VENT: Early Learning Centre/Daily Express offer 16 October

Sunny_Saver

Yesterday's Daily Express (16 October) had a coupon for a free toy from Early Learning Centre (ELC).

What a waste of time.

My mum went to a few ELCs and at each one was told that none had been sent from head office.

This morning I rung up ELC Customer Service and was told 'we're not delivering the toy until later on this week' and only to certain stores. I was told to go back during the week. Fat lot of good that is!

I asked why did you put the voucher in the Saturday paper saying that it was available from Saturday October 16. She said: 'Sorry'. In fact it's not only on page 39 of the paper but on the front page under the masthead that it's available from 'today', ie Saturday.

I then emailed to complain and was told by Vincent Wong, Internet Customer Services:

'There are some stores which have stock, however, the stores which are participating are taking reservations for the first 48 customers. Once the reservations have been filled we ca only advised to wait until stock arrives.'

I'm not sure what he means when he says some stores have stock, as this contradicts what the other Customer Services assistant told me and what the stores told my mother, ie that deliveries won't be made until later on in the week, so no stores had stock on the weekend.

I also have no idea what he means when he state stores are taking reservations for the first 48 customers, as the stores visited yesterday said nothing about taking reservations, and this is not normally the done thing when it comes to freebies.

Likewise, no idea what it means when he says when 'reservations have been filled we ca [sic] only advised [sic] to wait until stock arrives'.

Sounds like a fob off and a waste of our time and money to me. :mad:

I know all coupons state 'available while stocks last' but by the sounds of what other posters here have said, ELC had nothing in the stores yesterday at all.

I then emailed Vincent Wong back to ask if ELC could send me a toy. He replied no and:

I asked if they could send me one, given that it was their c*ck up in not delivering any to the stores on Saturday. I was told no...

'The stores cannot take anymore than 48 reservations. If these had been filled before you visited the store they would no longer offer to reserve the item.'

I wish I could speak to someone at ELC who knew what they were doing .

Can't say I'm impressed by their Customer Services and it appears I'm not alone http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews106118.html. Just as well that Debenhams and Boots sell ELC toys a lot cheaper than ELC itself.

Esqui

Bit of a !!!!-up there - and you had to buy the Daily Express. My sympathies.

trisontana

Sounds like a repeat (on a smaller scale) of that Express "£10 cruise for all our readers" shambles where people were still waiting for their cruise three years after the offer.

Freddie_Snowbits

That summed it up, either the daily Excess or is it now the Daily Sex-pressed

Sunny_Saver

I do think this time it was ELC's co*k up though. No one in the stores knew what was happening and head office Customer Services couldn't care less.

Sunny_Saver

Esqui wrote: »

... and you had to buy the Daily Express.

Exactly :eek:!

GillsMan7

Complain to the ASA. Under advertising rules, they have to ensure that stores have enough stock to satisfy anticipated demand. Doesn't look like they did in this instance. You can complain via their website, https://www.asa.org.uk.

Sunny_Saver

GillsMan7 wrote: »

Complain to the ASA. Under advertising rules, they have to ensure that stores have enough stock to satisfy anticipated demand. Doesn't look like they did in this instance. You can complain via their website, www.asa.org.uk.

Done.

What annoyed me was the unhelpfulness of customer services. Plus it didn't seem as if they knew what they were talking about!