BroadLea - 8:09 pm on Aug 24, 2005 (gmt 0)

1-2 weeks is a bit vague

But they'll get the same answer if they call. I don't want to turn this into a thread about the difficulties of shipping, but since several commented: the exact timeframe depends on many factors, and not all of them are knowable when the person calls. For example: which (or what combination) of the 14,000 widgets we sell they select; where in the world they live (and by "where" it isn't just which state or country, but even if they are in a rural vs. urban area, are they residential or commercial); the shipping method we choose based on these factors; and just where we happen to be in the ordering cycle(s) with the maker(s) of their chosen widgets.

In short, "receive it in 1-2 weeks" is a general but accurate assessment based on our experience with thousands of packages. By contrast, our number one well-known competitor states "ships in 5-7 days", leaving the customer to guess about time-in-transit. At least we tell them when to expect it at their door.

Back on topic: Sun818 brings up a point we recently tried: giving an incentive to customers to order online. We offered a 5% "online order" discount, and we had many takers (though certainly most probably would have ordered online anyway). We saved on the manpower in servicing the phone, so why shouldn't the customer save a bit too, eh?