Conduct of online retailer - who to complain to?

harrup

Today I had the misfortune to experience the most bizarre conduct from a merchant/retailer I have ever encountered.

Without wishing to go into details, it involved a dispute about non-delivered goods and the retailer's refusal to issue a refund for the missing items. After waiting patiently for weeks, politely and repeatedly contacting the company inquiring about the whereabouts of the ordered missing products, the whole thing culminated today by being called a lier and a thief and having the phone slammed down on me in mid conversation. This would be disconcerting enough if this behaviour came from a rogue employee dealing with sanity issues, but this involved the company's managing director! Think "Faulty Towers" and double the quirky lunacy and you get the picture.

I contacted my credit card company, alerting them to a disputed transaction, who will pursue the financial aspect. The sum, incidentally, is modest. Hence, it isn't about the money. Or rather, it isn't just about the money.

But I am appalled that a public company could behave in such an unprofessional, attrocious manner and get away with it. Aside from my money I want a formal apology. Never mind lodge a formal complaint about the company.

The only avenue of complaint which leapt to mind was Trading Standards. But on their website, the complaints procedure was far from clear and easy. It was a convoluted explanation of contacting Citizen Advise Bureau and what not.

Thus.....has anyone ever complained about the conduct of a retailer and if yes, to whom?

many thanks in advance

sodukoman

harrup wrote: »

Today I had the misfortune to experience the most bizarre conduct from a merchant/retailer I have ever encountered.

Without wishing to go into details, it involved a dispute about non-delivered goods and the retailer's refusal to issue a refund for the missing items. After waiting patiently for weeks, politely and repeatedly contacting the company inquiring about the whereabouts of the ordered missing products, the whole thing culminated today by being called a lier and a thief and having the phone slammed down on me in mid conversation. This would be disconcerting enough if this behaviour came from a rogue employee dealing with sanity issues, but this involved the company's managing director! Think "Faulty Towers" and double the quirky lunacy and you get the picture.

I contacted my credit card company, alerting them to a disputed transaction, who will pursue the financial aspect. The sum, incidentally, is modest. Hence, it isn't about the money. Or rather, it isn't just about the money.

But I am appalled that a public company could behave in such an unprofessional, attrocious manner and get away with it. Aside from my money I want a formal apology. Never mind lodge a formal complaint about the company.

The only avenue of complaint which leapt to mind was Trading Standards. But on their website, the complaints procedure was far from clear and easy. It was a convoluted explanation of contacting Citizen Advise Bureau and what not.

Thus.....has anyone ever complained about the conduct of a retailer and if yes, to whom?

many thanks in advance

Yes, I complained to the retailer...It was PC World and I got a satisfactory outcome. PDQ

Why can't you divulge the retailer?

mo786uk

A good explanation of how to contact Trading Standards

http://www.tradingstandardsblog.com/contact-trading-standards/

TS do not do anything about bad custoemr service per se if it is an indivdual dispute - it is worth reporting incase it shows a pattern of non deliveries or something though.

harrup

sodukoman wrote: »

Yes, I complained to the retailer...It was PC World and I got a satisfactory outcome. PDQ

Why can't you divulge the retailer?

I shall be deliriously happy to divulge the retailer once I had my refund.

But I don't want to give this clown any ammunition until this issue is resolved. Unlike PC world which is a large company, this involves a small online company. Lead by a pretty eccentric MD. In my case, the complaint about the conduct needs to go outside the company - unlike PC World they don't have an inhouse customer services or legal department!

harrup

mo786uk wrote: »

A good explanation of how to contact Trading Standards

http://www.tradingstandardsblog.com/contact-trading-standards/

TS do not do anything about bad custoemr service per se if it is an indivdual dispute - it is worth reporting incase it shows a pattern of non deliveries or something though.

Thanks very much for a very useful link. Now I finally understand why I should contact CAB first ( lack of available manpower at the relevant TS). The issue is also compounded that the retailer is in a different county ( not country, though!).

Meanwhile I also had the late brainwave to contact the Which Consumer Association since I am a member. Maybe they'll have some additional useful suggestions.

bris

Nobody in any professional sense cares about the manners of a retailer so there is no one to complain to in that respect.

What you have just now is a civil matter between you both, you saying the goods weren't received and they saying they were.

The CAB can't do nothing for you except point you in the direction of the trading standards, whom unless they have had lots of complaints about the retailer wont get involved.

The trading standards in turn will point you in the direction of the small claims court, who is the only one that has the power to do anything about it, if you win that is.

agrinnall

bris wrote: »

The trading standards in turn will point you in the direction of the small claims court, who is the only one that has the power to do anything about it, if you win that is.

Although it's unlikely that the court will award you much (if anything) more than you originally paid, so if you're getting that back from your card issuer then you've gained nothing. I can't imagine the court could order the retailer to apologise to you.

Maybe a better option once you've got your money back would be to use online review sites to make your feelings about the company known.

lincroft1710

harrup wrote: »

I want a formal apology.

There is no regulatory authority which can order a company to apologise for its incivility. You can only ask the company for an apology, which if "Basil Fawlty" is at the helm, you probably won't get!