Ordering online - wrong item sent!

[CaroleF]

I don't know how many of you do the same, but I buy most of my Christmas presents online. It stems from the Christmas when I broke my ankle in November so was in plaster over Christmas. I then discovered that not only was it easier - no traffic problems, no parking problems but that I was able to find items that I would never have found wandering round the shops - and I used to love Christmas shopping. Now I can't spend all day wandering around - couldn't even manage half a day I'm afraid with arthritis in my now healed ankle so online it is. Most of the time it's fine, even around Christmas with all the packages that have to be delivered. I'm always careful which companies I buy from and if it's one I've never dealt with before I go into the site and have a look to see what information I can discover about the firm before I buy.

On Friday I was expecting a package from John Lewis with some cufflinks. The delivery man arrived and handed me a package - it was much larger than the expected cufflinks would have been and I wondered if I'd forgotten something else I'd ordered and both items were together - it felt like a tray. Well it was a tray - an Eziglide Baking Tray! No cufflinks, just a tray and the order had my order number on, and name and the item listed as contained in the package was - cufflinks! So I groaned and envisaged a long holding on the phone session to get through to John Lewis but they were remarkably quick - after I'd been offered five options - the trouble with that is that once they get to number three or four, let alone five, I've forgotten what number one was! Anyway I got through to a very pleasant girl who agreed I shouldn't have been sent a baking tray. She then offered to send the correct cufflinks out by next day post and no charge - I should think not. I was then given a returns number for the tray and a collection number for the item and someone would come and pick it up. No one has come yet so not sure how long I wait.

The ironic thing is that when I got the cufflinks, I didn't like them! Too small and too like a pair he already has so they are going back and I ordered another pair - they came this morning and yes they're just right. Has anyone else had any delivery hiccoughs? I did have a driver the other day who rang the bell - I was in the sitting room off the hall and by the time I got to the door - and I was not slow in doing so, he was out of the gate and nearly round the corner of our house onto a little lane that runs past. I told him he had to give me time to get to the door - he said he was going to look for the back door - well maybe!

Carole

[Happydays]

We use Amazon regularly and find any problems sorted quickly...... Probably jinked myself now

[david63]

A lot of companies have "upped their game" recently to try and match Amazon, who are now offering two hour delivery (it won't be long before they deliver your order before you have placed it!)

It is something of a double edged sword with Internet shopping v high street shopping and not sure where it will end.

[Stephen]

Anyway I got through to a very pleasant girl who agreed I shouldn't have been sent a baking tray.

Really, no flies on her

[Ranchi]

I like to use local shops but if the price difference is too great then I will buy online. We have a Waterstones in the small town we live near. I was after a book and it was £14.99 in the shop and £10.99 at Amazon. I was a little torn as it was significantly cheaper at Amazon. I then checked Waterstones online & it was £11.99. Clicked the button and picked it up in store 10 mins later. Not sure if that counts as a local purchase.
A few years ago we bought an ironing board from JL and it was a few pence short of the free delivery price. We scoured online and selected a set of clothes pegs ( for hanging up washing). The ironing board was duly delivered but the pegs were ‘to follow’. Two days later a JL van arrived and the driver handed over a small envelope. The pegs were tiny and for hanging Christmas cards on a string. We took them back to our local JL (40 miles away) and they refunded us & had a good laugh. The pegs were moved from the laundry section to the stationery section of their website.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I like to use local shops but if the price difference is too great then I will buy online. We have a Waterstones in the small town we live near. I was after a book and it was £14.99 in the shop and £10.99 at Amazon. I was a little torn as it was significantly cheaper at Amazon. I then checked Waterstones online & it was £11.99. Clicked the button and picked it up in store 10 mins later. Not sure if that counts as a local purchase.
A few years ago we bought an ironing board from JL and it was a few pence short of the free delivery price. We scoured online and selected a set of clothes pegs ( for hanging up washing). The ironing board was duly delivered but the pegs were ‘to follow’. Two days later a JL van arrived and the driver handed over a small envelope. The pegs were tiny and for hanging Christmas cards on a string. We took them back to our local JL (40 miles away) and they refunded us & had a good laugh. The pegs were moved from the laundry section to the stationery section of their website.

Maybe they were for your "smalls"

[barney]

One of the main things that we have noticed since moving down here is that the priority seems to be on as local as possible.
We went to Johns of Instow yesterday lunchtime as it had an early Xmas offering of local suppliers of goods.
It was very well attended and I think that all did well out of it.
We bought quite a bit, mainly as gifts for others but a bit for ourselves as well.
Luckily we walked as I tried four different local gins plus enough samples to go without lunch.
I'll admit that you pay through the nose a bit, but our ethos has always been, local first, British second, import last.
Johns have an Xmas pre-order list and I reckon that about 90% of the offerings are very local or from Devon generally.
Long may it continue.

[Stephen]

One of the main things that we have noticed since moving down here is that the priority seems to be on as local as possible.
We went to Johns of Instow yesterday lunchtime as it had an early Xmas offering of local suppliers of goods.
It was very well attended and I think that all did well out of it.
We bought quite a bit, mainly as gifts for others but a bit for ourselves as well.
Luckily we walked as I tried four different local gins plus enough samples to go without lunch.
I'll admit that you pay through the nose a bit, but our ethos has always been, local first, British second, import last.
Johns have an Xmas pre-order list and I reckon that about 90% of the offerings are very local or from Devon generally.
Long may it continue.

Rude not to