Made in Spain Footwear, including TLB Mallorca, Cobbler Union, Yanko, Norman Vilalta, etc

[John8867]

I think TLB have been pretty open and made a lot of effort here. Even when it's not possible to meet our expectations it's still good to know they are trying.

 

[Andrew0409]

That is where the problem lies. TLB was being honest and fulfilling what they said they would do. The customer tried to communicate with them to explain his needs. They both had two different understandings of the timeframes. Neither side was deceptive, but just a misunderstanding, which can easily happen through email.

I said originally, it was my mistake to assume they can get it out quickly with express. If the shipping takes around 3 days for them to deliver the package halfway around the world, I assumed TLB could give the package to them within 2, maybe even 3 days. I was wrong to assume they would hand it to the shipping company at that time.

I never claimed they were being deceptive, I said very clearly they wrote it on their site but did not communicate that part to me. Only that DHL express will deliver around 3 days.

What is particularly shocking, is not the shipping. It's the response to what honestly happened and how I think they could improve. I never trashed them, I had plenty of good things to say about their products. And I took responsibility for my part.

I do not appreciate being accused of lying. I told the truth.

 

[Andrew0409]

I think TLB have been pretty open and made a lot of effort here. Even when it's not possible to meet our expectations it's still good to know they are trying.

I was completely honest that they did resolve it right from the start. They shipped it to the address I'll be staying at.

I do not appreciate how they accused me of lying.

 

[Noel77]

As an American who has lived in Europe and done business in Europe...there is what I call European time. Especially in the south like Greece or Italy, and probably spain.

@Andrew0409 asked very clearly to me, "How long for shipping to Taiwan" as his question. TLB replied "Around 3 business days and we ship with DHL express service"

I think I would taken it as around 3 days if the company said so and did not mention time it took to ship+shipping itself. But this is an American expectation, and also the same in East Asia where the gentleman seems to be from.

I think TLB made a mistake with that email, that is not how I would have responded.

 

[John8867]

I hear you Andrew0409. You sound disappointed, am sure I would have felt the same way. It looks like a simple misunderstanding to me.

 

[Noel77]

As someone who has done business all over, I think it's important for us to be culturally aware of business practices and cultures around the world. For example, if I emailed a Japanese company how long it will take to ship to me in US. They would underpromise, say within 7 days if it took around 3 in reality.

In Greece or Italy, good luck just getting an email back with a time in 7 days

I think in Spain, time is not seen as urgent and precise. It's ok to be late, expected even in some cultures. I've had similar experiences like this, where "around 3 days" doesn't include all that extra time and bureaucracy in southern Europe.

 

[Encore]

When they tell you shipping to Taiwan will take 3 days, it means average shipping time will be 3 days, not every order to Taiwan will be delivered in 3 days.

I can see there's a misunderstanding where you wanted to ask how long it will take until you receive it, and Toni seems to reply how long it will take for shipping only. On this matter, I think TLB should be more clear and transparent on their response.

However, if you need this item urgently, I think you really should specify it from very beginning, just to ensure they will give you a better estimation, (say give you the 95 percentile deliver time instead of avg time), especially during the covid, which impacts every chain of the delivery process.

This is a very difficult timing for everyone, I would imagine it'd be really hard to companies like TLB. If you want to make a recommendation to them to help them improve, just do it through E-mail. If you want to make a complain, I frankly don't think the situation is that bad, given you didn't specify the urgence in advance.

 

[Patrick1053]

As someone who has done business all over, I think it's important for us to be culturally aware of business practices and cultures around the world. For example, if I emailed a Japanese company how long it will take to ship to me in US. They would underpromise, say within 7 days if it took around 3 in reality.

In Greece or Italy, good luck just getting an email back with a time in 7 days

I think in Spain, time is not seen as urgent and precise. It's ok to be late, expected even in some cultures. I've had similar experiences like this, where "around 3 days" doesn't include all that extra time and bureaucracy in southern Europe.

Yeah, I moved from New York to New Orleans for a while. In New York time is money. In Louisiana, people thought I was rude for showing up on time.

 

[Noel77]

When they tell you shipping to Taiwan will take 3 days, it means average shipping time will be 3 days, not every order to Taiwan will be delivered in 3 days.

I can see there's a misunderstanding where you wanted to ask how long it will take until you receive it, and Toni seems to reply how long it will take for shipping only. On this matter, I think TLB should be more clear and transparent on their response.

However, if you need this item urgently, I think you really should specify it from very beginning, just to ensure they will give you a better estimation, (say give you the 95 percentile deliver time instead of avg time), especially during the covid, which impacts every chain of the delivery process.

This is a very difficult timing for everyone, I would imagine it'd be really hard to companies like TLB. If you want to make a recommendation to them to help them improve, just do it through E-mail. If you want to make a complain, I frankly don't think the situation is that bad, given you didn't specify the urgence in advance.

That's not fair. I don't see it as complaining, this forum isn't just for TLB, it's for everyone to share their experience. The guy shared his and seemed honest about what happened and took responsibility on his part. It's useful for people like me and you, we read it and get our own opinions as long as what is shared is truthful.

TLB however, to be frank, had a piss poor response to a customer. I do not see how he lied with what information was posted unless I'm missing something. I do not think I would shop with them seeing this if this is how they react even if there is just a miscommunication. But it's very clear that the question was answered poorly, and as a company, I would take responsibility and clear it up and learn. Not react like this.

And honestly, shipping and supply chains are all back to "normal" now. It's not really slower as shipping companies that need to make profit have adjusted quickly. It's another story if TLB themselves are having a backorder, that is something most companies that do online retail usually would say if that's the case. I didn't see TLB say that when asked.

 

[Noel77]

Yeah, I moved from New York to New Orleans for a while. In New York time is money. In Louisiana, people thought I was rude for showing up on time.

I hear you, I notice even the bagging of groceries was also slower in the south I remember a moment of clarity when I realized I was going at a different pace when I was watching a lady slowly bag my grocery like she got all the time in the world.

 

[Cheshire symposium]

They told me DHL express was around 3 days. I attached the email.

The package has not arrived. It says it will come next Tuesday or Wednesday. Which would make it 9-10 business days total.

I've got friends who have lived in Spain; 9-10 days equates to '3 days business express' in Spanish time. You should try using a Spanish builder or mechanic. It's a bloody nightmare.

 

[Encore]

That's not fair. I don't see it as complaining, this forum isn't for TLB, it's for everyone to share their experience. The guy shared his and seemed honest about what happened and took responsibility on his part. It's useful for people like me and you, we read it and get our own opinions as long as what is shared is truthful.

TLB however, to be frank, had a piss poor response to a customer. I do not see how he lied with what information was posted unless I'm missing something. I do not think I would shop with them seeing this if this is how they react even if there is just a miscommunication. But it's very clear that the question was answered poorly, and as a company, I would take responsibility and clear it up and learn. Not react like this.

And honestly, shipping and supply chains are all back to "normal" now. It's not really slower as shipping companies that need to make profit have adjusted quickly. It's another story if TLB themselves are having a backorder, that is something most companies that do online retail usually would say if that's the case. I didn't see TLB say that when asked.

Shipping is still quite bad here in North America, and probably UK as well, based on my personal experience.

And by saying Covid impacts delivery timing, it's not just the shipping itself, could have some delays on warehouse/ company themselves due to layoff or w/e.

I also don't think the response from TLB is very polite, I didn't comment on that.

 

[Noel77]

I've got friends who have lived in Spain; 9-10 days equates to '3 days business express' in Spanish time. You should try using a Spanish builder or mechanic. It's a bloody nightmare.

This is part of the charm of southern Europe, slow pace life. But it's hard to compete with companies that say 3 and get there in 2. Germans are like that, so are most East Asian countries. In the US, depending on the state but it's still pretty fast everywhere compared to southern Europe. This was the biggest hurdle for companies I've worked with, contracts get lost out because southern European countries just were too slow.

If I was TLB, I would be aware of the expectations of customers being very different in different countries moving forward. And @Andrew0409 to be aware of how they do things vs it sounds like Taiwan. A model of efficiency, they live like there's no virus over there right now with almost no infections in I believe months.

 

[Patrick1053]

I hear you, I notice even the bagging of groceries was also slower in the south I remember a moment of clarity when I realized I was going at a different pace when I was watching a lady slowly bag my grocery like she got all the time in the world.

oh, yeah. I have almost lost it so many times when I am in a rush, and the person checking me out at the grocery store is just standing there talking, holding the item in her hand, but not scanning it.

 

[Noel77]

Shipping is still quite bad here in North America, and probably UK as well, based on my personal experience.

And by saying Covid impacts delivery timing, it's not just the shipping itself, could have some delays on warehouse/ company themselves due to layoff or w/e.

I also don't think the response from TLB is very polite, I didn't comment on that.

USPS has been getting worse where I am. Private ones like UPS are fine. I had very positive results with shipping in the UK through Royal Mail, but those were only private shipping. IDK about business times, I've actually not done too much work with UK companies.