to think that...

[NoTeaForMe]

if something is 'out of stock' online then they should tell you when it will be back in stock! Lots of websites do this but loads don't and it really can't be that hard and would be so helpful!

That is all!

I know its a nightmare. The worst for me is when you put items in your basket, go to check out and some other bastards bought them!! Yes John Lewis I'm talking to you!!!

They may not know when they are going to get stock back in though. No point putting a date if they then can't offer any on that date.

The "let me know when it's back in stock" option is much more sensible

Well it would Sirzy but they don't even have that option. Anyway, surely they must have a rough idea?!

NoTeaForMe Maybe they don't know - maybe their suppliers don't have it in stock and even if they know the boat will be arriving in 2-3 weeks, they won't know who they'll supply as they won't simply sell on a first come first served basis as your retailer would. But may have special relationships with some customers, or auction it off, or... Or indeed the supplier may not even have it on the boat yet and they're still waiting for the factory to make it, and the factory may shutdown, or switch products to something more profitable or ...

Many stores do give a reasonable guess - for example if the importer has a stock system and shows it being available they may say it's available in a week, or if they know stock arrives regularly. But it may well disappoint more people than it helps as it won't often be accurate.

I hate getting to the checkout before finding out it is out of stock.. That happens a lot.

WHSmith are buggers for letting you purchase items and then advising that it's out of stock. AFAIR it's illegal to do this, something about future promise? I purchased something for my niece last year that was out of stock most places but not at WHSmith apparently. Only when I had paid did I then get an email saying it wouldn't be in stock till January 2012!

It is a pita, not as much as it being 'in stock' when you place the order then receiving an email to cancel your order as it is now out of stock though-Yes I'm talking about you Mothercare

They often don't know it's literally on a slow boat.

They'll only know when it's going to arrive in when you place your order.

If its anything like our system, once an order has been placed for an out of stock item the system flags it up, the sales people have to put the order through (if ones not already been done) and then they'll find a due date and email the customer.

It's a pain in the arse, but they'd have to have a very advanced system to have live in stock dates. There's so many different suppliers, and even then dates change.

autumnchill there's must be an old system like ours then. The system doesn't recognise that the item has already been ordered by another customer, until it has been marked as despatched on the system. This is why sometimes they'll show in stock, but then you'll receive an email afterwards with a due date. Someone will have ordered at a similar time to you and got it. Sorry I know this doesnt help but just thought I'd explain a bit

WHSmith are buggers for letting you purchase items and then advising that it's out of stock.

Assuming its the same as where I work, they've more than likely sold in good faith and then been told all gone by their suppliers. You can't even get a definite date from them most of the time, and even if you do it can easily move one way or the other. When it arrives in the country it's gotta go through so many channels and processes before it gets to the customers door that if we included purchases in people carbon footprint we'd all be fucked.