Jacamo - a review

farnsbarns

I'm a big chap (38inch waist) so I thought I'd give Jacamo a go. I called their 0800 number to ask for a catalogue, after giving all my details the lady at the other end went quiet for ages. After a while I said "hello". She said, "please hold on, I'm just doing a credit check". "WHAT?, Why" I asked, I didn't want credit. She said they do a credit check regardless. I explained that I didn't want that and left it at that. She was going to perform a credit check without my permission.

A few weeks later my wife tells me she has ordered me some jeans from them, it turns out Jacamo is not a company in itself but is run by a company who have 26 catalogues and my wife already had an account.

Jacamo do next day delivery as standard so I waited to see what my wife had chosen. Nothing arrived, no biggie, I'd wait until the next day, nothing arrived and my wife recieved an email from Jacamo out of the blue saying delivery would be 3 working days. Odd but no fuss, they'd be here the next day. Nothing arrived. At this point I called Jacamo. I found out the reason it was 3 working days was because my wife had used this other account and that the 3 days starts from 2 days after the order??? (clearly bull but Ho hum) the order would be here the day after. Nothing arrived.

I called Jacamo again a week after the order. I spoke to a manager who assured me the order was coming that day and that she would call me tomorrow to check it had arrived. Nothing arrived. I waited for the promised call back but it didn't happen. The next day I called again, I was told that as a gesture of good will the order would be there by Thursday. I was dismayed that they would use the expression "gesture of good will" to describe offering to deliver the order 8 days late.

Thursday came and went and nothing arrived. I called Jacamo again and was told that the service reconciliation team would call me strait back. Half an hour later I called again, at which time I was told they would call but it would be within 48 hours.

On Saturday my wife called Jacamo again and was told the same team would call her back on Monday, now they have promised to call us both. You won't be surprised at this point to learn they called neither of us.

My wife called Jacamo again (yesterday) and they said they would send the order again for next day delivery. Today I called Jacamo to enquire as to why they did not call me as promised, they couldn't tell me but promised me the service reconciliation team would call me back.

A short while ago my Jacamo order arrived. One of the pairs of jeans fits fine but I don't like them. The other 2 pairs, however, are a good 6 inches to small at the waist and are obviously mislabeled. Now I have to go to the trouble of taking the package to the post office and returning them.

A few hours later they turned up again with another parcel containing the same items. I explained to the lady at the door, in a polite tone, "I'm not sure we actually want this". The response was "You ordered it" snapped back at me. At this point I said "no, we ordered it over two weeks ago and we really don't want it" and handed it back to her. She had the cheek to tell me off for being rude.

Further to all this, Jacamo have a freephone number, but only for ordering their catalogue, after that it is 0871 only (10p per minute) and a lot more from a mobile. They go to great lengths to make sure you call this number and the geographic equivelent (got from saynoto0870.com) has a recorded message telling you to call the expensive number. Their staff seem very apt at taking things slowly. At £6 an hour to phone them they are probably employing their staff at a profit.

This firm seems to me to be a con and nothing more. I suggest giving them a wide birth.

I posted this as a conversation point on the Gibson guitar forum forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/75431-jacamo-catalogue-a-word-of-warning/ (yes it's a very chatty and off topic forum) and someone suggested I post it here too.

trumpton

I don't think the credit check thing is unusual. I know that Next sometimes have people in their stores offering discounts on online shopping if you filll in a card for a catalogue - ommitting to explain that by doing so you are in fact opening a credit account with them, which it says in very small print on the back of the card.

What's wrong is not telling you - they should say 'you will have to have a credit check if you want a catalogue', then you can decide. They don't do that though because understandably people are then put off. I understand that every time a credit check is done against your name it is recorded.

Thanks for posting the warning though. Also, it sounds like their customer service is pretty poor all round so Jacamo are best avoided anyway.

Enfieldian

38" is not a particularly large size in this day and age, most shops will stock it.

Also, I had a J D Williams account a while back because of a good introductory offer on something I wanted, I also ordered a pair of shoes that were branded "Jacamo" when they arrived. Fell apart after half a dozen wears.

Stick to actual stores and try before you buy in future OP.

fozmcfc

Yep credit check is standard, I'm sure their advertising does mention something along the lines of a credit account will be opened and/or a credit check will be made.

As for the rest, does sound like a load of grief and I wouldn't blame you/wife for not bothering with ordering from them again, but I'm sure there will be others who order and get their delivery ontime, everytime.

fozmcfc

Enfieldian wrote: »

38" is not a particularly large size in this day and age, most shops will stock it.

Also, I had a J D Williams account a while back because of a good introductory offer on something I wanted, I also ordered a pair of shoes that were branded "Jacamo" when they arrived. Fell apart after half a dozen wears.

Stick to actual stores and try before you buy in future OP.

Agree 38" isn't that bad, most of their customers I would imagine from their style of advertising would be a 42" and above.

bobajob_1966

farnsbarns wrote: »

A short while ago my Jacamo order arrived. One of the pairs of jeans fits fine but I don't like them. The other 2 pairs, however, are a good 6 inches to small at the waist and are obviously mislabeled. Now I have to go to the trouble of taking the package to the post office and returning them.

You sure you've not had too many pies?