Homebase - awful communication and support in obtaining products

GAZMIZ

Acknowledging that all companies are finding it difficult to maintain customer orders and deliver high levels of service, it appears that Homebase are exceptionally bad. 

 There are hundreds of reviews on Trust Pilot of customers detailing their customer journey.  In essence the majority of people, including myself have been left for over 2 weeks with orders over £300 not being dispatched.

 The lack of delivery is obviously the main trigger for the dissatisfaction but the constant changes to the customer service phone numbers and email address is ensuring it is difficult for customers to get effective communication. 

 The question must be posed that considering there is clearly a problem with fulfilment why does the company continue to take orders from customers.  Cynically one believes that the company is taking orders to sure up it’s own cash position at the expense of it’s customers. 

 My personal circumstances

 30/03/2020 – Order placed for £400

 01/04/2020 – email received that order may be delayed a few days

 07/04/2020 – Apology email stating they are slightly behind

 08/04/2020 – email received stating order is on its way and will be delivered in next 7 days

 11/04/2020 – Email stating they will get MORE STOCK  in the next 8 days – The question been why are they selling stock they do not have?? Is this general practise?

 Despite many attempts via, facebook and email I have yet to have a response to clarify the position. 

22/04/2020 - Still no update

 Summary

As one of the most recognisable brands on the high street, customers would assume that Homebase be open and honest about their fulfilment potential. 

 It does appear they are selling stock that they do not have which does not seem fair to its customers when it transpires the goods are unavailable. 

 It has to be considered that this has been an operational decision to improve cash flow whilst they await any government support.

gettingtheresometime

I don't work for Homebase so I'm guessing it has something to do with the way that they record the stock on their shelves.

By that I mean say they have 10 of a particular item on their shelves. as each item is 'picked' for a customer then the stock records are reduced by one. so if you're the 11th customer and you see there's one of those items in stock but in between you ordering it and someone coming to the shelf to get it for you someone picks the 10th customer's order, you'll find yourself in the situation you're in.

Gonna-be-debt-free

It's common practice to sell items which are not warehoused, but are in the supply chain for imminent fulfillment.  Normally that isn't a problem because the item will have arrived at the retailer in time to be dispatched to the customer.  The current situation is causing supply chain issues which retailers are finding it hard to adapt to.  In an ideal world Homebase would have adapted their systems such that they could only sell stock that was already warehoused, however that would likely be a reasonably significant IT project to make those changes.

I don't work for Homebase, but my company does have a number of large retail customers in similar situations.

Galloglass

Is this actually a problem considering everything else that is going on. You might have got a hint about some of the issues from the difficulties the government are having over PPE.

JoeBloggs72

Not the right group for this imo