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How Staples are dealing with hard times (not)

I ordered some notebooks online a month ago, costing just short of £10.
Staples took my CC payment and acknowledged the order.
Later that day they advised me by e-mail that my order was 'on its way' and I should receive the goods the next working day. Using DHL.
Nothing received for several days.
Tried to track my order via DHL. They didn't know what I was talking about.
Back to Staples. Their reply (paraphrased) 'Oh, we find that this item is a discontinued line. The confirmation that it was 'on its way' was a bit Harry Potter. We apologise, and a refund to your credit card will be made.
I get two invoices which I don't understand, but a figure of 44 pence appears on each.
A week later I check my CC account. Nothing showing.
Back to Staples. I get rather critical and suggest it might be a reasonable gesture on their part to up my refund by a pound or two to compensate me for the trouble, stress and strain etc. Their reply: Oh, sorry, the money has been credited to your Staples account, not to your CC. We will correct it.
I get a phone call from someone to arrange the refund of only what I paid to my CC. I tell them that I want more than the bare refund, to go back to CS and to phone me back the same day, when they have arranged something.
I hear nothing for a week. I e-mail Staples again with a very tough stance, including the comment that they don't give a toss about satisfying customers.
This is part of their simple, no-strings reply:
'As stated in the terms and conditions Staples do not offer any compensation
for any consequential loss due to late or non-delivery'.
I am now going to ask for a cheque, and will abandon the losing battle. It's taken over a month and they caused all the problems in the first place.
I have started to get catalogues, cut-price lists etc in the post from them. I do not propose to put a stop to them. They go straight to re-cycling and the postage etc costs that they incur will be wasted, and I don't care.
I have moved my business to Rymans and others.

Comments

  • Barneysmom
    Barneysmom Posts: 10,130 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Is that a good way to hold on to someone's money and get a bit of interest on it, then give it back?
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  • Halloway
    Halloway Posts: 1,612 Forumite
    Barneysmom wrote: »
    Is that a good way to hold on to someone's money and get a bit of interest on it, then give it back?

    Well let's see: Assume a generous annual interest rate of 5%. That means over a year on £10 one would earn 50p. I can't tell exactly how long Staples were hoarding the £10 but if we say three weeks then that works out at slightly less than 3p. Well worth it.

    It's much more likely that the item was.... shock... out of stock. Never attribute to conspiracy that which can be explained by incompetence.
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