#The Grapevine Group BBS!
40 messages in this thread
The Grapevine Group now has a 24 hour BBS for your viewing pleasure!
You can call us at 914-343-VINE (how cute….) any time at 8N1.
No longer do you have to wait until business hours to order a product or to get
an answer to your question. Do it now! Call us when you leave CIS!
We are accepting calls between 300 and 2400 Baud (9600 soon). Call, look
around…tell me what you think and what you want added to help you out.
You can leave me E-Mail here or on our BBS. Of course, you'll get a MUCH
faster response at our BBS since I'm there alla time.
SysOp*Z, for The Grapevine Group, Inc.
Chuck,
Great news about the Grapevine BBS. I'll be sure to check it out.
Thanks for the notice.
Dom Fontana
–> Sent from NY via AP <–
It's great that you are going to have a BBS, but you won't find me
shopping there after I got burnt last year by your company.
-Jonathan
Would you like to discuss how you got 'burnt' on-line, or would you like to
send me an E-Mail message? I'd be happy to research the paperwork for you.
I have been working for Grapevine since September 1992, so I have no idea what
has happened before that. However, the records are easily accessible.
Feel free to call the BBS and discuss it there if you wish.
<Z>
Well, I will tell you what happened.
I called Grapevine one day to get a FFV and was quoted a price of $249
something… I placed my order and paid extra to have it shipped next day
air. When I received it, my invoice was for more than the quoted and
agreed price over the phone. The reason I bought from Grapevine was
because they were cheaper than the other mail order houses. Now they were
higher! Grapevine would not budge- I was anxious to get my FFV working so
I didn't bother with it, at least I had it, so I thought. It was DOA. I
called ICD and they verified it was defective. When I called Grapevine,
they said I could send it back for a replacement. I wanted a cross-ship
since I had gone through all the previous trouble with the billing, but
they refused… I relented and went ahead and paid good money to send it
back next day air myself. Now I have paid twice for next day air. Then
when they got it, they made me pay again if I wanted to have it next day!
I had to pay $20 three times for a defective product that wasn't my
fault!
Needless to say, I wrote letters, faxed messages, but it all fell on deaf
ears. I did get a call once but the customer service rep I talked to
could care less and said that a small company like Grapevine couldn't
afford to incur the costs of cross-shipping or for paying for next day air
service.
There you have it. I will NEVER shop at Grapevine again and I will
encourage everyone else not to either… Not if they want to get burned
like I did.
-Jonathan
Ok…I will look at the records at the office and reply on-line.
Thanx for the information, and I will respond tomorrow evening about this same
time.
Regards…Chuck
Thanks.
I hope that Grapevine is doing better in the customer service area.
Perhaps you being on CIS is a move in the right direction.
-Jonathan
In response to your recent message, I have researched your purchasing history
at Grapevine. Here is what I found.
-1- On 2/18/92 you ordered a Flicker Free Video unit and a Super
Denise chip, Red Lable – UPS. On 2/19/92 we shipped both items
UPS Red Lable.
-2- On 2/27/92 you returned the Flicker Free unit requesting an exchange
because you said it was defective. RMA #F622. Along with the return
you sent a very…descriptive…letter. On 2/28/92 we sent you back
another Flicker Free unit. UPS Red Lable, our expense…something we
rarely do (I'll explain later).
-3- The item in question concerns a possible overcharge of a product we
sent. You stated that the sales person quoted $248.00 and you were
charged $274.95. After researching the original written order from
the files, I found that you were actually quoted $248.50, and the
invoice stated you were billed $274.95. A difference of $26.45!
-4- The mastercard you used to make your purchase will be credited the
sum of $26.45 on Monday, 8 March 1993. If your mastercard is no
longer in use, you will need to call me at 800-292-7445 to give me
a different card number.
.. Now, concerning the shipping question, The Grapevine Group normally
returns product at the UPS Ground level, should there need to be a
second shipment. It is Grapevines policy to do this…there is no
further information on it. It is simply policy, and no debate is
required from all you folks ;-D
.. A possible explanation of the price mixup is that when entering an
item into the computer (by a different employee than the one who
took the order), the item code (i. e. FFV) is punched in, and the
price automatically is assigned to the item. If, as it seems it was
in this instance, a price reduction took place, but was not changed
in the computer in time to reflect on a purchase, the older higher
price remained in effect, and the employee did not notice the change
in price. Therefore the end result is that everything SEEMED normal
at the time, and the order went through the rest of the procedure for
shipping.
.. End result? Grapevine messed up. Actually, we messed up twice by
not reading your letter fully and refunding your money sooner.
.. Grapevine apologizes to you for our blunder.
.. Adendum note: You also asked for a cross-shipment of product. The
Grapevine Group's policy on this is a firm no. After discussing this
with the Office Manager, I have learned the this policy has always
been enforced. We MUST receive the defective product before sending
another to replace it. However, since I have been employed, we have
'relaxed' this policy to the point where we will charge a credit card
for a second product to be shipped right away, and credit that same
card the same amount when the defective product is received. This
is good policy for any business. I'm certain you will agree.
.. lastly….it looks like I need to learn how to spell LABEL!
Best Regards, Chuck Leazott.
Chuck:
I want you to know that I appreciate your efforts in remedying the problem
I had with Grapevine. I work in the service industry and I can understand
your companies policies on most things.
I don't want to cause any problems with your company and now that you have
exhibited the type of service I expect, I can feel at ease and will
refrain from any negative comments about your company. I must assume now
that this was a glitch?? Perhaps you will win back a customer. I don't
want to hurt or bash any company that caters to the needs of Amiga users
like myself.
I am glad you are making it possible to cross-shipments. My company does
the same thing on cross-shipments (holding with a credit card) and so that
makes sense to me.
I am glad that I met you on this forum – you may have won back a customer
because of your willingness to correct a bad situation.
Many Thanks!
-Jonathan
Chuck,
Thanks so much. I received the replacement Amiga keyboard overnight!
Now, that's service. 😎 I appreciate all your help.
Dom Fontana
–> Sent from NY via AP <–
Absolutely MY pleasure.
<Z>
Jonathan,
I'm truly sorry to hear of your troubles with the Grapevine Group. If
they had treated me like that, I guess I would feel the same way too.
However, my experiences have been entirely different from yours.
In all my dealings with Grapevine, they have always treated me with the
utmost courtesy and respect. Their prices have always been the lowest and
they have been very fair with me. Their products and service have been
excellent. Just today, they sent me a brand new replacement Amiga
keyboard, even though the defective one I sent back to them was no longer
covered by their warranty. They paid for return shipping by UPS ground,
but I got it OVERNIGHT anyway. Then again, I am in New York.
It's too bad you had a problem with Grapevine, but I think your
situation may have been the exception rather than the rule. Myself and
many of my friends always deal with Grapevine and have been impressed with
their outstanding service and support.
Dom Fontana
–> Sent from NY via AP <–
Dom:
I hope that for the general consumer, you are right… I got jerked
around.. Maybe they had a bad sales month.. I just can't feel right
about recomending them when I went the through $%#%# with them. I would
have been happy with a "sorry sir, we will get a replacement to you
overnight as soon as we get yours"… Instead, I had to pay shipping for
everything… ARGHHH! It makes me mad just to think about it.
Anyway, that is history now…
-Jonathan
Not all companies that deserve to bite the dust like TTR.
I agree absolutely.. I don't want any company catering to the Amiga
platform to suffer.
-Jonathan
Jonathan,
I know what you mean. It's similar to the situation with auto
mechanics. I might have one that I swear by and recommend him to you. You
go to him and then feel you got shafted. Years ago, before I had a steady
mechanic, friends would recommend their mechanics to me. I'd go and be
very dissatisfied with the service, but my friends would be happy with
them. Go figure.
Dom Fontana
–> Sent from NY via AP <–
Good point… It's all overwith now, so I will think of it no longer…
-Jonathan
Thanx for the good words, Dom!
<Z>
Sure thing, Chuck!
Dom Fontana
–> Sent from NY via AP <–
I have had a very unpleasant experience with GrapeVine. GrapeVine owes me
approx. $40.00 for over a year for a defective ROM switcher. I tried and
returned 2 which would not work with 2.04 ROMs – got promises, a run around and
no refund (from a guy name Joel as I recall). I would be tickled if my credit
card was credited but won't be holding my breath…
Bob
Whew! I will look into it on Monday when I return to the office.
P. S. If you folks want to call the Grapevine BBS, you might be able to get a
much faster response. This will help both you and me. Just a thought. The
BBS number, once again, is 914-343-VINE. See you there!
<Z>
Hi Chuck
Being a long time fan of Grapevine I am happy that you have a BBS and
all that, but last I heard (914) was long distance from Oklahoma City. Why
can't Grapevine generously switch the BBS to the 1-800 line after 18:00 at
night for us? That would be super!
Talking at you
Tom
Do you realize that an 800 line is not "free", but actually costs the
company you are calling more than it would have cost you, to call them?
And that if they put a BBS on an 800 line, they asking (begging) for 100%
utilization of the BBS (and so, the phone line) – can you imagine what
YOUR phone bill would look like if you connected to that BBS and left it
connected till morning, every night, all month long? Well, that's what
THEIR phone bill would look like, only worse, because as I say, it
generally costs the 800 number owner more to take a call on an 800 line
than it does a caller to make a call.
Thought you might be interested in the economics. :^)
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Thanx Ben.
Also…I understand the thinking behind the idea (more support for less), but
this is reality…and it doesn't work that way…now does it.
<Z>
Chuck,
No, it sure doesn't.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Why are people always looking for a free lunch? 🙂
John,
Cuz out illustrious Pres sez we deserve it (at the cost of small business,
of course).
-sja
I still can't believe Clinton's President. He recently proposed new
re-regulation to make it easier to borrow from banks? Did he sleep through the
80s?
It always amazes me when anyone thinks that getting the government involved
with something will make it better.
I always figured that the way to cure, say, the drug problem, was to have the
government sell them. It'd screw up the distribution channel, over price the
product, make it impossible to figure out where to go to buy it, you'd have to
fill out a 50 page form…
Drug use would disappear.
As for making it "easier" to borrow from banks, "easier" than what? The only
thing stopping me from buying a house is a little matter of the down payment.
Is he going to make it "easier" by giving me the money?
Because it's pro-them. :^)
Seriously, a lot of people just don't understand the economics, and
sometimes that's only because they haven't thought it thru.
Although you'd be amazed what people will talk to us (or try to talk to
us) about on our 800 -line. :^)
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
It's bad enough simply from a time standpoint for us… People get past the
questions that relate to InterChange, then they want to chat about the relative
superiority of one program versus another, what they do on their coffee breaks,
etc. and I just have to cut them off. I don't know how you can justify an 800
number.
Actually, we have rotary 800 service – so we can take multiple 800 calls
at once. :^) And sometimes we do have those problems, but not as often as
you might otherwise, because the 800 lines are staffed by sales-only
personnel who are likely to respond "huh?" to any excursion into
non-related areas by the caller. It tends to dampen the spirit a bit. :^)
We can justify those lines because we make more than half our sales thru
them, and at retail prices, too – think about that next time you give a
distributor 60% of the MSRP.
They have to be managed so the users don't do tech support or meandering
on them, but that is practical, it turns out.
As marketing tools, I think print ads are overrated and 800 service is
vastly underrated by the Amiga market. Between the pretty good credit card
service (M/C, VISA, Discover) and the 800 line… we do well.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Yeh, thanks for the information. I had been told by someone sometime
(at the G.E. plant computer room I used to have an office in I think)
that the company paid a flat rate of $xx.xx dollars/month for the
line. I really thought that the line would cost no more to sit idle
all night than to be used for BBS all night so that would be good
utilization. I can't argue that it costs the companys more if I call
their 1-800 than if I call them direct of course. 🙂
I am not aware of any flat rate 800 services (nor do I see how the phone
company could do that, reasonably).
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Ben,
I sorta remember an "Unlimited InWATS (800)" service being offered back
in the 'early days'.
Well, we asked – and were told "no such thing".
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
heheheheheheh….
Sorry….that was a little humerous.
If you think The Grapevine BBS is long distance in the 914 area code, then why
tell me that on Compuserve? You could have spent the same amount of money by
calling and posting that message there.
Besides….there's no way the BBS will be set up on an 800 number. You would
actually be surprised (And I would be terrorized) by the number of "useless"
calls that come in. Trust me. It isn't cost effective, even to continue this
train of thought. But, thanx for bringing it up…there have been a lot of
questions directed to that idea. Nope…sorry…can't do it.
<Z>
You need to learn how to be a credit card POWER USER. There are
Federal and possibly (I dont know your area) state/local laws that
protect consumers from just this type of thing. I _NEVER_ buy
anything electronic with anything but plastic. Over the years
several companies have tried to pull a fast one by not
returning/repairing equipment. All I have to do is drop it off/send
it back and then write a letter to the credit card company explaining
what happened and the $$ was charged back to my account. The
companies in question have no legs to stand on after that. BEWARE!
KNOW YOUR CREDIT RIGHTS! (Time to get off my soapbox)
I tried the chargeback route and CitiBank refused. The process took
several months before I concluded there was a problem. It was
otsbeyond the bank time limit at that point. As an update, Chuck
from GrapeVine did contact me and arranged a refund to my card.
Thank you Chuck!