Arrggh... why do these websites keep emptying my shopping basket?

[minipie]

So, not technically an S&B question but thought any avid online shoppers might know a solution.

Quite often when I am online clothes shopping, I am finding that my online basket of stuff I've selected to buy suddenly empties itself when I am half way through a shop. Sometimes it does this if I haven't been active on the site for several hours (though I always leave the browser window open), but sometimes it's far quicker than that... Next seems to be particularly bad, I can put something in the basket and find I have an empty basket 30 mins later!

Anyone know how I fix this? Or is this some sort of ploy to make me buy things quickly before they disappear? If so it's not working, I'm mostly so annoyed I vow never to shop there again...

I hate this, Sainsburys even do this to me with food shopping, within about 15 mins! I assume it is something to do with stock control.

The site I find really good is House of Fraser, I can put things in my basket and they will still be there days later, they even email me to say 'did you forget to buy something?"!

Yes I don't get it! Are they trying to make it harder to buy from them?! Seems like they are shooting themselves in the foot.

I must admit I find the "did you forget to buy" emails a bit annoying too... . What I like is when items just stay in my basket until I remove or buy them, and are saved there ready for next time I go to the site.

So there is no way to fix it?

I've noticed this too, my next orders are huge so I now have to make a note of all the item numbers so I don't have to search again. Boden and fat face keep things in the basket for months, sometimes when I go to checkout it says item such and such no longer available rather than deleting the lot. The shops are missing a trick here.