Order/Delivery times

[RichH]

Sorry Mods for responding to a locked thread with a new one, but just thought I would post the delivery times for my last 4 orders -- as you can see - the current (if achieved) 4-6 days is a vast improvement and shows that PCS are improving and preparing for busy periods.

The latest build was £1997.00

28-05-2017 17:43

Order Dispatched

10 working days

24-04-2011 08:36

Order Dispatched

20 working days

23-04-2011 22:34

Order Dispatched

20 working days

17-11-2007

Order Dispatched

15 working days

 

[ubuysa]

I think that everyone should appreciate that with the exception of Fast Track orders all delivery times are best estimates, they are not guaranteed.

I'm sure that PCS anticipate periods of high demand and plan accordingly but any (non Fast Track) build takes as long as it takes and there is nothing to be gained in complaining on here if your build takes longer than the current estimates.

We all understand that waiting for your order to be built is incredibly frustrating but you just have to be patient.

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[jamiehoward718]

I think the issue is PCS need to be more realistic in there estimates, from PCS's own stats would it not be fair to advertise 7 - 14 days instead of 6 - 8

 

[ubuysa]

I don't know how they generate these delivery time numbers but I'd guess they are based on recent past performance. That being so they're based on the assumption that the near future will be the same as the recent past. We all know that demand varies, there are highs and lows, so past performance can never be an accurate forecast of the future. In my view it is essential to bear that in mind when using these delivery times and to clearly understand that they are just estimates and not guarantees.

Waiting is horrible but if you want a custom build that fits your requirements and budget perfectly then waiting a relatively short time for it to be built is a price you have to pay.

In any case, if build time is critical to you (and I use the word 'you' generally not specifically at the OP) then the reasonably priced Fast Track is the option to go for.

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[polycrac]

Everyone has a hard time reporting and interpreting averages. PCS could give the mean time, the median, even the mode.

Its the same when you ask a doctor: how long have I got? Do they tell you the average lifespan, the maximum, the expected time to 50% of people with your condition dying, a projection based on recent drift in the historical average? Probabilities are not straightforward for humans, we don't deal with them well. Here's a great example I use in my first year stats class:

An Intuitive Explanation of Bayes’ Theorem – Eliezer S. Yudkowsky

The more accurate you ask PCS to be, the harder it becomes for an 'average punter' to interpret and if it is hard to interpret then it isn't benefitting your customers. You can't expect them to update the website continually so I think the current system is about as good as any viable replacement would be.

 

[jamiehoward718]

They are guaranteeing dispatch in 11 days if you order in 6 hours

 

[ubuysa]

They are guaranteeing dispatch in 11 days if you order in 6 hours

I don't know where you're seeing that but the standard PCS delivery page (https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/delivery/) clearly says the following (my highlighting in red)...

IF I PLACE AN ORDER TODAY, WHEN CAN I EXPECT MY COMPUTER?

If you order a desktop computer today and the payment is confirmed, based on the lead times above we estimate that the average order will be dispatched by Friday 13 December 2019. This is not a guarantee but a guidance date for your reference only, and will only apply if your order is processed today. Orders placed under a finance agreement or by bank transfer will not be processed until we confirm the payment.

 

[jamiehoward718]

Right here in a huge red banner, if there are guaranteeing by Christmas which is 13 working days away, then it need to arrive in 12 working days to be before Christmas, so must be dispatched on the 11th working day on next day delivery.

Are you saying PCS are falsely advertising that they can deliver by Christmas?

 

[ubuysa]

What is your problem? I have been at pains to explain, for the benefit of others reading this thread, that the delivery times quoted by PCS are only estimates and not guarantees. That's not me saying that, it's the PCS website

I cannot for the life of me figure out why you have such a bee in your bonnet over something so simple and obvious.

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[jamiehoward718]

I have not got a problem and apologies if I offended you in some way, I too was only pointing out what was stated on the website, I did not come here to complain, I made my order over a week ago so should be here well before Christmas.

I was only pointing out that if they made there estimates more realistic there might be less people here complaining.

At the end of the day if they plaster a big red banner on there front page guaranteeing Christmas delivery they have to deliver.

 

[polycrac]

I think the Christmas guarentee is a promotional offer, and an important one too, given the stress and limited window for arrival (and limited time for gaming instead of work!).

In order to meet it they'll have to hire extra seasonal staff and pay overtime as needed. Obviously, this can't be sustainable year-round, not without raising prices significantly. I'm glad they do it, but I'm also glad it is for a brief period so prices stay low.

 

[jamiehoward718]

Polycrac, no doubt they will and I totally agree.

I think the reason I responded the way I did is because if anyone had read my post that ubuysa quoted.
They may have thought great ill go and get my order in, but that response would have made me think twice, especially coming from a moderator.

 

[ubuysa]

I was only pointing out that if they made there estimates more realistic there might be less people here complaining.

I think there would be some complaints no matter how accurate the build time estimates.

We face the question of build and delivery times quite regularly on here which is why I jumped on you perhaps a tad heavier than I should have. Although I don't work for PCS and thus have no inside knowledge of their processes, I think it's quite clear that collecting accurate data on build times is not a no-cost process. The more accurate you want the build time data collection to be the greater the cost, I suspect the relationship between data accuracy and cost is an exponential one too. One reason we buy from PCS is because of the lower cost, so it follows that if we want more accurate data collection to provide more accurate build times the cost of that is going to result in higher prices. I can't speak for everyone but I don't want to be paying another £10 or £20 on my order just so that I get a more accurate delivery date. That extra cost won't get it built any quicker, its just so that I'm not disappointed each day it doesn't arrive. I've said earlier on here that if a rapid build time is important to you then pay for the Fast Track option.

I urge everyone ordering from PCS to read the Terms & Conditions and the Delivery Information before placing your order and be aware that unless specifically stated otherwise by PCS in writing build times are only best effort estimates.

 

[Oussebon]

I think the issue is PCS need to be more realistic in there estimates, from PCS's own stats would it not be fair to advertise 7 - 14 days instead of 6 - 8
View attachment 14514

Out of interest, could you remind me what page that table is on? I've seen it before, just can't find it right now for some reason.

 

[ubuysa]

Out of interest, could you remind me what page that table is on? I've seen it before, just can't find it right now for some reason.

I think you only get to see that once you've placed an order.

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[Oussebon]

Ahh, ty

 

[SlimCini]

What is your problem? I have been at pains to explain, for the benefit of others reading this thread, that the delivery times quoted by PCS are only estimates and not guarantees. That's not me saying that, it's the PCS website

I cannot for the life of me figure out why you have such a bee in your bonnet over something so simple and obvious.

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Dude, come on... he's posted a link showing PCS guaranteeing delivery on their own homepage. He's right, they're guaranteeing it. All other times of the year it's an estimate, but that's a Christmas guarantee right there on the hompage.

 

[ubuysa]

Dude, come on... he's posted a link showing PCS guaranteeing delivery on their own homepage. He's right, they're guaranteeing it. All other times of the year it's an estimate, but that's a Christmas guarantee right there on the hompage.

You'd have to be naive in the extreme to believe that the red banner referred to was an absolute guarantee. Although I have no doubt that PCS were confident at the time of meeting all anticipated orders before Christmas that was nothing more than marketing.

This is confirmed by reading the Terms & Conditions. These make it very clear (in item 15.3) that....

Entire Agreement: This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and us. No other terms whether expressed or implied shall form part of this Agreement. In the event of any conflict between these Terms and Conditions and any other term or provision, these Terms and Conditions shall prevail. By accepting this Agreement, you are also unambiguously agreeing to the Returns Policy and the Privacy Policy. You should not use our Website or the Services if you do not accept these Terms and Conditions, the Returns Policy and the Privacy Policy.

Item 5.1 in the Terms and Conditions says...

Delivery periods quoted at the time of ordering are approximate only and may vary.

In addition, to have any value a guarantee must contain a penalty for non-conformance. The Fast Track service for example, will refund your Fast Track fee if they miss the due date. If you'd ordered using that red marketing banner assuming it was a complete guarantee and for whatever reason your order was not delivered before Christmas what will you do? There is no 'or else' clause attached to that guarantee which makes it worthless.

It's worth noting that the Terms and Conditions make it clear that even the Fast Track service is not a guarantee of delivery (item 5.6)...

If you have selected a "Fast-Track" option at the time of placing your order we will endeavour to dispatch your order within the specified Fast-Track timeframe. The Fast-Track service is not guaranteed and if we are unable to dispatch your goods within this timeframe the service will automatically be downgraded to the next available service level and any cost difference refunded.

Always read the Terms and Conditions.

 

[SlimCini]

You'd have to be naive in the extreme to believe that the red banner referred to was an absolute guarantee. Although I have no doubt that PCS were confident at the time of meeting all anticipated orders before Christmas that was nothing more than marketing.

This is confirmed by reading the Terms & Conditions. These make it very clear (in item 15.3) that....



Item 5.1 in the Terms and Conditions says...



In addition, to have any value a guarantee must contain a penalty for non-conformance. The Fast Track service for example, will refund your Fast Track fee if they miss the due date. If you'd ordered using that red marketing banner assuming it was a complete guarantee and for whatever reason your order was not delivered before Christmas what will you do? There is no 'or else' clause attached to that guarantee which makes it worthless.

It's worth noting that the Terms and Conditions make it clear that even the Fast Track service is not a guarantee of delivery (item 5.6)...



Always read the Terms and Conditions.

Meh. They use the word 'guarantee' in their red banner. If it's not actually guaranteed because of sometjing in the t&cs that most won't read (rightly or wrongly) that's still bad form on pcs for using the word guaranteed in a bright red box on their homepage.

Are you sure those t&cs aren't generic and that for Christmas builds things change slightly? I really can't imagine they use the phrase 'guaranteed' if they aren't genuinely guaranteed.

 

[Oussebon]

It's very clear that the promotion for Xmas delivery is a guarantee. There's not a shred of ambiguity in it.

PCS would have to be stupid as a stick to plaster the "guaranteed Xmas delivery" all over their site's front page and then not deliver PCs to people in time for Christmas saying "well, if you read our Ts&Cs, guarantee doesn't mean guarantee". Goodness.

As I'm not an expert in contract law I've no idea whether someone could sue PCS over it successfully or not. But even if they can't, the guarantee is far from worthless - it's PCS's word.

It's also putting their reputation on the line, and risking negative reviews should they fail to deliver on their promise.