Swee Lee Online ? Good or Bad ?
- Thread starter a9508428
- Start date
GREAT!
Of course, we're obviously biased
but just to chip in, we know we're not perfect but we'd like to think we're always improving. We're always noticing things we can do better and it's a real company goal to always learn from our mistakes - every bit of feedback is important. It's not easy to make everybody 100% happy and there are always a lot of things that need work when taking a traditional business into the future - but overall we believe most of our customers have been pleased because most of them always come back!
Feel free to PM if there's anything whatsoever we can help with - we're at your service
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GREAT!
Thanks for coming in. Let me tell you how Terrible, Horrible, Very bad Swee Lee online is.
20 Aug 2017 - Ordered a Pedaltrain pedal board from Swee Lee, order number #10002025x. Swee Lee online website shown it was in stock for days.
21 Aug 2017 - Swee Lee customer servicer informed me that my payment is sucessfully received by Swee Lee.
After few hours, another Swee Lee staff told me that it is out of stock ! Asking me to choose another model or refund. However, the refunding needs to take another 10 to 14 days to proceed !!!
22 Aug 2017 - Escalated to Pedaltrain Sales team in US and Swee Lee management. Waiting $149 refund from Swee Lee.
23 Aug 2017 - Waiting $149 refund from Swee Lee.
24 Aug 2017 - Still waiting $149 refund from Swee Lee.
Swee Lee could not fulfill order from customer and yet ON HOLD customer refund for days. Please be alert on that.
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We're truly sorry to hear you had an experience like that. As said before, we're happy to be open about where we could have done better and share the situation and how we're trying to do better.
PROBLEM 1:
What happened was that we had one last piece of stock at one of our branches for the item you were looking for, and it so happened that the item that was listed in stock was our very last piece. The maximum amount of time that goes between our site being updated is 24 hours and the last piece happened to be sold at our Star Vista branch right before you made payment.
We have two different teams at Swee Lee Online when processing orders - one that checks accounts and payment success, and one that processes logistics and delivery. At this point of time logistics and delivery only engage after payment has been validated and confirmed.
As the order was placed after our cutoff time, it was processed first thing the next morning and our accounts team reached out to confirm that payment had been received. As soon as our logistics and delivery team started processing the order, we discovered the discrepancy and immediately reached out to apologise, let you know about the situation and find out whether you would like to choose an alternative product or receive a refund.
PROBLEM 2:
The speed of the refund was too long. Although we try and let our customers know (it is stated in our ordering and payments page that refunds take between 10-14 days) we understand it's not ideal. For security reasons we work with Telemoney via DBS for processing card payments online and they have their own terms and conditions which we have to adhere to. We inform customers of a slightly longer time than average because we really don't want to overpromise and disappoint. I just checked in with accounts and understand that we already expedited your refund with our provider due to the special circumstances and the refund has already been processed. It may take a day to appear on your credit card statement.
Nevertheless this all could have gone better. We're working on the solution to this and here are some of the things we're doing:
NEXT STEPS 1:
We're already in the process of trying to update our website in real time, this isn't easy when we have over 12000 products online, dynamic retail stores and multiple locations around the region - but it's already in progress and we hope to roll it out in the near future.
NEXT STEPS 2:
In case we can't push real time updates fast enough, we're making other updates to our site and are looking to see how we can have a Low Stock warning when numbers are below a certain level (like 1 or 2!) to avoid situations like this in the future.
NEXT STEPS 3:
We're speaking with our payments provider to see if there is any way to speed up refunds, as well as whether we can change the payments system to only take payments from cards as the product is shipping. This will avoid charges happening ahead of time and ensure you're not waiting for a refund on a product that wasn't available.
We totally accept the fact that you felt frustrated and wanted to rant about it. We'll really try to do better next time and hope we'll get another chance to make it up to you.
PROBLEM 1:
What happened was that we had one last piece of stock at one of our branches for the item you were looking for, and it so happened that the item that was listed in stock was our very last piece. The maximum amount of time that goes between our site being updated is 24 hours and the last piece happened to be sold at our Star Vista branch right before you made payment.
We have two different teams at Swee Lee Online when processing orders - one that checks accounts and payment success, and one that processes logistics and delivery. At this point of time logistics and delivery only engage after payment has been validated and confirmed.
As the order was placed after our cutoff time, it was processed first thing the next morning and our accounts team reached out to confirm that payment had been received. As soon as our logistics and delivery team started processing the order, we discovered the discrepancy and immediately reached out to apologise, let you know about the situation and find out whether you would like to choose an alternative product or receive a refund.
PROBLEM 2:
The speed of the refund was too long. Although we try and let our customers know (it is stated in our ordering and payments page that refunds take between 10-14 days) we understand it's not ideal. For security reasons we work with Telemoney via DBS for processing card payments online and they have their own terms and conditions which we have to adhere to. We inform customers of a slightly longer time than average because we really don't want to overpromise and disappoint. I just checked in with accounts and understand that we already expedited your refund with our provider due to the special circumstances and the refund has already been processed. It may take a day to appear on your credit card statement.
Nevertheless this all could have gone better. We're working on the solution to this and here are some of the things we're doing:
NEXT STEPS 1:
We're already in the process of trying to update our website in real time, this isn't easy when we have over 12000 products online, dynamic retail stores and multiple locations around the region - but it's already in progress and we hope to roll it out in the near future.
NEXT STEPS 2:
In case we can't push real time updates fast enough, we're making other updates to our site and are looking to see how we can have a Low Stock warning when numbers are below a certain level (like 1 or 2!) to avoid situations like this in the future.
NEXT STEPS 3:
We're speaking with our payments provider to see if there is any way to speed up refunds, as well as whether we can change the payments system to only take payments from cards as the product is shipping. This will avoid charges happening ahead of time and ensure you're not waiting for a refund on a product that wasn't available.
We totally accept the fact that you felt frustrated and wanted to rant about it. We'll really try to do better next time and hope we'll get another chance to make it up to you.
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Thanks for identifying the problems and root cause analysis.
Before the implementation of all those Corrective and Preventive Actions that you have listed above as Next Steps - 1, 2 and 3,
What is the interim containment action that going to be taken by Swee Lee ?
As you mentioned below -
Without interim containment action, Swee Lee is still putting your customer under the risk !
Anyone of your customer can be the next victim as me - Placing an order online but Swee Lee is actually unable to delivery.
Before the implementation of all those Corrective and Preventive Actions that you have listed above as Next Steps - 1, 2 and 3,
What is the interim containment action that going to be taken by Swee Lee ?
As you mentioned below -
Without interim containment action, Swee Lee is still putting your customer under the risk !
Anyone of your customer can be the next victim as me - Placing an order online but Swee Lee is actually unable to delivery.
Thanks for asking! Please understand that your experience was a rare occurrence that affects less than 1% of all customers per month, but we take it very seriously. As you know with 8D, it is not always possible to find a 100% Interim Containment Plan but we've got our supply chain team on it and we are already taking the extra action of manually updating products as they go out of stock live onto the website and have been doing so for quite a while already. We also now keep a separate inventory in a separate location for items that are high risk for being out-of-stock.
Like your order, most of our refunds already happen faster than 10-14 days - we state a larger window on our website to ensure we don't disappoint our customers. Hope you have a great weekend!
zesn
New member
Yes obviously Swee Lee is terrible because they told you it will take 10-14 days and you cannot wait.
Banks take time to settle refund paperwork, this is beyond Swee Lee.
Godspeed64
Active member
The Good:
You don't have to deal with their staff. Imagine going into a store (Penin), asking about Elixir baritone strings...
"We don't have it here."
"Can you help check which branch has it, cause I -"
"We don't serve baritone products anywhere."
(I was about to say I saw it online when I got interrupted).
Called Bras Basah.
"Hi can I know which branch sells Elixir baritone strings."
"Let me check."
.......
"We don't have it here." *puts down as I begin my next sentence*
So yes. Bypass the nonsense. Unfortunately you gotta key in all that address detail, then it forces an error to bring it to zero dollars shipping and your address details are gone for you to re-key.... Plus I can't begin recounting a decade of discriminatory practices from their staff simply cause of my skin colour.
The Bad:
You're supporting their business. I got no reason to support a business that attains dealerships and drives prices up for consumers, that thrives off exploitation (come on I've shipped items on my own and pay lesser than buying from these idiots). The world is global now. They spent years exploiting a community instead of taking the task to build the community. It's a social responsibility they shat all over. So by all means buy online, but that means global options are available to you that are far superior in customer service, pricing, options.
The Ugly:
With all my criticisms against them, imagine the ire when I asked about a certain product they're not stocking, and when they intend to stock it. I posted a WTB and I got several people asking if I want to ship it in together. And you can see people on forums overseas constantly asking about the availability of said item. Mentioned they have no plan of shipping it in, but they could request it for the following shipment (bad market understanding on this front). And they casually mentioned that I could support a local business..... lol? A local business that does its part in helping the musical community? Sure. Swee Lee? Good joke.
Another thing about overpriced guitars. At what point does a guitar that is stocked for SEVERAL years, maybe a display piece, retains the flag of "Brand New"? It's an ugly practice. I won't be surprised to go in, buy a "Brand New" item that has been hanging there for 7 years and was manufactured before Obama was president.
You don't have to deal with their staff. Imagine going into a store (Penin), asking about Elixir baritone strings...
"We don't have it here."
"Can you help check which branch has it, cause I -"
"We don't serve baritone products anywhere."
(I was about to say I saw it online when I got interrupted).
Called Bras Basah.
"Hi can I know which branch sells Elixir baritone strings."
"Let me check."
.......
"We don't have it here." *puts down as I begin my next sentence*
So yes. Bypass the nonsense. Unfortunately you gotta key in all that address detail, then it forces an error to bring it to zero dollars shipping and your address details are gone for you to re-key.... Plus I can't begin recounting a decade of discriminatory practices from their staff simply cause of my skin colour.
The Bad:
You're supporting their business. I got no reason to support a business that attains dealerships and drives prices up for consumers, that thrives off exploitation (come on I've shipped items on my own and pay lesser than buying from these idiots). The world is global now. They spent years exploiting a community instead of taking the task to build the community. It's a social responsibility they shat all over. So by all means buy online, but that means global options are available to you that are far superior in customer service, pricing, options.
The Ugly:
With all my criticisms against them, imagine the ire when I asked about a certain product they're not stocking, and when they intend to stock it. I posted a WTB and I got several people asking if I want to ship it in together. And you can see people on forums overseas constantly asking about the availability of said item. Mentioned they have no plan of shipping it in, but they could request it for the following shipment (bad market understanding on this front). And they casually mentioned that I could support a local business..... lol? A local business that does its part in helping the musical community? Sure. Swee Lee? Good joke.
Another thing about overpriced guitars. At what point does a guitar that is stocked for SEVERAL years, maybe a display piece, retains the flag of "Brand New"? It's an ugly practice. I won't be surprised to go in, buy a "Brand New" item that has been hanging there for 7 years and was manufactured before Obama was president.
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stormage
New member
Haha, i totally concur with the dealership and out of stock parts. I have been enquiring on the voodoo lab current doubler since they are the official sole distributor for voodoo lab in Singapore. Called up the I12 branch and spoken to a staff, Shukri, or i can't remember. He mentioned that the parts is out of stock and they have no idea when they will restock, he will have to ask his supervisor. Till date, i have not heard anything regarding the enquiry since the day they took my order verbally over the phone. None of the online enquiries regarding the OOS parts was replied to as well. Talking about doing business in the interest of the customer, i doubt it is any where satisfactory in my opinion. Changed my voodoo lab PPS2 because of this incident.
Hi @godspeed64,
We really appreciate your feedback. Since Swee Lee changed management in 2012, a lot of the things you have described are key areas we've been working to improve.
The telephone stock checking experience you had is unacceptable - we've had a couple of complaints in this area and action points to already make this better, but we're also making some larger improvements that will be rolled out next year for training and service consistency. Point is definitely taken and we will do better.
With regards to "The Bad", I hope you understand I'm not trying to be confrontational, but I do think this is a little unfair! We have made enormous improvements on pricing since 2012, and in fact all of our products since then have been pegged on USA MAP price, where historically (pre-2012) there were definitely much higher prices comparatively. We are often extremely close, if not always cheaper than USA MAP prices these days on most products. Do also bear in mind, that anyone buying a guitar in the USA or Europe usually has to pay local taxes (like GST) that are not listed on the price when you look at it from overseas!
For example:
https://www.sweelee.com.sg/ibanez-j...ure-electric-guitar-w-case-shocking-pink.html - $4799 inclusive of GST and free shipping
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/JEM777SK - $4730.29 SGD + 7% GST = $5062.84 before shipping
https://www.sweelee.com.sg/fender-standard-stratocaster-guitar-maple-neck-black-w-o-bag.html - $899 inclusive of GST and free shipping
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratSTMAW - $810.87 + 7% GST = $867.90 before shipping
https://www.sweelee.com.sg/gibson-2...acoustic-guitar-heritage-cherry-sunburst.html - $4999 inclusive of GST, warranty, free PLEK, free shipping
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SSHEQ1G17 - $4931 + 7% GST = $5278 before shipping
With regards to products being out of stock, we do maintain an inventory of over 40,000 products from more than 100 different brands serving more than 15 outlets in the region as well as hundreds of dealers. This has grown very fast in the last couple of years and we're trying to keep up all the time - coordinating shipments by sea, air and trying to ensure we get all our stocking levels and purchasing trends right for our markets. It's unfortunately impossible to stock every single item as different brands have different MOQs, purchasing rules and terms and conditions on size of shipments, so it's really a balancing act when running the business efficiently. We're also getting used to purchase volumes increasing and things moving much quicker than expected.
This is not an excuse in why our service staff were not able to help answer your questions better and manage expectations, again, we will do better there! But I hope it helps to understand our side of the table too and that you don't mind or get offended by me sharing this. We really want to make this better, and as we expand further in the next year we will also benefit from some of the key economies of scale that some of the other much larger markets like the USA, Europe have when it comes to availability and choice!
The world is a very competitive place and we really believe that no company should rest on one's laurels and be complacent. Our commitment to pricing is one of the biggest initiatives that we hope our customers have appreciated and benefitted from! Our new team is very passionate about what we do and believe we've made many improvements in a short amount of time, but there's still much much more to do. We very much want to make things better and your feedback is really appreciated - we don't take these things lightly.
We really appreciate your feedback. Since Swee Lee changed management in 2012, a lot of the things you have described are key areas we've been working to improve.
The telephone stock checking experience you had is unacceptable - we've had a couple of complaints in this area and action points to already make this better, but we're also making some larger improvements that will be rolled out next year for training and service consistency. Point is definitely taken and we will do better.
With regards to "The Bad", I hope you understand I'm not trying to be confrontational, but I do think this is a little unfair!
We have made enormous improvements on pricing since 2012, and in fact all of our products since then have been pegged on USA MAP price, where historically (pre-2012) there were definitely much higher prices comparatively. We are often extremely close, if not always cheaper than USA MAP prices these days on most products. Do also bear in mind, that anyone buying a guitar in the USA or Europe usually has to pay local taxes (like GST) that are not listed on the price when you look at it from overseas! For example:
https://www.sweelee.com.sg/ibanez-j...ure-electric-guitar-w-case-shocking-pink.html - $4799 inclusive of GST and free shipping
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/JEM777SK - $4730.29 SGD + 7% GST = $5062.84 before shipping
https://www.sweelee.com.sg/fender-standard-stratocaster-guitar-maple-neck-black-w-o-bag.html - $899 inclusive of GST and free shipping
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratSTMAW - $810.87 + 7% GST = $867.90 before shipping
https://www.sweelee.com.sg/gibson-2...acoustic-guitar-heritage-cherry-sunburst.html - $4999 inclusive of GST, warranty, free PLEK, free shipping
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SSHEQ1G17 - $4931 + 7% GST = $5278 before shipping
With regards to products being out of stock, we do maintain an inventory of over 40,000 products from more than 100 different brands serving more than 15 outlets in the region as well as hundreds of dealers. This has grown very fast in the last couple of years and we're trying to keep up all the time - coordinating shipments by sea, air and trying to ensure we get all our stocking levels and purchasing trends right for our markets. It's unfortunately impossible to stock every single item as different brands have different MOQs, purchasing rules and terms and conditions on size of shipments, so it's really a balancing act when running the business efficiently. We're also getting used to purchase volumes increasing and things moving much quicker than expected.
This is not an excuse in why our service staff were not able to help answer your questions better and manage expectations, again, we will do better there! But I hope it helps to understand our side of the table too and that you don't mind or get offended by me sharing this. We really want to make this better, and as we expand further in the next year we will also benefit from some of the key economies of scale that some of the other much larger markets like the USA, Europe have when it comes to availability and choice!
The world is a very competitive place and we really believe that no company should rest on one's laurels and be complacent. Our commitment to pricing is one of the biggest initiatives that we hope our customers have appreciated and benefitted from! Our new team is very passionate about what we do and believe we've made many improvements in a short amount of time, but there's still much much more to do. We very much want to make things better and your feedback is really appreciated - we don't take these things lightly.
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Godsmen
Member
And also, please, if you want to be the top leading music gear retailers in Asia, have some decency in putting pride to update your stated price tag online.
Just only two months ago, a pedal TC electronic spark booster mini pedal is show at 79 dollars for your online price. In fact, right now is still 79 dollars as seen.
Now, i kindly request you to go to your store, ie the katong 112 outlet and see the price tag, and finally go check your system price.
All 3 different pricing.
(Online 79), (Price Tag 129), (Your system price 149)
I have even encountered before your online price for a kapo is 0 Dollars, yes 0 dollars, i tried checking it out and successful but i never receive anything.
I understand that your price is relatively peg to US prices, but do take note, many of times online retailers do provide discount codes and stuff which i dont really see Swee Lee doing. Which alot of times is actually cheaper than buying in Singapore.
Just only two months ago, a pedal TC electronic spark booster mini pedal is show at 79 dollars for your online price. In fact, right now is still 79 dollars as seen.
Now, i kindly request you to go to your store, ie the katong 112 outlet and see the price tag, and finally go check your system price.
All 3 different pricing.
(Online 79), (Price Tag 129), (Your system price 149)
I have even encountered before your online price for a kapo is 0 Dollars, yes 0 dollars, i tried checking it out and successful but i never receive anything.
I understand that your price is relatively peg to US prices, but do take note, many of times online retailers do provide discount codes and stuff which i dont really see Swee Lee doing. Which alot of times is actually cheaper than buying in Singapore.
subversion
Moderator
Are online listings checked/ proof read? If errors are reported, how soon can they be attended to?
subversion
Moderator
I would like to but in the effort to make sure Swee Lee exercises a more thorough effort in updating online listings (because this isn't the first), I'd leave it to you & your team to sieve through the latest Fender updates (guitars) in realizing the errors (yes, more than one). Wishing you a good midweek ahead.
Yes! We are finally ready push some changes live to the system in the next two weeks (following some of the feedback that has occurred earlier in this thread) that will solve many of the issues that were faced by OP and regarding product descriptions we will be able to make amendments and updates move even quicker (and fix descriptions that have bugs).
subversion
Moderator
Thank you for putting weight to the mater. More importantly, thank you for listening to us at this end. We believe there is a relationship between us (buyers) & commercial entities out there (not just Swee Lee) & a symbiosis is inevitable- a win-win relationship, why not?
Thank you for putting weight to the mater. More importantly, thank you for listening to us at this end. We believe there is a relationship between us (buyers) & commercial entities out there (not just Swee Lee) & a symbiosis is inevitable- a win-win relationship, why not?
We must. There is more than just a symbiotic relationship - we (commercial entities) do not exist without customers! So it's our responsibility to make them happy
Thank you for giving us the chance to make things right.