Gone Fishing But No Sign Up On The Door.

Posted 25 Nov 2009 in ecommerce , online shopping | No Comments

I’m a big fan of well produced Irish food.  I source meat and fish from free-range and organic producers and butchers around the country and fill my freezer.  However, it is one sector that has not adapted well to selling online and there is certainly a gap there for someone to come in and take over that online space in Ireland.

I really enjoy the meat from McCarthys of Kanturk and currently have a good stock in my freezer.  I placed an order online last Saturday for a relative of mine in Dublin.  Said relative is currently unwell and I wanted to make sure that (a) she would be home when the delivery arrived and (b) that she would have someone at home to help her with the delivery.  So after ordering online on their website, I sent an email to McCarthys to follow up with delivery instructions and tell them suitable dates.  By Wednesday (the day AFTER I had requested delivery) I had heard nothing.  So I picked up the phone and gave them a buzz.

I discovered that the “fella who looks after that is away for the week, and we don’t have passwords or anything for the computer”.

I believe said fella is back next week, so I have a good chance of delivery sometime next week.

Retailers who conduct online transactions, and are happy to take immediate payment from customers, need to understand that online doesn’t operate on a 9am -5pm, Monday to Friday basis.  And you certainly can’t put a ‘Gone Fishing’ sign up on the door.