Kaleidoscope or Kaleidojoke more like

thelurch

Just a warning to anyone tempted to order anything more than a jumper from Kaleidoscope.co.uk. They are part of the Freemans group I believe.

Anyway I ordered a Samsung TV from them as they were the only place still with stock as the TV was discontinued and I really wanted this particular model. Their price for the TV was quite high and I would never have dreamt of ordering from an online/catalogue firm if the TV was readily instock elsewhere.

I phoned their order number and actually asked if the TV was in stock and they said they had 17 units in stock so I asked if I could order one using my credit card. The guy I spoke to really didnt want me to order from him as it seemed like too much hassle for him. He told me to do it via the website which I did.

I got my email confirmation which said the same as the item description
that delivery would be within 4 working days and I should expect a phonecall within a day to organise the delivery.

I got the phonecall after 2 days and they tried to bring up the next available date for delivery and the system wouldnt provide a date! so they phoned back the next day with a date which was the 24th April, bearing in mind I ordered the TV on the 26th March! so nearly 4 weeks to deliver.

I expressed my disatifaction and was told that they shouldnt be quoting 4 days.

I kept the order as I really wanted the TV but a few days later I found the same TV on another website £300 cheaper and in stock for next day delivery which I ordered and have sitting in my lounge.

I checked the TV to make sure it was working and then phoned up to cancel the order which they said they would do.

Their online tracking was fairly limited, it just said "order being progressed" and it turns out it takes at least a couple of days to update any changes.

I asked them to send me an email to confirm the cancellation which they said they couldnt do and I also asked them if they had actually debited my credit card for the amount and they said no, not until it is dispatched.

I have been monitoring my order tracking to ensure the status changes to cancelled which it did today but it then listed the postage and packaging as a separate charge of £25 and it said "contact us" so I did today.

They were still going to charge me for the delivery of the TV even though it wasnt going to go anywhere for another 2 weeks! I argued that they couldnt do this and got to speak to a supervisor who agreed just this once to waive the delivery charge on a cancelled order!!

It also turns out they had taken the full amount from my credit card the day after ordering

So I now have to watch my statements to make sure they refund the full amount within the 30 days which they lawfully have to do under credit law

So a warning to those out there who are tempted to buy something bigger than a cardigan from Kaleidoscope/freemans. Dont do it even if they are the only place with the particular product in stock, there will be a reason for that.........they are incompetent and wouldnt know what customer service was if it bit them on their backside.

I just hope my refund goes thorugh before they go under as they must be on borrowed time as their incompetance lost them a £1500 order from me.

AVOID!!!!!

(and if you work for them, you have my sympathies!

Spartacus_Mills

Please note this organisation is nothing to do with this Kaleidoscope, http://www.kaleidoscope.org.uk/, who are a small publishing company who are extremely honest and reputable and I have bought several items from them with no problem at all.

trevor_john

I cannot understand what has happened to Kaleidoscope recently as they seem to be in a complete shambles. I have had parcels go missing, account !!!!-ups, letters saying items are out of stock when you can clearly still order them from the website and get confirmation that they ARE in stock.
I have been a customer for a few years and they have been fine but for about 3 months now it seems like it's being run by 5 year olds.
Has anyone else had similar trouble recently?
Interestingly enough it only seems to be on non-clothing items where the trouble lies.

scotty1971

yes my partner has had trouble,ordered two dresses which weren't cheap,never arrived,just the free watch and bracelet came,with a note saying dresses to follow,so e-mailed to ask when they would arrive as they had billed her account,they replied she had them,well she certainly hadn't,then they e-mailed and said they were out of stock,very disappointed with them