To think John Lewis are trying to have me over?

[Allthefoodandwine]

Morning!

Hoping to get a more sensible response on here, than I have been getting from John Lewis Customer services.

Ordered some ‘made to order’ curtains on the John Lewis site, curtains arrived, and they have used Black Cotton/thread on very light curtains?
Surely this is not right?

They initially tried to say that it’s the Black out fabric showing through!
Which as the blackout fabric is also cream, this is impossible….
Now they just keep saying ‘the curtains were made to spec, and there is no mistake’?
The spec? Was the fabric, and lining which we chose, and on their stock pictures you cannot see any dark thread.

We have had curtains made before by a seamstress, in a similar style & colour, and there is NO visible stitching on the heading pleats at all?

The curtains were not cheap, and they look terrible.

Firstly, are there any seamstresses who can tell me if this is right?
And what, if anything can I do to get them remade with thread to match the curtains?

Thanks!

I don't what is wrong with JL and why they don't sort their customer service out. I ordered some curtains and months later there was no sign of them, when I chased them up it turned out they hadn't gone through the system properly. So I (totally calmly and politely) cancelled the order, as I wasn't impressed and by then I had time to make some myself.

Instead of being understanding and apologetic, the person started arguing with me and saying as I had made the order I had to stick to it! No I don't! Surely basic customer service training/practice is you don't start giving people a hard time or lying to them when you have fucked up? I've heard many similar tales from others and it's shit. I really like JL and want to think of them as a lovely quality brand but they've been like this for years now.

Anyway as others say, you are not in the wrong OP!

My experience with them has been mixed. We purchased a lot of bedroom furniture from them 12 years ago. They managed to lose a whole dressing table and one of the bedside tables (which arrived ready made) wobbled from side to side. I can’t believe someone thought it was acceptable to dispatch something of such poor quality. It was an absolute nightmare getting them to agree for us to return the items and refund the money. I had to make multiple phone calls and kept having to repeat the details because they didn’t update and save their records properly.

Pack up the curtains and post to the CEO. Explain briefly the issue and your experience with customer services. Note you want the curtains remade to the appropriate standard and you would like a £100 gift voucher for your inconvenience.

That is appalling. I have very light coloured curtains with blackout lining and the stitching is near invisible.

I know JL are supposed to be brilliant at dealing with problems, but I will no longer buy furniture from them after all of the problems we have had on more than one occasion.

It looks like they’ve stitched it using a tractor. No way would I accept that.

'Hold the line' I am currently on hold to a seemingly helpful person, who is apparently trying to speak to the supplier......

It’s outsourced to Capita. Based in the north west. The staff are all very nice but nothing gets sorted.

They are really badly made. Even if you had somehow specified black thread, which they'd want to really double check on as it is extremely odd, it's done really badly. My old school sewing teacher would have made me unpick that if I'd done it and shown her.

John Lewis customer service used to be brilliant, but it has been shit for a couple of years now.

I sympathise, I've had problems with them before now and I think they have terrible customer service. Did you pay by card? If so can you take it up with the bank.

John Lewis are usually outstanding when dealing with any issues
Not anymore they’re not, not for a long time. I mourn for the Johnny Lou Lou of old, I never use them now, after a particularly appalling example of customer service with a dishwasher that was faulty when they delivered it.

They keep saying they’re ‘not faulty’ because, unfortunately, as they’re made to measure your consumer rights are much less than for non bespoke goods. Being faulty is one of the only ways you could recoup your money and return them.

However……what does this bit mean…..
We have even done a dummy order to check ??

If this means they sent you fabric or a mock up then the finished 100% has to match what you were sent - and if it doesn’t you have the right to reject it, no question.

ohmygoodness, it's looks like a work experience chap sewed those and put them in a parcel whilst the QC guy was on a coke break. It's not just the black thread, it's the pleating is well off kilter too.

The person might well be helpful but, whatever the ‘supplier’ has to say is irrelevant. Your contract is with John Lewis alone.

I would angle for 50% off the price paid, and keep the curtains. No one will notice.

It’s an absolute sewing basic that the thread would be matched to the fabric to be as invisible as possible unless specifically shown as a contrast detail.

As for it being the black out lining showing through… quite apart from the fact as you say it’s a cream black out lining, do they think you’re stupid? You can tell the difference between actual thread and looking through a whole 🙄

Twitter for sure.

Tbh, I’m gobsmacked that this isn’t a 100% vote.

Also, if you do have to make the journey into the store, I believe they will give you mileage money for what it's cost if they agree it's their fault. I only know this because I was earwigging at customer services once and they gave the man in front expenses as he had taken home a faulty light fitting and had to trek all the way back to the store for some reason (probably hadn't believed him either!)

The first picture it looks terrible. I wouldn’t be happy with that! So obvious

It’s an absolute sewing basic that the thread would be matched to the fabric to be as invisible as possible unless specifically shown as a contrast detail.

That was literally the first lesson we had in sewing class 40 odd years ago. Teacher took us to the local fabric shop to pick out a fabric we liked and then we had to match the thread to the fabric. If you can't find the exactly colour you always go lighter rather than darker.

However……what does this bit mean…..
We have even done a dummy order to check ?? I think OP means they went online and did the exact same process as if they were going to order them to see if the stitching came up anywhere.

You might have some protections under Consumer Contract Law. If made to order (not bespoke) and ordered online you can return within 14 days for any reason at all. Made to order includes measurements selected from drop down menu options, fabrics from a range offered by the store. Stores often like to pretend that this type of choice from a preselected set of options means the items are bespoke but they aren't and the law is on your side in this.

If bespoke, this would be fabrics chosen from outside a standard range offered, or measurements taken by a John Lewis rep inside your home, or by you measuring with a tape and sending them the measurements.

If the black stitching is part of the design it should have been clear on the website / brochure etc when ordering them. I make curtains, there is no way I would have used a black thread up there (and seemingly no where else?) without asking the client.
with regards to the hem stitch you can sometimes see it on the lining but it should be invisible on the right side of the fabric.

Yes, just wanted to see if the OP had a sample sent at all during the process as that conveys more rights regarding ‘bespoke’ items.
ThalictrumDelavayi raises a very good point, what constitutes ‘bespoke’……..though I can guarantee JL will try to dispute this.

I’ve got 2 sets made to measure curtains ( one from John Lewis and one from M&S), on both the thread matches the curtains absolutely.
I’ve got trouble with John Lewis about my watch and it’s a nightmare until I’ve got to a real person on the phone but then it was sorted straight away. Good luck.

I think if you have bought online you have a 30 day right to reject an item as faulty, even it is a bespoke item. The onus during these 30 days is on the supplier to prove the item is NOT faulty. This might include sending someone round to inspect the curtains. You might have more luck that route.