Posted 1/22/05

Timbuk2 has officially made my shit list. Most of you are probably familiar with Timbuk2 messenger bags. If you use a messenger bag, odds are you own one or have owned one. And the hat is definitely off to them, they make a great product. However, their customer service could use a lot of work. Because it sucks.

This year for Christmas I bought my girlfriend Jamie and myself matching Timbuk2 messenger bags (Although technically, they don't match, they are different colors and sizes, and are also different models- but I digress) Cool. Jamie was so excited when I showed her the bag she was going to have on the website. Small Classic bag; Black, Pink, Black. Tasteful, with a zap of Pink (Jamie's favorite color) on the panel, a matching pink cell phone case and pink strap pad.

This is where this mess began. The order form Timbuk2 faxed the shop had very small type, and had a lot of content condensed into one page. Because of this, I was very careful to make the correct boxes on the form. I also put an arrow next to my selection, to draw attention to it. I was concerned that the order could be misread, so I wrote out the order again, on the cover sheet of the fax. After I fax the order, I head downstairs to the shop’s computer and email Timbuk2. I asked customer service if they could email me with a confirmation that they received the order.

They didn’t email me back regarding my concerns. Instead, I receive an email back stating that they received the order and applied it to my card. At full list price.

Now, as a retail bicycle store employee, we don’t make that much compared to other occupations. So one often waits for special deals that offered to industry employees. This one was substantial, and the reason I decided to surprise Jamie with this bag that I knew she had been coveting. I email Timbuk2’s customer service rep back explaining the situation, and ask them to either give me the promotional price I had been offered on the form, or to cancel the order. They reply, and state that my card had been credited the proper amount.

Okay...

The bags show up, and I'm distressed to find that the bag in the box intended for Jamie is a medium sized bag, and not a small. And of course I was charged an additional amount for the more expensive bag. This was disappointing, but it shouldn’t be that big of a deal; apparently someone mispicked the order, and the wrong bag was shipped. I email Timbuk2 customer service and explain the dilema, expecting it to be resolved in some way. Since it was an X-mas present, I wanted to keep the bag, so Jamie could have her main present on the holiday. Perhaps they could send me the correct bag, and send a call tag for the mis-ship. If they weren’t comforable with sending me the bag on credit, they could send it as part of the order the shop had placed. Or alternatively, they could bill me for it, and credit me when the wrong bag was returned.

Timbuk2 was not at all accommodating.

They insisted it was not their fault, and to get on the website and return the bag through their standard channels, which meant going to the site and filling out a form, getting an RA #  and sending back the bag - at my cost. 

After X-mas, I apologized to Jamie, and promised I would get her the bag she wanted. I took it to work, boxed the bag back up and sent it off via UPS. No call tag. I paid the f-ing shipping. When they received the bag, it was processed and I got an email with a credit from Timbuk2, and was told to reorder the bag on the e-commerce section of their site.

So I go to the site, and order the bag a second time. Small messenger bag. Black-Pink-Black. Pink Shoulder strap, (we're good on the cell phone holster; a few items packed in the order were actually correct).  Then I find out that I get to pay for sales tax a second time, as well as shipping again. And I didn't get refunded the price difference for the bag sizes.

Turns out, they want another $1.98. I’m to pay for shipping three times, for an error that was made on their side. At this point, I'm very tired of dealing with this company. I just want my girlfriend to be happy with her present. So I put the additional $1.98 on my card, and process the form. And that is where we are now.

This has been the worst customer service scenario I have ever seen.

The headache goes on. I still haven't received Jamie's correct bag yet. I
think X-Mas was last month.

Note: On January 26, 2005, the correct product found it's way to the bike shop via UPS. Jamie is very happy with her X-mas present. And I ended up paying approximately $15 more than I should have.