to expect Next Directory to get with the times?

[cupcakes]

Why on earth do I have to pay £3.75 for the privilege of receiving their catalogue? All I want to order from their website is a baby coat for dd2 but I have to register and set up an account and pay for a bloody Directory.
The charge for the Directory seemed fair enough 20 years ago when they were the only half decent mail order company and you felt you were getting something for the charge as it had fabric samples in and seemed fairly delux. But it is now standard high street sports style branded clothes and really nothing special.
And the website is pretty unfriendly with the clothes laid out as they appear on the pages in the catalogue and not listed in categories of coats/ dresses etc.
Practically everybody does mail order now - they really need to change their policy. It's like when John Lewis didn't open on Mondays...

don't forget the £3.75 for delivery too...

and they send out 'add on' catalogues in the spring and autumn at another £3.75 a time - grr
unfortunately I am too lazy to shop and their clothes fit well (esp DCs) and wear well.

I cancelled my directory years ago - but I still order stuff via the website. I do have an account though, from the days when I had a directory delivered.

Can't you order the coat you want in a local shop - mine will do that and it's only a small branch.

ooh, do you not HAVE to have the directory then?

You can phone them and get tell them you don't want the catalogues, but keep your account open. Then you look on threads on MN for free delivery codes

No! I didn't know either til my friend told me. I think I rang to cancel it or I may have done it online - but I haven't received one for about 3 years now and it's so much better

aHAA NOW MYS ISTERS MATE TOLD THEM NOT TO SEND OE AS HE AWLAWYS LOOKED ONLINE and never used the mag
so they did

and she saved £4

cool. Will phone them and barter for my custom.

oh don't get me started on next. it took me 7 phonecalls to get them to stop sending the tome of a catalogue.( it kept coming for a year and a half until i ended up getting really cross on the phone.)i told them i was not paying for them.it took 2 years but eventually they credited my card with the money.
its a bloddy swindle. all i wanted was a bikini for dd. i never ordered anything else.
wish i had just gone to the shop in the first place

well said cupcakes! I don't use them anymore as I think they've gone right downhill in the past few years. Except now and again for something from the Home catalogue.

It was great when John Lewis were shut on a Monday. Only say that because I used to work there. . I left when they announced Sunday/Monday opening and introduced some ridiculous staff rota where you didn't know if you were coming or going.

And back to the point about Next, can't comment as have never used it!

don't they refund the cost of the catalogue once you order something from it anyway? I thought they did.

no don't refund the catalogue & you have to pay for it to be able to order. you could try phoning your latest branch 7 see if they'll order it 7 you pick it up. i agree, it's chaply produced & not much good.

They used to do that kelly but not anymore. I only order sales stuff which I look for online.

Yes, they also include a "service" charge as well as charging for delivery. Furthermore the "service" charge goes up or down depending on how much is outstanding on the account. Sounds suspiciously like something called interest to me.

Also there stuff has really gone downhill in last few years IMO. Everything is really boring, especially the colours. The casual wear just looks tatty. It's still full of stuff with frayed edges, which is the mainstay of Per Una which is also crap.

When we had that thread about the Next sale being online early, I wasable to order and not set up an account and not pay for their catalogue. IIRC I had to pay a higher postage charge and returns had to be through the store or at a cost though. Cheaper than opening an account and getting the catalogue though.