Stapler purchasing

I had the need to purchase four staplers recently. Easy I thought. Look through the Stationery firms catalogue, select the most appropriate for our needs and price range, ring up the company, quote the relevant item number and tell them the quantity required, other items required, delivery address etc. I picked up the phone, rang and got answered straight away! The job done in a few minutes. Sat back and wait for delivery.

Next day, duly as promised a box arrived from the firm, I opened it, unpacked it – yes everything was there….except the staplers. Rang the firm again, “oh, didn`t they tell you` the girl” said “they come direct and will arrive in the next couple of days”. “Ok then”, I said.

The following day the box arrived a huge box, 24 inches x 15 inches x 9 inches (if you not like me that works in inches, that`s 62x39x23cm!), I opened it – in it sat one lonely stapler, 15 inches x 3inches x 2 inches (39x8x5cm) looking rather lost in such a big box.

So, another phone call to the firm “there`s only one on the order” they said “No, I ordered four”, I replied, “we`ll send you another three” said the girl. Two days later, another box arrived – same size as the previous two boxes. Opened it – and – yet again just one stapler. So I went through the same process, rang the firm, (glad it was a free phone number!), got transferred from one department to another, in the end “we`ll send you the other two”. (no apology).

And, today another box arrived – still the same size – and…. I could hardly believe it ….. there inside were….TWO staplers. Hurray!, at last my order was complete.
But I`ve also got 4 enormous cardboard boxes to get rid of – what a waste.

Who would have thought it could be so complicated to buy 4 staplers?