Friday, February 18, 2011

Apparently, Toronto Isn't The Centre Of The Universe After All

Just a shorty today - still busy with the poopettes, but I needed a break.

These days, it seems one has to shake one's head in disgust at the education system.

Having a business here, we often need supplies, parts, etc. and we will order most of our needs via the Internet and most of it comes from the States (yeah, I be talkin' about the good ol' U.S. of A.).

Now, living in a foreign country can be tricky in that, when purchasing, many of the online forms require U.S. billing addresses for credit cards, among other information.  No worries:  we generally don't run into this problem and when we do, we phone the seller and place our orders directly without any further snafus.

What happened today totally boggles the mind.

We were trying to purchase an item online but the online order form required a "zip code".  There are no zip codes in the Bahamas.  Sometimes we can work around this problem via Internet but not today so me moms called the supplier and explained the problem she was having with its online ordering form.  All was well and good until the order taker asked for a zip code.  We explained that there are no zip codes in the Bahamas and that entering "00000" (five zeros) will generally be accepted in most computer program forms.

Okay, so the credit car information is given, the shipping address is given and after about ten minutes of trying to explain that our shipping address is different from the billing address - and, yes, we are in the Bahamas but it's going to Ft. Lauderdale - and then plugging in the necessary details, all is going smoothly until the seller's representative asks, "What State are you in?"

WTF???!!!

"We are in the Bahamas", moms says.

"So, what State is that in?", asks the phone rep.

Moms - now completely exasperated - asks for (and gets) the rep's supervisor on the phone.  Pleased with being able to speak with a 'real person' and after going through the whole rigmarole with the supervisor again, he asks my moms ...


... wait for it...


...(honestly, I can't make this shit up) ...



 "So, what State are you in?"
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36 comments:

  1. Ha! Maybe there is a "Bahamas" in North Dakota?

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  2. Cheeseboy: I wish we were "mobile" - just for the summer and just to get out of the heat! And I hear the fishing is good there, eh?
    ;-)

    (Nice to see you again, BTW!)

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  3. Haven't run into this problem for quite a while, but a few years ago it seemed ubiquitous. I always used a NASA ZIP code. 32899. Seemed to work.

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  4. Frank: I didn't realize that NASA had to outsource funding via worldwide couriers (I assume they cater to Wilson's - particularly golf - athletic equipment?)
    ;-)

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  5. I hate it that Americans are so stupid about other countries. By the way, what country are you in?

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  6. Did you ask them what "state" they are in?

    But, you know there is a Jamaica New York. And a Paris, Texas. And a Rome, Georgia.

    But I get your point.

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  7. So what state ARE yo in?

    :)

    Hilarious. Friggin' hilarious!

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  8. Wait, aren't the Bahamas south of Shock, the Catatonic State? :-)

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  9. EG: If it were me answering the question, I would have said, "Frustration!".
    ;-)

    Ironically, we live in Freeport and there are several of them in the States, but we didn't refer to our city at all, just the country.

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  10. Reffie: Washington D.C.? Heh, heh.

    I could understand one person being a little ignorant of geography, but TWO in the same phone call?? Both would have qualified for that "...Fifth Grader" show. Ha!

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  11. Jayne: Ha! And we thought the extremists were uneducated.
    ;-)

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  12. Nicky: The question itself put us in shock!
    *blink*

    ;-)

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  13. The Bahamas? I thought that was a fake place like Cocomo, but now I know it's a real place, you should know that we don't ship to Cuba. Sorry call someone else. I have very little tolerance for stupidity.

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  14. Madge: Yes, the Bahamas doesn't exist. It's just a figment of your imagination. Mmuahahahaha
    ;-)

    Ha! For all they knew, we were probably in Cuba!

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  15. I checked with Whitey and *spits* Toronto is still the COTU. From your story I'd say it definitely isn't the Bahamas. But that's okay. We'll still talk to you anyway.

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  16. dufus: To be honest, I totally forgot about your COTU post but remembered someone mentioning it.
    ;-)

    Yeah, I know my title's reference was a bit vague. At least they didn't ask if we lived in the 51st State.

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  17. I had no idea you lived in the Bahamas. We know it exists, because my wife and I went there for a vacation a few years ago. What a great place...what a great state in which to live. ;) Or is that a province up there? :)

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  18. UR: I could have sworn I posted a reply to you (sorry).

    No states, no provinces, just rocks. Hope you enjoyed your vacation!
    ;-)

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  19. I like to make jokes at the expense of Americans and their lousy knowledge of geography, but I didn't really think there were people who were that clueless. I've encountered the same problem when trying to order items online, but most of the time they'll accept my Finnish zip code. So technically, seeing as Bahamas is a part of Finland, you shouldn't have a problem. ;)

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  20. Ziva: Did you know that there are some Americans that think Canadians cull moose in Toronto? I don't normally like to make fun of anybody really (I be Canadian - we're always apolgetic and sorry like), but I couldn't let this one go.

    Uh,oh - Bahamas is part of Finland? Hmmm...I'm guessing you won't be using that bikini I ordered online, but I'll let you know if I receive those really nice snow boots you wanted.
    ;-)

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  21. I actually went ahead and ordered those snow boots. I could buy an entire country with the money they cost, but I'm sick and tired of freezing my toes off. Here's to hoping they'll arrive in the mail soon. And that it won't be a bikini. That would really suck.

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  22. Ziva: So that's how the Bahamas became to be part of Finland! Just wonderin'.
    ;-)

    (P.S. Our little "Ziva" is really living up to her name - devlish little bitch, but oh so cute! She constantly taunts her brother and does karate moves when I'm preparing their food.)

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  23. Yep, turns out Bahamas was on sale; "buy shoes, get Bahamas for free." It was a good deal. Little Ziva sounds adorable! You're going to have to put up more pictures of her and her brother soon.

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  24. Ziva: I've been trying to get good pics but because she is black it is really hard to get anything but a blur of black fur. even with a flash! Her ears are hilarious since one is deformed (we believe) and always flops to the right. I'll try again tomorrow.

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  25. So what state are the Bahamas in? You never answered the question.

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  26. BonyMike: We are in the most Beautiful and happening and most awesome state and exist in those nether regions that are apparently unknown to some Americans.
    ;-)

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  27. There's only one thing for it... the Bahamas must be annexed! I hereby claim the Bahamas for New York. (I'll put the NY flag in the mail so you can fly it over your house... just send me your zip code.)

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  28. Boom Boom: Hey, I'm game, just so long as we still don't have to pay taxes.
    ;-)

    Good idea about the flags ... I might just start collecting them from my blogger friends from all over - of course my U.S. buddies will need to send me their State flag since so many U.S. flags would look rather silly. Oh, nertz. I still won't have a zip code. I know, I can assign one: "REACH"!

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  29. LOL, but sad. Some people are just not so bright. I recent;y had a CSR read me a management memo, line for line over the phone when I called to complain about an banking glitch. He read the memo word for word, and I patiently listed to him all the way through. It was quite funny actually. The last line of the memo was, "If the call escalates to shouting or verbal aggression, flag you manager for assistance immediately and transfer the call." It was the funniest 1-800 call I have ever made. -G

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  30. Oh my goodness. Stupid people never cease to amaze me!

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  31. GD: Did he volunteer that it was an actual memo or did you just surmise that? Personally I would have howled all the way through the conversation, particularly at that last line!

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  32. meleah: I sometimes run into 'not so smart' people but they are willing to admit it and end up being very helpful.
    ;-)

    (P.S. My condolences on your grandmother's passing.)

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  33. Ha ha ha, that is funny!

    Being here in Canada we have ordered things from the US online, and have had people ask what state Canada is in. Yeesh. I try to be patient, it doesn't usually work.

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  34. Brahm: You should have said, "Well, it's the 51st State of course!"

    Yeah, I know what you mean: I went to school in Florida for a couple of years and was practicing with a fellow student for a spelling bee. She gave me the word "magazine" and when I said "zed", her eyes nearly popped out of her skull and - in her best southern drawl - said, "What the hell is a 'zed'"? Nuff said.
    ;-)

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