Online Shopping - My Bad Experience with HP

I am not an active online shopper, however I've bought some items online such as iPad from Apple Store, Samsung LED TV from Lazada, etc. All the experience from buying the items online were alright for me, from browsing through the websites to purchase the items, payment and delivery. If I remember correctly, for the iPad purchased from Apple Store, I was able to keep tracked on the shipping progress until the device reaches me. So, when I decided to purchase a laptop last month from HP, it should be as easy as click-buy-receive from an organisation as established as HP, but I was so WRONG.....

Before I share what I had (and still) to go through with HP, just a short write up on what is online shopping.

Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce or e-commerce. Online shopping also refers to as electronic retail (e-tail) or electronic shopping (e-shopping). Basically, instead of buying the product or services at physical shops, such as a shopping center or a brick-and-mortar retailer, customers are able to do purchase over the Internet using a web browser.

A straight forward concept and online shopping has been around long enough that customers find the experience convenient and time saving, especially for products that you have already decided to purchase beforehand. The technology behind online shopping has been refined to give customers a user-friendly and safe transaction. However, technology alone does not provide or guarantee good experience to customers, as people and processes also play a big role.

Now back to my HP story. I put it in chronological format for easy reading.

15 October

Browsed through HP online store and find the webpage user-friendly and fast to load. Purchase a HP laptop and it stated delivery the next day and HP emailed the order confirmation. Promising.

20 October

Made a follow up call to HP customer service. Customer service rep couldn't update the status but say will email the update. Received email notification in the evening - laptop has been shipped.

21 October

Emailed HP on how I can track the delivery activities and HP said will get back to me tomorrow to update. Then the parcel was received either on 21 or 22 Oct, but I didn't had the chance to open the box as I was occupied with work and MBA classes.

25 October

Finally, get to open the box after dinner. While booting/registering the laptop, noticed there's a AMD sticker on the laptop, but I ordered an Intel processor laptop. Thought HP might stick a wrong sticker and wait until the laptop is fully booted to check the system details. Upon checking, confirmed that HP had sent a wrong model laptop although the box that comes with it was correct. Immediately email HP customer service.

26 October

Waited until noon but no response from HP, then called HP customer service to follow up. HP rep said they received the email complain and told me to give them the serial number of the laptop. I was briefed that HP will replace the laptop and the rep said he will call me tomorrow before noon to get the serial number from me.

27 October

Waited for Alvin, the customer rep to call, but until I finished my lunch no one from HP called. Again, had to call the customer service and spoke to a different rep. I gave the rep the serial number and told her to please sort this as quickly as possible, just replace the laptop with the right model because all this hassle was due to HP's fault and I am willing to arrange my timing for HP to collect the wrong model.

Later that afternoon, HP sent an email telling me in order for them to further investigate, is for me to take photos of the serial number, the laptop and the box. Then they are able to proceed to find/replace my laptop.  At this point I already gave up with HP, as it seems they are not concern with my needs (which is, I bought a laptop to use it) but more interested to get me involved in their internal investigation. My expectation was that for HP to quickly replace the laptop when I return to them the wrong laptop and then HP can do all the investigation they want. Just don't get me involved.....

That's it, I'm done dealing with HP customer support. I emailed HP to cancel my order, return back my money and ask someone to pick up the laptop from me.

28 October

HP rep emailed and called insisting for me to provide them with the photos for HP to trigger my request to return and refund. This whole experience had turned from unpleasant to bad, as I felt I am being taken 'hostage' by HP - you want your money back, you do as what we told you to - although it was HP's sole fault that I'm in this mess.......

I told off the HP rep and said this is so WRONG and bad Supply Chain Management at the customer end. Took the photos anymore before going to bed as I want this to end quickly and emailed it to HP.

29 October

Guess what..... HP didn't have the courtesy to even acknowledge that the 'hostage' had forwarded them the photos they asked for their investigation. Left an email reminder in the evening to ask HP tp please update me the status.

30 October

Guess what..... again, silence from HP.

I had to call the customer service again to ask for an update. But HP customer rep said will call/email with me update soon. Yeah, right.

2 Nov

By lunch time, no one call or email for update. I had to emailed HP (again) for update. Later in the afternoon HP replied and said someone will call to pick up the laptop.

5 Nov

Kenneth from HP called to arrange for pick up. Since he said HP pick up/delivery hours on Saturday is from 9am - 1pm, I agreed to wait on Saturday and cancel all my previous plans for me to pass laptop back to them. I ask for the driver's mobile number, but Kenneth said it's OK and that I can him on Saturday if I need to. Yes, finally I can end this misery.

7 Nov

Pick up guy - no show

Kenneth - I called all morning but can't even get through. Not sure if he even gets my SMS.

Me - Still waiting......

HP = Horrible People / Horrible Process

So, what's my point?

Although online shopping can give customers like myself a good experience in purchasing and receiving goods, once things doesn't go according to plan, no matter how good the Technology behind online shopping has progressed, People and Process can make a difference to customers experience. I will continue to shop online definitely, despite this bad experience....... Maybe not from HP online store anymore.

By the way, I did purchased a HP laptop from a retail shop recently - same price but they throw in free mouse, bag and USB drive. Better value and better experience.