Thanks Groupon....for nothing.

So Groupon had the Midsummer mystery deal where you spend $10 and the randomly send you something worth at least that amount. It could be anything from a DVD, metal pink flamingo to a TV. So we decided to take the gamble and purchase 1 for the entertainment value not expecting much in return. We order it on August 27th. At the same time like 5 minuets later than our order a coworker of mine order one and received several weeks later a Iron Man 2 blu-ray DVD, not bad for a $10 gamble).
On September 8th we received an email from Groupon saying  out order has finally shipped. What did we get you may ask? To this day nothing. The tracking says it has never left their warehouse.

Hi Josh,

Your recent purchase is on its way! When you get your package, hold it to your ear and you'll hear the gentle roar of our staff cheering its arrival.

Your order number is 19********

Shipping Summary:

Goods Midsummer Mystery (x1) Shipped via UPS Tracking Number: 1Z8768*********

Hi Josh, I can't apologize enough for the delay in delivery of your product. Of course, this is not the experience we want you to have when using Groupon. Unfortunately, we do not have access to additional tracking information. At this point, I can no longer guarantee the shipment of your item, so I've issued you a full refund and removed this Groupon from your account. Please allow up to 10 business days for this to be reflected on your statement. Obviously, this is not the outcome we had hoped for. Situations like this can sometimes occur due to an unexpected inventory shortage or a complication with the shipment while in transit. Although we can no longer provide any further updates on your order's status, there is a chance that you may still receive your item. If you do receive your order, you're welcome to keep it, free of charge. Again, I'm truly sorry for the trouble, and I want you to know we're doing everything we can to make sure this doesn't happen again. Please let me know if I can help with anything else. Regards, Yogeshwaran VP Groupon Customer Support My response: Hello, I'm extremely disappointed that you gave me a refund.  I never asked for a refund I just wanted the mystery Groupon.  You should be able to send me something it was a random mystery item.  Why is it my coworker orders one he exact same time and she receives hers quickly and I still don't have anything?   Thank you, Josh And this is what I got back.  Hi Josh, Sorry for any trouble. According to the Fine Print for this deal, your item should be delivered within 2 1/2 weeks of the purchase date. Unfortunately, we do not have access to additional tracking information. At this point, I can no longer guarantee the shipment of your item, so I've issued you a full refund and removed this Groupon from your account. Please allow up to 10 business days for this to be reflected on your statement. Although we can no longer provide any further updates on your order's status, there is a chance that you may still receive your item. If you do receive your order, you're welcome to keep it, free of charge. Again, I'm truly sorry for the trouble. Please let me know if I can help with anything else. Regards, Yogeshwaran VP Groupon Customer Support

I contacted their CS department on Sept 18th asking for an update as the tracking showing it hasn't moved. I got this back on the 19th at 2:53 AM. 

Hi Josh,

I'm so sorry for the trouble. Unfortunately, we do not have access to additional tracking information and we can no longer guarantee the timely arrival of your product. We are still working with the business to resolve any further issues, but at this point we are unable to provide a time frame for the arrival of your shipment. Because we do not have any more specific information, we want to give you the option to cancel your order at this time.

If you prefer not to wait any longer, I'd be happy to issue a refund to your Groupon account to be used for future purchases, or to your original form of payment. Please specify which you prefer.

If you wish to wait for the product, you are certainly welcome to do so. Of course, if at any point you decide you would prefer a refund, please let us know and we'll be happy to assist you.

Thank you for your patience, and I sincerely apologize for any difficulty you may have experienced. If you need anything further, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Regards,

Yogeshwaran VP
Groupon Customer Support

We decided to wait it out. 

October 21st I emailed CS again asking where it was. 

Good Morning,

Someone on you Twitter account suggested I contact you to check on the shipping statuses of my mystery Groupon.  I was given tracking information on September 8th
1Z876461YW21340785

Please let me know any new information.  

This is what I got back @ 2:02 AM. 

Hi Josh,

I can't apologize enough for the delay in delivery of your product. Of course, this is not the experience we want you to have when using Groupon.

Unfortunately, we do not have access to additional tracking information. At this point, I can no longer guarantee the shipment of your item, so I've issued you a full refund and removed this Groupon from your account. Please allow up to 10 business days for this to be reflected on your statement.

Obviously, this is not the outcome we had hoped for. Situations like this can sometimes occur due to an unexpected inventory shortage or a complication with the shipment while in transit. Although we can no longer provide any further updates on your order's status, there is a chance that you may still receive your item. If you do receive your order, you're welcome to keep it, free of charge.

Again, I'm truly sorry for the trouble, and I want you to know we're doing everything we can to make sure this doesn't happen again. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.

Regards,

Yogeshwaran VP
Groupon Customer Support

Hello,

I'm extremely disappointed that you gave me a refund.  I never asked for a refund I just wanted the mystery Groupon.  You should be able to send me something it was a random mystery item.  Why is it my coworker orders one he exact same time and she receives hers quickly and I still don't have anything?  

Thank you,

Josh

Hi Josh,

Sorry for any trouble.

According to the Fine Print for this deal, your item should be delivered within 2 1/2 weeks of the purchase date. Unfortunately, we do not have access to additional tracking information. At this point, I can no longer guarantee the shipment of your item, so I've issued you a full refund and removed this Groupon from your account. Please allow up to 10 business days for this to be reflected on your statement.

Although we can no longer provide any further updates on your order's status, there is a chance that you may still receive your item. If you do receive your order, you're welcome to keep it, free of charge.

Again, I'm truly sorry for the trouble. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.

Regards,
Yogeshwaran VP
Groupon Customer Support

I just don't know what they can't send something, anything from a warehouse or dig through someones desk as the corporate offices and toss it in a box and slap some stamps on it. Needless to say that something that was supposed to be fun turned out to be disappointing.

My cheap box of 2010-11 Donruss Hockey

I just got this in from eBay after using eBay bucks and my $15 Groupon it cost me a whopping $9 and change delivered.  This is the first one I opened I didn't get an autograph or a die-cut card but I did get an extra game used hit.

The Zajac is numbered 79/100 and the Marleau Proof is 45/100. Over all a good rip. I do like Donruss Hockey for the value you get out of a box.  The Les Gardiens and the Ice Kings are dying for autograph versions.

Finally got around to opening a box of 2010-11 Crown Royale hockey.

So finally here's my review of one box of 2010-11 Crown Royale hockey.  My local shop has pretty much stopped carrying any new hockey so I had to get this box online.  


It's a 4 pack box with 5 cards per pack. 


Every 12 box case contains at least:

- 8 Rookie Royalty Signatures #'d to 499
- 1 Rinkside Signatures #'d to 50
- 1 Voices of the Game Signatures #'d to 100 or less
- 7 Heirs to the Throne Materials #'d to 250 or less
- 1 Heirs to the Throne Signature Materials #'d to 50 or less
- 3 Premiere Date Signatures #'d to 100 or less


I really like the base cards. So far they are my favorite of any of this seasons hockey releases.  The card top die-cut crown looks awesome and the photography looks great. 

The Lidstrom is the base card the Miko Koivu is the premier date version 83/100. 


Out of my box I got one Legends card of Martin Brodeur. I like the look of the card with the black and white photograph. The only bad thing is the back top and bottom of the card. Like most dark colored card there are susceptible to chipping and damage. Mine had a bad lower corner and a touch on the bottom left. 


The other inserts I receive where an Achievements Mike Modano 279/499, and a Lancers Teemu Selanne 80/250. Great designs, I love the clean look of the Modano card.

Now on to the autographs and game used cards. 


I ended up getting only one game used card which was a surprise. I was expecting 2 or 3 not really  knowing how they really fell odds wise in a box. The lone game used hit was an Evander Kane Heirs To The Throne 205/250. 


The three autographs where: 
Tyler Ennis Premier Date 20/100, Luke Adam 74/499 RC, and a Kelly Hrudey Voices Of The Game. 
The good: 2 of the 3 where on card. The bad: one, the Ennis, was a sticker. Shocking as this will seem I would of rather had the Ennis and a redemption if they could have him sign on card. I'm not sure how many of the other autographs in the set are stickers. Maybe because it was the Premier Date version it was a sticker. I do think it takes a little bit away from them as a set to have a mix of on card and sticker autographs.

Overall I think Crown Royale is a solid product with great looking cards. Nice inserts and the addition of (mostly) on card autographs shows that Panini is doing great things with their hockey license. 

$10 (only spent $8) twitter challenge.

So here is my entry to the $10 local card shop twitter challenge.  The goal is to try to to get the best card or cards for $10 from your local card shop.  I ended up going to Price's sports cards in Greendale, WI. So here's what I ended up getting for $8 after I had pulled $10.25 worth of cards from the boxes. 

Not shown is the $.25 Allen and Ginter's panda card my son wanted. 

1998 Collectors Choice Reserve Steve McNair, 2010 Topps Sterling Prince Fielder 003/250, 2010, Topps Peak Performance Nick Swisher jersey, and 1980 Topps Tomjanovich, Johnson, Collins. 

1995 Leaf Alex Rodriguez Gold Leaf Rookie, 1998 Sky Box Thunder Ken Griffey Jr. Boss '98, 2001 Bowman Heritage Phil Rizzuto , 1975 Topps Mini Mets team card, 2000 Fleer Ultra Diamond Mine Derek Jeter and Cal Ripken Jr. 

2004 Bowman Chrome Gio Gonzalez autograph and Refractor autograph. 2009 Topps Allen and Ginter's Max Scherzer autograph.

Diamond Giveaway Contest winners.

Congrats to the following posters who won one Topps Diamond Giveaway code.


82RedBirds
White Sox Cards
Rob-AKA "VOTC"
HockyGuy


Congrats to the winners.  Codes have been emailed out or DM on twitter. 

3 boxes of 2009-10 SP Authentic Hockey. 1 super box.

Just got back from the shop and had an itch to bust some hockey. They where all out of 2010-11 products so I got a deal on some 2009-10 that was sitting there.
First two boxes yielded these:

The Simon Gagne has on real bad corner. I'm not sure if it's too late to send back for a replacement.

The last box was super!

Spring training is here! Lets give out some free stuff!

In celebration of the start of Spring training I'm going to be giving away 3 Topps Diamond Giveaway codes to 3 lucky winners.
All you need to do to enter is, comment on this post with what is your all time favorite Topps Baseball card is.
I'll pick three random winners on February 21st.