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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my new sofa....(Title edited by MNHQ)

109 replies

Strawberryshortcake40 · 03/02/2018 12:45

Ordered a new sofa last weekend from a major department store. Had been looking at it for a while and then browsing late at night it popped up on their sales section in the colour I wanted and at half price.

Placed order, expected it to bounce back as only one in stock, but all went through fine. Received a confirmation. Text last night confirming delivery. Text this morning confirming time of delivery. No sofa.

So I've rung and they tried to tell me they don't sell it anymore. They do, but not at the sale price (and with a twelve week wait). Apparently they can just cancel an order like this even after confirming it?

Anybody complained after something similar. Nothing in their terms and conditions covers it from what I can see.

AIBU to escalate it? I want my sofa :(

OP posts:
UnicornRainbows · 04/02/2018 14:07

Just because something is in the t&c's it doesn't mean you are bound by it. If they say acceptance doesn't occur until a dispatch notice is sent, but they never actually send them I would argue it's an unfair term.

BoofayTheOompaLoompaSlayer · 04/02/2018 14:43

Along with everything you're already doing, take it to their social media accounts; Facebook and Twitter. I find that companies like to be seen to be providing good customer service when it's public.

I'd say, because it's still in stock, because they took your money, because you have a dispatch email and delivery information, you have a good chance at getting your sofa, even if they have to send out a new one at their expense.

Original poster
Strawberryshortcake40 · 04/02/2018 15:51

Basically it isn't in stock. It would now need to be made which means a 12 week wait. I'm guessing that one they had was a return or cancelled order?
Even so, I still love think I should get one at the price they offered it.
Still no money refunded in my account.

OP posts:
Original poster
Strawberryshortcake40 · 04/02/2018 16:06

*still do think

OP posts:
Jux · 04/02/2018 19:34

I think you should too. Pursue it.

bunbunny · 05/02/2018 00:27

Given that you had other items ordered at the same time that all generated the same sale/delivery notes, the fact the delivery driver was expecting to deliver it but couldn't find it in the warehouse suggesting a warehouse cock up and that the money was taken from you (even if it is in a holding account - it has gone from your account) - it's all very different from a sale being rejected the day after the purchase was made.

as such - it's reasonable to expect them to keep to their side of the bargain - and if they're trying to use technical legal turns of phrase to get out of problems like this then I would be straight onto Trading Standards and Watchdog/MSE/the other consumer rights programmes on TV to find out exactly what my rights were and if they could get them to honour their promises... at least to get you a sofa at that price even if you now have to wait 12 weeks for it.

I would also check my home insurance to see if I had legal cover and talk t them about it - if you do then they should be able to draft a quick letter for you to fire off alongside everythign else!

wintermonster · 05/02/2018 08:32

John Lewis did this to us too and didn't care at all

Flomy · 05/02/2018 08:40

I complained about an item & they didnt care one bit.

Original poster
Strawberryshortcake40 · 05/02/2018 10:46

Still no money in my account.

So no sofa. And nothing to buy one with! Angry

OP posts:
Thiscantreallybehappening · 05/02/2018 11:03

Have you had any acknowledgement of your email? Honestly, if I were you I would be ringing up and insisting on speaking to a manager. Whenever I have bad customer service I am very persistent and sometimes I feel like I am banging my head against a wall but I do tend to get to the bottom of things eventually.

I am really keeping my fingers crossed that this is resolved for you but IME you need to be on the phone asking for a manager and stating the timeline. When you ordered, confirmation email, delivery date, morning of delivery time slot sent etc. Ask the questions: why was the delivery date arranged, why did I get a time slot allocated if there was no sofa. Please can I have an explanation because this has ruined my weekend and I now have no sofa and you have taken the money out of my account. What has happened? Whoever you speak to get their name and a direct telephone number for them. Don't give up OP.

wintermonster · 05/02/2018 11:06

It wasn't a G Plan fifty three by any chance?

Bluelady · 05/02/2018 11:13

JL's customer service is rubbish until you escalate it, then it improves immeasurably. I find it helps to be very clear what you want from them and very firm that you won't accept any less. In this case, the sofa you ordered at the price you ordered it at. Twitter is brilliant at making them jump into action.

Original poster
Strawberryshortcake40 · 05/02/2018 11:17

No not gplan.

I did speak at length to their customer services, where they kept telling me JL no longer sell that sofa. Which is a lie.

No acknowledgement and tbh I'm most annoyed about them keeping my money. I had to cancel an order myself with them last week and the money was in my account in the hour

OP posts:
Original poster
Strawberryshortcake40 · 05/02/2018 11:17

I have said I expect to be contacted asap with a new delivery time for my sofa.

OP posts:
Thiscantreallybehappening · 05/02/2018 11:40

Hope you get a good response from them soon OP.

Talkingfrog · 05/02/2018 12:01

How close are you to a store. I wonder if they have one on display you could ask for.
I had similar with mothercare. They cancelled a cot the night before delivery as it was now out of stock and discontinued.

Phoned a store 30 mins away and they had one that had just been put on display. Customer services spoke to the store manager and they put the store one aside and transferred the payment to the store.
About a week later I had a refund too. Phoned customer services who thanked me for being honest, but said don't worry about it, so I had the cot for nothing.
About £80 so I think it was more hassle to try and take the payment back without a new order than it was worth.
Good luck

UnimaginativeUser · 05/02/2018 13:25

Not sure if it will help but there's a company in Oxfordshire & Cheshire that sells returned stock from shops like JL, M&S, etc.

It's called Trade Secret ( www.trade-secret.co.uk/ ). You never know - they might have the exact one you're looking for.

Of course, not helpful if it's not convenient for you, or you actually haven't had your money back to buy another one with.

Sounds like a major system failure to me. I would be pressing for the order to be fulfilled, even it if means giving you a new one, and for them to be sending you a temporary sofa to use in the meantime. Not sure how realistic this is though. Good luck!

Original poster
Strawberryshortcake40 · 05/02/2018 13:51

Sadly nowhere near me and still no sign of my money to buy it with.

OP posts:
MrsMozart · 05/02/2018 13:55

They took your money. Contract. They have to provide you with the same at that price.

Disclaimer: I'm not a solicitor.

Iwantmypension · 05/02/2018 14:02

You had a lucky escape. That happened to me too with a desk. Said it had disappeared from the warehouse. Then I ordered a bed and a table. Biggest mistake of my life.

I've already written my horror story in the 'Elderly parents' and 'Gransnet' section so won't go into it again apart from: Delivery men were intimidating and after they left, valuable things had gone missing. Didn't realise until a week and so later.

Suffice to say I will NEVER order anything from them again. They closed my case without even contacting me.

Original poster
Strawberryshortcake40 · 05/02/2018 19:22

Not even an acknowledgement of my email. And no refund.

Can't use Twitter as I only have a work account. Any ideas which FB page I could complain on?

OP posts:
WeeM · 05/02/2018 20:37

www.facebook.com/JohnLewisRetail/

Click on the community tab and you can leave a post there. They seem to have responded to other people’s posts. I feel your rage OP!

Cookiesandwine · 05/02/2018 21:00

I had a complete nightmare with JL. I ended up emailing the CEO, and telling him I would be going into store and sitting on a sofa and not moving until I got my goods. Within 20 minutes I got a phone call refunding 20%, getting what I ordered and getting a Waitrose hamper. Well worth trying that.

Original poster
Strawberryshortcake40 · 06/02/2018 09:51

I have emailed again and also their customer services dept again.

Can't seem to get a message on their FB page? Maybe because I'm on my phone.

Have said I will go to my local store tomorrow where i will wait for a satisfactory resolution, thanks for that!!

OP posts:
WonderLime · 06/02/2018 10:02

Something similar happened to me with another large store. I ordered some furniture, was given a date and item never arrived. No cancellation email or refund.

The item was out of stock (they’ve actually stopped selling furniture now) but I complained waste of holiday (had taken the day off) and they refunded me and gave me a day’s wage compensation.