Viking Office Products

Pros:  Wide selection

Cons:  Poor customer service - inadequate delivery time!

The Bottom Line:  Bottom line, Viking has an excellent selection of products, the prices are very comparable, however, customer service and delivery time is not adequate, or up to what they promise.

Full review
I have been shopping Viking Office Products for a few years now (I have a home-based business). I also shop Staples and Quill. I like Viking because they have the largest selection, and they tend to be a few pennies cheaper.

The first several times I ordered from Viking, delivery time was the next day, as promised. I was very pleased with that, as there are times when I run out of something and need it immediately.

Last October, I moved about 20 minutes out of the city. It was a couple of months after I moved before I needed to make a Viking purchase. I placed my order over the telephone, and specifically asked the representative if my order would still be delivered to my new destination the next day. I was told that my new location was still within the next day delivery range. I was happy!

When I didn't receive my order by the following evening, I called to find out where it was, and I was told it went out the previous day, and I should receive it the next day. OK, no big deal, one day late isn't horrible. The next day came and went, and still no delivery from Viking. I called them again, and all they could tell me was that the order was shipped out, according to their computer records, and that I would receive it eventually. I placed my order on a Wednesday, and it finally arrived on the following Tuesday.

Now it was a big deal to me. They promise next day delivery, and I got my order six days later. I called back to let them know how long it took my order to arrive. The representative was not very understanding or cooperative, and only gave me a 10% discount off my bill for the inconvenience (I would have preferred a nice chunk off my bill).

Am I a gluten for punishment? I recently decided to place another order from Viking. As I said earlier, they do have an excellent selection, and I needed a few things I could not find anyplace else.

This time I placed my order over the Internet. My order was placed on Monday, October 8, and as advertised on my computer receipt, delivery was schedule for the next day. I was supposed to receive my order on Tuesday, October 9.

Tuesday came and went, and so did Wednesday and Thursday. I called Viking on Thursday, and they informed me that my order went out on October 9, and it should arrive soon. I was pretty angry at this point. Being the second time this had happened. I told them to cancel my order, and the representative informed me that the order could not be canceled because it had already been shipped. The representative told me not accept the package when it was delivered.

The Viking package was finally delivered on Saturday, October 13. My daughter and I happened to have been looking out the window at the time, when a man in a small car (woman in the passenger seat), knocked on my door. I was hesitant at first, not knowing whom this man was, or what kind of box he was carrying. Through my window, I asked the man who he was, and he replied saying he was from Viking. I told him I was not accepting the package, for him to take it back. I was not impressed with the casual delivery, no markings on the vehicle to advertise Viking or any other kind of delivery service.

I called Viking later that day to again ask if I was located within the next day delivery time period, and I was again told yes. So I don't understand why it takes so long for me to get my Viking order. I can't find anyone at Viking who is able to explain this to me. I asked to speak with a supervisor, and the supervisor told me the same thing; the order was placed, and shipped on the scheduled day, and they can't tell me why it took so long for me to get it.

I also received my bill for this order. And get this, I placed the order on Monday, received my bill that Thursday, and my order on Saturday. Is something wrong here? They bill me for an order I hadn't even received yet!

I like to see a large selection of products, and I like good prices, which Viking has, however, if customer service isn't good (receiving good customer service is important to me), and delivery isn't as promised (also important to me), I would rather spend my money somewhere else. I will not shop Viking again!