Why do companies cancel your order when.....

[The motor guy]

Note to moderator: Thread titles need to be longer.

Anyways, this seems to happen quite often. Why do companies just cancel your order whenever they're out of an item? I mean some businesses won't take your money even if you throw it at them. I don't understand why you can't just order an item and wait for it to come in stock. If I have to wait a week, ok. Anyone else wonder this?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I don't understand why you can't just order an item and wait for it to come in stock.

Maybe they're not expecting it in stock any time soon?

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Note to moderator: Thread titles need to be longer.

Anyways, this seems to happen quite often. Why do companies just cancel your order whenever they're out of an item? I mean some businesses won't take your money even if you throw it at them. I don't understand why you can't just order an item and wait for it to come in stock. If I have to wait a week, ok. Anyone else wonder this?


You've never been a purchasing agent, or what they call them today, "procurement officer" having to deal with long wait times have you.

In another life there were times the wait went into months before shipment. Backorders would take up the whole shipment and possibly the next 2 or 3. New orders may take up to 6 months.

You should try to find 20# lp cylinders during a steel strike.

 

[Clevy]

Because their inventory computer systems will either do it automatically,or some inventory programs wonk work right.
The program is written to take the order,then the order goes to the warehouse personnel,from there it goes to the shipper and it's clear if the system.
So my guess is that the system won't allow a sale of something that's not in inventory.
Think about if. Some high volume warehouses ship thousands of units daily if not more. So 1 part in the system that hasn't cleared becomes a fly in the ointment.
And it likely helps the seller from selling something he hadn't got,which could infuriate some customers.

Just guessing though

 

[HerrStig]

Amazon tells you if your item is in stock when you order and holds it.

 

[OneEyeJack]

It's probably the computer system. Otherwise they'd have to let the order taker think. That could be a problem.

 

[Nick1994]

I'd be pretty PO'd if I placed an order, they took my money then come to find out it's back-ordered for 2 months and I'd have to jump through hoops to cancel the order after it's been a week and I'm wondering where my order is.

 

[kozanoglu]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Note to moderator: Thread titles need to be longer.

Anyways, this seems to happen quite often. Why do companies just cancel your order whenever they're out of an item? I mean some businesses won't take your money even if you throw it at them. I don't understand why you can't just order an item and wait for it to come in stock. If I have to wait a week, ok. Anyone else wonder this?


Better that way than sit on your money when they are not in stock. I do not think they have a right to do that unless you specifically ask.

Some companies claim to be in stock in everything while actually not being in stock and collect money, use your money for free and tell you (if they are polite) the item/s is/are back ordered. Especially true when companies do not actually have items in their warehouse but order it for you from different warehouses.

I prefer transparency, list if it is guaranteed in stock. Do not list otherwise. Do not even take orders if you can not meet them now.

 

[kozanoglu]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Amazon tells you if your item is in stock when you order and holds it.


Amazon is transparent, a customer centered company.

 

[chiefsfan1]

looks like Kmart had some issues
http://consumerist.com/2014/12/17/kmart-...re-inadvertent/

it was online layaway orders. It looks like the duped consumers that the item actually was set aside for you when it was not.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Note to moderator: Thread titles need to be longer.

Anyways, this seems to happen quite often. Why do companies just cancel your order whenever they're out of an item? I mean some businesses won't take your money even if you throw it at them. I don't understand why you can't just order an item and wait for it to come in stock. If I have to wait a week, ok. Anyone else wonder this?


You've never been a purchasing agent, or what they call them today, "procurement officer" having to deal with long wait times have you.

In another life there were times the wait went into months before shipment. Backorders would take up the whole shipment and possibly the next 2 or 3. New orders may take up to 6 months.

You should try to find 20# lp cylinders during a steel strike.


I would guess it would take maybe 2 weeks, in that case.

That is about the transit time of a container ship from China, right?

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
If I have to wait a week, ok. Anyone else wonder this?

My beef is the wide variety of ways this is handled. Some sites won't let you buy something out of stock and will offer email updates. That's perfect. Others let you pre-order, which I can live with. Other sites seem to have no concept whatsoever of what's actually in stock, and they continue to list items for sale that have been discontinued months or years ago, and will complete and order for them, only to have it bounce a day later. I ordered from one site here in Canada, and I'd have been better off ordering from them by phone, since the order had to be redone three times (thanks to the site not reflecting inventory or discontinued product) and needing several emails.

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Note to moderator: Thread titles need to be longer.

Anyways, this seems to happen quite often. Why do companies just cancel your order whenever they're out of an item? I mean some businesses won't take your money even if you throw it at them. I don't understand why you can't just order an item and wait for it to come in stock. If I have to wait a week, ok. Anyone else wonder this?


You've never been a purchasing agent, or what they call them today, "procurement officer" having to deal with long wait times have you.

In another life there were times the wait went into months before shipment. Backorders would take up the whole shipment and possibly the next 2 or 3. New orders may take up to 6 months.

You should try to find 20# lp cylinders during a steel strike.


I would guess it would take maybe 2 weeks, in that case.

That is about the transit time of a container ship from China, right?


You're very young aren't you.

I was buying lp cylinders for Coachmen Ind. way back in the 1970's.