to expect that if a shop takes my money ...

[NotAFanOfBabyTravelLtd]

it is reasonable to presume that they indeed have the item I have ordered?

I placed an order with Baby Travel Ltd on Sunday. Their website showed the item as in stock so I paid via Paypal. At no point did it give an estimated delivery time so I presumed I would receive one in my confirmation email. Apparently, that was expecting too much ...

The confirmation email (sent immediately after I paid) had no details regarding delivery. I called them up yesterday and was told that I would get an email from them the same day telling me when the item would be delivered. Monday came and went and ... you guessed it ... no email.

Contacted them again today and asked when the item would be dispatched and was told, "If we have it in stock ... " at which point I stopped them and asked if they had actually taken my money for an item that was potentially out of stock and asked if I could be put through to someone who could tell me if the item was in stock and when it would be sent. The lovely surly tone on the other end ignored my first question and said that he couldn't put me through to anyone that could help and I would "just have to wait to receive an email which [they] would send today", at which point I cancelled my order. This was 4-5 hours ago and I am yet to receive a refund.

I fully admit to being potentially unreasonable in cancelling my order in a huff or letting this get to me as much as it has, but I just got annoyed at the fact that they had no gumption taking my money and keeping it, then telling me to wait to get an email which would tell me if they have the item I ordered, let alone when it would be delivered. Cheeky doesn't even begin to cover it!

And breathe .... !

How annoying!

Reminds me of when my Nana tried to order some curtains by mail order, and was told they were out of stock.

The firm kept sending out leaflets advertising them, so she rang again to ask if they were back in stock.

The woman taking her call apparently couldn't check if they were in stock until she had my Nana's name, address, telephone number and birthdate

I think it's another of those mysterious 'computer says no' scenarios, where the machine dictates to the person who is supposed to be operating it.

Serves them right that they have lost a customer because of this OP.

YANBU. Reputable companies take the money off your card when the item is dispatched.

GrimmaTheNome the OP wanted to pay via PayPal so the option for a deferred payment when shipped is not available, so the only problem is that the site said "in stock" when it wasn't "in stock".

looking at the company they sell through amazon marketplace, so aren't big, will likely sell through other places too, and almost certainly won't have the sort of stock management system that can guarantee that the stock really is available (and not say just sold another place) So I think the OP was being a LU to expect absolutely that it really was in stock for immediate shipping.

However how the company reacts is what would then matter, and they've not reacted well and certainly not at all unreasonable to cancel the order, or to out them as surly.

Crap customer service is crap customer service, but I wouldn't always expect stock levels to be accurate.

Personally I probably would have given them a bit more time - presumably they recieved your order yesterday morning?

oh - I don't use PayPal, hadn't realised that ... will stick to credit card!

I had this last week when ordering rights for a party. Small company and I paid by PayPal. The difference being that though the item I wanted was advertised as in stock but wasn't they handled it so differently. Immediate e mail to say sorry for incorrect stock management and immediate refund with complimentary tights of my choice by way of an apology.

The customer service you received was not good IMO.