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Original poster

Anyone else had a bad experience ordering online at M&S?

75 replies

YouDoughnut · 09/11/2009 20:30

I ordered a handbag for my sister's birthday 9 working days ago. Delivery due today. I think 9 days for delivery is pretty appalling but as it's exactly what she wanted I decided to go ahead with the order, even though it's cutting it fine to post it to her abroad.

So they're due today, I arrange to be at home to make sure I don't miss the delivery and can post them straightaway and I get an email from M&S today saying they're out of stock so they've cancelled my order. I'd also ordered a couple of pairs of socks at the same time and the email said those will be delayed by another week. So that's 3 weeks waiting for some socks.

I sent an email complaining and their reply was that it was in their T&C that they can't confirm an order until they go to dispatch it. I really am furious.

OP posts:
ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 10/11/2009 11:18

You could try
[email protected]

Or you could write to

Sir Stuart Rose
Marks and Spencer Group plc
Waterside House
35 North Wharf Road
London
W2 1NW

savoycabbage · 10/11/2009 11:18

Yes I have e-mailed their customer complaints when I had a problem with an online order and they were shocking. I would be furious if I were you.

The thing is that you almost have to use their online store as they never seem to have anything that is not a double A bra or a size 22 pair of trousers in their actual shops.

PheasantPlucker · 10/11/2009 11:20

I went to M&S to buy my mum a bag, they didn't have it, they suggested I ordered online through their customer services instore. It took ages, as the (very nice) sales lady cleraly had no idea what she was doing. I went to pick it up yesterday, as arranged. They had no bag. No apology. Then they called the central people, and the till lady bellowed at me 'there was a problem with your bank account, they couldn't get payment out' (In front of a queue of people - embarrassment!). I then asked to speak to the person on the phone, who admitted they had taken my card number down wrongly. No-one apologised. I told them to forget the order, I would go and spend my cash elsewhere.

BUT I did ask to speak to a manager, I did complain, and I DID tell him that MNers are currently not happy with their service! He said he would have a look at MN when he got home!!

I hope he does!

booboobeedoo · 10/11/2009 11:25

I did all my christmas shopping on-line last year (probably about 6 different places). The ONLY place that caused me any trouble at all was M&S. My order was split up, parts were late, parts were cancelled, in stock then out of stock etc. I won't be using them this year.

Original poster
YouDoughnut · 10/11/2009 11:28

I keep remembering more things to add here.

When I got the email saying they were out of stock, I rang my local M&S and also one in London to see if I could get one quickly by going to the store.

I told them I had the item number and they said they couldn't check stock with the item number, someone had to literally go round the whole floor looking for a bag that matched the description I gave on the phone. Of course this took at least 20 minutes for each store I rang. What big retailer in 2009 can't check stock levels instore with an item number? They really are still in the last century.

God, I'm getting angrier by the minute.

OP posts:
traceybath · 10/11/2009 11:31

It is very slow and also how do they manage to have such shit photography on their website - its almost like they make an item look as bad as they possibly can.

Original poster
YouDoughnut · 10/11/2009 11:33

I just found an email address for Sir Stuart Rose online and I sent him a link to this thread. I'm sure he won't read it himself but hopefully it'll get to someone in his office. Feeling a little bit better now.

OP posts:
Original poster
YouDoughnut · 10/11/2009 16:26

Well, I did get a reply from Sir Stuart's Executive Assistant assuring me that Sir Stuart is reading this thread and it has also been forwarded to the Director of Retail and M&S Direct. So take it away, ladies, tell M&S where they've been going wrong.

As others have mentioned before, I really would expect from M&S similar service to what you get from John Lewis, which I agree is excellent.

OP posts:
InterruptingKid · 10/11/2009 16:34

do you know what i DO like though, the way stuff stays in your basket so if oyu cant afford it/justify it one month its still there the next

also some of the customer reviews are VERY good.

like on the sequin skirt... - they can employ me if they like to try things on..

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 10/11/2009 16:34

John Lewis is fab (hmm, can we get Charlie Mayfield on here as well? ). IME they have always delivered quickly and have never been out of stock of anything.

InterruptingKid · 10/11/2009 16:35

i havent ever had the out of stock thing. I have had the taking 2 weeks though.
I ordered a school sweater ( ds) and a scarf last night - its coming on the 16th- SIX Days

of coruse there is NO winter school uniform in the shops... and i visited the Winchester Branch yest - sheesh it needs a facelift - I expected Miss Brahms to pop up/

bruffin · 10/11/2009 16:39

They don't always publish the bad reviews.I tried several times to put a bad review about the school blazers and they wouldn't put it on the website. There was already 20 odd bad reviews anyway and after that they only put the good reviews on.

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 10/11/2009 16:41

Things I do like about M&S:

The website is very easy to navigate.

The search functionality is easy to use.

The ability to zoom in on photographs works very well.

The choose-a-size-and-colour to see stock levels and order is clear and easy to use.

It's just the randomness of whether you will actually get anything you order, and the lead times involved in getting it even if you strike it lucky, that make my heart sink. It does, admittedly, bring a little excitement to my life wondering how many of the things I've ordered I'll actually get.

NancyBotwin · 10/11/2009 16:41

I ordered some stuff in the summer sale (including a skirt given a good review by you IK!) and none of it fitted properly so it all went back. I had also ordered a pair of plimsolls as it was supposed to be free delivery with any school stuff - I still got charged the full whack so ended up paying the normal delivery charge , effectively for one cheap pair of plimsolls!

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 10/11/2009 16:43

And I like the reviews -- forgot to mention that in previous post. Although if they won't publish the negative ones I am more about the whole thing.

InterruptingKid · 10/11/2009 16:44

oh boo to skrit being no good - that was one my mum got i think - the linen one? she looked ace in it.

some fo the photos are a bit ropey

InterruptingKid · 10/11/2009 16:44

they published my negative one abotu it shrinking then emailed me

InterruptingKid · 10/11/2009 16:45

and htis one about it being too short

InterruptingKid · 10/11/2009 16:46

rofl at the review above mine - she talks shit! "long and slender" my arse

Original poster
YouDoughnut · 10/11/2009 16:47

Yes, but some of these things (stuff staying in your shopping basket for a while, being able to select size and colour) is down to web development/programming. There's no point doing all that well if they fail on the basics: being able to check if these are in stock straightaway and getting your delivery within a week (I'd say that's the bare minimum for a delivery really). To not check stock until the thing is due to despatch two weeks later is just very very poor.

OP posts:
Flightattendant · 10/11/2009 16:48

JL delivery is great but I have to admit I was fed up with them the other night.

I tried to ask about a price match and they said they would initially reserve the three items and then put through the request to the right department - might take a week or two.

Phone call that evening, from sales girl saying she had got the TWO items in stock and I could come in and pick them up

I had to go through it all over again - I don't live near a store, just wanted to enquire about price match for erm three items, and thought they had already been reserved.

It was pants. Really confusing. Then I got another call the next day saying the price match doesn't apply to internet stores so no good anyway...never mind. They do seem to be very good usually though I am new to them.

kormaAAAARRRRGGHHchameleon · 10/11/2009 17:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

InterruptingKid · 10/11/2009 17:02

course you have! you hhad £5o of vouchers!

kormaAAAARRRRGGHHchameleon · 10/11/2009 17:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JackieNo · 10/11/2009 17:07

M&S have been very disappointing. I ordered a new school cardigan for DD the other day, seemed fine, all in stock. Nominated a day for delivery, then had an email saying it was going to be delayed. Then had a phone call from someone at M&S asking to agree a new delivery day. Then a couple of days after that, another email saying the cardigan was now out of stock . I was deeply pissed off.

Mind you, when things went out of stock a while ago, the system would come back and tell you it'd be available in a year's time, which was ludicrous.