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[Varche]

Predictably we use this for xmas gifts because of prohibitive international post costs.

This year it hasnt been a desperately successful experience. Spent a lot of time yesterday on phone , mostly in queues. Some packages end up at a local centre where they can be collected on production of a utility bill and a photo id . How does that work for housebound pensioners........

Anyone else had trouble this year?

[biggriffin]

Yup, got a very unhappy Mrs G, as stuff hasn't arrived, companies closed for Christmas, etc, etc.

[Varche]

Got yet another one now. This time in Oz. Ordered well in advance. Item only posted out from Australia to Australia. However allow five to seven working days if posted interstate. Why then did they post it on the 18th with a delivery date now shown as 27th.....

[Lizzie Zoom]

Sorry to here of your troubles Varche with your purchases.

I must say that I have ordered a hell of a lot of stuff on-line, all from main line companies, and everything has come through perfectly on time.  Started ordering in November and the last item, an iPod this week came through the Royal Mail just 2 days after ordering.  Therefore I can only state that I have been very satisfied with the whole process.

[BazaJT]

I try to avoid buying anything on-line for delivery at this time of year for this very reason.Although when I've not really had an alternative then I've not had problems.

[Lincs Robert]

My experience is that it’s good, but only most of the time. When it’s bad it’s very bad 

[TheBoy]

Half the issue is with a lot of online retailers, including some of the medium/large ones, is they hold no stock, so ship direct from manufacturer/importer/wholesaler, who in turn ship with the usual (lack of) urgency that b2b normally operates on.

[Sir Tigger KC]

I try to avoid having anything to do with Christmas, so avoid all this sort of hassle! 

[TheBoy]

My experience is that it’s good, but only most of the time. When it’s bad it’s very bad 

That about sums it up. Even the big, slick online only retailers like Amshambles become impossible to deal with when things go wrong...  ...and absolutely no point calling them as at the very best all they can do is send it again.


Personally, I struggle to see what is wrong with going to a high street or shopping centre, handling over pound notes, and walking away with the goods you want. Simples.  Though I accept the younger generation think that is too difficult.

[aaronjb]

I struggle to see what is wrong with going to a high street or shopping centre, handling over pound notes, and walking away with the goods you want. Simples.  Though I accept the younger generation think that is too difficult.

Often more expensive, and who has time to go wandering around the shops in the hope that what you want is actually in stock and actually available, and that you'll actually be able to find a snotty nosed child to serve you without spending half an hour waiting?

Not to mention the hard sell of extended warranty at every turn.

Plus, people are arseholes. Doubly so at Christmas.


Online neatly avoids all of that and, so far, after spending an eye watering amount of money over the years, nothing has failed to turn up precisely when they said it would.

Nope, I can't understand why anyone would put themselves through the horrors of the high street unless they were retired or had nothing better to do with their time 

[biggriffin]

I try to avoid having anything to do with Christmas, so avoid all this sort of hassle! 

That's because your a grumpy ol'wurzel.

[Doctor Gollum]

Half the issue is with a lot of online retailers, including some of the medium/large ones, is they hold no stock, so ship direct from manufacturer/importer/wholesaler, who in turn ship with the usual (lack of) urgency that b2b normally operates on.

Entirely my experience with Allgerman Ordered following day from Germany and arrived two days later. Would have ordered from Summit Racing in the States, but I was able to get the Pedders bits from UK stock so the shipping wasn't cost effective...

Still awaiting a delivery from ATP, but expect that to arrive on Wednesday/Thursday next week. Some bulbs I ordered

But advertising as in stock when not, and then taking two days to admit it is pretty poor, discounts or not.

[Doctor Gollum]

Incidentally, some bulbs that I ordered yesterday arrived today, so it can be done

[redelitev6]

My experience is that it’s good, but only most of the time. When it’s bad it’s very bad 

That about sums it up. Even the big, slick online only retailers like Amshambles become impossible to deal with when things go wrong...  ...and absolutely no point calling them as at the very best all they can do is send it again.


Personally, I struggle to see what is wrong with going to a high street or shopping centre, handling over pound notes, and walking away with the goods you want. Simples.  Though I accept the younger generation think that is too difficult.

Apart from the traffic , the parking , the stressed out people scrambling about for that "must have" overpriced present that will be half the price next week , internet shopping has a lot to recommend it 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Half the issue is with a lot of online retailers, including some of the medium/large ones, is they hold no stock, so ship direct from manufacturer/importer/wholesaler, who in turn ship with the usual (lack of) urgency that b2b normally operates on.

Entirely my experience with Allgerman Ordered following day from Germany and arrived two days later. Would have ordered from Summit Racing in the States, but I was able to get the Pedders bits from UK stock so the shipping wasn't cost effective...

Still awaiting a delivery from ATP, but expect that to arrive on Wednesday/Thursday next week. Some bulbs I ordered

But advertising as in stock when not, and then taking two days to admit it is pretty poor, discounts or not.

This was similar to my experience with ATP. Took forever to deliver parts, admitted after a fortnight they didn't actually hold them in stock. Wouldn't refund or allow me to cancel. Parts turned up weeks after being ordered.
I would now only consider using them as a very last resort, as their attitude stinks imo.

[Sir Tigger KC]

I try to avoid having anything to do with Christmas, so avoid all this sort of hassle! 

That's because your a grumpy ol'wurzel.

January is my favourite month, as we don't have to hear about Christmas for at least 9 months!   

[STEMO]

Half the issue is with a lot of online retailers, including some of the medium/large ones, is they hold no stock, so ship direct from manufacturer/importer/wholesaler, who in turn ship with the usual (lack of) urgency that b2b normally operates on.

Entirely my experience with Allgerman Ordered following day from Germany and arrived two days later. Would have ordered from Summit Racing in the States, but I was able to get the Pedders bits from UK stock so the shipping wasn't cost effective...

Still awaiting a delivery from ATP, but expect that to arrive on Wednesday/Thursday next week. Some bulbs I ordered

But advertising as in stock when not, and then taking two days to admit it is pretty poor, discounts or not.

This was similar to my experience with ATP. Took forever to deliver parts, admitted after a fortnight they didn't actually hold them in stock. Wouldn't refund or allow me to cancel. Parts turned up weeks after being ordered.
I would now only consider using them as a very last resort, as their attitude stinks imo.

Under the distance selling regs, they have no choice but to cancel/refund, if that’s what you request.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Does this apply in Germany ? If it does, they ignored it. When the going got tough, they forgot how to speak English.
Kept sending me messages in German that I had to attempt to translate. As you know, I struggle with English, so had close to no chance with German.
I told them that the mythical German efficiency was just that. I think they took offence. Certainly hope so. 

[Doctor Gollum]

No issue with ATP to date, although I agree that after the initial purchase they could be more informative re despatch/tracking info... The first I normally hear is a text from DPD

The language barrier doesn't help.

[STEMO]

Does this apply in Germany ? If it does, they ignored it. When the going got tough, they forgot how to speak English.
Kept sending me messages in German that I had to attempt to translate. As you know, I struggle with English, so had close to no chance with German.
I told them that the mythical German efficiency was just that. I think they took offence. Certainly hope so. 

Yes.
http://www.kwm.com/en/uk/knowledge/insights/consumer-rights-directive-significant-changes-to-consumer-rights-in-the-eu-20160101

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

See, you cant trust the fockers. 

[Varche]

Happy Xmas. To crown it all and this really does.

We bought one of those twin motor chairs that are essential for wobbly old uns to be able to actually get up. Couldn't find a reasonable priced offering here in Spain so bought UK. "We don't post abroad". No problems. We had it delivered to Devon to the premises of a transport company that make the trip UK to Spain once or twice a month. £100 and the price was still cheaper than any local offering.

Collected it yesterday from Spanish depot in a four hour round trip and unpacked it at home only to find it is the single motor job. All our call centre ops are busy.................... (or down the pub!) All quite upsetting as it was an Xmas present.

Battle will resume next week. I suspect my solution that they send the parts to convert to twin motor (with or without an engineer to install) will be rejected. I dare say their solution will be to exchange it free of charge to the shipping depot in Devon and we foot another £200 in transport costs. I do wonder what the actual solution will be . I will be glad when Xmas has been and gone and normal can resume.

[STEMO]

Happy Christmas, Varche. WTF don’t you just move back to civilisation? 

[Varche]

What and put up with your weather, traffic jams, warm houses and fast Internet.........

[STEMO]

What and put up with your weather, traffic jams, warm houses and fast Internet.........

Ok.......do N Yorkshire in summer and Spain in winter......so you’d only be here for 8-10 weeks. 

[TheBoy]

after spending an eye watering amount of money over the years, nothing has failed to turn up precisely when they said it would.

That most certainly does not match my experience.  Sometimes the fault of the courier (particularly Amazon in the past couple of years, and always (like a 100% failure rate) when companies used to use Amtrak before they went tits up), sometimes the fault that what they claim is in stock isn't (those that hold minimal stock, and order on demand), sometimes sheer incompetence (another one for Amazon who have a habit of sending my Xbox games instead of CDs, or a book about Mrs Thatcher instead of a spindle of blank DVDs), or (usually in the case of Mrs TB's crafty type stuff) bone bloody idleness - if I pay a premium for next day, I expect it to turn up next day, not get posted in 3 weeks time as special delivery.


Nope, sometimes its easier to go to a real shop, hand over pictures of the queen, and walk out with the goods.



As an aside, I just ordered £1.5m of stuff from a well known IT supplier, with a delivery window of "within 62 days" . Although that's obvious b2b, so usual rules don't apply.