Approved Food - general discussion thread

mdecker_london

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

mmmmmmmmmmmm did i name you?

You're missing the point. Customers of Approved Foods should be able to post about their experience without having you tell them to 'lighten up'.

We have a trader here who's taking money out of customers' banks accounts WEEKS before he can deliver, and for goods he DOESN'T have in stock. That's what people are concerned about, and it's patronising for you to tell people what to do or think.

jaytin

tricki1 wrote: »

MDecker - Do you have proof that AF is actually taking payment more than 24 hours before shipping, or are you confusing the payment authorisation that shows up on your bank statement with the actual payment? Authorisations for payment sometimes show up on bank statements, and look just like a payment, when they are really just a guarantee that the amount will be available when the seller completes the order. I think that is the case, however I could be incorrect, I just thought it could offer an explanation as to why you appear to be charged before time.

Our credit card was charged on the 16th of January and our parcel was dispatched 19 days later, I know this for a fact because I just checked. I have no idea of whether this is legal or not, I just know that it was the case on this occassion. I wish everyone would calm down and stop being so angry.

Smashing

THe full amount was also taken on the day I ordered.

mdecker_london

jaytin wrote: »

Our credit card was charged on the 16th of January and our parcel was dispatched 19 days later, I know this for a fact because I just checked. I have no idea of whether this is legal or not, I just know that it was the case on this occassion. I wish everyone would calm down and stop being so angry.

I'm not angry. Here's a smiley to prove it. :rotfl: All I'm doing is reporting here on my experience of Approved Foods.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

mdecker_london wrote: »

You're missing the point. Customers of Approved Foods should be able to post about their experience without having you tell them to 'lighten up'.

We have a trader here who's taking money out of customers' banks accounts WEEKS before he can deliver, and for goods he DOESN'T have in stock. That's what people are concerned about, and it's patronising for you to tell people what do do or think.

obviously you have never been in business, let alone seen a MEGA growth over night...

i can see, and know waht Dan is going through as my business has gone through the roof, and i have had to employ more staff, and sometimes even though you employ more people you actually take a step back in productivity or picking, and packing in Dan's case. until a routine has been established...

he prob only had a little area where he done is packing, now he prob needs a vast area to pack and store the orders ready to go out... i have spoken to Dan on various occasion, yes due to blips with my order...etc.. and he is a genuine guy.. to you honestly think a crook would refund you ...i think NOT..

so i stand by my statement...

markray007

Right, here's my take on it. I have had two orders delivered and have visited the warehouse(s) on a couple of occasions, and i will be going again on friday. I am lucky to live close by. One of the previous posters has it right, Dans business has increased beyond his wildest dreams, at a speed which was impossible to predict or plan for. He has pulled out all the stops, hired staff, leased a new warehouse and is constantly striving to improve. I know that Dan will be unhappy that some people are dissapointed with their orders, and I cant imagine that he is unwilling to put t right with them, but thats a seperate issue I guess.

Things will improve, I know. I'm giving Dan a chance, because in this day and age, in this climate, I'm thrilled that someone is making a go of it, giving us excellent deals, saving us tons of cash and TRYING, despite facing hurdles to please everyone.

There...rant over.

jaytin

mdecker_london wrote: »

I'm not angry. Here's a smiley to prove it. :rotfl: All I'm doing is reporting here on my experience of Approved Foods.

Here have a hug, you definitely deserve it! *big hugs* I know you are feeling frustrated and I totally understand how you feel. This is a forum and just as other people are entitled to say 'my 23 orders have all gone without a hitch and I am hip deep in lovely bakin boys cakes' so too are you entitled to say that you have not had such a good time. We all need to realise that not everyone is 100% happy with how things have gone. Whether or not some mistakes could have been prevented is another topic! As for my earlier post about when my credit card was charged, I got a partial refund the same day my parcel was dispatched, so the refund was also 19 days after payment. I am pretty sure Mastercard would not lie to us about when the money was taken... :eek:

COOLTRIKERCHICK

markray007 wrote: »

Right, here's my take on it. I have had two orders delivered and have visited the warehouse(s) on a couple of occasions, and i will be going again on friday. I am lucky to live close by. One of the previous posters has it right, Dans business has increased beyond his wildest dreams, at a speed which was impossible to predict or plan for. He has pulled out all the stops, hired staff, leased a new warehouse and is constantly striving to improve. I know that Dan will be unhappy that some people are dissapointed with their orders, and I cant imagine that he is unwilling to put t right with them, but thats a seperate issue I guess.

Things will improve, I know. I'm giving Dan a chance, because in this day and age, in this climate, I'm thrilled that someone is making a go of it, giving us excellent deals, saving us tons of cash and TRYING, despite facing hurdles to please everyone.

There...rant over.

not a rant just realising and seeing first hand what has happened with Dan's business

mdecker_london

tricki1 wrote: »

Ok suggest you take it up with AF and Google, as they will have the records to back up your side of the story. Posting it here is pointless as we cannot do anything about it. And you know that someone is bound to say you are making it up or faking the records no matter how much proof you show, because people are like that, its only human, so just stick to those who have to deal with any complaint.

If you are correct, then I would suspect that it is an oversight due to pressure, and not genuine knowing malfeasance but that is only my opinion, and either way it needs bringing to the proper attention so the mistake can be handled. Have you actually made a complaint to AF and told them you think they are going against the policies of google checkout? If not I suggest you do.

I know I might get chided for suggesting this - but something like this needs to be nipped in the bud before it gets to be a legal problem, so making sure AF knows a customer is likely to make a formal complaint is the best way to make sure they realise that there could be a problem and change their practise, before they get thier google checkout account revoked. If there is only one complaint and the problem is dealt with quickly it shouldn't cause problems.

Edit: where did you get the full google account record from btw? from your bank? On google checkout it shows it like this
2 Feb Your credit card was refunded for *****
Reason: Item out of stock
16 Jan Crags Cash and CarryUK Maestro GOOGLE *Approved food
16 Jan Crags Cash and Carry received your order.
16 Jan You placed an order with Crags Cash and Carry on Google Checkout sent a copy of this receipt to

So where do you go to get the full records?

Approved Foods send you a copy of *their* Google checkout records instead of a proper invoice (e.g. it's the complete Google order record with biro all over it where the picker does the packing/refunds). Have a look on your own 'invoice' included in the box and you'll see what I mean.

I don't think there's a dispute that people are getting charged in full on the day they place their order - I see two other posters had this experience.

Whether you excuse such behaviour as 'an oversight due to pressure' or not, it's still (at best) incompetent.

I've spent a disproportionate amount of time on what is, at the end of the day, an insignificant bit of shopping - so I'm not going to spend more time phoning and emailing anyone to complain. What I *will* do is write of my experience here on MSE, so that others can make their own judgement on whether ordering food from AF is a good idea or not.

Mistymaid

... erm, can I just clarify here ... my orders haven't gone without a hitch ... don't know how that rumour got spread about. In fact if you pop over to the original thread I think you will find I got a bit of a telling off from Sarah for complaining about delivery times ... ahem!

... and also, am I the only person who actually thought that money would be taken from my account the second I pressed the order button?
Must be honest, never checked when mine went out, just presumed it was like PP and you sent it, the other person received it and refunded you as and when if necessary ...