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almost every day
Nov. 2nd, 2020 11:12 amI didn't hear about the plan to post every day in November until late last night, but I can get with posting almost every day.
At the moment I am in an extremely frustrating chat support conversation with a young person at Human Solution who can't seem to answer my question about an Open Box item. Like - I have been considering upgrading my office chair for WFH purposes, as obviously I'm going to be here every day for Several More Months and then 3 days/week after that. I'm tempted by the Steelcase Leap, but this is a very spendy object, so I'm looking around to see where there are discounts or other mitigations available. Human Solution has a clearance option for open box items, where obviously you can't customize your purchase with different fabrics or +/- armrests or whatnot. But because there *are* so many options available, who knows what's in the open box, right? Maybe a person can get lucky if she doesn't need the packaging to be pristine. (I don't.)
Off to a great start, then. I tell him it's an option on his very website, and four minutes later he replies:
O.o
/o\
Of course there aren't. OF COURSE THERE AREN'T. But what am I going to get when I accept that I'm not going to choose what I get?
OH MY GOD.
In fact I used his name, but
It is about a 40% discount, so of course one would take what one got. But I don't think it's unreasonable to ask if there's a way to anticipate what that might be? Because one might want to save 100% and not buy the thing at all.
* This reminds me of a time I had the car at the dealership for a new tire because I'd picked up a nail again and I asked the cashier if she knew of any warranty arrangements that included tires and she said there were several levels of tire warranty including one where you paid $some amount and then any repairs or replacements to your tires were covered at some level for whatever the time period was. In short: a warranty. In other words: yes. [hands]
At the moment I am in an extremely frustrating chat support conversation with a young person at Human Solution who can't seem to answer my question about an Open Box item. Like - I have been considering upgrading my office chair for WFH purposes, as obviously I'm going to be here every day for Several More Months and then 3 days/week after that. I'm tempted by the Steelcase Leap, but this is a very spendy object, so I'm looking around to see where there are discounts or other mitigations available. Human Solution has a clearance option for open box items, where obviously you can't customize your purchase with different fabrics or +/- armrests or whatnot. But because there *are* so many options available, who knows what's in the open box, right? Maybe a person can get lucky if she doesn't need the packaging to be pristine. (I don't.)
CSR: Hello. How may I help you?
me: Hi! I'm hoping you can tell me about the open box clearance option on the Steelcase Leap.
CSR: Where did you hear about this promotion?
Off to a great start, then. I tell him it's an option on his very website, and four minutes later he replies:
CSR: They are discounted due to the boxes being damaged or opened.
O.o
me: Yes, thank you, I know that's what "open box" means.* But I can't find a way to see any details about the chair itself. Color? +/- arms? Headrests? Or is it just a grab bag in that category?
CSR: Give me a moment to look into this for you.
/o\
CSR: This is an option for the stock chair, so there are no customization options.
Of course there aren't. OF COURSE THERE AREN'T. But what am I going to get when I accept that I'm not going to choose what I get?
me: I understand that I won't be able to make my own choices. But what are the features of the stock chair, is what I'm trying to ask. Or, I guess, related question: Are any of the open-box options actually returns/restocks, which might vary from the basic. But mainly, I understand that if I bought an open-box clearance I'd get a chair in a damaged box, but I still don't know anything about that chair itself.
CSR: Here is a link to the new chair on the site. It will list all the features and options that you can select.
OH MY GOD.
me: Dude
In fact I used his name, but
me: Dude
me: I know what all the features and options are that I could select if I were ordering a custom chair.
me: I am trying to ask what I will get if I order the open-box clearance item.
CSR: I don't have a way to view the inventory of open box chairs that are available to see what the options are. It is my understanding that you will get what they send you because of the large discount applied to the order.
me: Okay so: Grab bag. Thanks!
It is about a 40% discount, so of course one would take what one got. But I don't think it's unreasonable to ask if there's a way to anticipate what that might be? Because one might want to save 100% and not buy the thing at all.
* This reminds me of a time I had the car at the dealership for a new tire because I'd picked up a nail again and I asked the cashier if she knew of any warranty arrangements that included tires and she said there were several levels of tire warranty including one where you paid $some amount and then any repairs or replacements to your tires were covered at some level for whatever the time period was. In short: a warranty. In other words: yes. [hands]
