mech's dashboard

Hi Mech, I totally understand the need to rant. I'm frustrated as well that we can't seem to have books delivered to your specific address. And I don't like wasting books either; it's not good business, especially if it doesn't result in a happy customer.

We'd be glad to ship via UPS/Fedex overseas (and make this option available). But we then get criticized by customers for charging too much, when in fact we are actually undercharging for almost all overseas deliveries (Singapore for certain). Most customers opt for the lower cost shipping option, via USPS and local postal services, which don't typically offer tracking numbers. So we end up in this no-win situation.

I'm sure Singapore's postal service is excellent, as is the USPS. However, they do make mistakes, and they have repeatedly in shipping to your particular address (we've successfully shipped to other addresses in Singapore, I might add). I keep wondering if there isn't a problem at your mail room, rather than with the postal service; is this something you can investigate? Books often "disappear" in the black hole of buildings' mail rooms.

While you may see it as the "easy way out," I see crediting you (and not charging you for the digital edition) as the only way to ethically serve you here unless you wish to opt for a higher priced shipping option. I'm not sure how else we can assist you, but I'm open to suggestions.

Finally, your order via Amazon will unfortunately be no different. Amazon presently does not fulfill Rosenfeld Media orders; they simply send them to us and we fulfill them the same way we would if you purchased from us directly. We're exploring new overseas distribution options, but until then, we can at least provide our overseas customers with our digital editions, which arrive immediately and have no shipping charges.

I appreciate your input, even if it is a rant, and I look forward to your suggestions on how a small US-based publisher like us can serve you better.

First thing, I need to apologize for my false assertion/assumption that the delivery has anything to do with the Store or the charging fee. I think I made a mistake in linking them which is totally false.

Next, I need to rant.. that's all.... :(

If books are delayed but 'arrived', then I can accept it no problem. What I cannot accept is that things ordered are not sort of delivered with at least high success rate. How can I trust RM to be able to deliver if I keep on encountering MISSING ITEMS that RM itself cannot even tracked.

So what happen to the previous Mental Model books I ordered which you told me you have in fact delivered 2 more books to me... remember that!

So altogether you are wasting 3 Mental Model books on me and you have no ideas where they go or even launch an investigation!

I have never personally encounter such problem with Amazon or any UPS services.

Of course shipping is out of your control. But tracking order and making sure is not! My country is not un-reachable to you. In fact, our shipping port is sort of number one in the world for a very long time (PSA if u want to know it).

I also have not agreed for you to credit me back. Twice you have offer to credit me back... remember on the first Mental Model book, you offer to credit me back and I rejected it because I know the book I am getting is of great quality and I simply just want the book.. but you choose the easy way out anyway and that is "credit me back".

Your service totally let me down... I will continue to purchase RM books because of their quality but through Amazon with at least a tracking service and no BLACK HOLE issues!

Mech: the delay has absolutely nothing to do with our store's design, although we would gratefully welcome your constructive feedback on how we can improve it. (It's far better now than it was two months ago, thanks to our customers' input.)

The delivery problem also has nothing to do with our pricing, which, at US$15, is by no means extreme. It is lower than what other publishers like O'Reilly and Peachpit charge and lower, I might add, than our costs.

While I understand your frustration, you have ordered the book with full knowledge that, as with any item that is shipped overseas, there is the possibility of a delay. And I'm sure you realize that this delay is out of our hands; we shipped your book less than 24 hours after your order. At that point, the shipping service either does its job properly or, occasionally, doesn't. There also can be problems with the book not being properly forwarded once it arrives at the customer's building or mailroom.

Even though these problems are completely outside Rosenfeld Media's control, we almost always send out new copies to our customers in such circumstances. But it sounds like delivering to your location is exceedingly difficult; we simply can't afford to send additional copies to your address. So I will issue a full credit to you later today with the expectation that, if the book does arrive, you will do the honorable thing and inform us so that we can reissue the charge.

Thanks for the effort. I do not have any need to re-download anything. But I do want my Mental Model to be reflected on my account. Thanks for amending that if you have the time.

Hi Mech, we're working on this now and it's not looking promising. Kryptronic CCP, our cart software, doesn't support it. We're mucking around in the database tables and not having much luck that way either. We'll keep trying, and I'll let you know if we figure out a way to do it. But in any case, if you ever do need help that our cart and account system aren't able to provide, please contact me directly and I'll get you what you need.

I have this problem too. Chris@uofdreams.com

Hi Lou, I do not have anything urgent. If you have time, just take a look at my account and maybe sync my Mental Model book together with my Web Form Design. A Huge thanks for that :)

Mech, sorry about this! I can look at this over the weekend (I'm away right now). In the meantime, is there anything you need ASAP (say, another digital edition)?

The ability not to create account or just guest account may at first seem a great "straight to the point" purchase, but RM is such as highly niche publisher just like Pragmatic Programmer where they produce great book that are just "different". Unlike Apress, *Oreally*, etc.. so my suggestion is to force them to create account.. and u have PDF too... that is even more so to maintain one where we can occasionally re-down it like Peepcode etc..

Just wanted to confirm I received both my book in a timely fashion, and fantastic, personal service from Lou. And I strongly recommend the book as well.

And my apologies for Lou for not updating this topic sooner...we always seem to forget take the time to thank people when things go right. Thanks Lou!

This website is a great idea...things are bound to go wrong from time to time, and this is a great way to rectify them in a reasonable fashion.

Thanks for reply. Will look into getting my book soon.

Mech, so sorry that the book has taken so long to ship. Although very few people have had problems with delayed orders, it does happen, and we've had a few challenges getting DHL to ship properly to addresses outside the US. I will investigate this today and report back to you what I've found. Either way, we'll make sure that your book arrives; thanks for letting us know about the problem and for your patience. Once again, I apologize for the delay.

So Kevin, have you received the book? I have ordered mine too and it is very close to 1 month also. Dying to read this book but have been waiting for 25 days already.