Might not get HBP until Monday.

[icarus]

I worked for Amazon.com once. Oh man, what a study in chaos theory. Anyhow, it turns out those bozos shipped all the Harry Potter books via UPS... to the post office. Which means we don't even get a tracking number.

They sent an email today saying some of the HP books won't arrive till 7pm. My box (where it's being shipped) closes at 1pm. If I had known this before they shipped, I could have changed to ship-to address to home.

After talking to the Amazon.com's customer service, my irate (if somewhat amused) email:

I pre-ordered Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with the understanding Amazon would ship in a timely manner. In 2003 Amazon guaranteed Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix would arrive in the morning -- and it did. I trusted Amazon as a result.

Now, at the last minute I've been informed via email that some of your shipments won't arrive until 7pm. This is a problem because I have it shipped to a box which closes at 1pm, in which case I won't be able to receive it until Monday.

You were unable to give me a tracking number or tell me if my order is one of those that would be shipped later.

This is a mess because I've cleared the house for Saturday. My friends will be discussing it Monday.

This is a little like missing the Superbowl: it's almost impossible not to hear the final score.

Right now I'm merely panicked. If it doesn't arrive by 1pm, I'm going to be really pissed. One thing's for sure: There is no way I'm ordering the next Harry Potter book from Amazon.com.


All together now: AAAAAAUUUUUGH!


ETA: Thanks to heidi8 more info on Amazon's guarantee. It doesn't apply to me, I've had it shipped to my box which is considred a commerical address, but anyone else, if yours arrives after tomorrow, you'll receive your copy free.

Comments

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

It's a Mail Boxes Etc., and it usually gets the mail around 11 or noon. You give me hope. (Oh dear, I just finished that sentence... "to carry on...")

What worries me is that the Amazon rep said some of the books are being sent a sort of special delivery, and some are being sent UPS. I get the impression they were overwhelmed.

Icarus

[juice817.livejournal.com]

trust me, the post office is very well aware of how huge this is. my own boss is a little pissy that jkr is getting special treatment from us *g*. the special delivery is called a drop shipment, where ups delivers a ton to the local post office, who then delivers them. amazon should have given you a ups tracking number, and you can look at that to see if it shows arrival at your local ups distribution center yesterday. our office got about 200 drop shipped yesterday, and then we got another 100 or so last night with the regular mail dispatch.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

It was definitely drop shipped, and arrived at the UPS distribution center on the 14th.

Does this mean that it won't arrive with the regular mail at my box this morning? *worried*

Icarus

[juice817.livejournal.com]

not at all. it means that the ups center had it the 14th and took it to the office who delivers your box the 15th, and it should be with your regular mail today. that's what happened with mine, which i have in my hands right now.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

You were right! *bounds and bounces*

But the next one I'm not ordering through Amazon. This was stressful, getting a last-minute email saying "oh, by the way, we might be late!"

Gah.

Icarus