I'm putting this up here because I'm reasonably sure that I'm not going to receive product that I paid for. If Amondotech ever claims that they shipped my entire order, I've included a picture of EXACTLY what I received. Read on for the details... there will be no additional updates to this page, as I did finally get my lights.
On 9/25/07, I received an email from Amondotech advertising that they had some nice LED flashlights on sale. 5 of them for $100. I didn't need five, but I wouldn't have minded a couple. I posted up to my Jeep club that I could get them and what the requirements would be. Within a couple of days, I had a total order ready for 9 friends for a total of 15 lights.
On 9/27/07, I ordered a quantity of 3 of the batches of 5 lights. 3 times 5 equals 15. I know that's pretty evident to most people, but I just wanted to clarify it. I also ordered a headlight (good for working on broken Jeeps in the middle of the woods at night) and a bunch of batteries. I received two automated confirmations of my order from Amondotech. My credit card was charged that day.
On 9/29/07, ONE box was delivered to my door via USPS priority mail. It contained the following:
On 10/1/07, I called Amondotech to ask where the other box was and to let them know that I only had 5 of my 15 lights. The Asian lady who answered the phone said she would call me back after she checked with her shipping department. No call was ever received.
On 10/2/07, I called again and reached the same lady. She asked me to fax in a copy of the invoice, and said she would call me back. I faxed it in and waited. That evening, I called repeatedly before the close of business (Pacific Time, which is where they are located) and received no answer. I sent an email via their web form and also sent the same message to the two addresses that were used to send my original order confirmations explaining the lack of 10 lights, the lack of returned phone calls, the lack of answering phone calls, and requesting that they call me by COB 10/3/07.
On 10/3/07, I received no call, there were no replies to any of my messages. I sent another email to every address I have, the web form, plus a few others I found online. I'll post all those up for everyone else, so you don't have to do all the hunting I did... after I call the credit card company.
On 10/4/07, I received a call saying that they hadn't forgotten about me and that they were sending the additional lights. I asked if they could also send me a tracking number when they had shipped it. The lady said she would. I doubt I'll actually get any tracking info, but we'll see.
On 10/9/07, I called again to ask for a tracking number since I still had not received anything. I found out that the oriental lady I had been speaking with calls herself "Lucy". She said the package had been sent via UPS. I asked for a tracking number. She put me on hold and came back a few minutes later saying that it had shipped via FedEx. I asked again for a tracking number. She said she did not have one in the system since she had sent it "personally" using her own credit card. I asked her when she shipped it. She said "Friday" (today is Tuesday, I spoke to her previously on a Thursday). I told her that if the package was not on my doorstep on Friday, I would not call her back, but would instead call the credit card company and cancel the charge. Personally, I don't believe a word she says. I don't think they've shipped anything. I don't think they will. Twice she has told me she would call me back and has not. Now she's telling me it shipped via UPS, no, FedEx... "personally". Yet, in spite of this "personal" attention and "spending her own money" to ship the package, she can't give me a tracking number and doesn't remember me until she puts me on hold for five minutes every time I call. Is there any reason at all that I should believe there's a package on the way?
On 10/10/07, I got a voicemail from Lucy. I was pleasantly surprised to find that she left me a tracking number for the package. I was more pleasantly surprised to find that the tracking number actually worked and shows that there is a 3.5 pound box on it's way to me from California. So far, it does look like Lucy came through and is indeed delivering the product I paid for. While it's not out of the question, I'm going to assume that they sent the correct quantity and items, so this looks like it might actually be a done deal. FedEx says I should have my lights on the 13th. If so, I'll update this then.
On 10/12/07, I checked the tracking number and found that the status hadn't changed since the first "package received" entry. So, I called up FedEx and they said it would be there on the 13th. I asked about the lack of tracking info and they then double-checked and admitted that they had no idea where the package was. They said they'd trace it and that I should call back on the 13th. The rep said it was unlikely that I'd see the package before the 16th, since it may not have actually left the facility in California. Note: This has nothing to do with Amondotech... I'm only posting it because I thought it was funny just how much can go wrong with one order.
On 10/13/07, there was a box sitting on my doorstep by noon. It contained the 10 lights and a shipping list. I have no idea what happened with the whole loss of FedEx tracking info or anything, but I did finally get my lights.
On 10/14/07, I gave them out to the Jeep club members who'd ordered them and then watched the hilarity as they repeated attempted to blind each other. Mission accomplished!
Oh, btw... I hadn't actually "posted" this page to a public location before 10/9/07. I just slapped it up on my site and sent them the link so they could see the box they sent me. Now, it's going up and the Google-bots will find it whether Amondotech resolves this or not. Even if lights show up, future customers deserve to know what they're possibly getting themselves signed up for.
Here's the one box they sent me...
The LED headlight is clearly visible on the left. The batteries and a battery case are below it, visible on the left at the top of the box. To the right are FIVE of the LED lights in question. Notice the size of the box and the size of the lights... It's clearly not possible to fit 15 lights in that box. So, either there's another box floating around with 10 more lights in it, or they just didn't bother to sent them. I don't really care which it is... but someone from Amondotech needs to either find the other box or ship me ten more lights.
Just in case anyone reading this is curious, I am a previous customer of Amondotech and this is the first time there's been a problem. But, I did some research on them since I had nothing else to do while waiting for them to avoid calling me. Here's what I found...
Are they going to fix it? We'll see.