Misc suggestions to Aerogrow

[gisette]

Web commerce has improved and there are certain things one's come to expect / want.

I'd like Aerogrow's site to clearly state that an item is on backorder when I try to order it, and give a reliable date it will be back in stock. These days, any time I order something online - when to expect delivery is part of that conversation.

Aerogrow email responsiveness still isn't quite there yet, either. I placed this latest order on 8/15, was never notified the items were on back-order (though I found out from talking to someone on the phone), inquired as to its progress on 8/29, and just received a response today, 9/5. Last time I had a conversation with someone re the one-week email lag, she said she'd answered within 24 hours of receiving it. And I believed her. So... one wonders how email gets lost for a week before ending up with someone whose job is to answer it. Big difference from phone responsiveness.

[quickzilverfox]

Backorder does seem to be a huge problem right now for AG.  I am still waiting on replacement bulbs for my Pro 200, replacement nutrients, and the trellis coils that came with my Bring Your Garden Inside kits.  It's been over a month now since the original order.  I'm just glad I don't need any of those items yet...but my lights on my original Pro 200 are over 6 months now.

[Ellen]

Backorder does seem to be a huge problem right now for AG.  I am still waiting on replacement bulbs for my Pro 200

Bulbs for the Classic are available in the US at the Bed, Bath and Beyond. I know that doesn't help in your case Alex, but thought I would throw it out for people with that model.

I just ordered a master gardener kit and a master gardener refill kit from the AG website and they are both on backorder. 

[quickzilverfox]

You might try using rockwool and "used" baskets from your other kits if you are already using other nutes.  I believe Peat is using the rockwool media.

[shane arthur]

i used some rockwool in a reused seed basket and they worked out great. its good stuff, easy to use in a pinch

[Cliff]

Hi Gisette,

I'd like to address your suggestions.  Everything you mentioned is high on my list of things I'd like to see happen, if only to improve our service and reduce phone calls. 

I'd like Aerogrow's site to clearly state that an item is on backorder when I try to order it

Our web team is working on a system to do just that.  We hope to have it in place and tested by October.

give a reliable date it will be back in stock

That one is tougher to do.  Not because we don't know when a product will be here.  (Although with some of the vendors we have, that may actually be the case.)  The fact is that because of our extraordinary growth, the wide amounts of channels we sell through, and the variety of vendors that we purchase from, we really can't say with 100% reliability exactly when a product will be available for our direct customers.  There are too many factors that change constantly for us to be able to pinpoint when every product will be shipping.  We will get the majority of our items out on time, but there are going to be exceptions.   

Aerogrow email responsiveness still isn't quite there yet, either

That one actually surprises me.   Well, not on the backorder notification... that is a tie-in to the web notification, and I hope that will be occurring shortly as well.   But as for the customer service response, I have been watching our email levels carefully and other than the catching up after Labor day, we have been holding fairly close to a 24 hour response time.   Would you PM me the email address you sent from? I'd like to do a little research on what happened.

I agree with you that web commerce has improved to a point where there are certain things that customers expect.  I also agree that we are not there yet.  We have some systemic changes to make, but it is my goal to get us there.

Cliff

[ttwinsupra]

i would like to be able to manually set the light schedule not just on off time but time light is actualy on   

[Cliff]

Hi ttwinspura,

Me too.   I'm fairly certain that it's on the list for Engineering to look at, but I would not expect that modification to happen for many months.

[AKBettie]

I would really like some breaks on shipping for those of us in Alaska.  For example, when offering free shipping in the lower 48 just reduce our shipping by some amount. Shipping for us is prohibitive.  Luckily Alaska Mill and Feed in Anchorage is carrying some products and I've heard Trustworthy Hardware in Soldotna will be soon.

Cliff, I will say thanks for all the phone help you gave me.

[Ellen]

Welcome AKBettie! I take it Cliff steered you our way?   

[AquaShamrock]

I heartily second that!  AK residents are hard pressed to get anything from the lower 48, especially when shipping charges make it more expensive for items we can't get, or are very hard to find up here are a regular basis. 

I'd also be interested to see how you guys feel about a Military discount...I think I neglected to ask about that when I spoke to one of your reps on the phone last week.

[AKBettie]

Welcome AKBettie! I take it Cliff steered you our way?   

No I just found it by accident when I was looking for Alaska retailers.

[AKBettie]

I heartily second that!  AK residents are hard pressed to get anything from the lower 48, especially when shipping charges make it more expensive for items we can't get, or are very hard to find up here are a regular basis. 

I do a lot of shopping on Amazon because they do have free shipping to AK.

[AquaShamrock]

Oh good tip, ty AKBettie... I hadn't ever shopped enough on Amazon to notice that!  *opens another window to Amazon*