1800flowers sucks

A month ago, I ordered a cute bouquet of flowers in a blue piggy bank, for a friend who had just had a baby. The flowers were delivered on the same day, but the piggy bank never appeared. I called 1800flowers and was told that the florist was out of piggy banks, but it would be delivered later that week.

The next week, my friend still hadn't received the piggy bank, so I called again, and was told that the florist still hadn't received the piggy banks, but he was expecting them to arrive the following week. The customer service rep issued me a $10 gift certificate applicable towards a future purchase, for the inconvenience.

The following week I was vacationing in Canada, so I didn't bother to check, but after I got back, I discovered the piggy bank still hadn't arrived. I called yet again, and was told that the florist was expecting the piggy banks to arrive any day. The customer service rep offered to issue me a refund, but at this point I figured I might as well wait it out.

This morning, after a month of waiting, I called 1800flowers again and was told that the florist still hadn't received the piggy banks, and in fact he was waiting for them to arrive from 1800flowers. So, I asked the rep, since she worked for 1800flowers, when the expected arrival date might be. She said she had no idea. I asked if it would be another year, and she said no. I asked if it would be another month, and she said she had no idea. I asked who I could talk to that would be able to give me more information, and she gave me a number for "corporate headquarters" which I could call if I wanted.

I called that number and discovered it was a wrong number, so I called back and talked to a different rep. This one was actually sympathetic and took the time to call several florists and locate one who actually did have the piggy bank in stock. (Why this couldn't have been done a month ago, I don't know.) He said he would cancel with the original florist and order with the new florist. I hung up the phone somewhat satisfied.

Twenty minutes later, he called me and asked me to contact the florist directly, to give her my credit card number. I was confused; hadn't I been charged already? He said that 1800flowers would issue me a refund and that I would be charged again by the new florist. Fine.

I called the florist and gave her my credit card number, and she said she was going to charge me for the entire order, flowers and piggy bank together. I was a bit worried about this, since I wasn't sure 1800flowers was going to refund me the entire amount, so I asked her to ship just the piggy bank. She said that was fine, but the delivery charge was as much as the cost of the piggy bank itself. I told her to hold that order.

I called 1800flowers back and talked to yet another rep, who said the refund was for the cost of the piggy bank. After several minutes of me complaining, she agreed to refund me the delivery charge as well.

Just now, I called the florist and told her she could process the order, delivery fee and all. We'll see if all these charges and refunds actually come out right on my credit card bill.

Regardless, I'm never ordering from 1800flowers again.