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Original poster

Smashed Grapes updates?

109 replies

Worriedmum42 · 29/12/2022 11:00

Hi
I ordered the taster pack before Christmas and was one of the people who had the order cancelled.
They sent a £30 e gift voucher but that has been disabled.
I have emailed them and had no reply. I have asked if they are not going to honour the gift voucher just to have my postage refunded and still not a word. I know they are probably closed for Christmas now so just wondering if anyone else has been able to use the gift voucher? Had it cancelled? Heard back from them or has just given up trying?
Thanks

OP posts:
NoWordForFluffy · 17/01/2023 06:22

LemonAndLimeTree · 16/01/2023 19:17

I think you have to go onto the PayPal website @SpamIAm

They really are fuckers. I think they are trying to sell as many vouchers as they can before they declare bankruptcy. I can’t think of any other explanation of their current behaviour.

I think you may be right on that. Though the directors will be in trouble if they're knowingly trading while insolvent.

MaverickSnoopy · 17/01/2023 06:42

So glad I've just come across this thread - it was on my todo list for today. I also got the £30 voucher, now disabled and would like my £3.99 back. No response to my 2 emails.

According to the video on Facebook (30 dec) they said they "hope" to respond to everyone within a few weeks but at that point had 2000 emails and were able to reply reply max 200 a day, meanwhile they're getting another 200 a day. Off the back of that I'd say they're swamped. Part of me feels like I'll just wait it out, what's my time worth and I don't know if I can be bothered to faff around with the bank.

In pursuit of a phone number I came across their listing on companies house. It says the company (same names of directors) was dissolved in Sept 2021. There's nothing on there since then. I can't see a company number on their website to see if they're trading under a different name. I guess it shows that they've closed down before. It's a bit odd.

I feel a bit annoyed because although I can see their video plea - I can also see that they're communicating with people for other purposes and I think at the very least they should be posting an update so people know what's going on.

Qualityquality · 17/01/2023 09:00

I did feel sorry for them up until a point…

They could have pulled that voucher code at any time but they didn’t. They continued to take peoples money for postage knowing they couldn’t keep up/fulfill orders. I would have preferred honesty from the start and a refund of my postage and for them to say, look, sorry, we underestimated demand.
Not be waiting 2 months later for no order, a worthless voucher and then to still have my postage money.
If you work out how much money they still have from people with no orders I guess they’re doing ok!

user143677433 · 17/01/2023 17:58

Even this bit is bullshit they "hope" to respond to everyone within a few weeks but at that point had 2000 emails and were able to reply reply max 200 a day, meanwhile they're getting another 200 a day.

There are plenty of days when I get more than 200 emails at work. Most of them take seconds to deal with, others a few minutes, and in the meantime I still manage to do my actual work. So why can’t they manage to clear a few hundred a day?

MaverickSnoopy · 18/01/2023 07:45

user143677433 · 17/01/2023 17:58

Even this bit is bullshit they "hope" to respond to everyone within a few weeks but at that point had 2000 emails and were able to reply reply max 200 a day, meanwhile they're getting another 200 a day.

There are plenty of days when I get more than 200 emails at work. Most of them take seconds to deal with, others a few minutes, and in the meantime I still manage to do my actual work. So why can’t they manage to clear a few hundred a day?

While I'm not defending them. I couldn't do it. I have always been rubbish at quickly replying to emails and end up redrafting things but I suppose this is a different type of email.

I've found a different email address for them, one for complaints, so I'm considering using that. However, it occurred to me that it might be worth using the contact us form to contact them about something that's not in relation to an outstanding order, but new business, so see if they reply and how quickly, as this will give a better indication as to how honest they are being.

On doing some research I have discovered that they closed their Ltd company in 2021 and I assume are now trading as a partnership, so personally liable for all legal problems and finances. I suspect this is why they have cancelled the vouchers as they can't afford to loose the stock. Potentially they're planning on simply refunding people which would cost them less, but potentially they're not, hence no replies to emails.

Roundaboot · 18/01/2023 08:13

I ordered a couple of tasting packs before Xmas. I received one but the other never arrived so I got the £30 voucher. Tried to use it and discovered it was disabled 😕

So I applied for a refund via PayPal for the P&P and it went through immediately.

It's really shocking customer service from them. They keep blaming Royal Mail etc but there's no excuse for failing to get back to people and continuing to take money for orders they know they can't fulfil. The last straw for me was getting the email advertising more tasting packs!

NoWordForFluffy · 18/01/2023 08:34

PayPal must be sick of them!

They're clearly not cut out for high volume orders. In which case the codes should've been pulled when they were flooded with orders. They only have themselves to blame, and they're now compounding the issue by going to ground!

BecauseTheOnlyWayIsUp · 18/01/2023 09:18

Can anyone tell me how to claim through my bank (Lloyds) I have about £100 in wine cases with smashed grapes and am also getting Radio silence and a dodgy tracking code

NoWordForFluffy · 18/01/2023 13:15

Here you go, @BecauseTheOnlyWayIsUp: www.lloydsbank.com/help-guidance/payment-disputes.html

BecauseTheOnlyWayIsUp · 18/01/2023 13:46

Thanks @NoWordForFluffy so annoying to have to do this, I have enough to do juggling three little ones to be on hold on a call to the bank. Be damned if they will rob me of my money though. Enough is enough.

blueskylie · 18/01/2023 20:59

I gave up waiting last week and went to my bank. I was able to apply through my banking app and they refunded me straight away. They said they'd deal with the company for a refund.

MaverickSnoopy · 19/01/2023 14:22

I too have just gone onto my banking app and put in a request. The money was in my bank account within 5 minutes!

mumonthehill · 19/01/2023 20:42

Maybe i am not seeing it, but they seem to have removed the update video from facebook - the post with all the complaints under it.

MaverickSnoopy · 19/01/2023 20:53

How strange, it's still there.

BecauseTheOnlyWayIsUp · 20/01/2023 10:42

Thanks for the advice, I've put in claims with Lloyds now. Really gutted tbh as I've not had to do this before with a company. Just at my wit's end tbh, it's ~£100

BangingOn · 22/01/2023 12:40

I had problems with them earlier in the autumn before their codes went crazy, so I have limited sympathy with them pushing to expand their business when they couldn’t service the business they had. I pre-ordered an advent calendar in September and it was weeks late dispatching with nobody responding to my repeated requests for a dispatch date and tracking info until December. When it arrived the wine was in tiny servings in foil pouches and really poor value for money.

RosieBdy · 22/01/2023 14:16

My bank approved my request on Friday.
I'm glad to have the money back, but disappointed as the kits actually looked like they'd be good to try...
Hope everyone else manages to get sorted in one way or another too.

NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 22/01/2023 19:25

I got my money back for the wine I bought but they still owe me £8 for tasting kit. It's not a lot and I can afford it but really not the point.

Adventadventures · 25/01/2023 00:06

I put a scathing review on Trustpilot. They contacted me wanting more info . Within 8 hours they had processed my refund (although I will check the money hits my account).
.The whole experience has left a horrible taste in my mouth particularly the disabled voucher which seemed to just put petrol on the fire in relation to PR . Not sure what their game plan was/is.
Shame as I thought the concept was good and would have liked to have used them again if the product (tasting kit) had been good.

Sisisimone · 25/01/2023 10:10

It's such a shame because I actually got one of the tasting kits and it was great and they would make lovely gifts. I'd have definitely bought again but won't after this fiasco. They should have just refunded everyone's postage at the time instead of those stupid vouchers

Adelais · 25/01/2023 11:34

I have just sent them another email requesting my refund and will see if the bank can do anything if no response.

hatred · 25/01/2023 16:27

I used my£30 voucher for two bottles of red. It was supposed to be one day delivery but no sign of them. I ordered in December.

mumonthehill · 27/01/2023 07:08

Smashed grapes now seem to be flagging negative reviews on TrustPilot as harmful or illegal. The reviews were not at all and honest reviews from people who had lost money. So sad to see them doing this rather than just address what has gone wrong.

Puravida23 · 27/01/2023 11:38

They did this to me . It worked in my favour as they wanted more information. I gave it to them and got my refund.
But I want my review still posted and will argue with Trustpilot if need be as it is a true account of events and for me the disabled credit voucher just seems off. The rest could be forgiven as a business overwhelmed with demand but why give a voucher and then disable it? makes no sense surely they are just leaving themselves open to complaints.
The whole thing is weird. They created a massive buzz around the business with the original spin the wheel and then destroyed it with the disabled gift card , poor communication and non delivery of items. It’s almost like a lesson on how to run a business and then destroy it

SleeptightDaisy · 31/01/2023 16:36

When people are asking for refund via PayPal what reason are you giving- cancellation or non delivery or something else