I want this blog to bring joy. My day got off to a rough start. In order for this premise the work, I needed something... not in the general sense of needing things but in the very real, physical sense. -- and it is purely material. I actually needed 2 things. First, I need a book. Not just any book, but a book about the Chanel collection. I also "needed" a doll. Well, anyone who knows me, knows I don't need another doll -- so I'll rephrase that, I wanted another doll.
In order to help stem the tide of my "empty nest syndrome", I decided on a project. In November of 2011 (yes that is how long this has been going on... longer really) -- several months before this, I saw a doll made by Angelika Balan. Coco Chanel.
This doll has very special meaning to me. On our flight from Paris back to Miami, my daughter and I saw that movie together. I had read things about Coco (a really tough cookie who would occasionally "pay off" relatives to say they weren't related to her.)
Anyway, in March 2012, I ordered a book from Amazon. Chanel: Collections and Creations. It was lower than the list price. I think it was $26. For a hardcover book. Good deal... Or so I thought. My I idea for this blog was to make one outfit from the book each week and show the progress as well as the final product at the end of each week. Good intentions....
On April 11th, I noticed the book had still not "shipped" -- it didn't understand why, I used live chat and was told that the book was being shipped overnight complimentary. Great (I thought). Then on the 12th when the book didn't arrive, I mentioned it to my husband. He said "Oh, Amazon sent me an email" --- WHAT? What did it say? Something about whether you wanted to cancel the order. Huh?? That makes no sense, they were going to "next day it" to me. It should be here by now. Well, he forwarded the email and sure enough, it asked if I still wanted the order?????? I again did live chat. Is the book out of stock? Yes. It is out of stock. Then why didn't it just say that and I would have chosen another seller (there were several there in March -- I just figured give Amazon the business and they had free shipping-- a no brainer).
Well, that's when things went south. I again searched the book on Amazon, now it was saying the book would be $198. That's right from about $25 to about $200. What the H3LL? Yes, I did put that in my chat. I asked her, what happens now, my order gets cancelled and when I try to reorder it I get to pay $200? Oh, no it will stay at that price (yeah and I'll never see the book). We went "round and round" -- finally I settled with a $20 credit to Amazon (whoopdy crap) and I was able to order from Amazon, on the web from another seller. I think this one was about $40+ and shipping -- my premise for my blog would have not happened, I didn't want that to happen so yes, I buckled.
I noticed after that Barnes and Noble had the book for $25! What??? I ordered it. I figure the worse that could happen is I end up with an extra copy.
What will I do if and when I get the other copy? I was thinking to give it away in some mindless raffle for people who follow my blog (free). Surely, they would have some interest in Chanel and the collection. (No it won't be a contest -- no you won't have to do or make anything-- I know those are out there and good for them.) Note to self: at some ceremonious point in blog's history remember to give away book.
So, I promised myself that I would not publish until my book arrived...
I started writing the post on Friday, April 13th (Lucky day? We'll see). I received a "your book has shipped" notice...
I am posting this......... It is April 18th, still no book. Ok, I'm worried. What has happened to my beloved book. I don't think it is coming. I wonder now if I have to abandon all hope of getting this book of the Chanel collection. I'm ready to cry/scream... Oh, this doesn't look good. It is saying delivery won't happen until May 4th... this is what happened with the first book... This is going to be crappy, I can feel it. I hope to be pleasantly surprised, but I don't think so...
I've also tried Barnes and Noble -- will this be better??? I don't know. May be it is the supplier, may be it is just me. I had to try as this is my last chance to get this book. I know I can't pay $200 for it... If I don't get the book, perhaps this was a sign... A Sad sign, but a sign nonetheless...
This gets more convoluted as the story continued. I received another shipping notice. After a few days I received an email from the seller. "Are you enjoying your book?" -- I would enjoy it (I think), if I received it... There in lies the rub. I explained to the lady after she called me that this happened once before with Amazon directly and I never received the book although a shipping notice was sent! Well, she said she'd check into it. Then I received an email from her saying that the book was sent but I just never received it??? What?? They would refund my purchase and if the book found it's way to me, I could go ahead and keep it. HUH??? --- Well, don't you know I'm writing this more than a month later and said book never arrived.
The order was then "cancelled" in effect and I was left with having to reorder at the higher price.... Ugggh. Well there's always the Barnes and Noble order I thought (Ok, this will work out....maybe) -- then I realized Amazon and Barnes and Noble may indeed use the SAME wholesaler........ Really. It gets better. Barnes and Noble no longer has the book for sale on its site for the $25 amount, it is now $175! Oh joy. Barnes and Noble sends me an email that there is a delay, do I still want the book. Poor them... I'm annoyed, I read them the riot act. I tell them that I think I've dealt with this wholesaler before and if they are still selling the book I want it for $25 -- I don't care that it is now $175. They tell me fine, fine. I don't hear from them for almost a month. Then on Monday June 4th I get an email that my book is mailed and I can track it. When I look at the slip on line, it actually says slip has been created at UPS but the parcel hasn't arrived to them. I'm thinking this is a repeat of the Amazon story. Say it went out, oh, you didn't get it, sorry.... we'll refund you the money.
I send them a not so happy email saying I see that the label was created, however the package hasn't been shipped. I explained what happened with the Amazon/second seller. -- I'm sure I sound like a lunatic (even this post will sound kind of crazy -- and if I didn't experience it myself, I think I would say "this sounds nuts") . I tell them I want my book, blah, blah, blah. They write back and assure me it has been sent.
On Wednesday, I get a notice that it has left UPS went to Georgia, Florida, then for some reason (I still don't know why) -- it gets transferred to the USPS. (So, it went from United Parcel Service to United States Postal Service). Now, I have not had the best luck with my post office.... Mail gets here late if at all. Ok, it is in their tracking system, so what's the worse that can happen? Never should I think this. On Friday, when I checked the tracking system, it said notice left, delivery attempted. Huh? There's no slip. I have my mail (it was in my mailbox but no slip). I call the post office (main number-- there was a time when you could call your local post office -- no more). I get a lovely lady on the line who asks if I'd like to have it delivered to me on Saturday (the next day) -- I'd love that! Is it possible, as it is 4:00 pm now, that it would get rerouted and be redelivered to me on Saturday. "Oh, yes" -- she assured me. Well, the fact that she didn't know the abbreviation for Boulevard (I couldn't make this stuff up) -- She said "I put in BVLD and it says that there's no such address in our system". I said "try using BLVD and see if that works". "Oh, that did work, thanks, I kept putting it in and it just wasn't working." Saturday came and my daughter got a package (something she had gotten from EBAY) -- We were all excited, then I thought about it... hey what about my package... I guess I have to go on Monday and physically get it. I checked the tracking and wouldn't you know it, it said delivered. WHAT??? Now, panic set in. I remembered that I hadn't gotten a slip. Did it get delivered to someone else in error? They got the slip on Friday, then the package on Saturday??? I checked the bushes. After having no luck I began to worry. I sent a scathing email to the post office. Then I just said I'm over it.
All I thought was what are the chances of my "not receiving" two copies of this book. The wholesaler is going to say, I sent this out, she always claims she doesn't get it. UGGHHH. Of course I get an email from B&N saying "your book has been delivered". Do I even send back to them and say "no, I didn't".
On Monday, today (June 11, 2012)... I went to the post office to explained to the clerk what happened. He went into the back and emerged with
my package and a copy of the "lovely" email. I looked at him and said "How is it that it says delivered in your system, if you have it here". His answer was "I'm glad it is here". Really?? So am I, but I did have some anxiety Saturday though. THANKS!
So it hasn't been a journey without struggle.... who would have know that this would be such a traumatic start (I wouldn't have).
Now you are thinking, she started off by saying she needed two things, the book and the doll. Now, she has the book, she must have the doll by now... well, yes and no. Yes, I did get the doll, but only after her leg came off and broke... she is back home with her artist receiving some "replacement parts".
I won't rehash the nightmare at the postoffice, but I did have to send an email to the post office about the doll also -- those geniuses said she had to be returned to sender because the package wasn't addressed properly... It was addressed properly, they sent the package to me, the recipient (and thought it was being returned to sender) -- again, I couldn't make this up. In the tracking system, it said "being returned to sender". I even had to contact the artist and and she said that her DHL told her there was nothing they could do, but the package was indeed being returned...
My question is how come when people use DHL overseas, it ends up at the USPS. Same with the UPS package, I've never heard of it starting off with one service and ending with another, but it did. And how many time will I need to email the post office?????? Why can't they just deliver the package?
