I had some small items missing from order once when Matt first started and Joe was out hiking , NZ I recall. Only amounted to a $1-2, I never said anything.
Glad you patched things up
Not a bad idea to withhold public criticism until it plays out.
I like z-packs and used many of their products on my thru. One thing I don't like is the lack of telephone support. Yes, they generally respond in a reasonable amount of time via email but when you are on the trail and need a quick reply it is a pain. This is especially true if you are having patchy internet connection.
This is a significant consideration for me. Having to search out WiFi access points for reliable InterNet connectivity and wait up to 48 hours makes that enough of a hassle that I wouldn't want to depend on products from a company with these customer service policies for my through hike. What's good enough for people at home may not be good enough for people on the Trail.
Z-Pack did me darn right on my thru (though to be fair many will do you darn right on a thru, it's part of the magic of a thru). Sending me 2 yards of Cuban repair tape free for a small self imposed rupture of my CuF tent for nothing more then sending them an email. They are there to help the thru hikers, perhaps other hikers as well.
I have an eVoice voicemail box and toll-free number for less than $10 mth. Voicemails are emailed to me in .wav format. Simple enough to setup and give you a TFN for your customers. Not criticizing, just a suggestion.
I guess you've never heard of Republic Wireless, then. I get unlimited voice and texts for about $17 a month, but data is strictly via WiFi. In fact, everything goes via WiFi (VOIP) if that's available. I can get cellular data some places, but even attempting to use that causes significant auto-charges to my credit card, with no refunds if the data quality sucks. So essentially, data is only a WiFi thing. I'll just be a hiker in search of hotspots.
There was two reasons I went with HMG over zpacks, not having a phone number was one of them. Just because it's more convenient for your business to operate via email does not mean it's equally as convenient for the customers.
Gosh, I know its a bummer to not what was ordered, but I'm kinda with COrob and Gambit on this... this forum is not the place to say what the OP did without greater detail as to the complaint. It certainly appears that there was not sufficient lag between sending the email and posting this thread. I don't know, we don't have that detail, but if that is the case it was wrong to make the post.
I don't think this thread should be deleted, but rather closed. There's good info here on what to do and what not to do, as well as very positive info for Zpacks and those that might buy from them.
"I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
- Kate Chopin
The title of this thread made me think someone was rating the customer.
I think that would automatically accrue a $20 data charge, yeah. I'd have a credit for a moderate amount of additional data usage minus that first 5KB for the month, but the first bite (byte) of the data apple is expensive. So I'm going to spend a bunch of time early next year downloading Google map data along the AT onto my phone, then I'll be using GPS with that locally-stored data. I can use voice and text on the Trail whenever there's a signal, and I can catch up on InterNet stuff (weather forecasts, email, uploading my photos, & c.) at WiFi hotspots at resupply towns.
I've had amazon numerous times short me on duplicate or similar items before. Even the CDTC did that to me last year when I ordered 2 CDT patches. That sort of thing happens all the time with a lot of companies. No need to whine about it if it hasn't been weeks with no reponse. If the item was really cheap, I don't always even bother to complain about it unless I really needed it. Stuff happens. Zpacks and most other companies will eventually get back to you after you contact them. Was there even a need for this thread?
Wow - what a customer-focused solution. mail it in, have it repaired and wait for them to mail it back. That's convenient - hope you weren't on a trip when it happened. I have nothing against Z-packs or any other cottage gear maker, but I do think that all of the apologists here on WB are doing the small companies a disservice by making excuses for them and not holding them up to the same standards of product quality and customer service of the larger companies. And to those who would ask what they could have done better - they could have made it with a better design or material to avoid the defect in the first place, but once such an obvious defect manifested iteslf, shipped a replacement with a prepaid return label (after getting a credit card number to ensure a return of the defective pack) - just like larger manufacturers and retailers.