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

robmar0se

purpleperile wrote: »

just like a lot of you I got the email recently (over the weekend) promising to advise me about my order over the next few days - and still waiting - and still expecting another long wait - nearly 2 months now since they had my money. Great for anyone that has had their dyson - but I'm not holding my breath - still wondering if they have actually sold anything else as it's only the dysons that seem to be giving the problems.

The way I see it is that Utopia are facing 3 problems right now:

1. There is a general shortage of stock in the market at present.
2. Prices have increased approx £20 across the market, including Utopia's.
3. Vat has gone up.

This means that for orders outstanding prior to Christmas, Utopia can’t either fulfil, or would make a loss.

These latest emails sound like a holding operation similar to the one they used before Christmas (putting the phone(s) on answerphone while they fulfil orders!) - maybe even newer orders have a better chance of being filled due to the price change?

If they do have financial problems, they can either string it out, perhaps filling occasional orders to give a feeling of normality, or just wait for punters to give up. If it was me (I did order, but luckily paying cash scared me – (but was tempted admittedly), I would get in quick and formally cancel, reminding them of the 30 day rule. If you’re going to lose, it might as well be knowing you tried to get yr money back.

BOYLEY_2

i got this on the 25/1/11, Can you please confirm your order number please so we can check your order, off anthony, any one else got one. this was on this site

johng001

Amazingly, because I am sort of in the related business of data security and member of the Consumers Association, I have fallen for this practice. Whether this is a poorly run business or a scam that is a little more subtle than the norm, I cannot believe I have fallen for this after ordering in December, but I too had the credit card 'problem' and request for the cheque. I am so annoyed to find after reading this forum that Utopia have been playing this credit card ploy for over 12 months and are still trading. Wake up folks - a genuine business would not/could not do that and for all of the satisfied customer posts here ... just look at this ploy's track history and do some simple mental maths. What a lot of money must have been cashed without handover of goods and I wonder where this money is now - if the company is trading insolvently and the money has found it's way into owner's pockets in any way, then this is a prisonable offence.
My emails are read, my official cancellation and request for refund (after following Utopia's T&Cs, let alone Trading Standards) are accepted, but there is absolute silence/zilch response to my queries or requests.
I am so annoyed at being treated like this that I will be exercising every option I can find to recover my monies, including all costs.
If anybody else is proceeding through the small claims court, I would be grateful to hear of how that is proceeding as I am initiating my own claim now.
Conversely, I will do the right thing and am happy to share with anybody if Utopia actually do respond and do the right thing by refunding my money and mounting costs sooner rather than later.
As you may be able to tell, I am one very angry customer at present.

Khaliduk

I cancelled my order via email and fax and surprisingly i get a call from John and he confirmed to me that the payment had reached him and he will send me the Dyson tomorrow and I should receive it by Monday/Tuesday. Lets see

Jennifer

So, as I only filled in my credit card details on the Utopia site for a Dyson, I am in no danger of losing money?
Is the Dyson likely to turn up with just my offered credit card payment?

J

Khaliduk

Jennifer wrote: »

So, as I only filled in my credit card details on the Utopia site for a Dyson, I am in no danger of losing money?
Is the Dyson likely to turn up with just my offered credit card payment?

J

You will more than likely receive an email saying that the payment cannot be processed and if you wish to continue the order then please pay via cheque or bank transfer.

As mentioned in my previous quote the gentleman has been in contact with me and promised me that the Dyson DC31 Animal will be shipped out tomorrow and should receive by latest tuesday otherwise i will have no option but to cancel the order.

Will keep you posted.

Jennifer

Re:- My Post #336
I phoned all the available numbers at Utopia and left messages to call me back about the order. I also emailed twice with the same message to both the sales and shipping addresses. The Dyson was supposed to be delivered yesterday 28th Jan.

No return email or phone call has been received. I have now ordered the same item, (DC31 Animal), from Amazon at £129.95 including delivery then cancelled/stopped my credit card as advised on this forum and by my CC provider. They informed me that no charge to the card is in "the pipeline" from Utopia.

No email received from Utopia about cheque or direct bank transfer payment either - I would not have fallen for this risky payment method in any case.

My Dyson from Amazon is already in the regional Depot ready for delivery to me - probably Monday.

Utopia - may save you £10 but you will not know the status of your order for some time - and you risk losing all your cash. Stress Level - V. High
Amazon - Dyson back in stock yesterday and only £9.96 more with Credit Card payment accepted - free delivery available. No Stress.
J

Jennifer

pod1977 wrote: »

My unit has just arrived all fully sealed. If I can do anything to prove this to anyone then please let me know.

That's 50 days from 1st order to get your vac. are you happy with the wait?

BTW - to those buying a vac for their wives for Christmas - you're lucky it didn't arrive - you might have ended up wearing it!!
J

vikingaero

BOYLEY wrote: »

i got this on the 25/1/11, Can you please confirm your order number please so we can check your order, off anthony, any one else got one. this was on this site

Interesting that Boyley says to Check Your Private Messages. So Anthony/John are PMing people on MSE who are complaining to fulfil their orders. Thing is: Is this at the expense of people who have been waiting longer?

People have called this a scam. Is this a scam? In my opinion it isn't. Poor trading yes. Goods are being supplied but after a long lead. I imagine that Utopia bulk buy - so they have people ordering, the money goes into their account, then they order when they have enough for the minimum to qualify for a bulk discount. Of course this means that those who paid money in first will wait the longest. And if people complain on MSE then Utopia Private Message them and supply them to shut people up - at the expense of those who may have ordered first and not complained. Hmmmm.

dorzov

Like many of you I have been awaiting delivery of the Dyson DC31 I ordered from Utopia in early December. After various delaying emails from John / Anthony (is this the same person?) I have heard nothing from them for over a week and have now requested a full refund by email and I will be following this up with a letter by recorded delivery.

This could be a scam or a very, very poorly run operation. Either way, I would urge anyone else in the same position to contact Consumers Direct at the very least (Tel: 08454 040506) as this clearly needs to be investigated by the authorities.

I will keep you posted on whether I receive my Dyson or a refund and if neither what further action I will be taking.