More Fun With Amos

One would think after all the time it took for Amos Publications to get back on line, everything would be running smoothly now. I have now sent two orders neither of them small, and am getting frustrated. An order I sent earlier this week is still unverified. I used to get an immediate email order verification but they apparently no longer do that. In fact I got nothing on an order I sent early in the month and had to email someone there direct to be given a tracking number. Now the same thing in this order. I emailed yesterday morning asking for verification and a tracking number; we have a major storm moving in early next week and I'd sure like to know where my package is.

Has anyone else noticed this? My contact there last time said she had no idea why I was not getting communication, I also notice my order history stops in 8-15, just before their website snafu.

I haven't ordered from them in a very long time. I just chimed in to say that anytime I place an order online (for anything), I expect an acknowledgement or an order confirmation within 24 hours. In general I expect most orders to actually ship within 24-48 hours, or absent that, an estimated date on when the order might ship. To not even get so much as an acknowledgement after days is inexcusable.

I went to their site last week with the intent of ordering a 2016 catalogue, but when I got to their checkout page I noticed that it was an UNSECURE URL (http:// NOT https://). Apparently they haven't renewed their security certificate?? Anyhow, I called customer service and expressed my concern and she said they were aware of it and were "working on a fix".

In the meantime, I'm not typing-in my credit card number on that screen.

Al

Translation: "We're shocked you noticed. We'll get around to fixing it when we update our website again sometime in approximately 2037."

LOL Art...

Other translation; "We aren't that good with this inner web thing but will ask our contractor Bubba, owner of 1990 Web Developers, Inc."

While the Amos website was down I ordered a large order of Scott Specialty British Commonwealth album page sets and
binders -- but did so through a regional dealer Nola Stamp in New Orleans. While this may have slowed up delivery, I figured that the dealer was able to answer my questions, gets the business at the local level, and handled my order placement and checking the deliverables. I was pleased with everything when my order arrived. "Merry Christmas!"

Except for one thing...evidently Amos does not keep all page sets in stock, and I am still waiting for the back ordered India pages.

I must admit I never thought Scott Specialty pages would be out of stock at Amos. But perhaps the company is having financial difficulties that affects web maintenance and paying for printing runs??

Amos tells you right on their website which pages are print on demand.

I costs a fortune to stock what is not a great seller so they print as needed. It usually takes about 2 weeks to get your album or pages ready for shipping.

That it no way means they are in finacial trouble. Davo, Palo, and many other album manufacturers do the same thing.

In my opinion, for what it is worth, it is called be patient.

Nola stamps sells a lot of Amos products they do not have in stock and have to order from Amos to sell. If Amos has print on demand, you have to wait for Nola to get the item from Amos so they can send it to you.

Life is too short to get frustrated over non life threatening issues.

I just now had to call Amos re a website order that would not go through. I had four items in my cart, everything looked ok, I got as far as the page where I filled in my credit card#, pressed enter and got the message that the order could not be processed because'your cart is empty'. Happened twice. I called them and by luck got the same young lady I had to deal with over not getting confirmation on my last order. She clearly was not glad to hear from me again but did take the order and my credit card info by phone.
I think they are getting calls like this all day.

As bad a Amos is with their digital offerings, you'd think they would just outsource it to somebody who can do it right.

Still waiting for that promised offline access for their digital catalogs.

I can't totally bash them. I love the new Linn's digital offering. I just wish they'd get on the ball with their digital catalogs.

Well it gets better. I unpacked the four Schaubek binders (not cheap!) I got yesterday and immediately noted two were defective, both badly dinged on the spine. I see no way this could not have been noticed by anyone packing them. This will be fun sorting out with them. Here is their 'updated' return policy per their site:


'Amos Advantage offers a return policy as a courtesy to its customers.
Amos Advantage must be notified of any return by contacting us within 45 days of purchase of merchandise. Amos Advantage will supply a Return Authorization Number(RA#). Buyer must write on the outside package the Return Authorization Number. If no Return Authorization Number is on the outside package, it will be refused and returned to the Buyer at their expense. Buyer is responsible for the condition of the merchandise until it is safely returned to Amos Advantage. All returns will be void if the returned item(s) have been damaged or otherwise modified from their original condition as shipped to the Buyer. All items sold to Buyer with outer retail packaging must be returned with the outer packaging intact and in good condition. Amos Advantage does not refund postage and handling charges or Buyer's shipping costs to return item(s) to Amos Advantage (unless prior agreement has been made with Buyer).'

They must have been getting a whole lot of issues with returns recently, maybe I am overreacting but this seems a bit draconian.

Those are actually fairly standard terms and conditions for returns for most vendors. The company I work for (a large IT reseller) has terms that are more or less identical to this, at least in spirit if not actual wording. Plus, if there's nothing wrong with it (i.e. you just changed your mind), we charge a restocking fee on top of that.

Now, given that it was damaged when you received it, you should get new ones free of charge, ideally with Amos paying the shipping both ways. At least that's the way we do it when a customer gets a defective product. I'd at least ask Amos to provide you a shipping label via email that you can just print and tape to the box, or credit you back for the shipping cost or something along those lines.

I sent them an email today and hopefully they will replace and pay for return of the damaged goods. The four binders were just placed in a slightly larger box and whoever packed this just laid a wad of packing paper over them, no protection for underneath the binders. There is a noticeable ding on the UR spine of two of them, the two closed to the bottom.

News Flash to all collectors...

Amos Dealers get the same terrible undependable treatment as we do when ordering directly!

In December, while the Amos website was taking vacation, I decided to order over $800 worth of Scott albums via a small regional dealer. In January, I placed another order through the same dealer for two more albums. I figured, the dealer has volume purchasing leverage so they should make my ordering easier.

Long story short; the dealer has been great communicating all details, providing reasonable prices and making every effort to ship my orders perfectly packaged. Only problem is that Amos now prints Scott Specialized album pages on demand and I have waited over 2 months for one back-ordered set. So today the dealer tells me he still hasn't been told when the Scott pages will be delivered, and my Schaubek hingeless pages didn't arrive from Amos with the binder. How does Amos stay in business? Their monopoly ownership of all things "Scott". Just wish I could afford all Palo albums! That company appears to know what their doing.

Here's my letter to the Amos dealer:

Hi Bill,

I appreciate your efforts regarding my Amos Publishing orders.
Unfortunately, it seems that Amos Publishing runs a second-rate operation that's out of touch with its customers.
I thought as an Amos dealer your business would receive preferential treatment. Looks like I was wrong.

I initially contacted you when the Amos website was down for nearly 2 months. The company gave no reason for disappearing. Now I find that the collector community gets shabby treatment when ordering printed album pages that Amos advertises in its catalogue and website. If I had a larger budget I would have ordered all Palo albums. That company has by far the most descriptive online product content of all the album producers. Just too rich for me.

Amos seems to be badly managed at the top. Not your fault, but I will certainly think twice about ordering their products in the future. Feel free to share my observations. Everything I have said comes from my 40 years in marketing and advertising. Today's customer demands better service than Amos delivers. And we can vote with a click of the mouse.

Many collectors frequently discuss these issues with other stamp collectors in the online StampCommunity.org forum, so I know my views are held widely. Maybe the company's executives will listen to their dealers?

Regards,
Dan Carazo
Syosset, NY

Great Dan, and I hope it helps!

Peter

Just a postscript: the credit promised by Amos for he damaged binder never showed up on my account. I have exchanged emails twice with my contact there and as of three days ago was told it will be entered 'soon'. I m waiting until next week then will send them a letter like Dan did.

For Pete's sake- how long should it take for someone there to go in and enter this?

I get the idea that they're still learning how to use those new-fangled credit card thingys. Credit cards! Who'd have thunk it? I mean, what's next, phones with no cord? Things were so much easier when people paid in gold and silver and stamp albums were carved on granite.