to think John Lewis Partnership is going down the swannee?

[suedonim]

I really used to like JLP but I've had nothing but bad service of late.

Earlier this year I bought a large amount of goods to be freighted abroad to where we live as expats, which was to go direct to the shippers. Next morning, our postman arrived with all our goods, which JLP has posted to us. Not only that, the goods weren't even wrapped securely, they were in loose carrier bags! It was days before JLP could come to collect it again, during which time we were having to clamber over and around piles of stuff.

In April we ordered a Mont Blanc pen for ds2's graduation, to be engraved with his initials. First of all, I ascertained that the pen we received would not be the display one as it was scratched. When the pen arrived (having had to change the engraving because the one we chose wasn't compatible with that particular pen) it was obviously it was the one that had been on display. Another pen had to be ordered but by then, it was too late for ds's gradution and we had to make do with a facsimile which dd2 printed off the internet.

I recently arranged to have a quote for carpets from JLP. When the guy arrived the shop had failed to tell him all the details so consequently, he couldn't quote for all that we wanted, meaning I didn't get a full costing.

Yesterday I bought a new kitchen bin (exciting, I know!) from them. When I opened the box at home, it was the wrong bl%dy colour - red instead of cream! So now I have to make another 40 mile round trip to swap it.

So, have I just had an unusual run of bad luck with JLP or are they now rubbish??

JLP had not one single pair of trainers in dd's size yesterday. Not one. Ridiculous.

I have one small bug bear and I've never worked out if it's a reasonable one or not. we had carpets fitted with them and they never asked/offered/mentioned getting them stain-guarded, as a result of which we didn;t and they are a right old (mucky) pita. they also never asked if we wanted brass or silver strip thingies over the doorways, as a result of which we got brass which I hate. now I'm really not sure to what extent the vendor should make the buyer aware of choices or whether or not that responsibility lies with the buyer. I suppose it's the latter really - but a litle bit of me does think that offering these choices is a sign of really good, rather than average, service. ie they didn;t do anything wrong but they failed to something good. and I expect the latter of JL.

but when I bought a sewing maching (from Kingston) I was double impressed. I knew nothing and I had a brilliant lady talk me through everything and help me choose.

I think you should be given the choice of things like brass/silver. As customers we can't be expected to know exactly what is available, so they should tell you in oder that you can make an informed choice.

Good news about the sewing machine as dd1 would like one for Xmas!

'Their sarnies are over-priced IMO but their hot food is usually well-presented, tasty and reasonably good value for money - I paid £6.95 for tomato, courgette and basil quiche with new potatoes and salad last week.'

In that case, you really don't want to know how much that would cost an employee in the canteen on the other side of the kitchen!

Their cakes are gorgeous, I had a massive slice of victoria sponge the other week that positively melted in my mouth and dd had a lovely fairy cake with chocolate buttercream and white chocolate stars - yum! Maybe we have just been lucky.

Well, I think bundle will concur with me that despite knitting being All The Rage these days, JLP have downsized their haberdashery departments considerably, hmph. So, yes, maybe they have moved with the times in some less desirable ways.

That said suedonim, round where I live, the stock selection in the chain stores is so dire, and the service so terrible, that even an off-form JLP is balm to the soul. We now have only one proper bookshop and NO toyshop for miles here (and yes I live in suburban greater London). When I finally tracked down some elusive Tomy Squeaking Eggs and some gurly Usborne First Readers in JLP Bluewater today, the daffy teenage boy assistant made some pleasant conversation about it being present run time etc while he was serving me. Then I got some mugs in a different dept and another pointy-haired child Partner congratulated me on bringing my own bag.
So I am a happy skint shopper.

Sorry you have had a rubbish time of it though

We must get your leftover cakes, PT, as the ones here are so dry you need another drink to swill it down.

Marina, agree about the haberdashery dept. Ours does stock a good range of knitting yarns but otherwise, everything is prepackaged - what happened to buying a yard/meter of the ribbon you want??

Re book shops, an independent has opened up in our little town and I've spent a amount of money in there over the summer. I was chatting to the woman working in there, saying how I enjoyed the unusual books they stock and how I used to like Ottakers but now they're Waterstones they're just not the same. She startled me by saying that many of the staff in this new shop are ex-Ottakers staff who left when W's took over! One of the staff members has just has this book published and I understand it's been Radio 4's Book At Bedtime.

I find their customer service excellent and sing their praises!

Where do you live, Podrick? - I'm moving in with you!

When we ordered our cot in 2001 for our first baby it was obvious it had already been out of the packaging and had biro on it. The lady was very good on the phone though and sent out a new one.

suedonim you need to move near to the big new Cambridge store!

I phoned up JL online today to ask if there was a certain item available in the local store. Lady with strong Indian accent (have they outsourced?) told me there were none in that store. DS2 was working in the JL customer collection building and then checked on the computer there to find that there were 17 in stock ... (btw this was the new shiny Cambridge store!)

kingston kitchen department sucks. fitters were great, sales and customer service people not on the same planet.

the lady in the wool department is great though.

Hmm, bro and BIL live in Cambridge.....

Hi If you have complaints about JLP don't complain to the shop complain to the Buyer at the head office in Victoria.

They will generally sort our problems quicker than the Section manager.