VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Visor & Deluxe (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)
-- Order Tracking on handspring.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=101)

Just ordered my Visor Deluxe. When I asked for a confirmation number, the rep (Julian) stated that confirmation and order numbering will not be in place for a few days. She did say, though, that on Handspring.com there are plans to incorporate an order tracking system for all individuals who order products. Additionally, there will be a 30-day price guarantee on all products.

When I expressed my concern about the websites' already slow times and how this tracking system will affect it, she said she expects things to get better (I'll believe it when I see it). She also said that she's seen the beta-version of the full-functioning website, and it dwarfs what's currently out there. I can't wait for it to get up and running, because I believe she forgot to include my request for a serial port. I also told her about visorcentral.com (and pricing discrepancies on the message boards), and she seemed pretty impressed with its blazing speed.

I was also told that the web site will soon include order tracking. Salesperson recommended either checking handspring.com or calling the toll-free number with questions about order status.

I had ordered a Visor on 9/14 and called today to change to the Delux model. They said they would e-mail me in a week with the Order No. and the date of shipment.

10/1/99
Still no e-mail, Order No. or Date of Shipment.

[This message has been edited by Jackc (edited 10-01-1999).]

I also got a similar response when I asked for a traking number or some sort of verification of my order. I was told I would get an email "soon" with all the info I needed since they weren't up to speed with their order system yet.

I actually called the day after I placed my order to change the color (I chickened out on the "ice" and went for the business-like "graphite").

I was told on Friday the 17th that in one week I would be able to change around my order info on their website....including model, color, and address info...I would login using the confirmation number that would also be sent in a week through email....

-charley

Has anyone received an e-mail confirmation #?

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Dave B "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

"Price protection" as mentioned above is a pretty silly claim, since Visor will not be in channel for months, and orders won't even be invoiced for 4-6 weeks. Who is going to offer the lower price?

To me they said I would receive the confermation e-mail in 5-7 bussiness days.

I ordered yesterday so hopfully I will have received it next week...

As a Handspring employee, I'd like to address some of the comments regarding Handspring's order taking processes. I also want to provide some background so customers will understand the decisions we went through in electing to move the date customers could place orders closer to October.

We launched our product 9.14.99. We originally had every intention to sell products directly on the web and over the phone the day we announced the product. As we moved closer towards launch, we decided to hold off on taking orders until we could verify that our order processing infrastructure was ready to handle the incoming volume. Instead of a full e-Commerce site, we launched an informational site with the ability for customers to sign up for our e-Newsletter to be notified once we opened our doors for order-taking. However, after the product announcement, we had a significant number of customers that wanted to reserve an order before we started shipping. We elected to manually take these reservations and then move those reservations into our order processing system, which will send the confirmation emails.

As we work hard to bring the automated order processing system to full operation, we appreciate your patience and your overwhelming enthusiasm for the product. Until that time, please be assured:

All personal information captured by Handspring will be kept in a heavily secured environment.
All customers who have placed orders will be input into our system in the order they are received.
All customers who have placed orders will receive an email confirmation when they are entered into our e-Commerce system.
We are hopeful email confirmations will be sent out within the next couple of weeks!

We regret any inconvenience or concern our decision on order taking may have caused. Please be assured that all decisions were made keeping the best interest of our customers in mind. Please don't hesitate to contact us at 1.888.565.9393, day or night if you have any questions.

Until now, your silence has been deafening�.above and beyond everything that Handspring execs and employees have been reading in this forum, is the underlying concern of all us regarding your company's inability to keep people informed. In this age of instant communication (as evidenced here), people want to know that they are being heard. They want feedback. Thank you for your response. Keep it up�both here and particularly on your web page. Correct, timely feedback, even if not good news is better than nothing at all.

I, too, appreciate hearing about things straight from the horse's mouth, as my father used to say.
One thing concerns me, though. The following statement:
We are hopeful email confirmations will be sent out within the next couple of weeks!
If I do the math right, that puts the confirmation process into October, which is the month the Visors are supposed to ship.
It seems like everytime we get any information from Handspring, the order confirmation date slips by a week or 2.
Maybe now that someone at Handspring is communicating with this forum, we may be getting more "official" information.
As the warden said in the movie "Cool Hand Luke,"
"What we have heah is a failure to communicate."
Hopefully, we're turning the corner on that problem.


[This message has been edited by skesler (edited 09-23-1999).]

Good Job Sandy ! Communication with your customers is key ! I am happy to see someone
from Handspring decided to come forward and help us understand the situation...
Hopefully we will hear much more from the Handspring folks ! We are "all ears " !!

I just ordered mine, and the salesperson said they'd be shipping "middle to end of October". FYI.

Thanks Sandy for your info, I would like to change my color from graphite to blue, would that delay shipment?

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Dave B "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Here's the latest from the Canadian Handspring Call center. The import of all the orders is expected to be completed on Sunday. Which would fall in line for the purported new website release on Monday. We will see if that happens.

For $3.00 extra you can get overnight shipping. What's $3.00 on $256.95?

The customer service representative stated the plan is to ship on the second or third week of October.

Once again, we'll see....

quote:

---

Here's the latest from the Canadian Handspring Call center. The import of all the orders is expected to be completed on Sunday. Which would fall in line for the purported new website release on Monday. We will see if that happens.
...
The customer service representative stated the plan is to ship on the second or third week of October.

---

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Good news if true, but I'd take anything said by a CSR with a grain of salt. The one I dealt with was one of nicest CSRs I've ever ordered anything from, but c'mon, don't expect these people to have the official word or to be able to relay it correctly even when they do. Their job is to take product orders, not to give us the inside scoop on company operations.

I'm as eager as anyone to get my new toy, but the online system will come online when it comes online, and the units will be shipped when they're shipped. The situation is logistically complicated and even the best company is gonna stumble a bit in this kind of situation. I think a little patience is definitely in order.
----

Bearpaw,

I am not "betting the farm" on every word that the customer service center states. As stated before, "We will see" what will happen. However, I do think that it is important that Handspring runs as a cohesive company in talking with their consumers. I would like to think they have their act together and would not mislead their customers.

Logistically complicated? Lets see... They receive Handsprings from Malaysia. Receive orders from the phone and soon to be the web. Ship the orders to the consumers from their warehouse. Sounds like ebusiness to me...

Amazon.com shipped $6.1 million of goods with excellent service in 1998. Amazon.com has executed almost flawlessly. Will Handspring?




[This message has been edited by gene (edited 09-24-1999).]

I just ordered my Blue Visor Deluxe.. I too was told they would ship "mid to late
October " and that I would receive an email confirmation. I asked about the OS
upgradeability... I was referred to "Tech Support at 1-716-871-6448.... I called
TS and I was told that the OS was "burned into the ROM" and thus not upgradeable.
I hope this info helps.

Just wondering - has anyone yet seen any type of order confirmation? Or, better yet, does anyone yet have any type of Visor in hand?
Also, if the OS is not upgradeable, what happens in future?

Forget about my last post asking about future of OS upgrades - just read Bearpaw's repsonse in another topic - found it answered my question. Many thx, Bearpaw. Your answer makes a lot of sense.