MacHaus Rocks - eBatt Sucks

The MacHaus had the parts today. I dropped the computer off at about 1 and about 3 they called to say it was ready. We were meeting folks for dinner near there so did some errands on the way to dinner and got the computer. So now I have a new clean computer keyboard, the crack is gone, and presumably the keyboard won't be locking randomly any more.





On the other hand, eBatt, where I ordered a back up battery for my camera isn't nearly as responsive. I ordered Saturday. Here's what they had advertised:




Free shipping for a $12.95 battery. The comments on eBatt were all glowing. But then I got to the checkout page. There is no free delivery. My choices are Overnight for $40 or Two day for $23.95. I'm not happy, but I've waited too long to do this and I'll just pay for the Two day and not worry about this getting here before I leave. I'll call on Monday to see if they can send it priority mail. And I emailed them about my time constraints and what happened to my free shipping. No weekend phone option.



OK, shipping date is Jan 5. With two day delivery no problem.

I call Monday and he says, "No free shipping to Alaska or Hawaii." We go round and round - it does say it in small print way on the top of the page, but on my screen when I was ordering, that part of the page didn't show. I tell him we are part of the US. I tell him that a camera battery would cost $4.80 Priority Mail through the US Post Office. In fact, here are the rates I get for shipping 3 oz from LA (they're on the West Coast somewhere) to Anchorage on a Monday (had to use next Monday on their calculator):



"We don't do that."

"Why not?"

"We just don't. You want to cancel?"

I'm pissed but I tell him to send it right away. And then I get an email saying the same thing.

It's now January 8. Nothing has arrived. I look at my order. It says,



So now the estimated shipping date is Jan 7. If it really went out then, it should come tomorrow. But if they shipped it yesterday, why is that still the estimated shipping date? FedEx doesn't deliver on Saturdays or Sundays. If it doesn't come tomorrow, I won't get it before we leave. US Postal Service does deliver weekends. But eBatt wouldn't use the Post Office.

At this point I'm ready to cancel and just try to buy one in Thailand.

But the MacHaus was great.

[UPDATE 12:16am: I just checked the status so I could get the order number so I could email them my concern, and now the estimated shipping date is January 9. Why am I paying for two day shipping when it is now four days after the original shipping date and they haven't even sent it yet?