLY thing other than price that separates a quality online retailer from a lousy one.
At work, we have a long-time relationship with CDW.
I buy from NewEgg.
Why?
Better customer service, knowledgable people who will help insure I purchase what I need, and a lower price.
It doesn't take much to provide good customer support: Try to sell something that works and fix it if it doesn't.
It's not about bashing mp3car.com. It's about bringing to light a company that doesn't appear to give a damn about their customers (past, present and future) or the hobbyist community they helped grow.
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Try this with almost any other company out there and what would they do - they would ban you and delete your post (or at least edit it for fear of
SEO). But that just is not mp3Car's style.
Most companies have suggestion boxes, giving the impression they care about criticisms and complaints from employees, customers, visitors, etc.
Besides, you brought up the topic of mp3car.com's customer support and why it is the way it is.
I think that's a fabulous topic.
Let's discuss..
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