I try to not complain about things that are given to me for free. Heck, I try to not complain about things in general because I'm such a people pleaser I don't want anyone to ever feel bad. About anything. In this case, though, I've made an exception because something's been grating on my nerves for a few months now. What really tipped the scales for me was the thought that if I or anyone else in the US had placed an order and paid for the product in question I have to assume that I wouldn't have received that package either. Pretty crappy way to run an online store, I'd have to say.
Here's my beef: Back at the end of July I won The Sweetest Kitchen's Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge with my Coconut Tea Cupcakes. Yay! Go me! I won't lie; the best part for me was the fun prizes from wonderful sponsors like Bake It Pretty, Beanilla, Rishi Tea, and Soapylove Glycerin Soap Design. I received all of their great goodies within the next two weeks and loved every one of them!
There was, however, one prize I'd been especially excited about because of the element of mystery involved. Sweet Cuppin Cakes promised to send a cupcake prize pack valued at $25. Ooh, what could it be? From looking at their site I was excited by the array of fancy cupcake wrappers and paraphernalia available and wondered what I'd get. Looks like I'll never know since it's been over two months and no package has arrived. They've claimed that they sent the package three times, twice from their Canadian store and more recently from a US location. The Canadian packages were, according to a contact at Sweet Cuppin Cakes, held for 9 days at my post office and were eventually returned because they were unclaimed. I don't have much experience receiving international packages but that just seems strange to me. Shouldn't they have tried to deliver it at least once? Shouldn't someone have notified me that a package was awaiting pickup? My husband works from home so is always available for deliveries and I never got a notice or slip that I needed to go pick up a package. Strange.
Even stranger is that around September 23rd they said they would send the package for a third time, this time from their US location to avoid issues with customs. Here we are almost three weeks later and I've seen hide nor hair of that package. Obviously by this point I've resigned myself to never getting my final prize so it's not exactly a disappointment, but I've completely lost confidence in that particular store. If I'd placed an order from them would that package also have been lost in limbo three times? Based on experience I'll have to assume that the answer is yes.
Like I said, I'm not really bent out of shape about this because it was a freebie. The curiosity about what would have been in that mystery package will just have to haunt me for the rest of my days.
What could be inside? You'll never know.
4 comments:
Wow, I'd be pretty ticked off about the whole ordeal too, and you've certainly been more than patient with them. Hopefully other people who have had a similar problem with speak up about it so nobody else has to deal with such a hassle.
Missing a note from the post office about something you're really excited about might happen once. Three times? No way!
So sorry about your disappointment. I would be ranting, too. Ranting is a good thing sometimes. It warns others so they don't waste time with a disreputable company.
Actually, I was kind of glad when I saw your post's title. I went off on a bit of a blog rant--okay, a full-blown rant about what I think is an overpriced magazine. Then I was feeling a guilty about it. Your post has convinced me that it IS okay to point out sucky things now and then.
OMG! I have to tell you this. A cupcake wagon like the ice cream truck went through our neighborhood today. It plays a much nicer tune that the ice cream truck. Were I younger I would have bounded down the stairs and raced after it.
Cheer up-- I bet your cupcakes would be better anyway.
aww how annoying! some things just aren't meant to be and its always for the better :)
I know this post was long ago, but I was wondering if you ever received your prize? I won the December Mystery Box and haven't seen hides nor hairs of my Sweet Cuppin Cakes prizes either. Of course, I've actually only received three out of eight prizes :/ Like you said, I really don't care (I would bake for the contest anyway), but I would hate it if this was happening to real customers and The Sweetest Kitchen still was using them as sponsors :(
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