AIBU to think it's totally out of order for Next.co.uk to run credit checks on online customers when the customers are paying by debit/credit card?

[WrackAndRuined]

Bought a rug from next this evening online. I was paying by card so paying right away. A message came up On screen saying that next had run a credit check on me and decided they wouldn't be sending me a catalogue. For more information, I could contact the credit reference agencies.. I am livid that next has run a credit check on me and left a trace on my credit file. How dare they? This will, I understand, affect my credit record. This was run without my permission. I was tempted to cancel the transaction. Can I complain to anyone - ie the financial standards bodies?

I'm pretty sure you will have ticked a box agreeing to their T&C's and if you'd opened up the detail on them it would say that they will do this.

I have been caught out by Next who opened an online account for me without me asking when I purchased something online (yes, it might have been hidden in T and C). I was very angry and got them to close down immediately. And the things I ordered were horrible, so ended up with nothing plus online account I didn't want!

Unfortunately I think you'll find that the act of ordering online is an acceptance of them doing a credit search and opening an account. It'll be in the small print.

help.next.co.uk/Section.aspx?ItemId=30538

This should be the page.

it says that you need to set up an account to get a directory.

Their system is shit and I don't buy from them because of it. Why should I have to graciously see if they will accept me as a customer? They're not bleeding Harrods. Dorothy Perkins and other stores in their league don't do this.

Totally agree with you OP and I never order from them for this reason. They also aut

unless you specifically set up a credit/debit card account, which it says can only be done by telephone.

Sorry- pesky phone- automatically send you a directory which is the size of a small house and which they charge you for, whether you requested it or not. Really shocking practice IMO.

100% with you op. I don't order from them.

Thanks for the heads up. I never knew that they did this.

You can choose to pay by credit/debit card, but there is a very small box to tick during the checkout process, and most people miss it.

Being rejected doesn't reflect on your credit score - it'll just show a search, not whether that application was successful or not. However, having over six searches in six months is considered a lot, and that could lead to you being declined in the future.

Typically Next will offer gift vouchers if you complain about this, but they cannot remove the search because they cannot remove correct financial information, and legally you did authorise the search. So I'd recommend complaining, so that they hopefully make this more obvious, but don't set your expectations too high.

it says this on the Next help pages:

All customers will need to register with Next to shop and must be over 18 and a U.K resident. Customers need to agree to a credit search being carried out. This credit search will NOT appear on your credit file when viewed by other lenders, unless you take the option of credit from us, or we are unable to offer you credit. It will only be visible to you and Next. You will have the option to pay using a credit or debit card during checkout.

If you choose to pay by Credit/Debit card, the card will need to match the registered address.

when i went for a bank account i was rejected (my identity has been swiped before and ive a notice on my account so everything gets rejected now) they ran a credit check on me then a further three on the following days (after i was rejected and no longer interested in an account) they removed all but one of the checks after i complained

However, having over six searches in six months is considered a lot

I recently checked my credit file as I was curious. There were a LOT of recent searches. All insurance companies, Im assuming from when I last looked at car insurance through a comparison site about 2 months ago. I take it my credit doesn't look good to anyone else even though I have good status on al my financial commitmens.

I was surprised to see my Electric account being on there. Must be because I pay monthly.

Totally agree, but you should have read the terms & conditions. I did a couple years ago when trying to order online and basically you're opening a credit account with them, hence the credit check. I won't order online from them for that very reason.

on all my financial commitments. Sorry Laptop doing a snale pace tonight.

Next us awful why buy with them. Credit check is.

I do not use next online for this reason. I don't want a sodding account, not do I want credit, despite having a very good credit rating. I prefer to take my business elsewhere.

You could always go instore and order it. This is what i do. Trying to get a Next account closed is blooming hard. Because of this i never shop through their website.

yep, they are a shitty company to use on-line, they are still wedded to their old catalogue model of shopping.

Personally, I won't use them on-line - or any other company that makes it hard for me to buy from them. (very, i'm looking at you !) Therefore I don't even bother looking at their website for homewear or clothes, if I'm passing one of their stores I'll pop in, I must say it's annoying you can treat them like other shops, so if they don't have a pair of shoes inthe colour you want in your size, just order them on line, but they don't seem to want those one off purchases, rather pushing for the sort of customer who has a catalogue account and buys all their clothes in one go from them and runs up tonnes of debt

I guess a smaller number of customers spending more works for their on-line/mail order model, rather than treating their on-line presence as a compliment to the stores.

The same applies to Tesco - at least, about setting up an account.
I wanted to buy a cooker online from them. But they would only graciously let me do this if I signed up for a ClubCard and opened an account with them. I live getting on for 100 miles from the nearest Tesco so a ClubCard - even if I wanted one (which I don't) - would be very little use to me.
I bought the cooker from John Lewis instead. They might be - say - £20 more expensive, but they don't mess around.

Clubcard is a reward scheme not a credit account so they would not need to run a credit check