WARNING Utopia Office Ltd consortium - cheap Dyson DC31 Animal - or not!

loztiggy

http://www.employeasily.co.uk/job-board/job/20/area-sales-manager-at-utopia-office/

Guess in their next ad they will be looking for people who have held a MSE forums username for more than 2 years and a post count over 100 lol.

vikingaero

Utopia Office website is now back online.

Brendan_Townsend

Hello all.

I ordered my Dyson DC31 Animal from Utopia last week and, in response to their email, paid by bank transfer after satisfying myself that the company was genuine. It's also located in Bury St. Edmunds (not too far from me in Cambridge).

As per the email the goods were dispatched on Friday by FedEx and received today, safe and sound.

Now I'd admit to being concerned when a colleague pointed out this MSE forum (i.e. Utopia website intermittent, inability to process card transactions in the follow-up email, and a FedEx tracking number that wasn't recognised on FedEx), the goods were delivered safely, in good time when promised, and I have just successfully registered the serial number on the Dyson website.

I can't comment on the reasons for the broken FedEx tracking number, though I have reported this as a verifiable issue.

With so many real scammers around, it's wise to be cautious. In this case however, there appears to have been a number of issues coinciding to suggest a scam - but clearly NOT the case. We should also remember that a scam is by definition an attempt to defraud, though receiving genuine product when promised is hardly that.

People have mentioned a price "too good to be true", so perhaps good reason to give these guys at-least a little credit for offering this popular product at an extremely competitive price (express dispatch included in my case). By this I'm not attempting to defend their business decisions or reported delayed replies to emails (etc) but service is a cost to any business which gets passed on to consumers.

This genuine and attractive price (in my view) would appear to be at the expense of levels of service that the larger companies can accommodate more easily - from staff to record and answer email enquiries, to credit card transaction handlers that charge transaction and administration fees. Perhaps a need to minimise service costs is the driver behind these issues, and for their sake I hope these can be resolved soon.

OK... so, as a new poster, who am I. Well, I can be found on LinkedIn (as a new poster I cannot post links, so just look up Brendan Townsend Cambridge) and, as a 1st-million member, have been there for some time.

Others have asked about images to evidence delivery, though sadly I don't appear to be able to upload an image directly to this forum (can only post a link). However, if a forum admin were to request such an image for this feverish and popular thread then I'll be happy to oblige (with sensitive information pixelated for the usual security purposes).

Hopefully this will be of some comfort to those awaiting their goods, and go some way to countering the many (understandable) doubters. Of-course I could be "best friends" with the company concerned, though if that is what you believe then I can offer little more than what I have already said.

All the best,
Brendan.

Brendan_Townsend

Hello Seymour.

Should you wish to confirm dispatch/status then I'd suggest a call to FedEx, quoting merchant and delivery address (etc), as the unrecognised number that was first quoted by Utopia was the very same number printed on the delivery label - along with the FedEx logo. Possibly something to do with sender-printed labels using merchant tools provided by FedEx? When I started a Cambridge Company in 2007 we set up FedEx International shipments and was a complicated process, so I'm guessing something mundane behind it. Does little to inspire confidence though, so I have reported this to Utopia.

All the best,

Brendan.

clawlessdragon

Thanks Brendan for the lengthy response which sounds genuine- but I don't understand why I placed an order on the 7th Dec and have not had confirmation of delivery and you placed an order last week and have recd delivery.

Oh following from my earlier message... after a few phone calls I did get through to someone on a mobile (not Anthony) who took my details and said they would look into my order and get back to me tonight either by phone or e-mail.... it's now 10.30pm... not a thing.

Brendan_Townsend

Hello 'Clawlessdragon'.

Given my personal experience and the delay with your order, it clearly deserves renewed attention to expedite.

After I had paid I received an email from John Ensingner ([EMAIL="jensinger@utopia-office.co.uk"]jensinger@utopia-office.co.uk[/EMAIL]), confirming dispatch schedule, on Thu 16th Dec at 23:57. I was (as usual) working late, so after receiving notification I replied at 00:48 to jest at "We two professionals playing the pre-Xmas catch-up". I was surprised at John's reply at 00:53, so perhaps the chance of a reply this evening still. I really hope it's resolved for you soon.

All the best,

Brendan.

lolcoops

I have still not receive anything since thursday they said they would have it shipped out today and let me know over the weekend nothing. I placed my order on the 6th. I do really hope I receive it, just about given up hope! dont no what I am going to do for my mum for xmas now

clawlessdragon

Brendan_Townsend wrote: »

Hello 'Clawlessdragon'.

Given my personal experience and the delay with your order, it clearly deserves renewed attention to expedite.

After I had paid I received an email from John Ensingner ([EMAIL="jensinger@utopia-office.co.uk"]jensinger@utopia-office.co.uk[/EMAIL]), confirming dispatch schedule, on Thu 16th Dec at 23:57. I was (as usual) working late, so after receiving notification I replied at 00:48 to jest at "We two professionals playing the pre-Xmas catch-up". I was surprised at John's reply at 00:53, so perhaps the chance of a reply this evening still. I really hope it's resolved for you soon.

All the best,

Brendan.

thanks Brendan for the confirmation - it feels me with a little hope... but still no contact... I guess they are snowed under (no pun intented) and have 100's of waiting customers, but I can't afford to wait anymore - I will report back (good or bad) how I get on with them... at least I managed to talk to someone yesterday.

loztiggy

I still dont believe it....

I think you should all use your right to cancel as offered by the website
"If for any reason we are unable to deliver this order within the time scale specified above, we will advise you immediately as to when the order will be delivered to you. If for any reason we are unable to deliver your order within the above time scale you may at your option cancel the order and we will arrange a full refund for you."

if you dont get a timely refund then its certain a scam, as you dnot seem to be getting your dysons...

stopthecon

For anyone who has paid by cash transfer and not received their dyson i would ring the accounts number posted earlier,King and King in London.Phone is usually answered by Caroline. This seems to be the best way to get a response and usually Dysons are delivered within a day. Mine came with just bubble wrap around a dyson box via fedex. Don't just assume you have lost the money...