Backorder Worries

Why not use a place with a price match deal, and not pay $50 extra?

 

You have to pay $50 for cancelling an order they can't deliver? That's just stupid.

I've had something on backorder for about 3 months before I got it. I could have cancelled the order at any time without no further consequences, but I waited because I got it at way better price than I could have elsewhere.

If this company is somewhere close to decent, they will waive the $50 fee if you ask them to.

 

I have done it many times (never that exact situation) but if you forward something with the price the generally take the business.

It can't hurt and it may end your pain...

 

We run in to this all the time in the weird, wonderful world of r/c car racing.

Simple form is this,, confirm stock status BEFORE you place your order.

And yes, take the advice to call around and see if some place with the item in stock will price match. The worst that will happen is you will burn some time for nothing, best case is you'll wind up with your killer deal inbound instead of on back order.

In any case, since you really are not in a hurry for the amp, go ahead and cancel the back order. Do it and confirm your money has been refunded BEFORE you start looking for a price match. It would be a real shame to have some type of communication breakdown and wind up with an amp now and another one showing up 3 months from now because someone at the first company forgot (or just didn't) cancel your original order.

I mention these things because before I learned my lesson, I waited forever for back order items I really needed (and could have had) right away, assumed if I had a coupon or other discount deal no one would price match, and if I asked for an order to be cancelled, there would be no need to insure it had actually happened before moving on.

 

Lots of 'net sellers don't keep stuff in stock. That's how they keep prices down. They don't order from the manufacturer until they have an order. They don't have to pay for it until 30 days after it ships, that drop-ship from the manufacturer and save freight, don't need much real estate, and don't need much staff.

They also don't have to actually invest in keeping any stock, while a B&M store has to predict what might sell, and eat wrong decisions.

Plus, everyone is at the mercy of what's getting produced at the factory, import lead times, etc. And right after NAMM most manufacturers are working on organizing production of the new stuff.

Relax. Call the place you ordered it from and cancel the order. Call the other place to make sure that have it. Talk about the price match instead of assuming it won't happen.

John

 

You never know on these things. Just a couple weeks ago I was ready to order a piece of gear from this one place and their Website said there would be a 3-4 week wait. Called a guy there and he said it would actually be more like 5 weeks. So I moved on to another retailer and while they didn't have any of that item in stock either, their guy said they were getting more in a few days and would send one out as soon as they got them. 5 days later it was in my hands... and at a significantly lower price than the first place was quoting.

Bottom line: it really pays to check around with multiple sources... and if you're buying from an online place, CALL them and talk to a real live person just to verify what they're saying on their Website. Just because one outlet is backordered on a particular item doesn't mean there's a system-wide (i.e. factory based) shortage -- although sometimes that can be the case too.

OTOH I have been waiting nearly two YEARS for a proprietary pot for my Ibanez BTB bass and have pretty much given up hope of ever getting my hands on one. The bass is useless without it so I'm pretty much up a creek because I can't sell it in its current condition... and none too pleased at myself for throwing good money away before doing my due diligence on potential maintenance issues with that model.

 

And 5 weeks from now they will be telling you they can ship your stuff in five minutes and will give you 2 packs of strings, 2 straps, and 2 shirts if you will just not cancel your order.

Hopefully that won't happen, but don't be surprised if it does. It's happened to me when I trusted someone who first said 3 weeks then shortened it to 5 days when I called to cancel. 5 weeks later when I did cancel the order they were promising everything short of expert oral sex if I would just hang with them for another couple of days.

 

Here's the deal with me. I like a good deal as much as the next guy but when I decide I want (need?) a piece of gear (which isn't very often and only after extensive research), I want it NOW. The source that can get it in my hands soonest will get my business even if their price isnt the lowest.

If I were you (OP) I would go with ZZounds and quit dicking around with this other place. But that's just me.

 

As said before I recently waited 3 months for an order. Every two weeks, or so, I emailed or called them to get the answer that it will arrive next week.

Hope that won't happen to you, but with businesses like this, they are completely at the mercy of their supplier and don't have any control over availability. Hence, any promises they make are a shot in the dark.

Good luck.