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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect better service from John Lewis

26 replies

Patilla · 14/01/2015 21:08

I ordered a tumble drier from John Lewis which has arrived and is bigger than the stated dimensions so it doesn't fit.

On calling them up they booked it in with a carrier that we later discovered wouldn't collect large items.

Then they later couldn't rearrange because of computer issues but I had to call them back later. Obviously a call from them was just too high a level of service.

Then when I did call the only slot they will offer to collect is in a week's time.

So in the meantime I can't go and et another tumble drier (even though they deliver them in a much shorter time slot) and I'm stuck with a tumble drier in the way, with two young children to keep away from it.

AIBUto expect a better level of service or should I just suck it up that that's as good as it gets these days?

I genuinely thought John Lewis would be better than this.

OP posts:
amigababy · 14/01/2015 21:21

I can only suggest you keep on at them. We had a farce with a new dishwasher that I won't go into in detail, but at one point meant I'd paid 3 times (about £1200) for a machine that hadn't actually even been delivered. Tweet or Facebook at them, make loads of noise - I did and got a refund of £85 on the delivery and installation, so eventually it worked out ok. But they are not good with selling white goods online - shambolic was my impression. Hope you get sorted soon.

Original poster
Patilla · 14/01/2015 21:30

Thank you. I'm not on Facebook or Twitter but I'll look at getting on.

I could just cry. I've had sick children and an ill husband and am now ill myself. The washing is mounting up and just won't dry in our damp house.

I wish that they would just make it good. Money doesn't make the washing pile go away.

Funnily enough they didn't like my offer to put it on the drive for them to collect at their leisure!

I could just cry right now. I know there are bigger issues out there but whilst ill and with two children, a tumble drier blocking a kitchen is a bit of a pain.

OP posts:
keepmoving · 14/01/2015 21:38

We had an issue with a rug that went on for a while. Without boring you with the rug saga I eventually telephoned their online director who resolved it very quickly. You can google their name and the John Lewis head office number. Good luck!

CLJ52 · 14/01/2015 21:41

John Lewis are much better than that. Don't give up, OP, complain until you the problem is solved to your satisfaction.

Hassled · 14/01/2015 21:42

Their customer service does seem pretty shit these days, which is a real shame. I had a long-running JL oven saga I won't bore you with but I was murderous by the end of it, so I sympathise.

Original poster
Patilla · 14/01/2015 21:42

Ok I'll try out good old google.

I just feel embarrassed to have fallen for their hype about service. No reason they should be any more trustworthy than any other retailers just because they set themselves up as being better.

Just smoke and mirrors. My fault for falling for it.

OP posts:
watchingthedetectives · 14/01/2015 21:46

We had a dismal time with a fridge - they came and took the old one away before they told us it was 6 weeks until the new one was in stock - not what it said on the website.

Then we were given a selection of others to pick from but the waiting time was 3-6 weeks for these.

I think they now have a whole load of stuff on the website that isn't in stock

In the end we cancelled they refunded the money and we got one from an online appliance place delivered free in 24 hours.

Always found them reliable before but this was just dreadful - and they took the money upfront

AwakeCantSleep · 14/01/2015 21:50

YANBU. I've had terrible problems with them. Without boring you to death, they ruined my kitchen (flooded it, bad water damage to the floor and units, mould developing in the underfloor giving me asthma) by incorrectly installing a dishwasher. 12k damage, I was without a kitchen for months, and they were terrible. Very slow in their response, not helpful, took them ages to part with some money. I was left short financially and utterly drained after months with a dirty house with no kitchen and arguing with JL every day.

Another problem recently with returns on a pair of shoes of clearly sub standard quality. Was a hassle getting a refund.

FredZeppelin · 14/01/2015 21:51

Ah but they are usually very good OP! My idiotbrother ordered a sofa from them on line. The delivery drivers hauled it up 4 floors. He had it a week and decided it was too hard, called JL who said no problem, choose another. So said delivery guys lugged it all the way down and the new one back up again.
Bet they just loved him

Original poster
Patilla · 14/01/2015 21:53

Maybe it's their online service that's so bad but (giving them the benefit of the doubt) that their actual stores still have the better service.

I'll certainly choose to order from somewhere else but I don't feel I can order another one until I know this one has been collected.

OP posts:
Original poster
Patilla · 14/01/2015 21:55

Seems from your responses that they are either brilliant or dismal.

I can't find the online directors contact details online so I'll try to call again tomorrow (for the fourth time!) but the impression I was given was that this was all they would offer.

At least I feel like I'm not the only one to be disappointed by them.

Readers beware!

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 14/01/2015 21:55

This isn't very good news. I've only had excellent service ftom JL, with both fridge and tumble drier, amongst other stuff.

Pixiedust49 · 14/01/2015 21:59

I can sympathise too. Had lengthy, painful saga with them over a mattress. Huge problems, no apology, very disappointing. Put me off ordering from them....

Original poster
Patilla · 14/01/2015 21:59

bikerunski it seems hit and miss. I guess the lesson is that if it's important then consider twice before John Lewis. We thought we were going with the safe option!

Oh and don't trust their measurements if it's important!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Patilla · 14/01/2015 22:01

Do you think they would give me a "demonstration" if I brought my wet laundry in.

It would need to be a "thorough" test.

OP posts:
AwakeCantSleep · 14/01/2015 22:02

Patilla I thought I was going with the safe option too in buying the dishwasher from them. I will not order major ticket items from JL in the future.

(Apart from that I'm probably on their black list following the kitchen payout...)

BornToFolk · 14/01/2015 22:03

I've got a John Lewis disappointment too! I ordered a new washing machine, and paid for the old one to be taken away and the new one installed. The T&Cs for installation say that the washing machine needs to within 1m of the inlet/outlet pipes. My washing machine is right next to the sink, with pipe underneath - literally could not be closer. But apparently not close enough as the waste pipe wouldn't reach as it was on the right hand side of the machine and the machine is on the right of the sink, so it had to stretch behind the machine.
So John Lewis couldn't install it. I had to go and buy an extension pipe from Wickes, then an adaptor from Homebase cos Wickes didn't stock it and install the bloody thing myself! Took all of Saturday afternoon to work out how to do it and what I needed to do it, and then drag DS all over town by bus to find the bits. Which is exactly the kind of situation I wanted to avoid by paying John Lewis to fit the thing.
They have agreed to refund the fee but I'm still really pissed off that they weren't able to do it in the first place, when I had fulfilled all my side of the T&Cs.

Hassled · 14/01/2015 22:04

From a previous thread the consensus seemed to be that in-store = fine and online = crap. They need to sort it out.

DustBunnyFarmer · 14/01/2015 22:05

We have also had a dishwasher saga which I was also murderous by the end of. We would never buy white goods from them again. Another appliance died at the tail end of our customer services hokey cokey and we went with House of Fraser (who are supplied by Appliances Online) - much, much quicker delivery. They use the same logistics firm to do the deliveries, but somehow it all went so much smoother.

BornToFolk · 14/01/2015 22:05

Oh and yy to thinking that John Lewis is the safe option! I bought from the because I thought I'd get good service, especially as regards installation. If I'd known I'd have to install it myself, I'd probably have bought elsewhere.

TSSDNCOP · 14/01/2015 22:05

Have they told you that there's 400 people at their call centre yet?

They will.

keepmoving · 14/01/2015 22:06

OP have PM'd you.

IMO their service is generally good but they don't seem quick to resolve things when things go wrong.

YvesJutteau · 14/01/2015 22:08

Generally, in store is good and they sort any problems out very quickly. Don't touch JL Online with a bargepole -- they don't seem to have the same attitude at all.

AwakeCantSleep · 14/01/2015 22:11

in-store = fine and online = crap

Have to disagree with that. I bought the dishwasher in-store. And the pair of expensive leather shoes where the stitching came apart after only 15 minutes of wear. The department manager was incredibly rude, condescending and only offered a replacement. Replacement pair was just as bad! JL.com agreed to a refund for the shoes immediately....

(In fact they ended up refunding me twice. I have informed them of their mistake. Wanted to keep the moral high ground.)

Shattered2014 · 14/01/2015 22:11

Online service is pretty shite, they are just much politer than other stores when they explain why they will not be helping you.

I once asked them a very simple question about a scooter they were selling so as to not waste time ordering it and then having to return it.
A week later after many phone calls and emails I gave up and just ordered the thing into Waitrose. I then opened it in store, saw immediately that it was not suitable and returned it on the spot.

Their loss, their postage costs and their admin time wasted - plus they've certainly gone down in my estimation.