I would think the company is at fault for failing to provide a section of the form to address where the package should be sent to. If anything they should ask you to confirm if *** is the correct address to ship to. Not a great job at programming...

While I can feel for the small buisness, no matter how many times I change my address in Paypal sometimes their system does suddenly show my old address. I don't do alot of online shopping because of shipping cost & I admit I've run into some Ebay people who were rude but, I find it hard to believe these folks couldn't have reshipped the order. Their whole sale cost isn't that much - I used to run my own buisness & I couldn't believe how cheap the whole sale cost is on stuff.
Years ago I used to work at a grocery store & I remember in some training class they had "For every customer you piss off, you loose about 20 due to word of mouth." And I've found it to be true over the years. If the person at the worm place was having a bad day then they should step away from the keyboard & reply to emails later - that's what I do.

Yes, the article is a little different from most Wisebread ones but, everyone has their own writing style & I think the overall message is good. What she talks about in the article is one of the reasons I don't Ebay anymore - I just usually do Amazon or stay local.

If I had a small business, my reputation would mean something. There's this story in "The Book of Virtues" about two brothers who were cobblers. They backed their product, even to their own loss. Since the worm guy shipped to your old address in innocence, he could say, "it's not our policy to resend", and be business like about it. His second offer was a valid option. But name calling was totally unprofessional, with that he lost all credibility.

I can't believe people are so negative about Carrie's side of the story (or her telling it.) The company was WAY out of line with the name calling. It really infuriated me to hear it! A (rhymes with rich) is a word thrown at women all too often. That kind of response is never necessary, or justified.

I for one, wish she had named the company so I would know to stay away from them.

First, the error was completely Carrie's fault. I just can't see how it should be the responsibility of the merchant to ensure your address is correct for your PayPal account.

But, as Olivia said above, my reputation is more important to me than a few pounds of worms.

I have had customers provide incorrect shipping addresses and had suppliers ship to incorrect addresses. Guess what folks, mistakes happen! In both cases, I made the customer whole. Normally this meant I would reship the item to the proper address and worry about finding/receiving the improperly shipped product later. As a small business, the last thing I need is customers complaining about bad customer service.

To me, and to most customers, it doesn't matter who's right or wrong: All they know is they ordered worms and they didn't get worms.

The worm company had an opportunity to establish a strong and beneficial relationship with Carrie and they failed. Think about it: If Carrie had written an article about the amazing service she received from the worm company, even after she made a mistake with her shipping address, everyone reading would be thinking about building a worm composter and purchasing worms from these folks.

By the way, I purchased a pound of redworms from SouthernBaitWorms.com. Although there was a slight error in receiving my order, once that was taken care of, I had my worms in less than 48 hours. If you buy from this company and don't receive a PayPal shipping confirmation in a day or two, give them a call to make sure they received your order. Overall, I give them a 3 for ordering, a 5 for shipping, and a 5 for worm quality when they arrived.

I think this thread is a bit out of order. Not only was it your mistake but you are naming and shaming the company for calling you a name when we don't know what you said to them in your emails, so it's only one side of the story.

You knew when you ordered it that you felt something was wrong, yet you did nothing for two weeks, why didn't you contact the company the next morning to confirm the address?

I don't see any reason why the company should issue a refund or feel the need to protect their reputation when it was you that made the mistake and have now belittled them on a wide-read blog.

Very disapointing, and my respect for wisebread has gone down after reading this.

We use PayPal to handle payments for our online business. Any company that ships to a different address than what's on your PayPal account is taking a big risk.

When a merchant logs into PayPal to view your order, there's a section at the top that says in big, bold letters "Ship to this address:". A seller has to ship to the address PayPal gives them or they forfeit protection under the Seller Protection Policy.

We lost $200 from an order, plus the (delivered) merchandise, when we took a risk and shipped to a different address. That's never happening again.

I have read some of the comments and I have to wonder why are you attacking the writer. She is sharing her story on the need for redundancy in everything you do and the need for small business to respect the right of consumers. At the least she is sharing a bad customer service experience. Yes this is as good a forum as any to share her story.

She did what many of us would do. She googled a product, selected a company, ordered.

This happens everyday. The problem is the company assuming that the address on her Paypal was up to date, as well as the address she wanted the product shipped too.

How often have you ordered a product/present/gift/... for someone and wanted it shipped to your home/your office/their home/their office?

If you look at it from this point of view, then you see something different.

Yes, she should have caught on a little quicker that there was no where for the address to be inputted. I don't hold her blameless.

But she is paying not only for a product (the worms) but a service (the shipping) as well which calls for the company to be more proactive.

That still doesn't excuse the rude behavior of the company by referring to her as B(*^^%.

How often have you ordered a product/present/gift/... for someone and wanted it shipped to your home/your office/their home/their office?

I know Amazon can offer to do this, but many small retailers can't. It's not uncommon for retailers to require that you ship to your credit card's confirmed billing address.

I can appreciate the author's stated intent, but I don't think your article tracks with that intent - at all.

There as plenty of stories out there about bad customer service from large companies as well - try reading through some posts at Consumerist.

If you have an axe to grind, use your own blog to vent about it. I'm surprised Wise Bread doesn't have some kind of quality control method to avoid this type of situation.

I recently purchased an item online and paid with paypal. A similar thing happened to me with the address... my parents' address showed up. I haven't lived there or had anything shipped there since summer 2004! I caught it because the seller sent me a confirmation detailing the transaction and shipping address. I was able to email them back and they sent the item to MY house which I was thankful for, but it wouldn't have been so bad since it's my parents and not some strangers.

Based on this, I think it should be seller's responsibility to send such a confirmation to their customers if they choose to sell products online and especially if they use paypal. I think it really firms up the terms of the agreement between seller and buyer. And of course it confirms the transaction which is great not just for address confirmation, it may also aid in fraudulent activity.

I think it's completely unacceptable for anyone in retail, or customer service in general, to call a customer a b****. Way out of line. What a shame for them to have lost on a potential repeat customer.

Seriously though, the name calling is not necessary.

Since this is a small company, it's possible that they can't afford the refund.

But in reality, even with big companies some of us have experienced some bad customer service. I know I have.

Thanks for doing your share in preserving our environment :-)

While both sides did make mistakes, it happens all the time!! However, namecalling is never okay! This is a business trying to make money and in these economical times ~ word of mouth goes a long way!!

I think if what you are saying is TRUE, then it cannot be libel.

Also, bad customer service can come from small or large companies. I like to read consumerist.com to find out about how different companies treat consumers.

I've had family run into similar problems. They ordered a Nintendo Wii and had some issues with the customer service. Though I am all about helping small businesses, you really roll the dice when you work with one. Look for online reviews (that's what Google is for), etc... for help.

Just be careful!

Great post.

Right or wrong up to that point, the B-word is specifically insulting to women. Sexism is also a hate crime. I can't condone the company's language no matter what led up to it.

What are the chances of a small company calling someone the "b" word and then that person blogs about it and it gets read by hundreds or thousands of people. I think it is great. Maybe these small companies need to learn they can't treat people like this and get away with it. Regardless of who is right or wrong.

I'm no expert, but I haven't seen any libel lawsuits filed against bloggers because blogs are purveyors of opinion. Besides - when I read this I think to myself that oh ... this is Carrie's opinion. I'm not turning to Carrie for the meaning of life (although I do love your blogging, dear) and I'm not mistaking her for CNN.

Having said that, I don't care if Carrie was slinging expletives at this small business, the idea that a merchant would send her an email calling her a beeatch is just ... wow. Bad business. Seriously - how would you expect anyone to ever patronize your business again when you treat them with such disrespect? Whatever happened to the adage: "The customer is always right."

I work in the service industry and if I ever said anything that disrespectful, I'd be joining many others in the unemployment line.

There are some thing internet buyers need to be aware of:

1) The internet will give you access to more than just storefronts. You will often find your self on websites from manufacturers, industry specific resellers, wholesalers, and many other segments of the market the end consumer doesn't normally deal with.

There's a saying in my business: "You kiss the customer's ass to close a $5 sale. To close a 5 million dollar sale, you tell them to kiss yours." As odd as it sounds to people outside the industry, for those of us in that market, truer words have never been spoken. Business etiquette varies greatly in different segments of the market, not everyone is there to be polite and cater to your every desire. They are there to take the money and to do anything not to lose that money.

Most consumers equate online sales to retail sales and bring those expectations with them. If this company you mention deals primarily to industry, they simply may not share that view. Coarse language is only the tip of the iceberg is some industries. Still, it is the business' job to understand the expectations of their clients and accommodate. I agree, this specific case sounds like unnecessary rudeness more than a clash of business cultures, but be aware, "the customer's always right" line doesn't fly in many industries. Friendly and outgoing businesses always get put on the bottom of the accounts payable stack. They're less likely to make a big deal out these problems and everyone else takes advantage of that. Many sales people are actually trained to assert themselves in a rude and hostile manner to scare off nuisance complaints and avoid frivolous litigation. It sounds contrary to most reasonable expectations, but be prepared to encounter it online.

2) I've seen multi-billion dollar corporations with half-assed websites, and guys running small businesses out of their garage who own the definitive website for their industry. Before making a purchase, try to determine the scale of the business. It's not always obvious. Look for a line card (a link that says "About Us" or "Company History") and read it. Look at available quantities and make a judgment based on how much business you think they do. Are you the type of customer they usually serve?

In the case of the Worm guys, does he sell to home gardeners primarily, or does he service plant nursery chains, waste management companies, pharmaceutical companies, universities, etc...

Regardless of their scale, most companies will still deal with individuals for small sales. However, these small sales may actually cost the company so significantly in time and resources (especially if a complaint arises) that your patronage is not important to them. Again, this doesn't sound like the case here. A large scale company would never use paypal, and if their time actually was valuable, you'd have gotten an impersonal form letter in response detailing exactly what their policy is. Instead you got a very personal e-mail that would only encourage you to respond in a way that takes even more of their time. This is clearly a lack of professionalism on their part. Still, be open to the possibility that some websites barely break even on small sales to the general public. Many of them gain nothing by dealing with you except hopefully a good recommendation.

For example, many years ago, I worked for a manufacturing plant. We sold our product to the public through distribution firms, but in keeping with the company's local tradition, people could always come to our door and buy what the needed directly. The old-timers loved that we still did that and it made us seem more involved in the local community. Yet having people in production drop what their doing (at a $20/hr rate) and tend to a $5 sale was actually a net loss. The good PR was worth it and it generated some much larger orders, but in terms of monetary expense, it was more a charitable service than a division of our business.

Many online sellers use their websites as a front-end for sales to keep their name in industry papers, and to circulate their reputation to a pool of potential hires. This is often done at a loss.

Many people believe they are doing the company a favor by giving them their business. There is an immediate expectation of gratitude. This is not always the case. Still, the whole purpose of offering such services is to build a good reputation, something this company obviously failed to do.

3) Paypal caters to shady businesses. The dispute process is weighted heavily against the consumer as disputes cut into paypal's resources and profits as well. While they are convenient and secure, they also provide a safe haven for con-artists, thieves and bad businesses in general. If there are multiple options for payment, paypal is just there as a convenience to the customers who already have accounts. If that is the only payment option, that's a big red flag, look elsewhere to make your purchase. The one notable exception to this is eBay where virtually everything is sold via paypal.

4) Always use your own courier account. If you don't have one, get one.

Reason One: Practically everyone online these days pads their shipping charges by $3-$4 at least. If you buy 10 things online, you've payed for the account and everything past that is savings.

Reason Two: Your address info is always correct and drop-shipping can be used for gift purchases to save additional money. You can Log your tracking data on all purchases in one place and change the package destination en-route if needed. You can choose to require a signature and have permanent delivery instructions. Basically, you have control over packages without going back to the seller.

Reason Three: When you request your account be used for shipping, most sellers assume your are ordering from a business. You are now a potentially lucrative business contact to them rather than a nuisance order. What you order may only be a few dollars right now, but for all they know, it may be the first of many larger orders. The level of service you receive will be much greater. Many sellers will send you free samples of their other products, offer additional discounts, basically anything to get your return business. You may have to call them on the phone to request the change in shipping method, but it's a common practice amongst businesses to require that of their vendors so don't by shy about asking.

In this case, the appropriate action for the business would have been to send an e-mail stating the following:

"We are sorry to hear of this problem with your order. Your business is valuable to us.

As the package was delivered to the address we were provided, we are unable to refund the cost of shipping. However, we recognize the good faith you have showed us in choosing our company. As such, I have been authorized to resend your order at our wholesale cost {estimate here}. Please place order code: XX1234 in the instruction line of your next order and I will apply the discount. We will expedite your order immediately upon it's arrival.

If you have further questions you may contact me via e-mail {address@here} or phone 555-555-5555.

Thank you again for your business,
Name

Notice, the letter is fair and accommodating without using words like "I apologize" or anything that would imply the company was at fault. The company would be out no money, and most customers would be willing to accept those terms. Simply stating that you appreciate the customer's business goes a long way. I've done it 3 times in that short letter.

Still some customers believe they are entitled to be the beneficiary of any and every mistake, regardless of where the fault lies. Many people would harass the business with followup e-mails, trying to negotiate better terms or a refund without returning the product. In one section of the letter I say "I have been authorized..." that implies there is someone else the customer can speak with. Hand the phone off to some one else and have them paraphrase the same letter. The customer may see things from your perspective, or just get frustrated and give up. Either way, problem solved. In some rare circumstances, the customer will persist in calling and writing the company. Even then, don't start name calling, especially not in an e-mail where they'll be armed with a written record of your lack of professionalism. Think what you will about people, but don't say it, it gains you nothing.

Okay, sure, use the default address on Paypal. But at least advise the customer that THAT'S the address you'll be shipping to. A company should always confirm a shipping address, ESPECIALLY if they are shipping something LIVE. Give me a break.

It is truly unforunate that carrie failed to state what REALLY HAPPENED and what REALLY was said. carrie was EXTREMLY aggressive and threatening to do, as she has done with her blogs, a smear campaign from the very beginning of discovering that she provided the wrong address. I followed EVERY possible road with her VERY politely and even offered up the complete dialog and tracking numbers for people who think they should be involved to see for themselves ALL the facts. Carrie edited them with a hachet!

My ONE comment at the very end of our ordeal and extreme frustration was to say that "I give up, you just don't get it, you were wrong and yet we still tried to please you. I guess there is no pleasing you. I guess you are just a bit.. I knew after I pushed send I should not have lost my cool, but she is NO sweet,calm, quiet, home Momma.My apologies to my sisterhood, but in her words,it's not libel if it's true!

I got so wrapped up in this post...I just had to comment.

What it comes down to is customer service. Right or wrong...complete or incomplete addresses and orders - the whole ball of wax comes back to the company. As a small business owner I could never even conceive of treating any customer or client in such a manner as these worm people have done. Regardless of what transpired, this company''s so-called management team have just embarrassed themselves beyond repair. While they may be disgruntled at the feedback they recieved concerning their business practices, they had absolutely no right to get personal. Name-calling was just the additional proof that this company is not capable of handling business without getting personal and will not be able to provide good customer service when some waves are made. They can claim good ratings all they want but the proof is in their own emails.

If a company can not provide and does not promote good customer service over a box of worms, how can any other consumer expect fair treatment or (god forbid) quality customer service at any point? while I also can get frustrated with clients that don't pay or the constant complainers, I remain dignified and polite and then vent to my business partners later in private. It sounds like these wing dings couldn't get past proving some moot point to anyone they thought was listening.

Geez louise - I am sorry you had to go through such crap.

I've totally had this problem more than once when paying via Paypal. Specifically, my shipping address is different than my billing address because I cannot receive UPS and FedEx at my home. So click, click, and suddenly I realize that something's going to the wrong address. The last time, I *immediately* sent an email to Moo - which they replied to after they'd already shipped my business cards to my home address. Luckily, they were coming via the US Postal Service, so I lucked out and received them just fine.

I have tried to train myself to be extra vigilant when paying via Paypal, but it's just really easy to miss that you need to make sure Paypal is sending the correct shipping address - And yes, it's because you think that the vendor is going to ask for your shipping address and then after you complete the order you're like, Hey! Wait a minute...

I came across this as I was googling Best Buy Worms. Made me chuckle, all this chatter. I have bought from them several times over the last year as I am transforming my old backyard wasteland into an English cottage garden and there was not a single living thing in the soil - their garden variety is the best, lots of worms and healthy soil now - and I used Paypal. Every transaction was smooth. I like using Paypal for the very reason you don't have to enter all that information every time.