Homebase 'Reserve & Collect' - RUBBISH. Homebase customer service - AAAARRRRGGGHH!!!

kmd74

:mad: :mad: :mad: Grrr.... I have just wasted 1.5 hours of my Sunday afternoon thanks to Homebase.

This morning I reserved an electric blanket on their website using the 'Reserve & Collect' "service". The site stated that my nearest store (Acton in West London) had three blankets in stock, and that my reservation would be ready for collection from 3pm. I received an email and text message stating the same.

Turned up to the store about 3.30pm and was told they didn't have any in stock and that my reservation wasn't confirmed until I received a second text message. WHAT second text message? The first one very clearly stated that my reservation had been made and would be available that afternoon. At no point in time was there any mention of a second text message - in fact, looking at the explanation of the Reserve & Collect process on the HB website, there is also no mention, but it does say that they will contact you if there's any problem with your reservation. I was not contacted to say they had no stock!!!

When I pointed out that the website said they had three blankets in stock the girl said that "the system" isn't always up-to-date with stock levels. Well, hardly my problem if a large retail organisation can't manage their inventory, is it??

"Oh but we'll be getting a delivery in on Tuesday" - well great, so there will be more blankets delivered then? "No, we don't know what is going to be in the delivery". OMG!!!!!!!

Asked them to request the product from another branch and have it delivered to my home at no charge. Manager refused. Requested they source the product from another store and have it delivered to my nearest store so I could pick it up. Guy I was dealing with said "we can't do that", his colleague said "ask a manager if they can do an IST" which I presume is an inter-store transfer. Guy went to speak to a different manager, came back and told me they don't have the facilities to do that.

Rubbish!!!!! You're telling me a nationwide retail organisation doesn't transfer goods between branches??!!!

Or is the manager simply lying about there being no such thing as an IST, just to get rid of me? :mad:

UNBELIEVABLE. I am fuming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AVOID HOMEBASE LIKE THE PLAGUE.

trumpton

I would write to Head Offfice and ask for a response. It's very poor service. I have had similar in B and Q - got there and one hadn't been put aside, but there were plenty on the shelves so it didn't matter. I have reserved a few things at Currys and then got a phonecall to say the item wasn't available. It is very poor that they offer a reserve service but the stock system isn't accurate - they shouldn't offer reserve and collect in that case.

vikingaero

Homebase and Argos are both part of Home Retail Group, so you can expect sh1tty service from them.

trumpton

I have always found the Argos reserve system to be accurate. If anything, I keep expecting to get banned because I reserve things then don't collect - I would ring and cancel but it just goes to a central number. The crappest thing about Argos is that they have loads of stuff half-priceon the web site but there is no stock anywhere in the country. Makes it look like they have lots of great deals, when in fact all were sold months ago.

Sessie

You are SOOO right Trumpton!

Someone gave me the link to the Argos clearance items site and I thought I'd landed on my feet - really cheap bedding, linen.. all sorts. Only.. next to nearly every produce "out of stock"... "out of stock"....

It's SUCH a gimmick! :mad:

x

kmd74

Thanks everyone for your support. I will definitely highlight the issue in writing, both to Head Office and to the GM of the Acton branch.

I ended up reserving (and collecting this time too!) the product from the Hayes branch near my office. I called first though, to confirm they had my reservation. The face-to-face service in-store was still a bit patchy but I got the product and it - touch wood - works fine.

Re; Argos - I only recently became aware that HB and Argos are part of the same group. I've always had an excellent experience with Argos' reserve & collect system. I would've happily bought the product from Argos instead - but HB had it for £20 less!!! In the end it was worth the pain to get the deal.