An unsatisfactory experience shopping at OfficeMax Online

Full Review
I want to relate to you a bad experience I had ordering a desktop computer system from the OfficeMax online store. The computer was advertised on Thanksgiving day, 2006 as going on sale November 24, 2006, the day after thanksgiving. I was elated as the wording of the add stated that online orders would be taken on November 23 as long as the item was verified in stock. That way I would avoid having to get up at 5:00 AM the day after Thanksgiving and wait in line to (maybe) purchase the item from available stock at my local store.

I ordered the computer, and received email confirmation of the order that it would be delivered in 5 to 7 days, however the email contained no mention of the shipper or a tracking number, which I found very unusual compared to other retailers with which I have dealt. Shortly thereafter I received shipment notification again by email, but again, no mention of a tracking number or a shipping company.

A week passes and there is no evidence of any attempted delivery. We called OfficeMax with the order number and were told that the item would be delivered on December 1. While a little later than promised, that would be acceptable. Someone was home most of the day, and throughout the afternoon, yet no evidence of a delivery. We called again two days later, and were informed by OfficeMax that the delivery company then identified as "GSO" (Golden State Overnight) had made over 5 delivery attempts and that now the item was being shipped back to the warehouse! When queried about the times the delivery attempts were made, they stated that the last attempt had been at 5:30 PM on December 1.

OfficeMax was singularly unhelpful about resolving the issue, and merely informed us that they would credit my account after the item was restocked in their warehouse, and our only recourse would be to reorder the item at the nonsale price, $200 more than we would have paid.

Who ever heard of a shipper making multiple delivery attempts without leaving a door tag or delivery notification of some type? I order online from other vendors all the time and this is the first time I have ever had an experience like this. The only explanation is that the shipper used by OfficeMax, GSO (Golden State Overnight), has incompetent delivery personnel, or they tried to deliver to an incorrect address (unlikely since the address was verified on the email I received and was correctly entered) or the item was stolen. To protect myself, I have placed the charge in dispute with my credit card company. I have never had to do this in the past, and would never shop online at OfficeMax again.