AIBU to expect better customer service?

[AliceBear91]

I have always been a prolific online shopper, however for the past couple of months almost every purchase has been an absolute nightmare. Just today I've had three deliveries from different companies and each one there has been a problem with. I love online shopping for the convenience but recently it's been anything but.

In the past, I've normally let bad customer service go and put it down to the fact people are human and mistakes happen. However, I'm beginning to slowly lose faith with a lot of companies due to poor customer service. I've had numerous items arrive broken/ faulty/ dirty or even missing entirely. Not to mention personalised items where they couldn't even get the name centred! This is both from well known high street brands as well as smaller independent businesses.

Is anyone else noticing this trend of things getting worse? If so, how do you deal with it? I know Covid has caused massive problems for businesses but I just don't know if it's because some companies know they can get away with it. I've tried complaining but it's time consuming and often it doesn't resolve anything.

I've found the opposite tbh

Which companies OP?

I will only ever order online from Amazon, they have always been fantastic and everything arrives as expected, in the rare event it hasn’t they’ve fixed it and then some but I appreciate not everyone has the same experience me and my family has with them.

That’s the thing. Only Amazon are reliable enough to know that you will get what you ordered, on time. When you want something guaranteed, shopping with most other retailers is basically taking a chance.

I'm really surprised by these comments!

I definitely haven't found Amazon to be the best, although I must admit I have found it easy to return items when needed. The past few items I've ordered from Amazon have been damaged or broken. I'll attach some examples if mumsnet cooperates!

Yesterday's offenders were a large order from Boots. It had been packed terribly and things inside were crushed and broken, which meant the shower gel then started leaking everywhere.

Another order was from Wilko where I'd ordered a large box of chocolates and it was packed upside down with no internal packaging and the seal was broken. So when I opened the box all of the chocolates were everywhere.

I guess I need to stop trying to order multiple items as the packing seems to be the main issue here. Maybe if it was just one item, it would have arrived in one piece.

Other places I've had trouble with is items from Next and Fenwick. The item arrived dirty, leaving visible black marks all over my fingers and when I complained I was told they don't do exchanges for online orders.

I'm just totally fed up with how much of my time seems to be spent trying to resolve things like this. It's so frustrating especially when it takes forever to even get a reply when trying to complain.

I generally order from or through Amazon.

But I've had everything else I should have received with no breakages etc.

Although one company forgot to put postage on my parcel and I had to pay nearly £5 - after already paying £5 for postage and packing. I was too lazy to raise it with them but won't use them again.

I recently got cross with an Smazon Subscribe and Save delivery. Dishwasher tabs and laundry cleanser. Tabs had been squashed so burst everywhere, lid of laundry cleanser was shattered. 2.5 litres of liquid soaking through the packaging, which was hanging off it in sodden strips. Postman had to put it in a bin bag to keep it together so he could deliver.

Amazon then wouldn't refund the dishwasher tabs and wanted the bottle of cleanser sent back in original packaging.

Needless to say, they weren't allowed to get away with that! A very nice chat consultant refunded all and sent a replacement as goodwill.

I've been finding the same and sadly from independent sellers too.

Same. And Amazon problems too!
They failed to deliver an expensive Fitbit two weeks ago. I got a notification saying I would get a refund in 5 -7 days. Over 2 weeks later I still don't have the refund. Finally got to speak to someone today who said there was a "system error" and refund will take another week! Trying to speak to this person to say that's not good enough and you will have he my money three weeks was like talking to a brick wall.

Definitely and all blame covid this was IMO all very well last year but its almost two years now time to sort their businesses out.

With Boots the boxes they are using aren’t strong enough either. I order online from them every couple of weeks for baby milk, baby stuff etc and they nearly disintegrate. I also had one where either shower gel or lens cleaner leaked.
I did a click and collect in store and the amount of boxes was excessive for the items, it was like pass the parcel!

Not quite the same but had huge problems with nationwide mortgages recently.

Communication zero, systems not fit for purpose.

Am disgusted tbh.