Ideal World - unbelievable

bunking_off

My wife ordered some card crafting kit from Ideal World, and also took annual membership of their club to get a discount on it. Payment was in 4 instalments, first taken immediately.

The stuff arrived a couple of days later, but she was off-colour so opened the box but didn't get any further. Early the next day, she died. Totally out of the blue.

So I rang Ideal World and they said fine, return the items under their 7 day policy, and they'd refund. There was one item (worth £5) that I couldn't find : our bedroom had been a scene of chaos with 6 paramedics struggling to save my wife's life, and there was a fair bit of medical debris that was scooped away...this item must have got mixed up with that. But everything else was sent back.

They refunded the card (minus they kept the £20 membership fee...expensive for two days), but today I got 4 identical letters saying that because an item is outstanding, they'll take £1.34 at each of the scheduled payment times.

So I rang them up, fully expecting that any organisation with a scrap of decency would say "sorry for your loss, obviously in the circumstances we won't charge". Not this lot. "No we must take the payment, would you like to pay the £5 now?". Escalated to supervisor, same answer. Requested number for head office, "we don't have a number".

Words fail me.

kazzah60

sorry- but WHY are you worrying over a payment of £5 when your wife has JUST died???
I know the items will now not be used, but surely you aren't so destitute that you desperately need that £5?

like you - words fail me

aloise

kazzah60 wrote: »

sorry- but WHY are you worrying over a payment of £5 when your wife has JUST died???
I know the items will now not be used, but surely you aren't so destitute that you desperately need that £5?

like you - words fail me

My feelings exactly. Yes ideal world are the pits for not being sympathetic but surely in the circumstances it doesn't really matter.

bunking_off

You can't be as sorry as I am at the moment. Believe me, I've got plenty enough to worry about following the death of my wife...like not really having a reason to live anymore.

This is nothing to do with the £5 : I don't need it and really couldn't give a toss about it. Fact is, if we were talking about a material amount of money I'd pay it in a flash as I wouldn't want anyone out of pocket. We're not though...we're talking about a fiver, when they've just taken £20 for a membership that'll never be used.

However it's everything to do with companies showing a bit of respect/compassion. I could draw a league table of what companies are like in dealing with these things...until now Facebook were bottom of the list in not even bothering to reply to my mail querying what to do when the memorialisation process failed. Halifax, Admiral and Standard Life have been exemplary.

My comment was more about the ethics of a business that sought to pursue trivial debts from someone recently widowed, even at mention of notes on credit files (not that it would matter much now anyway). Given this is the vent board, it was more about warning potential customers of Ideal World what kind of company they'd be dealing with.

bungle4by4

vent away mate, thats what this board is here for. ignore the trolls.

bunking_off

pcombo wrote: »

Seriously who goes out there way for a refund from a company, couple days after your wife dies, OP should be mourning and a arranging funeral instead of trying to get a bloody refund on items bought.

I initially organised for the item to be returned because it was something my darling wife had set her heart on using, I didn't know anyone else who could ever make use of it, and frankly having the thing sat on the floor was a physical reminder that her hopes and aspirations would never be fulfilled. Maybe I should have taken it to the tip but that would have been even more heartbreaking.

The 2nd payment was due to be taken early next week. Her credit card company were informed of her death earlier this week. The card will be stopped by the time they try to take payment. I did not ring up for a refund, I rang up to tell them the payment couldn't go through on the card because the card was stopped and it was they who consequently demanded payment.

I hope you're lucky enough that your partner, soulmate, doesn't die leaving you widowed in your early 40s. Then you won't need to learn the pain involved for those left behind.

Oh and yes, I did organise a funeral which I'm told was very moving. But I couldn't do much on the organisation at the time I sent the delivery back, because at the time I was unable to do anything pending the outcome of a post mortem. Being in a state of suspended animation where your wife's died but you're not allowed to plan a funeral, not allowed to register her death perhaps makes you act irrationally. As for mourning, well I'll do that for the rest of my life.

Perhaps Bungle's right, I shouldn't feed the trolls.

kazzah60

perhaps a charity shop could have made use of it?
it would make a lovely christmas present for someone who relies on shopping at charity shops for gifts.
My father died when my mother was 48 and I was 20 - you don't need to tell me about pain- my mother was married to my father at the age of 17 - he was her whole world and soul mate
I KNOW that returning an unwanted item would have been very low on her list of priorties - I know this for a fact because Dad's brand new car sat on the drive for many months before she sold it- it was no use to her- she couldn't drive and I can assure you, she DESPERATELY needed the money.

I think it is me and Aloise and pcombo who have been troll feeding!

pcombo

bunking_off wrote: »

I initially organised for the item to be returned because it was something my darling wife had set her heart on using, I didn't know anyone else who could ever make use of it, and frankly having the thing sat on the floor was a physical reminder that her hopes and aspirations would never be fulfilled. Maybe I should have taken it to the tip but that would have been even more heartbreaking.

The 2nd payment was due to be taken early next week. Her credit card company were informed of her death earlier this week. The card will be stopped by the time they try to take payment. I did not ring up for a refund, I rang up to tell them the payment couldn't go through on the card because the card was stopped and it was they who consequently demanded payment.

I hope you're lucky enough that your partner, soulmate, doesn't die leaving you widowed in your early 40s. Then you won't need to learn the pain involved for those left behind.

Oh and yes, I did organise a funeral which I'm told was very moving. But I couldn't do much on the organisation at the time I sent the delivery back, because at the time I was unable to do anything pending the outcome of a post mortem. Being in a state of suspended animation where your wife's died but you're not allowed to plan a funeral, not allowed to register her death perhaps makes you act irrationally. As for mourning, well I'll do that for the rest of my life.

Perhaps Bungle's right, I shouldn't feed the trolls.

I am sorry for your death, But i think its rather early to be dealing with companies such as ideal world, there not the easiest considering there customer services are all based in india.

lollipopsarah

well said arcon5
no one know how to deal with death/shock/grief until it happens, so there are no rules really.
We just cope somehow.
eventually.
As for the OP don't let this get you down please, just take one day at a time.
Best wishes.
xx

mummyoftwomonkeys

I know what you are trying to say, you are saying how unsympathetic these people are please don't let people on here get you down, I am very sorry for your loss it must be a huge shock to you especially to lose your wife so quickly. My thoughts are with you x

FagAshLil

OP, I'm so sorry for your loss.

I have to say that I've been an Ideal World customer for years and I'm shocked at their response.

Have you thought about emailing the presenters? Loen or Ellis, maybe - I bet they'd get it sorted for you.

There is a forum about shopping telly - I wonder if someone on there would be able to find the details of the MD.

I know it's not the money, it's the principle of the thing which is why I think it's a good idea to contact the public face of the company whose image is based on family and friendship.