John Lewis - personalised tins of Quality Street problem

[EastMids2]

DD queued for 1.5 hrs in John Lewis (London) to order 2 x personalised tins of Quality Street. Both Christmas presents. Apparently you tick your choice of favourite chocolates on a form, it goes off back stage to be picked and packaged etc and then presented to you in a "Quality Street" tin but re-named with whatever surname you want as the "street name" . They looked great. However when she got home (100 miles from London) she checked the contents and one of the tins was missing two of her chosen chocolates. Huge disappointment - obviously having a person's favourites is the whole point of the personalised tin!

She immediately contacted John Lewis and their response was to apologise and say go back to shop with receipt. DD was on a day trip to London and it's not possible or practical to return. JL state "we are unable to offer a resolution unless you return to the shop".

There are 2 large John Lewis stores within 30 mins of DD's home. She went to the London as part of a girls weekend and they all did the Quality Street thing as a fun treat.

Can anyone offer advice or suggest how DD can get this sorted, please?

My vote goes to @Popchyk
Especially point 3

I think it may be a bit tricky if your DD has removed the seal from the tin. Though clearly the only way of knowing what’s inside.

From a H & S point of view, I suspect the only remedial option for JLP would be to provide a whole replacement and hence why you are being asked to return to store. I think it unlikely they’d take a handful,out and replace them with another option. And they wouldn’t resell the chocolates your DD doesn’t want.

Furthermore my understanding is it’s only Oxford Street that’s doing the personalised tins.

I think your best bet would be to sort it out yourself.

When I went a couple of days ago the chocolates were packaged up in front of me. There was no ‘backstage’ it was all out in the open.

Tweet @johnlewis

I was in Bristol Causeway last week, they were doing it there.
Honestly I would pitch up there and just act ignorant and ask nicely. The staff in the store are far more sensible and customer focussed than the ridiculous rules they are given on the phone.
Agree, they have lost ground, well have handed it to the likes of AO.com who I order all appliances and electricals now.

I did the personalised tin thing back in October at the Oxford St branch (because I really wanted one but also knew the queues would be horrific nearer Christmas)

When I went, they stood with you at the pick and mix bar and filled it in front of you but I guess now they're busier, it's easier to fill it out the back.

I would contact the Facebook and Twitter teams, they seem to be quite useful with things like this.

Oh so it's meant to be all favourites? Yes bit crap of them. Sorry op I misunderstood.

They have the right to ask for their goods to be returned. Why not ask them if you can post it to them if you are seriously that bothered about some favourite chocolates missing from a tin

I’d just buy some more and pour them in.

Actually I wouldn’t. I’d just think “oh that’s a bummer never mind” and forget it.

I did this a week or so ago, you do get the opportunity to check the contents as they had missed one of my choices and I got it put it afterwards. I imagine you have to go back to the store as shops not going the promotion won't have the big bags of single flavour sweets they were using.

I also disagree with posters telling you not to worry and to not bother following up. John Lewis are doing a big promotion and charging a fortune for you to choose your favourites in a lovely personalised tine. And she didn't get them!

It's not as easy as just buying another normal pack and picking out the green triangles to chuck in, the JL tins are bigger than normal ones and take some filling.

(Everyone knows that green triangles are the best and I would have been pissed if they had left mine out!)

Nooooooooo not green triangles!!!

Toffee Penny!!!

Very helpful comment Turnip

I wouldn't wait either, but if I was a young girl, giggling with a load of my mates, that hour and a half would be part of the fun of the day.

You're a bit of a misery, aren't you?

(Everyone knows that green triangles are the best and I would have been pissed if they had left mine out!)

Same here - green triangles and purple hazelnut caramels only in my tub, please!

I think the point here is the price presumably being charged, for which you don't want the hassle of correcting errors yourself. But there are probably sound reasons for their policy re returning.

I don't know why some people are being so obtuse. JL charge a premium for a tin of QS containing your specified chocolates. If they haven't provided that service then the OP's daughter is entitled to have it sorted. Doesn't matter whether you agree with the purchase or not. Never mind all this 'buy a box and chuck them in' nonsense. You must be a retailers dream if you'll accept anything they give you.

Another vote for Popchyk's solution.

With the addition that your DD could contact JL or Quality Street direct afterwards and see if she can get a voucher to cover what the extra box of QS cost her - worth a try.

Team Green Triangle here as well.

It's like the last days of the Roman Empire.

I have put one of these tins on my Christmas list which I gave to my husband. It's a great idea and it's a shame they are only doing it in about 10 stores. My husband and daughter went to Cambridge Christmas shopping so I'm hoping they got it for me. You've got me worried now that when I open it I will be missing some of my favourite. You had to pick a minimum of 3 different ones. You couldn't just get a whole tin of green triangles for example. I said I'd like strawberry cream,orange cream and coconut eclairs in mine 😋. Fingers crossed it's all there 🤞. I hope you manage to get yours sorted. X

Really sorry this has happened to your daughter

Such a shame for her

I would contact the head office again and explain the situation, also point out that there is a post on mumsnet (not much of a threat but its SM) and that you are thinking if putting it on twitter etc

It woukd be a piece of piss for john lewis to send the relevant chocolates to your nearest JL click and collect store for you

How can we get John Lewis to accept this sensible option to rectify their mistake?

Because it probably isn't their mistake. I bet you'll find the Quality Street offer was a concession and not owned or run by JL, they were just paid for the floor space. That's why they didn't offer any solution directly. Just as they wouldn't compensate you for a bad hotel stay just because you booked your Kwoni holiday in their JL based concession.

Thats a good point olivia

I agree it's annoying but the cheapest way to fix it is indeed to buy a box of quality street and add the missing favourites.

if they all stood and checked the contents of each tin purchased then the queues would be even longer! Imagine if every customer did this

This doesn’t work as an excuse, OP. They should have stood to the side (so they’re not blocking/holding up/affecting the queue) and checked the contents. It would have taken two minutes max and saved a load of hassle.

God... midddle class problems. Your friend must be devastated.