MSE News: Buying online at Next? Beware – it searches your credit file

Former_MSE_Helen

Next automatically signs online shoppers up for a high-interest credit account, as well as searching your file

Read the full story:

Shopping online at Next? It could hurt your credit rating




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20aday

I'm glad this has been mentioned on MSE.

I shopped with Next online last year; I specifically declined to open a credit account at the time because I wanted to pay with my debit card.

Lo and behold it proceeded to show up on my Noddle credit file with a limit of £600.

I have disputed this account with Noddle because I declined to open another line of credit and Next ignored this request and proceeded to, anyway.

Fred56

I fell into the Next credit account trap. It won't make any real difference to me really but it does bug me. Next is lying when it says you have the option to just pay up front. I don't need or want credit and I don't owe a penny to anyone and have not for well over 10 years. Why would I want credit acount to by a few shirts?
It gets worse when you use their service. My first order was doubled and everything sent and charged for twice. To avoid the carriage charge we had a the 20 mile round trip to the nearest branch. It then turned out that one of the items was a very bad fit so another trip to the branch. I ordered a different item and this was sent three times, two more trips to the branch. Next's people lied about me placing an order by phone in an attempt to blame me for the duplication. The credit system then overcharged me too.
In the end I lost patience and instructed them to close the account but to repay me the overcharges. They did close the account but did not honour the promise to repay the overcharge. The practical outcome is that for the £72 worth of goods I ended up with, I paid £34 too much. Good result for Next, really expensive for me. That £34 does not include the wasted journeys to the branch.
So it's back to M&S for me.

Toni23

Next also use the soft footprint search prior to sending out orders to customers who already have the directory accounts.

A few years ago when I had some financial difficulties on other credit, I had a next account which I had never once had a late or missed payment on. An order I had placed was not delivered and a couple of days later I received a letter stating that they could not honour my order. Despite having no payment issues with them I was told that having carried out a soft search they decided I was not the type of customer they wanted and closed my account.

I raised the point that I consented only to a credit reference check at the time of application for the directory account and that this was not a continuous authority but I didn't really get anywhere with the customer service department.

ChopperST

We had the same and again pleased its been raised here.

We specifically rang and asked to pay for the goods in full with a credit card and low and behold a credit account was opened.

We complained and the call was listened back to and we were given a gift card as a good will gesture.

Its operated via a foreign call centre and that has a large role to play in it.

spender

We have been discussing this for years on this forum, why is only now bought up?

Michael_Nottingham

Agree this has been their process for years - its wrong but isnt new news.

They opened a credit account previously for me despite wanting to pay by card - certainly didn't make clear what they were doing.

For this reason I would never shop with them online.

Kite2010

spender wrote: »

We have been discussing this for years on this forum, why is only now bought up?

Probably a member of the MSE team has got hit by it

ekeitout

I think that the Christmas wrapping paper/car/gift company called Studio operate in the same way as I once ordered some items from them only to find they'd opened a credit account in my name. I paid it off straightaway and asked them to close the account and remove me from all mailing lists, but am sure they've done nothing about it as 3 years later I am getting brochures from them. Sooo frustrating!

gmm30

I wanted to order something online a few years ago, and had to ring up to specifically request to pay by credit card and not have an account opened. Despite assurances from the overseas call centre operator, lo and behold (like everyone else) a credit account was set up.

Needless to say I closed the account and haven't attempted to buy online since. I have also been offered money off vouchers in store. When I asked "does this involve setting up a credit account?" I was told "no of course not, it's just a £10 discount". Naturally, the small print says you have to set up a Directory credit account.

kitty_kins

I HATE that I have a Next Credit account! I'm so glad this has been flagged on MSE.

They signed me up automatically and since then my limit has gone up and up to the point where I have a £5,000 credit limit! I'm 22 years old for goodness sake, my Credit Cards won't even give me that much! I've tried to cancel it but to no avail!

To add insult to injury, I periodically get emailed to tell me the Next Directory is ready and that they'll be sending me one unless I opt out. Fine, but they'll charge me £9.99 if I have it! So I have to call their premium number just to say no thanks.

Not only that, but they are CONTINUALLY changing my statement date, without telling me! Some months it is the 26th, some it is the 20th. This can make it very difficult to make payments on time!

They're a complete pain and now I've paid off my account, I will not be shopping with them again!

*Rant Over*