Christmas sales surges often put a strain on online retailers; just ask Big W. Kogan has taken the unusual step of apologising for service issues experienced by some clients over the Christmas period, pledging to double its staff numbers and improve response times after a number of complaints.
In a post on the Kogan company blog, founder Ruslan Kogan says that business had grown 408 per cent during December compared to the previous year, and that despite some staff working 16-hour days not everything could be dispatched in a timely fashion. That’s doubtless a problem some retailers would love to have, but it’s not an issue any retailer wants; after all, the space remains keenly competitive and alternative sources are only a click away.
One promised future improvement: live order tracking, which is a common option for many overseas online stores but lacking in most Australian sites.
Do you think apologising is a smart move? Did you experience good or bad service from Kogan over December? Tell us in the comments.
K
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 10:41 AMApologises mean nothing unless accompanied by something more than promises.
StevoTheDevo
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 12:41 PMHe supplied a $25 discount code to me.. effectively just negates the Shipping cost unfortunately…
To be honest though, I had no issues whatsoever with my Kogan Christmas purchase. (Discounted Gift Cards that subsequently bought me a Canon 600D). Cards were delivered in the quoted timeframe and the camera arrived within 3 days.
K
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 2:10 PMin that case, the apology may have merit
light487
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 10:41 AMFrankly I couldn’t care less.. they dropped the ball, people got basically shafted in terms of expected deliveries and now, after the fact, there is an apology.. doesn’t really do anything to help the situation.. and the promises sound as hollow as any other major company or politician.
Josh
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 10:54 AMI don’t know if anyone else got the same deal but Kogan gave me $25 to go to any future Kogan purchase as part of the apology.
Morf
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 11:48 AMYes i got it too, plus i also got all of my items delivered before christmas which i think is amazing given I purchased on the 20th and had all my items by the morning of the 23rd.
They used toll-ipec for the postage and I was lucky enough to tell them to hold the last item (a coffee machine that was due for dispatch on the 21st) at the warehouse as i was passing through.
The reason i got the $25 dollar voucher is they apologised for not replying to my query in less than an hour.
I’m giving the thumbs up to Kogan on this one.
Matt
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 11:58 AMComplete opposite of my story. I ordered the day before you, sent around 5 emails over the space of the next 10 days. My tv which I was guareented would make it by Xmas showed up in the new year. I never received a reply email and the only contact I got was on Facebook after I got tired of waiting and saw that if you wrote something negative on their wall, they would get back to you first. This point pissed me off. The fact that people were waiting to have their emails answer but people would jump in front by exploding on their facebook wall.
Anyway, I got the $25 giftvoucher… which takes care of 1/2 of shipping. By the way, I don’t think these vouchers will work during specials (eg free shipping) or on gift cards. So, don’t know how many of these will be redeemed seeing its just cheaper to wait for a sale. My 2 cents.
Morf
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 12:17 PMYeah i have been reading up on other peoples stories and it seems those who purchased smaller items (under 20kg) managed to mostly get theirs on time.
The big ones didn’t work.
I will also put out another retrospect fact in that anyone who purchases an item online should expect the item to take 2 and 5 business days to arrive and if it is in the silly season (double it). I made this purchases with the intention of never receiving them before 2012.
It usually isn’t the Store’s fault – it almost always is a shipping delay. How do you beat this?
Buy out of peak times and don’t argue that sales only occur in peak times because they don’t.
Dan
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 11:02 AMHey Kogsn, how about apologising for jacking up your prices on the Galaxy S2 just before Xmas and having the cheek to still have the “Special Offer” banner next to it. Noticed its come back $10 but is still way over what it was before Xmas.
James Turner
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 12:08 AMThis weird thing called Supply and Demand, you heard of it?
dax
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 11:16 AMsure – why not apologise? i like this dude. this guy is doing all the right things.. except make equipment you can be proud of. i say just retail other peoples equipment like apple’s or sony’s.. way less embarassing
StevoTheDevo
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 12:44 PMAlthough for most of his products I tend to agree, I’m still royally impressed with the Kogan brand Deluxe DAB+ Internet Radio…
For the $150 delivered I paid with LivePrice, I challenge anyone to find a DAB+/Internet Radio that sounds anywhere near as good!
Daz
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 11:45 AM@ Dan, Perhaps their buy price was increased also…
Muz
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 1:36 PMI bought a STB from Kogan in early Nov – had 2 of the units now, both DOA – returned the product, asked for a refund, which Kogan claims to have paid, but I never received the funds!
Crap product, dodgy service – I won’t use them again, and looks like I am going to have to raise a dispute with my credit card provider to see any funds.
richo
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 1:49 PMwish i had seen this site before i bought a item from them mine never worked even once after numerous emails to customer suport still waiting for a reply,there is no customer service at all,not happy at all.
Peakapoo
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 2:35 PMYou’re all bloody dumb nuts for buying from Kogan anyway. I can’t believe you’d risk what seems like a bargain with their inept ordering system, in addition to whatever courier they are using to rush around the busy christmas period. YOu do realise that a Kogan TV is less qualiy build (or similar) to whatever JBHIFI or dicksmith or harvey norman is selling in the cheapo end. They all have samsung or LG panels underneath them (a generation before). I know this, because I used to work in the industry. Kogan is a player, but not the only one and precisely it is you, my eloi – whom is being played the most.
Wake up and smell the generic sunshine. Because that’s all he sells (apart from registered brans) is generic crapola. Crunchy crapola with yogurt still tastes like crapola no matter how you dress it with marketing spin.
Todd
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 5:00 PMI got the apology, and the discount voucher, and bought a $24 iPhone case with free shipping. The iPad 2 I bought as a present was received in 4 days after ordering, so I didn’t notice any delays or anything.
Jack Cola
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 10:02 PMActually, I’ve only purchased one thing off Kogan, and it was during this Christmas period. I purchased the item on Tuesday, received it on Friday, which is still pretty quick, and I got the $25 giftcard as well.
The dispatched my item on Thursday, so overnight (free) delivery, so it was pretty good.
I wrote about the product on my Blog, and they put it up on Kogan’s Review, and Newsroom page.
So I can’t really complain. Plus in that email, they were also indirectly asking people if they want to work for Kogan with a link to their careers page.
Sarina
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 12:53 AMI just bought ipad 2 from Kogan. However, I haven’t received invoice. But the money has already been charged from my card. I haven’t got any email or anyone to pick up the phone. I don’t mind about delay if it happens. Just want a peace of mind what happen to my order and let me know when I will get it.
Garry
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 11:45 AMI have had a terrible experience with Kogan. They failed to send my order for over a week, despite promising next business day. The TV failled after 2 days. When I contacted the support it took 4 work days to come back and say, “did you try switching off and on again?” I ring or email every day and get treated like it’s my fault, then get a promise to do something but nothing happens for several days at least. It has now been over 5 weeks since I placed my order and 4 weeks since my TV failed and I still have nothing! I finally got “permission” to send it back, they have it now and have promised to send my replacement but like everything it will take another week. It’s just rubbish. I too got a voucher but I just want a TV. Dear Gerry sorry we were so mean to you, please take me back!
swaggy1
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 6:22 PMI was given a discount voucher some time ago and when I tried to apply it, it was rejected. Also bought a kogan tablet, but you cannot load Android apps like facebook or skype. Seems that they are not compatible with kogan tablets
Jimmy
Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 8:04 PMI purchased a TV from Kogan 4 weeks ago. It developed faults one week after delivery (would not turn on with remote. . Kogan sent a new remote controller but that did not fix the problem I tested both remotes they are OK Sent E-Mails to support group but did not get a reply Sent another E-Mail asking for the TV set to be picked up or repaired but did not get a reply I FEEL NEGLECTED