Boots the chemist make you feel like a thief just for buying products in their store

AlicF22

I seem not to be able to place large online orders as the order is placed, order number given, my money is taken.. but then I get an email saying my order has been cancelled.
Further the Boots customer service say I cant help you the validation checks are a secret.
After around two weeks they refund the money back.
Just dont understand ?
Is my money not good enough for Boots?:(
I am trying to take advantage of the points offer days.. forget about that I am a generous Santa Clause for my family, extended family, friends and colleagues, so i want to get them gifts.
Is that a crime ?
3 for 2 on all Christmas products, but buy more than 6 which to my calculation is just two 3for2 offers of the same product and your in trouble... The Staff in store question you ???
Stop you from buying the products.. AM buying beauty products to share in this festive period.
Only time i feel generous.
Like what the hell, why do you want to know why am buying more then 6 shower gels maybe i like a shower.....

Has this happened to other people?
Has anyone done anything about it?
Can anyone do anything about it?

Am just so confused about the whole situation.

Some products they offer Online ONLY :mad: which also cancelled and when trying to buy it in store they say they are not allowed to order these as its only line only call customer service - customer service say order it again.
Like a vicious circle.

gettingtheresometime

If there’s free delivery just do 2 orders?

Pollycat

What did the assistant say when you asked why you couldn't buy the quantity of gift items in store that you wanted to buy?
What was the reason given?

Maybe your online orders are more an issue with your payment card than with Boots' ordering process?
Have you asked your card provider?

jenniewb

OK I think I've understood...but I might have understood wrong so correct me if you think I have my answers backwards! I used to work in customer care for another brand and cards were regularly declined and we'd often have angry customers to deal with.


OP, it's not always the store themselves who decline the card. It can often be the banks themselves- or the tight systems and sets of rules they require before they allow payments to be agreed.
Equally it can be the tight systems the stores themselves set which are required by their finance departments and this is to try to prevent fraud from a stolen card- if correct pre-cautions are not taken it ends up with the store paying out for the fraud and not the bank the card came from. On a mass level this can be a lot of money so they have a lot of rings and rules to stick to, in a bid to keep their insurers happy and most likely their premiums low. It can seem often like there are some really stupid rules- the rules often seem OTT and not helpful to the customer. That is because they are not created for the customer; they are set to keep the insurers happy.


As someone roughly 10 years ago who worked in a customer care department, we as a team were rarely given info on why an order was cancelled. We'd have theories and a few random explanations given by those in the relevant department but most made little sense to the customer (again; they were there for the insurers not the customer's benefit) so explanations were not always given. But one or two that did often occur were;


The IP address was unknown. It was different and as the purchase was not a small one, the entire order was held and then cancelled. The IP address -we were told (I'm not sure how correct this is by the way I am not a techie!) could have been affected by using a different computer or phone or tablet to order, using a mobile but being in a different area (so using someone else's wifi) using an internet connection from a new router, or a new computer/tablet/phone..etc.


The order was cancelled because the name or address was ever so slightly different. So a Ms used instead of Miss, or a single letter was missed out of the address or name, a typo which was overlooked at the time but was flagged when the order was being verified by the checks. The bank may have prevented the order being accepted or the store's systems (created to prevent fraud and to keep the ensures happy).


If an order itself is a little "different" (read; not all the same theme, style, or are different to your previous orders) One example would A load of items ordered in different sizes (eg sizes ranging from 8-12 because you are ordering something for your mother/daughter/sister/friend or just want a range of sizes to try on which to you and me in some styles or in the sale is totally a normal thing to do and makes sense if a store sells different brands, but to the -possibly male minded insurer (you didn't hear that from me!) it flags and the order is cancelled.
Again, if someone orders a lot of a certain item. Yes they may well have been stocking up, but to a mechanical system hell bent on looking for anomalies, it can look like you are trying to get money from a card in any way and I don't know what, maybe sell on the items or something (I don't know why this was an issue, it was just explained to us as one). Some items were limited to up to 10 per person instore and at one point it was the same case online for certain brands and it could be a hang over from that. 10 was the number given then but if limits were set it could be other stores set them lower than that to prevent stocks being out of control.


If I think of any others, I'll add them to the list but this was 10 years ago before/during the credit crisis early days and were far more lax then they are now so it's likely there are others which are new. Yes it is frustrating, and it often can seem like pretty stupid rules are applied with a computer taking the .... with customer's time and money. But if it helps to look at a bigger picture to reduce the frustration, it's not just the customer the store are trying to keep happy; their share holders whom they are ultimately kept in check by are interested in costs and things like insurance and stock loss counts will require certain enforcements to be upheld. Essentially, the fewer "silly" rules, the higher the premiums and the higher the shop then charges for the items. The store will rarely take the hit for higher premiums and that is an issue with the share holders who want a profit to be as high as they can get away with rather than a single person allowing or refusing customers order which often people seem to think is happening.


I hope that makes sense anyway! Sorry that you've had a bad experience, it does however leave you with the final vote to as to where you shop next time.

Browntoa

There's unofficial limits on numbers of offer items you can purchase in one order , they are assuming they are for resale on eBay etc and not personal use.

Many retailers do it , not just boots