Bloody arsing Argos! Aaaargh!
For the first time I have got sucked in to the "must have" Christmas toy frenzy. We decided to get DS an Innotab. We do a 2 hour drive twice a week and he commutes with me on the days I work in London - we thought it would keep him occupied in the car and stop him entertaining himself by taking his socks and shoes off and throwing them at me
I should have bought one when we first thought of it - I realise that now - but they were in stock everywhere and I didn't think there was any hurry. Of course when I came to order one 2 weeks ago they were out of stock everywhere.
I went on the Argos website and it had an option to reserve it for store pick-up even though it was currently out of stock - I foolishly assumed that this meant you went on a waiting list. This daft idea was reinforced by the confirmation email saying "Thank you for your reservation" and telling me that I would be sent a reservation number and various other bits of information including that it would be back in stock on 14th November.
When I didn't hear anything I tried to ring customer services as there was no reservation number in the email and nothing had been sent to me. I didn't get through so I also emailed customer services. I then tried again and got them on the phone - the woman told me that if something is out of stock they don't send a reservation number until it comes in and then you have till the end of that day to collect the reserved item. This seemed to make sense.
I then got a reply to my email saying that I didn't have a reservation after all. I emailed back saying that I had a confirmation email. I got another reply saying that if there was no reservation number, there was no reservation but that I could try on 7th December when they were expecting new stock. I replied again saying that really wasn't going to work given the vast quantities of people who have no doubt reserved one in the interim and the system now won't let me re-reserve. Another reply came airily saying oh yes, a lot of people have had this problem - they should never have been told they had a reservation - it was due to a system error.
The adviser then kindly informed me that it was "up to me" if I wanted to wait to December for the item. As opposed to doing what exactly? WIBU to email back and say "No, on reflection I don't want to wait till December. Sort it out now." Clearly they don't have any in stock so it is not bloody well up to me whether I wait or not, is it? Or is there an alternative option I haven't thought of? Do I storm Argos HQ waving a big stick and hold them all to ransom for an innotab reservation? Build my own from bits of wood and double-sided sticky-tape?
So now I have no idea whether or not I have a reservation, whether I can expect a reservation number, whether there are other reservations in existence or whether the entire reservation system was due to a computer error and it is first come first served. Or what exactly is "up to me". Or whether in fact I dreamed the whole thing and the innotab is a figment of my over-active imagination.
AIBU to think that Argos customer services really should have a conversation among themselves and work out how their own reservation system is supposed to work? And that they should come round in person and explain it to me while clutching flowers and cake as an apology for getting me all stroppy and confused? And then hand-deliver said innotab in a big shiny box with a bow on it?
Incidentally, I am perfectly sure I am not being unreasonable and will react in the time-honoured manner of AIBU OPs if anyone suggests otherwise. I will strop, drip-feed and flounce. Just so you know in advance.....