NapaStyle

Ever shop at this place? No? I never did before, though they've been sending me their slick catalogs for a couple of years. I never shopped there before this year and I tell you, it's unlikely I'll ever do business with them again.

This fall, at the end of September, another catalog from them came. I saw the perfect gift for someone important on my list. I saw some other things. The very next day, I called and placed my order for five of one small item, five of another small item, and the special gift for the important person. The next week, five small items came. And that was all.

So last night I was looking over my Christmas planning list and noticed that the rest of my order from NapaStyle had never come. This morning I decided to give NapaStyle a call. After being placed on hold for 7 minutes and 38 seconds, someone told me that the my things were backordered. She said that the five small items were due to come in on the 21st of November and should start shipping that day. Then she realized that today is the 25th, that the items are not in, and have not shipped. The important item, she said, is due in December 1 and will start shipping that day. Based on what happened with the small items, I lacked confidence in her prognostication.

I pointed out to her that at the time I had placed my NapaStyle order, the clerk had not bothered to mention to me that 6/11th of the order was not available. You know, the way reputable places like LandsEnd and Territory Ahead do.

Meanwhile, they keep sending me catalogs with the very same items still listed!

Their website says the following under a tab about Shipping Information:

Shipping Information
Standard Orders
Orders received Sunday - Thursday ship the next business day (subject to availability, as shown on the product page). Orders received on Friday and Saturday ship on Monday. Gift wrapped orders may take a day longer.

We ship via FedEx, and FedEx Smart Post. Our standard delivery is Ground, which takes 3 to 10 business days.

Continental United States Addresses
STANDARD SHIPPING: Orders received by 10 am are shipped that day. Your order will be delivered within 3 to 10 business days, depending on your location, and time of year. Rates for Standard Shipping are shown in the chart below.

They certainly don't always follow their own policy.

I expressed my dissatisfaction with their not being straightforward with me at the time I had placed my order. I indicated my strong desire to have some accurate information very soon about just when I would receive the things I have paid for. She said she would have a supervisor email me.

We'll see.

I don't like being misled. If NapaStyle had told me at the time of placing the order that there was a delay and told me the real date that they would ship, I would have had a basis for making an informed decision as to whether to place the order or not. But they didn't. They led me to believe that the Shipping Information posted on their website would be honored.

Now I've lost two months, if I have to think of another gift for someone important. We'll see whether someone actually does get back to me.

And what rate of interest do you suppose NapaStyle will pay me for having had the use of my money for two months?

Sheesh.