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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

V odd experience with The Holding Company. AIBU?

17 replies

crazycatlady · 21/01/2011 14:21

I seem to be having a bit of a spate of bad luck with internet shopping recently, but this has really taken the biscuit. AIBU or are they?

I placed an order on 13 January with The Holding Company which I have just received. Unfortunately some of the items were missing. I called immediately to let them know that my order was incomplete and to arrange for the missing items to be sent out.

I received no apology and was quizzed quite aggressively on how many boxes had arrived, what the packing note said and whether I could have failed to notice the items in the box... The member of staff said they needed to speak to the person who packed the box to verify what I was saying and would call me back. He was quite short with me which I found surprising and disappointing.

He did call me back within ten minutes and said there was nothing he could do as the person concerned was 'at lunch'.

I let him know that I needed the items quickly (it's already been a week) and asked could he confirm that they would be sent out today. He refused to do this, again deferring to the box-packer, and became quite rude, aggressive and then told me I was 'being difficult' when I requested again that the missing items be sent out today.

I'm not sure why the conversation with the box-packer is relevant to me - I have no reason to know why he didn't pack everything, all I know is that I have not received all the items I have paid for and I wish to know that they are being sent out at the earliest possible opportunity. An apology for the inconvenience wouldn't have gone amiss either.

I have now been left with no idea whether I'll get my missing items at all!

AIBU to be shocked by this? It seems appalling customer service to me.

The quality of the items I did receive I would also say is pretty questionable. The items all look like they've been sitting around getting dusty and stale for a very long time.

I have emailed them a complaint, not wanting to encounter the same person on the phone again .

Has anyone else had a bad experience with this company?

OP posts:

SenoritaViva · 21/01/2011 14:25

They don't seem to be handling this well at all. They may need some time to verify the items sent, but nevertheless they should treat you with courtesy and respect. YANBU

Original poster

crazycatlady · 21/01/2011 14:40

It just seems very odd to me that when a customer phones to say their order is incomplete that you wouldn't apologise and arrange delivery immediately!

OP posts:

MrSpoc · 21/01/2011 14:45

You have every right to reject the goods under the "distance selling regulations". If they are missing bits and your unhappy with the quality, i will call them and cancel everything with them.

Original poster

crazycatlady · 21/01/2011 14:49

I wondered about that... but my experience with them has been so poor I would be very unsure about them ever refunding me for the money. It's almost £100 in total for the whole order!

OP posts:

oldenoughtowearpurple · 21/01/2011 14:50

The person you spoke to seems to be assuming you are lying about the items missing from the delivery in order to get more sent to you for nothing. I am sure this does happen a lot and it's not unreasonable for him to check internally but he should at least be polite about it. Definitely complain.

leeloo1 · 21/01/2011 14:50

I bought from them years ago (12?) and was very happy with their customer service. I tried to place an order about a year ago and about 1 week later had a phone call to say that what we'd tried to order was out of stock. The lady was very polite/helpful and asked if I would like to order a replacement.

I'd suggest you email or ring and ask to speak to a manager, as they do seem to have been quite rude to you. :(

MrSpoc · 21/01/2011 14:55

How did you pay for the items? was it credit card or debit card?

If it was a credit card then you can get them to do a charge back, only if the company refuse to refund you.

You can also go to trading standards or just take them to court. (which you will win as it is your right under distance selling regs).

Original poster

crazycatlady · 21/01/2011 14:56

Yes it did feel I was being accused of lying. Not sure why one would bother over a metal storage tin and a four pack of drawer dividers but there we go.

I had also ordered some other items which they phoned about a couple of days ago and said they didn't have them. Not really a problem, but the guy was odd then too, really venting to me about how the supplier had told them the item was one thing and it turned out to be another. I asked whether they stocked anything similar they could send instead (shoe storage boxes) and he said no. Having just looked again on their site they seem to have quite a range. Really odd...

OP posts:

Original poster

crazycatlady · 21/01/2011 14:57

It was debit card Spoc unfortunately.

God I could really do without going through trading standards/court when I'm about to give birth!

OP posts:

Original poster

crazycatlady · 21/01/2011 15:01

I have just received an email from them - with no pleasantries at all, not even my name that says:

'Further to your reported short order we can confirm dispatch of the following'

with a list of the items in question below.

No apology, not even a sign off from the email sender.

We'll see if the items ever arrive, but my goodness they are a rude bunch.

OP posts:

Original poster

crazycatlady · 21/01/2011 19:26

An odd situation gets even odder...

At about 6.30pm this evening I receive a call from a withheld number from the same man I spoke to earlier, who is apparently the MD . He reprimanded me for sending a complaint email and said he was very disappointed in me! The tirade of abuse continued so I handed him over to speak to my husband as I was so shocked and just didn't know how to respond.

Bizarrely, at almost exactly the same time, an email hit my inbox from the apparent same man with a very measured and polite apology for the poor service.

I am baffled. I can only assume, if he indeed is the MD, that he is going through some period of stress or having a difficult time with the business or in his personal life that is affecting how he deals with others.

Either way, once the missing items are here I will not be ordering from them again!

OP posts:

Blatherskite · 21/01/2011 20:10

SIl had an very similar expereince with the Great Little Trading Company last year. SHe recieved half of her order and when she phoned to report and ask about the missing bits they accused her of lying and of not checking the box properly then told her they'd have to go away and look into the situation and would get back to her.

She did eventually get the last bits but it took a while.

DitaVonCheese · 21/01/2011 20:15

This has slightly made me want to order from them in order to spice up my life with a bit of consumer surrealism

Perhaps it's an elaborate marketing ploy?

(YANBU btw)

FabbyChic · 21/01/2011 20:22

YOu can do a chargeback with a debit card where the value is below £100, a credit card has to display the Visa Logo and the value has to be over £100.

kittyinthehood · 21/01/2011 20:22

Dita, it's almost worth it you know!

(CCL with a new name)

Toughasoldboots · 21/01/2011 20:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

kittyinthehood · 21/01/2011 20:43

I agree boots, the prices are steep for the quality of the goods. Honestly, the products that arrived were no better than Ikea standard, but about quadruple the price.

Having never ordered from them before, and thinking the products looked quite nice on the website, I was surprised and disappointed when it all arrived looking shabby and cheap.

The guy went to great lengths to tell my husband that they have 'three people checking each box', as if he was trying to divide and conquer between husband and wife and get him to agree I was lying! My husband of course thought the guy was bonkers...

Plus, three people checking each box seems like a very inefficient and expensive way to do business, especially when they can't get the order right between them.

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