John Lewis

Velvet_Glove

We had our wedding gift list with John Lewis and decided to buy two wardrobes with the vouchers that were kindly given to us.

I waited a few weeks for the ones I like to come in stock, and on the day, called to make the order as my computer was being slow. The staff didn't know how to process the 'new' gift vouchers and I couldn't speak to a manager as "she's on the phone". They didn't offer to get her to call me back so I gave up and made the order online.

Firstly, I got no e-mail confirmation. Being a big purchase I was concerned and tweeted them. To give them their due, their social media team were constantly in touch with me the next few days, letting me know there had been a computer glitch but they were keeping an eye on it to make sure it went through ok - I ended up with 3 confirmation emails!

Last Friday was the delivery. I had to work from home that day as they couldn't give me a specific delivery slot (between 8 and 2!). I got the call half an hour before saying they'd being there, they arrived, fine. The delivery guy only gave me the bit of paper saying they should unwrap for you as he was leaving and I didn't have time to read it before he'd left.

I should mention here that I use a wheelchair and cannot clamber over boxes to check packing labels, cut them open to see inside, etc.

My husband came home that evening, and raised his eyebrows at the amount of packages in the living room - 2 were not the same shape. On his closer inspection, it turns out they'd delivered 'one and a half' wardrobes - with a shelving unit instead of one wardrobe 'carcass'.

He spent half an hour on the phone, the first answerer transferred him to the online department, who couldn't seem to make head or tail of it at first but then agreed to collect the part and redeliver the 'carcass' when it's back in stock. They refused to collect over the weekend when it would have been convenient for us as 'we don't collect at weekends' and even though my husband has Thursday off anyway, they can't even guarantee an afternoon collection when he will be in (he has a job interview in the morning)

I can't believe the customer service of this 'classic' British brand - it's beyond appalling!

hollydays

Post this on social media?

Velvet_Glove

Several times! John Lewis only seem to respond if you shame them publicly, but not at weekends.

Money-Saving-King

Velvet_Glove wrote: »

I had to work from home that day as they couldn't give me a specific delivery slot (between 8 and 2!).

Ok. If you think this is an issue who does better eg name exactly what hour they'll deliver at the same or similar postage/delivery rate you paid? If you can't then you haven't really got a point.

Velvet_Glove

Money-Saving-King wrote: »

Ok. If you think this is an issue who does better eg name exactly what hour they'll deliver at the same or similar postage/delivery rate you paid? If you can't then you haven't really got a point.

M&S give a smaller more specific timeslot, as well as a text on the morning confirming it. If John Lewis could call me an hour before that would be fine as I work 45 mins from home and could then make it back it time. But they wouldn't even agree to this, it has to be half an hour.

My issue is more with the misdelivery. I understand systems are in place because they work, but I think some flexibility has to be allowed for.

duchy

I would never expect a company to specify to the hour as all it takes is a traffic accident or a customer not been in to mess up a schedule. An 8 til 2 slot isn't unreasonable. The are usually travelling a lot further than the local Tesco devilery after all

A you are in a wheelchair and can't get to deliveries to check labels it wouldn't be unreasonable to ask the driver to check the labels with you before leaving in future though to avoid these kind of problems.

As for M&S having shorter delivery times -you are paying more for that but if it was that important to you - why didn't you order from them ? Personally I find M&S furniture overpriced for what it is though and a bit limited in choice.

As for the call- I have lost count how many customers are convinced they can definitely be at the property with an hour's notice -and the engineer gives up on them as they got delayed in traffic or whatever. You sound like the sort of customer who would like 45 mins notice but if they arrived in an hour instead of 45 mins you'd be complaining about that too. They drive vans not time machines after all and traffic delays happen !

hollydays

Velvet_Glove wrote: »

Several times! John Lewis only seem to respond if you shame them publicly, but not at weekends.

I don't think it's unreasonable they don't collect at weekends.
If the drivers had checked the item as they were supposed to this wouldn't have been an issue.

Money-Saving-King

Velvet_Glove wrote: »

If John Lewis could call me an hour before that would be fine as I work 45 mins from home and could then make it back it time. But they wouldn't even agree to this, it has to be half an hour.

It doesn't matter. I don't know what you do but the rest of the world can hardly leave work randomly to catch a delivery in 30 or 45 minutes time.

That's the way delivery's work, you'd pay a fortune to specify an exact time.

wealdroam

Velvet Glove, I guess you didn't want to pay £19.00 for a two hour delivery slot.
From their website:

Next or named working day delivery (Monday to Saturday) - £6.95
Next or named working day delivery before 10.30am (Monday to Friday) - £9.95
Express 48-hour delivery for selected appliances (Monday- Friday, selected areas) - £19.95
2 or 4-hour delivery slots on selected furniture and appliances - £19/£8.50

Or perhaps £6.95 for a Saturday delivery would've suited you?

Velvet_Glove

duchy wrote: »

A you are in a wheelchair and can't get to deliveries to check labels it wouldn't be unreasonable to ask the driver to check the labels with you before leaving in future though to avoid these kind of problems.

As for M&S having shorter delivery times -you are paying more for that but if it was that important to you - why didn't you order from them ? Personally I find M&S furniture overpriced for what it is though and a bit limited in choice.

As for the call- I have lost count how many customers are convinced they can definitely be at the property with an hour's notice -and the engineer gives up on them as they got delayed in traffic or whatever. You sound like the sort of customer who would like 45 mins notice but if they arrived in an hour instead of 45 mins you'd be complaining about that too. They drive vans not time machines after all and traffic delays happen !

1) It's a lesson learnt - but had they labelled the boxes properly at the warehouse, this wouldn't have been a problem. And yes, I am irritated at myself for not checking.

2) M&S don't accept JL vouchers I wouldn't be using JL at all if it weren't for the fact that we have vouchers for there, as we don't have a JL local to us

3) Yet they seem to think this is fine with half an hour's notice?

wealdroam wrote: »

Velvet Glove, I guess you didn't want to pay £19.00 for a two hour delivery slot.
From their website:


Or perhaps £6.95 for a Saturday delivery would've suited you?

For the initial delivery, this is fine, but when they've delivered the wrong thing I expect them to jump hoops for a customer, especially when it's a fairly big purchase.

duchy

Perhaps you have unrealistic expectations then

A couple of wardrobes might be a big purchase to you -but honestly isn't to most furniture retailers.