Is Next customer service always this bad?

[Macramacious]

Having a horrible time with Next at the moment. Ordered some school uniform 10 dasy ago as the actual store didn't have dd's sizes. Order went through fine and said everything would be sent out immediately.

One item of seven actually showed up. Everything else has been split into separate packages with different delivery dates that seem to change by the hour. They then sent me an email saying my credit account has been cancelled and I needed to make a payment before items would be sent. Fine, made the payment and items have still not been shipped. Every time I try to call them I get cut off constantly before finally getting to join the queue only to be told they are very busy and it will be over an hour. If you try to use the ring back service, you get a phonecall with no one on the other end that hangs up on you after a few minutes. Wish I went to Tesco now

They'll probably just blame it on Covid - it's the perfect 'reason' for crappy customer service now, isn't it? 🙄

I ordered some jeans form then at Christmas, they sent the wrong size 3 times.
I then bought some school socks and one was missing leaving me 2.5 pairs, they didn't give a shit.
I've completely given up on them. Was going to buy a bed from them, but wouldn't trust them now with a big expensive item.

I've shopped with Next for years- and mainly because of quick, reliable delivery and good customer service- they rarely make a mistake in my experience.
However, I agree at the moment, they are not at their best. I wanted to speak to someone yesterday- the call back service is withdrawn, as was the online chat. There was an estimated 45 minute wait on the phone to speak to customer service. Eventually I found an online form - and they aim to reply within 4 days...
I can cut them a bit of slack because they have been so reliable in the past , and assume they are struggling with staff and systems in the pandemic. They are based close to Leicester- which has not yet come out of some lockdown measures

Yep I ordered 7 items last week and it said if I checked out in the next 2 hours the items would be next day delivery. This was a week ago, the order has been separated into 5 different deliveries. Two arrived on the same day hours apart, one now has a wait for 6-7 weeks????, one is still in the warehouse and the other says no tracking info available. Not a clue when to expect anything else and contacting them has been impossible.

I wonder if this is a recent thing or whether I've always been lucky .

I've had a next account for around 15 years and I've never had any problems.

Of course sometimes items won't be in stock but it always tells you before you put in your basket. Sometimes it will say an item will take eg 1-2 weeks and 9 times out of 10 it comes before the time stated.

Nearly always get next day delivery , unless otherwise stated, or if it's the main sale time as they tend to process full price orders before sale items .

I've never had an issue around refund as I buy on account so just pay monthly like a credit card .

I hate them. They don’t let you pay, then I forget, then they say you’re in arrears. I’m not buying from them again. Prefer a shop that lets you pay when you buy.

I ordered some school trousers 2.5 weeks ago, they finally arrived Instore yesterday. The delivery date changed daily with no explanation or reason. I would of cancelled but they are the only style to fit Dc1. I moaned when I collected but was told it’s to be expected now with everything that’s going on. Would be helpful if you had updated me or let me know when I ordered it wouldn’t arrive next day as stated. Perfect excuse now for rubbish service, cost cutting etc, no one can complain unless ‘you don’t care about others or COVID’.

@AngryPrincess

They do let you pay when you buy. I’ve had plenty from them in the last few years and have never had a credit account.

Currently waiting on half of an order made two months ago that was supposed to have all been with me one month ago. They’ve sent bits back without telling me they were in store for collection, charged me for everything, can’t tell me when the last two or three consignments will arrive or where they are, I’ve had some completely nonsensical and random text messages that don’t even state which items they’re referring to... the communications have been diabolical.

I have had a similar experience, previous excellent service however recently it's been awful. Items disappearing from my orders when the delivery date arrived, no idea if these items will ever come. One items arrival date keeps moving back. Also some items didnt arrive, I called to explain and the advisor removed them from my statement only for them to be put on my statement to pay for a month later, so now I have to call again to get them removed!! It is putting me off using them again.

ok. They don’t let me pay when I buy. Not that I’m buying. Be ause they suck.

Totally agree. I always used Next because they were reliable for things like school uniform. In the last few months the customer service has become dreadful and I assume they blame covid. Unfortunately I only used them because of their reliability (I wouldn't say any of the clothes are exciting). I would say they are functioning in a way of a company about to go into administration - customer service always seems to go first.

Been with Next for years, always been really good. Ordered school shirts beginning of August, still not here and delivery dates change every couple of days, so they are obviously waiting on stock. Also ordered ordinary work shirts which are showing as in stock but with a delivery date of end of September. A lot of items are out of stock generally which is unusual. I would say this is all genuinely related to Covid as the stock movement is so slow. To be fair, all the places I look at atm, both stores and sites seem to be struggling with stock.

Get on the Facebook page. I posted an issue and they called us within 20 minutes.

I’ve used Next online for years. Order to store. Collect, try on and return what I don’t want straight away. Always worked brilliantly for me, so no their customer service hasn’t always been bad.
But, I haven’t ordered anything since January and I have seen a few people saying how bad their customer service currently is. I’m not sure I’d want to chance it at the moment.

Fuck’s sake. I’ve just been looking for a denim skirt for DD and the only retailer with the right style in her size is...

Really don’t want to chance it. But really want the skirt...

I had similar. I ordered something in October last year that was a Christmas present for my niece. I ordered from them because it was the only place that said they could deliver the item before Christmas. The original delivery date was mid November, the date moved on a day with every passing day. I eventually received the item in early Jan, so had to give my niece her present late. I rang them about it before Christmas and they were hopeless. They gave me a £10 gift card "for the inconvenience"
I won't bother with them again. They couldn't even blame covid for that one.