New Update:  Marybeth at the SU Bookstore was quick to resolve the issue and very empathetic & friendly in the process.  All is right in the world again.  Thank you, Marybeth, I shall increase your store's Net Influencer score by +1.

UPDATE! UPDATE!

So my professionally crafted email to Manny's never received a response, which is not surprising given how much of an aborted fetus of a business they are.

I did, however, follow the recommendations of some TNIAAM readers and make my follow-up purchase through the Syracuse University Bookstore.  The online process was pretty easy and streamlined.  I even added a note that, "If standard shipping will not get me my item by 12/23, please contact me regarding other options."

Sure enough, within an hour, I received an email explaining how they could not guarantee 12/23 delivery, and recommended that I go with 2-Day Shipping at a $17.95 fee.  I was happy to pay them amount, and more impressed by the fact the University Bookstore actually looks to fulfill their customers' needs.

My sweatshirt arrived today... well, it was invoiced as the sweatshirt.  Instead of a sweatshirt, though, I received a Ladies' Medium sized black T-shirt with screen print reading "SU Alum."  Not quite the XXL hooded sweatshirt I ordered for the pops.

I called in to raise the issue and was told to speak to MaryBeth and transferred to her voicemail.  I left her a very nice and explanatory voicemail, and hopefully I hear back from her... this is a chance for the SU Bookstore to show what they're made of.

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Original post:

The attitude at Manny's is that their lack of basic management skills related to inventory control and order fulfillment is the consumer's problem.

Please boycott Manny's and Manny's Online for Syracuse University apparel and merchandise. Both orders I have done in the past 4 months have gone unfulfilled without notification.  In each instance, my order shipped close to a week after my order date, and one item was canceled.  I was not notified of this cancellation until I personally reviewed the shipping details and called Customer Service.

For a resolution, I've basically been told both times to try my luck with another order and pay an additional shipping & handling fee. Both the physical and online store behave as disparate entities, incompetent to come to a reasonable resolution in a timely manner.

When I inquired with the Service rep at the online store, Jamie, I was told that "everyone" is calling in with this same problem and they are simply unable to communicate any issues back to the consumer. 

There are many extremely economical software packages that allow for order fulfillment and inventory visibility with the consumer.  Manny's complete lack of functionality in this area arises suspicion that they are equally lacking in other areas. 

For example, if they cannot perform the simple task of taking an order, communicating when an item is not available, and shipping that order, I am led to believe that higher level business processes -- such as protecting cardholder data as it relates to the PCI Data Security Standard -- may be problematic as well.  Whereas I have no evidence of their futility in this area, if much more sophisticated operations such as TJX, Hannaford's Grocery, and Heartland Payment Systems fail in addressing this problem, I am not confident in the Manny's brand to do a better job of it.

For your own benefit, seek an alternative provider of SU Apparel and Merchandise.