The utter lying CON that is Empire Stores

KittyKate

Arrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhh I hate Empire Stores more than ever.

1 month ago I placed an order of a few bikini's and some flip-flops for my dad as a gift. Placed it in 2 orders, so I could benefit from the £10 off £20 code I had, and one I'd been emailed for a free watch. Paid in full on debit card 1 day later. The website said 'delivery on Thursday' (about 1 week after I placed the order) but it always tends to lie (lol) so I allowed it 2 weeks. I got confirmation emails for both.

2 and a half weeks later I called Empire to say, where's my order, I go on holiday in a week. They said it was still with the courier and I would have it in 1 week and 1 day (ie, the day after I flew). I complained and said over 3 weeks delivery was a sham. They agreed to call the courier back and see if they could deliver sooner (my items were WITH the courier in the SAME city as me but the courier was 'busy'). Empire said they'd call me back.

They didn't, and I made repeated calls where they said they couldnt get hold of the courier, they had left a voicemail, there was no more they could do etc etc. They assured me I would have my items before I flew and the courier would call me.

Well, the day before I flew I figured Empire were useless, lying sods and I went out and purchased 2 bikini's. During my week in Tenerife my mobile was on, no courier called me. Got back yesterday and called Empire today.

The advisor said 'your items were signed for 3 weeks ago. we have no record of you calling to chase this and the second order you placed was not recorded on our system either'.

I assured her that I had not signed for them nor would it be possible for a neighbour to as we live in managed apartments with intercom entry. She agreed to send me a copy of the signature so I could make an official complaint about the courier.

Angry, but I had planned on sending the bikini's back anyway as I obviously don't need them, I asked can I at least have my flipflops as they are a gift. No, because they have run out of stock :mad:

I was refunded in full but given the total run around for the past month, really inconvenienced me before my holiday, I've lost the £10 off code, didn't get my free watch..plus the numerous calls I've had to make. Empire stores are a total, total joke.

mrcow

KittyKate wrote:

1 month ago I placed an order of a few bikini's and some flip-flops for my dad as a gift.

Did they suit him?

deanos

Sounds like a problem with the courier TBH

KittyKate

I've never had a problem before but I suppose they could have changed couriers. I'm irritated they say I signed for it but when I called up after that time they said the courier had it - IMO they need to sort themselves out because they've lost a good (paying!) customer in me

Astaroth

I dont know about empire catalogue but certainly when I worked for a catalogue company we owned the courier company. For large parcels we had a fleet of vans driven by employees but for smaller items we had self employed people who delivered them in their own cars but only go something like 15p for each parcel they delivered with nothing paid for failed deliveries and nothing taken into consideration of how far apart the parcels they had to deliver were. Most the "couriers" were mums who would do them on their way back from dropping the kids off to school etc but they were terrible to try and get hold of (pre the proliferation of mobiles) and at times they wouldnt want to go 4 miles out their way to deliver something if there was nothing else in that area as the 15p for a 8 mile round trip didnt add up so they would hang on to the parcel until they had others in the area to deliver

KittyKate

Astaroth wrote:

I dont know about empire catalogue but certainly when I worked for a catalogue company we owned the courier company. For large parcels we had a fleet of vans driven by employees but for smaller items we had self employed people who delivered them in their own cars but only go something like 15p for each parcel they delivered with nothing paid for failed deliveries and nothing taken into consideration of how far apart the parcels they had to deliver were. Most the "couriers" were mums who would do them on their way back from dropping the kids off to school etc but they were terrible to try and get hold of (pre the proliferation of mobiles) and at times they wouldnt want to go 4 miles out their way to deliver something if there was nothing else in that area as the 15p for a 8 mile round trip didnt add up so they would hang on to the parcel until they had others in the area to deliver

The point being though; I was promised delivery 1 week after I ordered the items. 1 month later I had nothing and the courier said I'd signed for it when they hadn't even been to my apartment complex! (It's in between a canal and a river - ie, its not like the courier could have gone to a neighbouring building, we don't have any!)

What a scam they tell you it will be there in a week. If the couriers only get 15p per parcel or not they should be considerate they are holding someone's holiday gear, birthday present, etc. You pay for items to sit in some courier's car until they feel like delivering it!? That has to be against some code :mad: Grrarrrrr *fumes* it's really not my week for deliveries (just been messed around by Tesco as well!)

ViJay_3

KittyKate wrote:

1 month ago I placed an order of a few bikini's and some flip-flops for my dad as a gift.

Brave man your dad...wearing bikinis. Are they for use in private or does he actually wear them in public?

IvanOpinion

Sod the bikinis which I am sure suited him to a tea .. please tell me he waxed before putting them on .. I think any man in flip flops looks a bit light on the loafers (so to speak)

Ivan

littlejaffa

I had similar problems and it was the courier that cause my probs, claiming he'd left the goods in my shed, I said (without checking) that wasn't possible it was padlocked, he couldn't get in unless he broke in, after alot of bother I got his mobile number from empire, and it turned out he had broke into the shed, and he didn't see a problem with it!

I gave empire hell and they basically said there was nothing they could do, the courier was with a seperate company.
And they refused to refund the cost of a new lock for my shed!:mad:

C_Ronaldo

littlejaffa

did you speak to the couriers bosses re the cost of a new lock

littlejaffa

C_Ronaldo wrote:

littlejaffa

did you speak to the couriers bosses re the cost of a new lock

they didn't see a problem with it, basically said if the lock was that good the courier wouldn't have been able to get in and i should be greatfull he wasn't a burglar and how they'd really done me a favour etc etc etc.
in the end (it went on for weeks) i was glad it was all finalised paying a few ££'s for a lock and the lesson never to use empire was less hassle than battling on