We Really Appreciate YOU! Unexpected Delays…..
Hi friends!
We are working around the clock, 7 days a week, to improve for you. Please know that YOU are the heart of what we do and we appreciate YOU!
From time to time, the unexpected happens. Right now, sadly, a few things are happening all at once. :( We are working through several issues while processing orders.
In an effort to strengthen logistics in our order processing system, late last year we knew the time was quickly coming to upgrade our shipping software. After devoting almost a year in researching to find exactly the right partner, defining customer needs, and testing new processes, we implemented the new software on Saturday, October 14th.
The holiday season is approaching and we want to be prepared for YOU. I’m not sure there is ever a convenient time to make a change, but we were hoping that with significant testing and working with experienced technical experts, we could minimize any order delays before the busy holiday shopping season. In fact, we were hoping to have NO order delays. Unfortunately, this is not the case today. However, it is just temporary.
The good news is, we have worked through MANY of the technical bugs that have caused shipping delays over the past 2 weeks. The bad news is, we haven’t worked through ALL of them … just yet.
One delay that is very frustrating for you (and for us!) is that our systems are processing orders not necessarily in order of placement date. That means, in addition to the downtime required for training our team and streamlining the processes – the delays are impacting YOU, our valued customers in random ways. Please know that this makes us frustrated and sad because it is our mission to provide you with excellent service. We all feel the pain when we fall short. We hope to be back to processing orders in chronological order in the immediate future. Truth be told, I am really hoping that this happens within the next 24-48 hours.
Right now, we are working actively to push through the delays. Our teams are getting better and becoming more efficient inside the new technology each day. The system itself is certainly improving. We are super excited about the efficiency and speed that this new software is going to be able to allow us to offer you. In the meantime however, we apologize for any order delays you may have experienced these past 2 weeks!
These are growing pains. :( They are hard for us all, but I just know that we will be better for it in the end. Please know that we are making changes to be better for you.
Thank you so very much for bearing with us while we gather ’round and push through these unexpected delays. We have invested significant time and resources in an effort to get better and will continue to do so. I am very sorry for your inconvenience and appreciate the opportunity to work in an industry surrounded by good, talented and genuinely kind people.
Sincerely,
Heidi
Simon Says Stamp Founder and Momma
Heidi, thanks so much for explaining what is going on at SSS. I was wondering why I hadn’t heard anything about a shipping date for my order and now I understand and can certainly wait till things are working on your end. My order will be a treat whenever it arrives! Good luck with all your new systems! I am a very devoted customer! XOXO
Maureen, Thank you so much for the nice note and encouragement!!
WE appreciate YOU, Heidi! Thanks for always improving and working hard for us. I love SSS and love shopping with you! =)
I’m so appreciative and honored to work in such an outstanding industry. Thank you for your support!!
Thank you for the update. Things happen and we will get through it together. On a side note, are you guys going to upload more donation boxes? Just curious. I really wanted one of those.
Hi Roger! Thanks for the encouragement :) Yes, we absolutely will be uploading more donation boxes!
Awesome sauce. Cant wait to get my hands on one of them, but also to be able to donate to something that is just awesome. :-)
Better to have the delay now and work through the glitches now than in a month from now. After all, like you said it is in everyone’s best interest. (I don’t order online myself but when I do get anything, I get my daughter or DIL to order for me.( Thanks for sharing this info Heidi.
Thank you for your transparency and honesty. Now, I understand. =)
It’s great to get an update, Heidi. Thank you so much for letting us know what is happening. When my order arrives, it will still be a happy mail day even if it takes a bit longer. Good Luck getting things worked out. You’ve always had Top Notch Service and soon it will be even better! Thanks for a great shopping experience.
Don’t worry about us :)
You are still my favorite foreign scrap shop <3
You’re so kind and I love so much how you work! It doesn’t matter a little delay when the people that are working for us are so amazing! <3
I totally agree with all the above responses. For a company to be honest about issues concerning their customers is important. SSS has the best customer service I’ve ever experienced. LIFO..I worked for Hallmark Cards Distribution Center for 27 years and know all about it. They were always ‘about the retailer’ getting their products filled accurately and shipped out on time. You’ll get it done, I have no doubt!
?❤️
I think the ingest issue is what you’ve addressed here, transperancy & honesty. We the customer know SSS & love it, so as long as your honest, we’ll stand by you through any growing pains. Thank you & good luck getting it all sorted.
I placed an order a week ago that hasn’t shipped. I wouldn’t have placed it had I known this since it has products I wanted to use for Halloween. But an item I wanted which is out of stock is now back in stock, and I was told I couldn’t add it to this order. Given the delay in relunctant to place a new order and pay for shipping. Can an exception not be made for customers given the long delay?
Oh how I wish it were that easy with the technology to add to an existing order. ?That is one of the improvements we are trying to make with the new software. We just are not there quite yet….
if you’d like to place another order for the items in stock – you can use the coupon code HARVEST. It’s $5 off Any Order and will offset the shipping charges for you. My apologies for the delays!
Thank you. I’ll try that.
After the storm the sun always comes out! Thanks for your honesty, I hope this will get fixed soon. I love shopping at SSS and your customer service has always helped me!
Thank you so much!!!
Thank you finally to learn what’s been going on. It has been frustrating but I understand and just wish I read this about a week ago. As with another shopper, I was disappointed on the number of items out of stock and then notice they were in stock after placing my order. I would have prefered
one shipment, charge.
I feel for you and understand what you are going through (I was a systems engineer in a past life). No matter how well you plan, there is always an unexpected blip and this too, shall pass. I am glad you are improving your system because, quite honestly, slow shipping was forcing me to look to other online vendors for my supplies. Just know that this painful process will reap future rewards and you’ll look back and know that it was worth it.
Thanks for giving an update! I appreciate the effort you and your company are putting in to make sure that you have a great ordering system. Just found SSS this year and love it plus your from my state! OH!
Thanks for this update.
It would have been nice to have received this message BEFORE I sent my inquiry as to where my products were. Transparency is nice when it occurs at the needed time. Is there any update as to when our delayed orders WILL be shipped out? How long will this “delay” go on?
Good luck with the shipping!
Can’t even imagine running a business! Thanks for always working to make things better & I know it will be worth all the frustration in the end! Sending cheers!
Thanks so much for you fabulous customer service!!
Thank you so much for the update. I was beginning to wonder about my order. Implementing new technology is not always easy. I understand the impact such an undertaking has on your business, the best thing that you can do is over communicate to your customers. The issues will get resolved, your employees will be trained, this will be behind you soon and your customers will be happy too! Good luck and hope things continue to improve.
Things like this happen with computers and I think it’s great you are letting everyone know rather than not saying anything.
I hope it’s sorted out for you soon, I can’t even imagine how crazy busy it is for you, especially off the back of STAMPtember.
Just know we appricate you and all you do.
I am an IT project manager for my state government’s central office. Migration to a new system is always a “hold your breath, cross your fingers” moment. No matter how well planned, there will always be bugs. Thank you for the update. I just thought Stamptember was such a huge success, it delayed my order.
Thank you for letting us know. I was wondering about the delay (as previously, your shipping had been very fast) but I just assumed that it was due to volume and traffic. I hope that things get better for you very soon, and I hope that the changes bring about the improvements you are hoping for. I will be happy to get my order, whenever it arrives, as good things are worth waiting for. I am grateful for the variety of products that you carry, your great customer service, and your beyond reasonable shipping to Canada. Thanks again.
My bad luck that I placed an order the day before you implemented the new system and it hasn’t shopped yet.
Thank you for investing in better serving our needs! Change is painful anyway and no matter how prepared and all the planning that goes into change, stuff happens. Thank you for reaching out and taking time out of this chaotic time to explain. Thank you to your team working tirelessly to get back up and running better than before. You got this and it will be so worth it! I’m grateful for all that you are doing and have done!
Thank you for this needed delay update and letting us know why we must be patient for our goodies!
I received a message from SSS yesterday,your right it was crazy to think that my normal was a couple days SHIP,to a couple weeks later and confusion ,no order.I completely understand now.Im so glad it’s getting upgraded and will make it better for all of you.Im not going anywhere ???.Thank you so much for your most genuine words.
So glad for this update…..I was about ready to give up on SSS after having my last 4 orders delayed without explanation. Growing pains are completely understandable and if they help things move quicker in the future then I am all for it. I am currently awaiting an order I placed on 10/17 and was pretty frustrated but now that I know what’s going on it’s all good!!
I’m waiting on an order and know that you will get thru this change process and my order will arrive. Maybe you can rethink the shipping charge and give us a break if we are having to wait on orders more than usual and then again a reduced shipping or no shipping if an order for a certain amt or higher is made.
Melissa
“Sunshine HoneyBee”
Heidi, I really appreciate the transparency. Knowing what is happening and the changes being made makes it much easier to deal with delays. Crossing fingers that bugs and hiccups are fixed soon. ☺️
Thanks for the candid update. I appreciate the wonderful customer service I always get at SSS, too many places have lost that touch with their customers and I’ve been there with technology issues. Good luck in getting it resolved soon! Xoxo
Thanks Heidi for this very thorough update. I am happy for the news that shipping is improving as it will make my favourite SSS store even better than before. Now I understand why my last 2 orders are still processing and I will be even more patient than before. Thank you for improving for us! Big hugs to you all and hope when the system is all set up and working you can have a bit of a rest. A big fan of yours from Hungary, Zsofi
I had order the September kit. It didn’t come. I called and the young lady said it would be sent the next day. Then a week later I get an email stating that I didn’t get my order sent on time. I reply to your email stating when it came out of my account ( which was the same day that I got notice that the kit was available). You returned message saying that you were reimbursing me.
I was very disappointed in the way this was handled and have not order since. I am on list for the monthly kit and as of today I haven’t received my notice. So I am assuming I will be missing out on this kit as well. Very frustrating. I hope you get things worked out soon.
Two weeks to ship product has been the norm for the 9 months I shopped with you all. A new shipping system doesn’t explain why customer service doesn’t answer the phone. I am frustrated because these love-filled blog posts don’t align with operations for as long as I have shopped with SSS. And to those stating “It’s OK”, no it’s not okay for an online store to take weeks to fulfill and in-stock, non-reserve itemed order. You could literally walk to Ohio in that time and pick it up, so please don’t speak for everyone when you say it’s OK. I’m so happy the operations are being addressed. Perhaps I’ll shop with SSS again when the reviews on the store turn more positive regarding shipping and customer service presence.
My sentiments exactly!! This explanation is complete BS as I’ve been experiencing delays for several months now. My past 3 orders were delayed until I reached out to CS. As another poster stated, if you can send out a blast regarding the latest release then you can sure as heck notify customers about delayed shipping times in the same manner. Communication is key!!
Thanks for the update Heidi, I’ve never had a problem with shipping before and I’m in Toronto Canada ??. Would this be the reason I didn’t get notified of November’s kit. I thought I got dropped from the list so went in and out a separate order for it plus a couple of other things yesterday
I think you are amazing! Little bumps happen now and then, but I will remain forever a loyal customer! You are such an analysis generous company. Love you!
I have been upset about orders taking so long but after this sweet explanation I appreciate what you guys do! Am I forgiven?? LOL
What a fabulous update. I love SSS and prefer to use you for everything. Your customer service and fast shipping has always been exceptional. I think you are the amazon of the stamping world and we are sooooooo lucky to have you and your amazing team. My order are always packed with care and attention and the little treats always make me smile. I don’t like shopping anywhere else! Keep up the good work and we are rooting for you all. Keep up the good work, breathe, have lots of chocolate on hand and this too will pass.
Thanks for the update Heidi.. You rock!
Thanks for the explanation, it always helps as a customer to know what is causing delays in receiving our much desired orders. I can totally understand, at work we are going through something similar and it’s very ugly ?. Best of luck and I’ll keep my fingers crossed that all your issues get resolved in your desired timeline.
Thank you for the explanation. I do have an order processing and am glad to hear why the shipping has been delayed.
There is no better place to shop than Simon Says Stamp and I appreciate knowing when there is a bit of bother. :) It is easy to wait for orders when you know what’s up especially when you have always had the greatest experience with a company. An occasional hiccup can be expected but SSS is an honorable company…and, I love them!
Thanks for the update. I myself have not really had any issues with order processing. The only issue that has been happening lately is the transit time to Canada. Which of course is not your fault. Sometimes its 3 weeks to receive my package. I miss the tracking which is no longer available.
Stampers are patient and kind people! We’ll wait!
thank you for the update…I am going to be optimistic and think that if I keep stalking the site, that the items that I placed in my cart will suddenly reappear. I had to go to a meeting and about 30 minutes later – two of the items were out of stock….hoping this is a result of the computer “glitch.” Good Luck to you and again thank you for the update…it is saving me a call.
Thank you for the heart felt explanation. Simon Says Stamp is, extremely, my “happy” place. I live in Canada with MS, in a wheelchair, and am so greatful that I am able to place an order with Simon on a regular basis. Making cards is my life these days. Thanks so much for all the joy you bring me.
wishing you fewer bumps & hurdles. there is a scrapbooking company on the “left coast” whose motto is, “it ships when it ships” (which I find offensive). nothing about SSS is non-friendly so I hope we can be patient while you work through this. hugs!!
This is the third multi-week order this year. I agree that the positive emotions expressed don’t reflect the extremely long shipping time and lack of business efficiency. There feels like a big disconnect between intent and actual practice.
I ordered Oct 14th, still not shipped. Previous orders since summer have included a 2-1/2 week ship time, and a 1-1/2 ship time. Very frustrating.
Typically I place several orders per month, but at this time, I will not order for the upcoming holidays, it is too much of a hassle.
(:-(
Thank you for taking the time to let us know what’s happening. A company I worked for changed servers right before fiscal year reports and it was a disaster. Hopefully all the bugs will be worked out soon, in the meantime if those with orders can do anything to make it easier let us know.