We've changed some of our menus, so please listen carefully

[substitute]

I ordered an item from Best Buy on their web site. This went fine. I wished to pick it up in a store nearby. My nearest store had the item. I completed my order. I was told by their site that the store would confirm via email in the morning.

This morning I get an email that the store in fact does not have this item. Strike one! The inventory system is broken.

I am instructed to call a toll free number. I call, and get a moderately annoying telephone tree. I am asked to speak my order number into the phone. I do this, and I am told that my order requires that I speak with a human. The human answers, and immediately needs me to tell her my order number again. She claims that another store has the item. The cycle starts again.

1. Why was an item that was in stock after closing Sunday night not in stock Monday morning?

2. Why do all these systems require you to tell them your order number/customer number/prisoner number multiple times? Shouldn’t the rep see it on her screen when she gets the call?

3. Why did I need to talk to a human just to try to find the item at another store, when all she was doing was looking at the same information I’d see on the web site?

I wish our capitalists were better at capitalism.

Comments

OO OO! I know!

[xtreme-pr0k.livejournal.com]

At least for number 1: People steal shit. When shit gets stolen, it's still in inventory although it's not there. It's not until a human needs to confirm this that things get updated. I leave the reasons by which I know this as an exercise to the reader.

Re: OO OO! I know!

[brianenigma.livejournal.com]

It's called "shrinkage."