# Compu-America...watch carefully, avoid.



## jiml8 (Jul 3, 2005)

I thought I'd describe my first and last experience with this business.

I have experienced a catastrophic failure in my workstation; the SCSI controller card has failed and may have taken a couple of hard drives with it...I'm not sure yet. Don't worry; I'm backed up. However, with that machine down, I can't work and right now I'm rather busy with a couple of different clients.

So, last evening I placed an order for a new Adaptec controller card to replace the failed one, and specified (and paid for)overnight delivery, I knew that the part wouldn't be shipped last night, but I did expect it to go today. 

I have never dealt with this firm before, and chose them because of relative proximity to my location which would presumably make it easy for me to get the part quickly and would keep the shipping costs down. I'm in Arizona; they're in California.

I received a confirmation email that consisted of exactly one line of HTML and contained no useful information.

Today, when I had not received a tracking number email by about 1 PM my time, I decided to call them and confirm that everything was OK.

My first call to the 800 number was answered: "Hello". My response: "Hello??". Their response: "May I help you". "I want to check on the status of an order." "One moment." I was then dropped on hold, listening to a radio station that was fading in and out, and playing music that I didn't particularly like as well as ads for local businesses.

After a few minutes of this, I hung up and called again. This time (I'm calling their 800 number) I got an answering machine.

I hung up and called again. This time I got a voice who announced something (presumably the business name) so quickly I didn't catch it then said "may I help you?". "I'm calling to check on the status of an order." "Let me get into my system. Yes, here's the order. Going to Arizona?" "Right".

"Well, the order is in our accounting department for verification and will be shipped as soon as we have verified the transaction with your bank." (Translation, the shipping guy got drunk last night, didn't make it to work, and so they're backed up on processing orders).

"So, will that part go out today? I need it immediately"

"It will go as soon as accounting approves it" (translation: tomorrow, maybe...if he's over his hangover)

"Well, I ordered it and specified overnight delivery. If it isn't here tomorrow I won't accept it. Will it be here tomorrow? If you can't guarantee that, I'm going to cancel the order."

The guy laughs: "We normally take 24 hours to process orders before shipping."

"It doesn't say that on your website, and if I pay for overnight delivery, I by god expect to receive the part the next day. Will I receive this part tomorrow? If you can't guarantee it, I'm going to cancel the order right now."

"Well, I can't guarantee you'll receive it tomorrow. Do you want to cancel?"

"Cancel the order."

I then called SCSI4Me in New Jersey. It was 4:30 PM in New Jersey. "HI, I'm in a bind. I need an Adaptec 29320 controller right away. Is it too late to get an order shipped today?"

"No, if you order it on the website right now, we'll get it out to you today."

So I did. Called them back. They have the order and promise to ship today. 

It cost me more money; their price for the part was a bit higher and the shipping is a lot more since the distance is a lot greater. But I've done business with them before (including some overnight business) and I know I can trust them.

I almost ordered from them yesterday, but didn't because I thought I'd be a bit ahead of the game to order from someone closer. Guess that shows me, huh?

And by the way, I'm emailing a link to this post both to Compu-America and to SCSI4Me. Let no one say I'm doing things behind anyone's back.

edit: I just received an email from SCSI4Me with a tracking number that shows the part is shipped. Took less than an hour from my first phone call.

2nd edit: I just received an email back from SCSI4Me. It said: "
Thanks. UPS tracking number is blah blah. UPS already pickup 
for today, but we will drop it off at the UPS station shortly in a 
few minutes. By the way, we are in Virginia, not New Jersey. "

I'll remember that. They're in Virginia.


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

Thanks for the heads-up. :up:

Glad to hear you got the part in time.


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## jiml8 (Jul 3, 2005)

...and to finish this up, my new controller arrived on schedule. I did have to make a driver change to use it but, since this is Linux, that was just a thing and not a nightmare.

System is back up, and I'm a happy camper.


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