Buying from Next online - not possible without a credit search?!

[Deleted User]

My OH went to buy a pair of jeans last night at Next online (https://www.next.co.uk). The jeans costs £30.99.

When she got the checkout part the first stumbling block was that the site required her to register before she could buy; fine, no problem, but not best practice for an e-tailer anyhow.

However, just as she was about to pay the site offers you two choices:

1) Pay £3.99 for postage and packaging but do not receive a copy of the Next catalogue.

OR

2) Pay £3.75 for a copy of the Next Catalogue but get free postage and packaging.

Underneath this, in very faint grey text, is the following:

I understand that a credit account will be opened for me, subject to status. For information on the Directory Account, including how we use your information, please view the Next Terms and Conditions


By clicking on the complete button below you are agreeing to a credit search being carried out. You will have the option to pay using a credit or debit card once you have completed your order.


Essentially, it seems to me that you can't buy anything on Next.co.uk without them conducting a credit check and opening a credit account for you. There is no means of opting-out of this or just buying the item you want.

As a result, she cancelled the transaction.


Surely this is quite shocking and very dubious behaviour on the part of an online retailer? I don't know anyone who tries to slip in a credit account and credit search just to buy an item.


Or have I missed something?

Bloomin_Freezing2

I thought this too so called up and ordered over the phone. They will open an account for you (to make it easier when ordering again etc) but you can have a cash account. I have a cash account so buy online immediately as and when I want something from them.

bosseyed

Yeah, my missus had the same thing a few weeks back - you can pay off the amount straight away after the credit account is opened , which she did (by debit card), but we thought it was a bit of a cheeky tactic to quietly try and snare people into leaving their purchases on a credit account, no doubt with 30% interest or something.

RadoJo

Quite a lot of online clothing stores do this - it obviously works for them so the only option is to shop in store or avoid them altogether, but whilst people are happy to open accounts with these terms there's not much incentive for them to change their processes.

[Deleted User]

RadoJo wrote: »

Quite a lot of online clothing stores do this - it obviously works for them so the only option is to shop in store or avoid them altogether, but whilst people are happy to open accounts with these terms there's not much incentive for them to change their processes.

I guess my point was that I spotted this before my OH could put the transaction through, but it really isn't very clear (in my opinion).

The text is worded to suggest that you only get credit searched if you apply for the catalogue and free shipping.

This just seems to be really poor practice for an online store - it seems really stupid from their perspective also as I imagine the drop-out rate is quite high (e.g. there are quite a few barriers to purchase - the registration process is quite lengthy when you compare buying something from amazon).

Is there nothing that should be looked into here by someone? It's a very underhand way of encouraging people to apply for credit.

RadoJo

Oh, I completely agree that it's not ideal for anyone who does not want credit, I just mean that I have noticed that several other stores (including some where you used to be able to pay by credit or debit card) have begun defaulting to a credit account. Next were (as I recall) one of the first who did this and lost my online custom as a result, but I think it is becoming increasingly common so you will need to keep a close eye on your OH at other online stores as well!

[Deleted User]

I have posted about this in the past as the same thing happened to me, only I was very stupid and failed to read the small print! I never fail to read the small print so it's typical that the one time I'm in a rush it's with Next! There was an additional problem in that they failed to give me a limit that was as large as the cost of the chair I thought I had just purchased. Then they put a 10% deposit on the account twice, the last one being after I had already asked them twice to cancel my order and close the account. Then the call centre kept me on hold for 25 mins then accidentally disconnected me. Then they tried to get me to keep my account open by telling me I didn't have to pay for their directory that they were about to send me, which was nice of them. However, I had already selected to pay for postage and not receive a directory. Then they tried the "such a valued customer" line even though at that point in time they hadn't had so much as a pound from me, ever. You get my drift, it was a nightmare from beginning to end and took 6 polite requests to close down my accidental account before they did it.

I'm happy I didn't love the place anyway as I certainly try and avoid it now!