Just tried to buy a gift card from Half Off Depot – My email explains it all.

Half Off Depot.

First, I think your idea is a great one. That being said I have had a bad experience with every step of your process. I have multiple points of confusion and concern. This has been a very poor customer experience. I would like to talk with someone as soon as you are able. See my points below:

1. I went through a relatively normal buying process and no where on your site or in the buying process did it tell me that the coupon or gift certificate needed to be shipped and that this shipping would take 5-7 days.

The process I went through: 1. get email 2. like the deal 3. click the link 4. on website click link to buy 5. fill out new account information (including credit card) 6. come to shipping option – only one – a radio button saying .99 (confusion at this point.) 7. verify purchase 8. read confirmation email and see that the item needed to be shipped. I thought the confirmation email would contain instructions to print my coupon. 9. After major confusion I called the office. Nothing. No person or no answering machine only a statement that the box was full 10. Then I went to the knowledge base articles and learned it takes 5-7 days to receive the coupon.

2. I then saw that your office hours (via the Help Desk) say 9 – 6 and that Atlanta Customers can pick up their gift certificate but you have to coordinate via phone. Well no one would pick up the phone and thus I can’t coordinate the pickup of my gift certificate.

I have called 5 times between 4:55 and 5:30 (it is now 5:30). I wanted pick up my gift certificate as we are going out tonight to Beleza. No one is picking up the phone and the voicemail box is full.

So the office hours in one place say 9 – 6 and in the other place (my email) they say 9 – 5. Which is it? Why the confusion?

3. Had I known that it would take 5-7 days to ship or that I could pick up the gift certificate I would have changed my plans for tonight or I would have changed the transaction. I am very frustrated by this point.

Also, I don’t understand why it takes 5 -7 days and .99 to ship a piece of paper. I can stick a card or coupon in an envelope and send it across town for .42 and it would be there in a day maybe 2. This to me is a very slow service.

4. The ad reads “Today’s Big Deal:
$25 for $50 Worth of Food and Drinks at Sotto Sotto, Fritti, Lupe or Beleza
Shop Our Regular Catalog This deal is available until 10 a.m. on December 17, 2009″

It then says on the right hand side of the ad:

“U Restaurants (Fritti, Sotto Sotto, Beleza or Lupe)
You Pay: Only 25
You Get: 50
You Save 25
Expires 12/16/2010
Details: No Cash value. Tax and Gratuity not included valid sunday – Thursday. Good at any U Restaurant location ”

So there are 2 dates mentioned in the ad. One says the offer is good until the 17th the other says something expires the 16th. I am still confused as to whether the coupon expires today or if the 50 for 25 offer expires today. If that is the case why are there 2 dates for the offer expiring.

Honestly, I thought the expiration date was for the restaurant coupon and thus it would then be delivered electronically so I could use it tonight (before it expires). In any case the whole ad is confusing.

5. You sent my login name and password through email. I have no idea if you stored my credit card info in my account; but, sending the password through email puts my account at risk and possibly my credit card information.

6. There is not an email address anywhere on your website to contact you. This is very concerning. I just gave you my credit card information yet the only way I can reach is by filling out a form. You don’t pick up your phone. You don’t have correct dates on your communication and products and your voicemail box is full. I have very little confidence that you will read this form. I think it is absolutely necessary that you put correct contact information on your website including your email address.

Forgive me if I sound rude. I am a concerned customer. As I said earlier I like the concept but I have had a terrible experience.

Please contact call me at 123.235.9876 so I can gain some confidence with this transaction and with your company.

Regards,

Jacob Dearolph