Mail order companies we hate

[gribber]

Following my recent abysmal experience with Jo Jo Maman Bebe, I did a quick trawl of the Mumsnet archives and found I wasn't the only one who had suffered at their hands. As it is the season of ordering online and praying that the goods actually turn up, I thought now might be a good time to ask for other mail order whinges so that we can all take avoiding action. Who do you hate the most? Who has sent you a real turkey?? Which MD would you most like to impale on top of the Christmas tree???

(sorry, poster formerly known as GeorginaA)

Well I found what seemed like a great bargin website called bargin crazy.
I ordered a fimbles trike for ds2 for Christmas from them, as it was £15 cheaper than elsewhere.
I ordered it in November & was told 4 wks later that the couriers could not deliver & I would have to reorder the goods.
I reordered again & they promised to refund me from the first order (which I am still waiting for)
They said that the goods would be with me on the 21st December, just in time for Christmas.
The 21st came & went & they informed me again that the couriers could not deliver!
I was very angry by now & mailed them saying not to bother & to refund me all of my money.
They promised to do this & apolagised and I left it at that.
Anyway, last week, what should be delivered?
A bloody fimbles trike!!!!

GLTC are unbelievably shite, and their "customer servie" people just emanate ill-will towards you as well.

After about 3 major f*ck-ups from them, I will never order from them again, not even if they begged me!

Snap GLTC. Still waiting for personalised pencils ordered on `1.12.04. Every time I try to get through to their customer services dept. it is engaged so I have given up. They have not yet charged me for them, so if they don't turn up it is their loss as they have lost a sale.

Agree fully re GLTC. I have stopped using them after they really messed up an order for bed for dd1.Got very cross with their customer services hope i'm not on tape somewhere.

While mail order companies don't need any help to screw things up - delivery companies are always willing to do their bit.

As a business owner who's dealt with several of the largest firms from Shit*ylink to TaiNTed to Shamtrak - I am confident that they all stink.

But, it's not just the customer who has a tough time. We businesses do too. In fact, it's worse for us because we've got to deal with them everyday - and they're a law unto themselves. They lose parcels and find a million different excuses to not pay the insurance. (Our record is £250 received in £60K worth of loss over the last two years and £3K paid in insurance. But, you can't stop paying the optional insurance on each parcel or you'll find the % of losses rising sharply). I cannot begin to tell you how awful it is dealing with them.

Shamtrak's latest conditions are that they'll charge you if you make more than "x" claims in the year. So even if they've lost 100x parcels you can only make "x" claims. They also add 2% to your invoice in case you pay late but they don't guarantee to refund that if your payment arrives on time. It's a "We may refund it at our sole discretion". These are just the tip of the iceberg.

B2B is a different ballgame and they can rip you off with no protection from Sale of Goods Act or Distance Selling Regulations (which only apply to "domestic" customers).

Thank your stars you deal with them only occasionally.

Rant over ;)

I'm still waiting for something from the Holding Co. that I ordered 5 years ago! Well, I think I gave up waiting about 3 years ago (that was when I stopped phoning & taking note of their excuses - factory burnt down, supplier can't afford to rebuild yet, etc etc) - but I haven't had anything from them in writing to say they can't supply the item!! (I haven't paid for it yet btw!)

I've also had shoddy service from GLTC & Brightminds (and in both cases it was the co. rather than the carrier) - but I've forgiven Brightminds because they are usually lovely.

Finally got an email from Amazon. Got a £5 voucher from them and a promise that it should arrive by 18th January at the latest(!) Not bad since I was trying to cancel but am figuring it'll make a good present for my SIL's baby when he/she arrives in May or for next Christmas .

Now just planning what to splurge on to spend my £5...