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So BABY (not So Baby Organics) - anyone ever bought anythig from them?

207 replies

macana · 18/03/2009 17:19

I have recently, but the item still hasn't arrived, they aren't answering emails or voicemail messages, and I'm starting to think that they might have gone under.
Anyone ever bought anything from them??

OP posts:
casrock · 08/04/2009 23:03

Oh yes, I am in the same boat. I order 2 grobags from them a month ago. Not received items, no response to emails and not contactable by phone. Appauling customer service and dispictable when dealing with new mums who have enough to deal with! Read some other experiences here:

www.freeindex.co.uk/more-reviews.htm?id=91973

I have now contacted trading standards

BeksH · 15/04/2009 14:15

I am strangely relieved to read these posts; I am having a nightmare with this company - WARNING TO ALL: DO NOT BUY FROM THIS OUTFITTER ("SO BABY", ALSO TRADING AS BIG IMAGINATION) EVER!! Expecting my 2nd baby any day (8 days overdue now); ordered my Phil n Teds buggy well over a month ago (£500 odd worth) and no sight of it. Really it's appalling when you're trying to get yourself organised pre-baby and then a company lets you down massively like this. I have sent many, many emails and attempted phone calls but no response. Cannot even leave a message.

I too have contacted trading standards - I called Consumer Direct South East on 08454 040 506 and spoke to Nadia. She advised me that "Under the consumer protection (distance selling) regulations of 2000, the goods have to have been delivered in 30 days. If they have not, the company have 30 days to refund me." She advised to send a letter including this wording to So Baby by recorded delivery.

I also called my credit card company and they are sending me some paperwork to try to claim back money that way, so if you bought on c/card try that too.

I have also wondered if they have gone under; I called Companies House to try to find out. They have a 'So Baby' company registered to an address in Cheshire (whilst sobaby.co.uk is Hampshire based). They have a 'Big Imagination' (this is the name that was on my credit card statement) in Lancing. However I don't know if either of these companies are the one I ordered from since I have now checked the sobaby.co.uk website to look for their Limited Company registration details (which by law they should have on their website) and cannot find them posted anywhere. If anyone has these company details I'd love to know.

All of this is clearly just what an about-to-be-new mum is dying to spend her time handling... SHAMEFUL.

If anyone else has more ideas on how to take this further please chip in as I for one am fuming.

stripeyraggycat · 15/04/2009 16:07

Similar experience to you. Paid for a play mat and car toy 3 weeks ago, the car toy arrived within a couple of days but the play mat has not. No response to several e-mails or voicemail messages. Definitely avoid this company!

hick · 15/04/2009 17:59

All,

After numerous attemps to contact this company via email/telephone, I drove down to Andover to find this outlet. Having ordered a Quinny buggy, carrycot & car seat on March 16th and like all of you received no update on my order since.

I can confirm that the store is still there and still apparently trading. The lady behind the counter (Angela Gordon who is the owner) explained to me that she had deferred deliveries as she was leaving the following day to go on holiday for 3 weeks (returning today April 15th)...!!!! She had arranged for her Parents to looks after the store in her absence but they would not be able to take and distribute orders.!!!! SO WHY DID SHE NOT ADVISE HER CUSTOMERS OF THIS???

She assured me that she would call me today with an update on my order but alas no call today. I have just sent another email, and failing that I will drive down there again and demand a full refund (nearly £500) or my goods.

It did seem to me that this was simply a bad business woman who was submerged in order enquiries and did not know how to handle them. Even whilst I was in the store, the phone was ringing off the hook, and all were ignored!

dawn23e · 19/04/2009 16:15

Hi all,

Not just me having problems then!
Not surprised she can go on 3 weeks holiday with all of our money we have paid out, I'd rather have spent my £500 on a hjoliday too, or even flushed it down the toilet as it would have been as productive it would seem.

I am hoping my credit card co will be able to refund me, but it's not really the point is it! so mad about this I ordered in Feb!!

D

minitrip · 19/04/2009 18:57

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catinthehat1 · 19/04/2009 19:31

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minitrip · 19/04/2009 22:33

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BeachBum73 · 20/04/2009 13:59

It is possible to be a director of two companies. I have just filed my court injuction for the refund of all money that we paid for a cot, leander cot bed(not cheap), this is after many phone calls and a warning that if we did not receive a refund we would be taking court action. We ordered our bed on 27th february 2009, so not as long in comparison to some but long enough to take into consideration that we ordered it just 3-4 months into the pregnancy, we are due may 25th.

On the dissolving of companies im not sure if they can just close it down as you need an accounts guy check that the company was not trading insolvently and that it doesnt owe any debts, If they do find that you have been trading insolvently they can and will go after your personal effects despite you not securing any part of the business against your name(im only going by what ive been told, as we chased a company that had not paid us and they were trading insolvently) So i think that they wont be as bombproof as they think, they could lose a lot more than their business, including any professional standing i.e struck off of a professional registry, unable to trade etc

Im not sure if the woman grasps just how serious this is!!!!

sorkycakey · 22/04/2009 12:02

I've placed an order on 30th March, received confirmation email with a tracking number the next day, which said order was pending. Paypal payment taken on 1st April, but then nothing.
I've rang 4 times now, can't leave a message, never answers the phone. I've emailed her this morning and got an automated response to say they will get back to me in 48 hours. She has until lunchtime Friday, then I'm filing a dispute with Paypal.
Mine was for a toy for a birthday

Has anyone had any of their problems resolved?

Lozzer79 · 23/04/2009 12:20

I have had the same problems as everyone else here. I spoke to Consumer Direct who advised that I threaten them with the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 to get a refund but I had no response. Therefore the only options is to issue them with a County Court Claim. This will cost me £25 but I am so angry that these people can do this so to me its worth it. I have sent them a letter in the post today giving them 7 days to contact me and issue me with a refund or I will contact the BBC programme Watchdog and issue them with a County Court Claim.

I am not usually like this but it has really angered me that these people can take your money and you never hear from them again, its theft!

p.s I checked on Companies House also and they are on there registered as Sobaby Enterprises and are still trading.

sorkycakey · 23/04/2009 17:49

They have emailed me back and said the item is due in stock within the next 2 weeks. I have requested a refund instead as the item was for a birthday present which will not arrive in time.
I have begun a dispute with Paypal and will escalate it to a claim by the end of next week if she hasn't refunded.

minitrip · 28/04/2009 12:50

Erm, I'm not sure why the moderator has deleted my previous emails! I'm just stating facts. Sobaby has not refunded my money to Paypal despite not delivering goods I paid for at the end of February. From the numerous complaints above there is CLEARLY a problem with the company taking customers money and subsequently not providing goods. One can only assume that they are trading insolvently, especially as some of the orders people have placed seem to be recent (NB. this is my personal assumption not Mumsnets...).

As I said before, the name of the Company that my money went to on my Paypal account was Effect Technology Ltd, not Sobaby. The only record I can find on Companies House for Effect Technology Ltd is that they are 'Dissolved'. This must have happened recently because it is in the 'Trading or Recently Dissolved' category.

I myself didn't spend a lot of money, thankfully. I am simply providing this information for all of the people who report to have spent hundreds of pounds and not received goods from Sobaby, and who probably can't afford not to pursue it. It might give a bit more information about where their hard-earned cash has gone to.

I might also begin a dispute with Paypal, as I'm sure they aren't going to appreciate having to refund everyone's money, and Paypal are in a better position than a lot of us to pursue this.

minitrip · 28/04/2009 13:25

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jvanrijn · 29/04/2009 14:34

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babywaby · 30/04/2009 17:31

Same here !!

I have reported them to watchdog !

I have emailed them loads get nothing back ! i called and finally a lady answered she said they are away as tey have just got maried like an idiot i believed her ! So I have called back and no answer !!!!!!!!!
angry

angry !!!!!!!!

DO NOT BUY FROM THESE THEY ARE CON ARTISTS!!

WE SHOULD ALL GET DO SOMETHING TO GET OUR MONEY BACK AND THESE PEOPLE BEHIND BARS !!

babywaby · 30/04/2009 17:33

DOES ANYONE THE BEST WAY TO GET OUR MONEY BACK ???????????

lolalyn · 01/05/2009 08:28

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jvanrijn · 01/05/2009 08:56

The best ways to get you money back are (in this order)

  1. Paypal

  2. Credit Card Chargeback

  3. Small claims

  4. only applies if you've used paypal

  5. only applies if you've used your credit card (directly or via paypal)

  6. is a pain, but probably your only option if you've used a debit card.

Paypal refunded my money without any problems today.

babywaby · 01/05/2009 09:03

Thanks ill do that - but how do you get in touch with pay pal ?

jvanrijn · 01/05/2009 09:22

Login to www.paypal.com, you'll have to raise a dispute and the escalate that dispute to a claim, it's all explained on there.

babywaby · 01/05/2009 09:29

ok thanks.

catinthehat1 · 01/05/2009 12:33

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babywaby · 01/05/2009 15:27

I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO PAYPOINT THEY SAID THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT AND I WILL CALL THEM TUESDAY...

AGAIN I HAVE TRYED TO CALL TODAY NO ANSWER...

minitrip · 01/05/2009 15:31

They deleted my emails too, catinthehat1. Not sure whose side the moderator is on?! I, like you, was just giving information which was all TRUE. Certainly nothing libelous. And all in the interest of helping other people who have been the victims of SoBaby.

Still baffled as to how the SoBaby website is still up and running! Haven't their been enough complaints about them yet? As long as they still have a website they are STILL receiving money from unsuspecting customers!!!