Reader C.W. is wondering why Craftsman (which is part of Sears) doesn’t have the ability to cancel a duplicate order. Especially since there appears to be a “cancel” button on the website.

C.W. says:

My mom’s birthday is soon, so I decided to order one of those lightweight 4V power screwdrivers for her. She may or may not find it useful, but more importantly she would have a tool that my Dad would not get to use.

Anyways, I decide to order it online through Craftsman.com (which is really just a skin on Sears.com). First, whatever forms they are using did not seem to work correctly with Google Chrome. No big deal, I switch over to Internet Explorer.

Next, I go through the entire order process as a ‘guest’ user and when I hit submit at the very end I get an error message that says I did not have permission to do that. I check me email to make sure the order didn’t go through, then start the process again, this time as a registered user. (Side note: it took multiple tries to register and I almost gave up). When I finish the ordering the second time and hit submit it takes me to the summary page and I see a new mail has arrived.

I check my mail see two new mails! I realize that the first order went through and I’ve just ordered the same item, with the same gift wrapping and same gift note, twice! I Immediately find the customer service number on the site and call explaining the situation.

Me: Can you please cancel one of the orders, I guess the guest one.
CS: I’m sorry, I can’t do that. You’ll have to refuse the package.
Me: Huh? Why not, I ordered it like 3 minutes ago?
CS: I’m sorry, its in the system now, I can’t cancel it.
Me: Look, there is no way that has shipped already, its just a line in the computer why can’t it be canceled?
CS: I’m sorry, I would if I could, but the system won’t let me.
Me: Really, there is nothing you can do?
CS: Afraid not.
Me: Ok, I understand, can you please direct me to the complaints department.

When I called the complaints department to complain how ridiculous it was that I was unable to cancel an order minutes after placing it, the operator there told me that orders go through several phases and can only be canceled during specific phases. She told me to check back a few hours later to cancel it.

I checked the online website every few hours for the rest of the day and never had the option to cancel. I gave up when I got the shipping notification the next day.

Kinda ruins the birthday surprise when you have to call and warn about two packages, one of which will need to be refused.

What an excellent system.

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