A week before Christmas I decided it was getting time to secure my wife’s present… so I went online. But before hitting up NeimanMarcus.com I had to make a pit stop at twitter, cause I’m weak like that. That’s when I noticed this tweet from @zappos.
Free VIP club membership? Unsure what that meant, I clicked the link and discovered if I signed up I’d get FREE OVERNIGHT SHIPPING forever. Very cool, so I bit. And soon after my bite, I not only completed my Christmas shopping for my wife, but also found a pair of boots for me!
When the package arrived, I quickly wrapped her part of the shipment and placed it under the tree, then I tried on my boots. They fit… yeah. They made me taller… yeah. They had grease smudges on them… boo.
Thought the company that I discovered via social media would not mind hearing my complaint via social media, so I posted a pic on flickr.
In the photo’s description I stated:
“It’s not like I’m going to get them shrink wrapped and display them in a case, pretty sure I’ll destroy them in a year’s time. But still kind of bummed that zappos would send them out like this.”
After I posted the pic, I DMed (Direct Messaged) @zappos on twitter with a link to my flickr pic.
No less than 20 minutes later my phone rang. Caller ID read “Zappos” and I freaked. No way. Really? Yep. 1984 more than just a book (and Van Halen album)? Big Brother sells boots?
Phone conversation went a little like this…
Me: Hello (acted like I didn’t know it was them)
Rob S: Hey, heard you have a problem with a Zappos order…
Me: Yeah, how do I clean my boots?
Rob S: No need to clean them, a new pair is already being sent.
Me: You’re awesome. I smell a blog post.
I got my new smudge-free boots in the mail the next day. And an e-mail with my return label for UPS.
But here’s the catch. This all took place before/during Christmas, a time that’s wicked crazy for people with three young kids and a love for beer and Bloody Marys. Long story short, I forgot to mail back my smudged boots. Serious… I forgot.
And here’s where zappos is brilliant… they haven’t bitched at me. Not even a nasty email reminding me that my memory is failing. Brilliant? How is that brilliant you ask…
I LOVE my new boots. In fact, I love them so much, I want two pair (one for work and one for kicking ass up north on the weekends).
Congratulations Zappos, you’ve just made another sale. Really, feel free to charge the American Express card – I’m keeping the smudged pair. And thanks for not only being an awesome company, but for being an awesome company that uses social media to enhance the customer’s experience.
^^^^^^^^^^
Zappos has truly embraced the Social Media world. I can only imagine what would happen if more companies would do the same.
Awesome experience. Way to go, Zappos.
But, dude; if you like your boots so much you want two pairs, why don’t you just keep the smudged ones? Yup, save those boots, save resources, save the planet.
@Meg – EXACTLY! That’s what I’m doing. Never sent them back, and now will keep them, and zappos can charge me for both pair.