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Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
A Rant, Of Sorts...
I keep my online buying to a few select sites that I know offer some form of buyer protection.This post is about something I bought on Amazon. Let's go back a bit...
We have a giant TV. It's one of those over-sized big screen projection TVs. Hitachi 56 inch huge thing...We've had it for several years and from time to time we have to replace the projection bulb. Also known as the "projection lamp module". The bulb is not your average light bulb...NAY! It's not something I can just go buy at Walmart...or really...anywhere, for that matter.
It's a pretty bulb... iridescent and shiny.
The first time we paid over $300 for a bulb in it's plastic case (the module), to have it delivered from China through a Hitachi dealer. The second time we had to replace the bulb, we wised up...and looked around. I found one on eBay for about $100. Score! The only difference was that is was just for the bulb. No biggy, it only takes a few more steps to put the bulb into the plastic case we already have, then into the TV. It was also a generic version (not Hitachi).
Sooooo. About 2 months ago we needed another one...and I wised up some more. Since the last bulb didn't last nearly as long as the very first one we bought, I wanted to buy a real Hitachi bulb, not the knock-off. I found one on Amazon, from a company that sells them and nothing else. The price $65. Huzzah! I bought it and it was shipped the next day.
And here goes my rant. It was shipped FedEx. FedEx Smart Post to be exact. Smart Post is a cheaper way of shipping, FedEx ships the item to your closest FedEx warehouse. From there, it gets shipped basic USPS to your home.
My estimated delivery date was June 6th. It arrived at Earth City on the 2nd (that's my local FedEx warehouse). I watched the tracking number several times a day. And, it said it was DELIVERED on the 2nd. I waited. I watched. I waited impatiently. The 6th came and went. Still, I waited. Finally, on the 8th I called FedEx and said simply "My package was suppose to be here on the 6th...so, where is it?" The nice lady on the phone says "Oh my it should be there" I agreed. "I'll put a trace on it, and give you a call back" she says. I give her my phone number and wait. It arrived the next day at the post office. I never got that call back. Apparently FedEx drivers don't come "out here" unless they feel they have to.
I will never, and I really realllllllly mean never...ship with FedEx or buy anything that needs to be delivered by them...again. The item itself was perfect. But...FedEx...sucks.
We have a giant TV. It's one of those over-sized big screen projection TVs. Hitachi 56 inch huge thing...We've had it for several years and from time to time we have to replace the projection bulb. Also known as the "projection lamp module". The bulb is not your average light bulb...NAY! It's not something I can just go buy at Walmart...or really...anywhere, for that matter.
It's a pretty bulb... iridescent and shiny.
The first time we paid over $300 for a bulb in it's plastic case (the module), to have it delivered from China through a Hitachi dealer. The second time we had to replace the bulb, we wised up...and looked around. I found one on eBay for about $100. Score! The only difference was that is was just for the bulb. No biggy, it only takes a few more steps to put the bulb into the plastic case we already have, then into the TV. It was also a generic version (not Hitachi).
Sooooo. About 2 months ago we needed another one...and I wised up some more. Since the last bulb didn't last nearly as long as the very first one we bought, I wanted to buy a real Hitachi bulb, not the knock-off. I found one on Amazon, from a company that sells them and nothing else. The price $65. Huzzah! I bought it and it was shipped the next day.
And here goes my rant. It was shipped FedEx. FedEx Smart Post to be exact. Smart Post is a cheaper way of shipping, FedEx ships the item to your closest FedEx warehouse. From there, it gets shipped basic USPS to your home.
My estimated delivery date was June 6th. It arrived at Earth City on the 2nd (that's my local FedEx warehouse). I watched the tracking number several times a day. And, it said it was DELIVERED on the 2nd. I waited. I watched. I waited impatiently. The 6th came and went. Still, I waited. Finally, on the 8th I called FedEx and said simply "My package was suppose to be here on the 6th...so, where is it?" The nice lady on the phone says "Oh my it should be there" I agreed. "I'll put a trace on it, and give you a call back" she says. I give her my phone number and wait. It arrived the next day at the post office. I never got that call back. Apparently FedEx drivers don't come "out here" unless they feel they have to.
I will never, and I really realllllllly mean never...ship with FedEx or buy anything that needs to be delivered by them...again. The item itself was perfect. But...FedEx...sucks.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Holy Pool....the Finale...
An update on the pool drama.
I found a pool on craigslist. Unlike 90% of the people who roam the internet, I have never bought (or even cared about) anything on craigslist. Aside from watching the Lifetime Networks made-for-tv-movie about the Craigslist Killer, I rarely even remember the site is out there. I have searched for things before, but never found anything worthwhile. I find it irritates me to have to physically go get something and not have someone ship it to me. I may be getting lazy in my "old age". I digress.
...I found a pool on Craigslist. Actually, I found several. But, only one stood out and seemed it wasn't a crappy pool someone was asking too much for. It was a bit bigger than the last two we've had (a bonus), and came with a ground cover (it's a tarp, don't get excited), ladder, chemicals, and such. So, I did what I always do....I Googled. I found the same pool on the Intex website. Our old pool was 10' x 30", and the one for sale is 15' x 42". I thought to myself; "Awesome, kinda bigger pool...kids are getting bigger...yay me!" *click the link and see the pictures for full effect* I also note the price on various sites and, after throwing out the inhumanly high price of $688, the average price is about $350. The craigslist guy wants $100. Sweeeet!!!! Long-story/Short....we bought it.
Now came the chore of setting up the "easy-set" pool. Soooooo misleading, FYI. Once the tarp is spread out, I realize this pool is a bit larger than I thought...actually 3 times the size I had thought. Oh well, it's here...set up and full of water now. Now the kids have tons of room...friends can come swim...happy swimming pool dance of joy.
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