World Books

Anniek1969

Just wondering if anyone else has had a problem with World Books. In July I took up the introductory offer of six books at a reduced rate and would buy another four within the next year. I ordered the books and after about three weeks I was leaving the house one morning and noticed something behind a box I had in the garden, this was my order of books. It was put behind this box and I have no idea how long it had been lying there, no note through the door to say they had tried to deliver it. Thankfully it was a dry day so the books were fine.

When I opened the box none of the books inside where the ones I ordered, I emailed them straight away and explained that they had sent me the wrong books. I had an email back from them which just included a copy of the invoice they sent with the books. I emailed again asking them to check my original order and send me a copy of it as they had sent me the wrong books. The next thing I received was a reminder for payment. Yet again another email, yet again another demand for payment.

I finally wrote to them last month, bearing in mind that this all started at the begining of August and this morning I received a nice letter from them telling me that as I have not paid they have added the full cost of the books to my account which totals around £100 and if I don't pay in full they will pass it on to a DCA.

I have asked them to pick up the incorrect order in the emails I sent them but I feel that they are just totally ignoring me. I don't want to pay for books I don't want but don't know what my rights are.

I think I am going to write again and send it recorded delivery this time.

belleooo

Anniek1969 wrote:

I have asked them to pick up the incorrect order in the emails I sent them but I feel that they are just totally ignoring me. I don't want to pay for books I don't want but don't know what my rights are.

I think I am going to write again and send it recorded delivery this time.

I'm sorry Anniek1969 I cannot offer any real advice but would like to add I had a similar experience with Books for Children which are from the same set up as World Books. Illness and a family bereavement meant I was late paying for my introductory selection and payment was sent two months after receipt of books. Payment was refused even though I explained the delay to them. They had apparently passed on the debt to a debt recovery agency. I never received any warnings that they were going to do this only the usual reminders. I ended up paying the debt collection agency £189 for poxy books I could have bought for a fraction of the price from the internet. BCA should be avoided like the plague. Here's hoping that supermarket book sales and cheap alternatives like the book people means the end of these clubs.

Wig

OP,

You didn't say you had phoned them, so assuming it's not 0870 try phoning them. And if you don't get anywhere ask for a supervisor.

Check saynoto0870 for an alternate number. If not phone any head office number that is not 0870.

Did the original offer say "alternative titles may be substituted bla bla bla" I don't think it does say that but it's something to look into. You have copies of all your emails?

And if you can get a telephone recording device and say so at the start of the call that you are recording this.

IANAL (internet acronym)

Conditional on your answer to the above, you do not have to pay for items you did not order, you don't even have to return them or make them available for return. However, as this is an actual order gone wrong, I'd be surprised if the law allows these goods to be described as wholly unsolicited.

I don't think you can do anything except keep complaining. Because you have not yet lost anything, you have not paid, you have not had the money automatically debited from your card. So you cannot fight them in court. I believe in these circumstance you have to wait unti the DCA takes you to court for the debt at which point you will have a chance to put the whole mess before the judge.

Actually it may be possible to fight them under the harrassment laws before they take you to court.

I guess this another reminder to always keep our own records, you should have photocopied the form before sending it, hindsight is a wonderful thing, but now all reading this will have the benefit of this hindsight.

To conclude, phone them and record the phonecall(s)

amyandoli

I'm sorry you are going through this, I know how stressful it is, I've been there.

I subscribed to them a couple of years ago, got the first 6 books fine, then they just kept sending more unwanted books and invoices, ignoring my actual orders. I returned all books by recorded delivery which they 'misplaced', or sent again to me. (They used to throw my parcels into the back garden rain or shine!)

Whenever I called I was left on hold, they didn't reply to any letters.

After 6 or so months, to stop all the hassell and because I just wanted to be rid of them, (it really stressed and upset me), I paid a lump sum to 'fulfil' the contract.

These companies take advantage, and threaten legal action, bad credit scores etc and it frightens you. Since joining MSE, i'm a lot wiser and havent touched any of these companies again!

I hope you get it sorted x

Nicki

There are loads of threads about World Books and their subsidiary companies on these threads. If you search for BCA, BFC, Mango and Mystery and Thriller you will find them.

The short answer is yes: your experiences are not unique. A lot of customers have had problems with them, and the best thing to do would be to walk away if you can. I believe I am right in thinking that the introductory offer says that you have 10 days to decide whether or not to keep the books after they send them so provided your first email was within that deadline you do have a good reason to say that you can walk away from the contract, though strictly speaking you should have returned the books to them rather than asking them to collect them. Although this would have cost a few pounds it would have been a price well worth paying to avoid the aggro you have now.

Anniek1969

I should really have known better as I had a similar problem a few years ago with Grolier.

I probably should have just returned them but I was hoping that they would have sent the proper order and picked up the other one. At first all I wanted was the books I ordered but now all I want is to be rid of them but I don't want to pay for something I didn't order.

It was all done by email but unfortunately we have changed our pc since the original order and I don't have a copy of the original email although I have asked them to send me a copy of it which they still haven't done. I haven't phone them as i'm not too good on the phone but i'll send them another letter recorded delivery so they can't say they didn't receive that.

Just have to learn from experience again!! and remember if it seems too good to be true it probably is.