Empire Direct - The Consumers Complaint List-In the Public Domain

I ordered a washing machine from their website. They took the money from my Barclaycard on the 5th November. I received a delivery date of the 13/11/02. We waited in all day (with a two year old!) awaiting delivery. Rang their 'customer services' (what a joke) at 5pm when still not arrived. Was told they had a problem with the stock and that someone should have contacted us (too right, but they didn't).

I was given another 'delivery date' of the 19th November and again waited in. I rang again at 5pm when the delivery had not shown up, this time contacting the courier company who had previously telephoned me to confirm this delivery date as ok, as the 'stock had now been received'. I was told by a very rude individual that stock was sent from Empire Direct on the 7/11/02, but without the required paperwork and it had taken an age to sort it all out. They had absolutely no idea when they could reschedule a delivery date (by this time, they had my money TWO WEEKS.)

I rang Empire and the Couriers on a regular basis (with no-one returning my endless calls, time and time again, even given titles such as 'Operations Director' who would contact me. I rang again, only to be told there was no such person! I have been unable to carry out my job (using the telephone/internet) as I was always awaiting phonecalls/holding on for their customer services (usually 20 - 30 mins at a time).

After a few days of this, and after emailing/faxing and posting a full letter of complaint (to which no response has been received to date) I decided to cancel the washing machine and see if I could find one elsewhere. After ringing round a few places they told me it would be 2 - 3 weeks, so I rang Empire Direct back to retract my cancellation (no more than an hour later). They said they would re-order and cancel the cancellation!

I finally spoke to someone on Friday 22nd Nov, at Empires who told me that 'cancellation had been cancelled' and that delivery had been confirmed for Sunday 24th Nov. (My birthday!) I rang the courier to confirm this, and they said that the goods were being loaded onto their vans as we spoke. We waited in, (ON MY BIRTHDAY - ALL DAY!) and again no delivery, and this time I couldn't speak to anyone at either Empires or Endeavour Couriers as their offices were closed (being a Sunday!).

|Top of Page|

|Your Comments at Bottom of Page|

I rang the couriers this morning (Monday 25th Nov) to be told that Empire had cancelled the order, and they had taken the washing machine off their vans! I rang Empire to be told that the 'cancellation of the cancellation' had not be done, despite confirmation goods were going to be delivered on the 24th!!

I insisted that I spoke to a Manager (which was apparently not possible, as this was their only contact number (apart from Sales which I was told would not 'deal with this sort of thing'). I stated I wanted a call back as soon as possible to resolve this. I rang again at 1:30 to request another call back, and again at 4:30pm (this time being told my call was next on their list), but as at 6pm, no call back. What can I do?????

Links to other Empire Direct Complaints: Link 1 (Resolved!)|Link2 ; Link3; Link4

|Top of Page|

Editorial Comments

Phone them here. I think this is their registered office and since you are in Leeds yourself, you may live close. Ask for the Complaints proceedures and Complaints mangers name and MD name:

Empire Electrical Superstores
Clock Buildings, Roundhay Rd
Leeds West Yorkshire
LS8 2SH
Tel: 0113 235 1701

Mr Peters...25 December 2002
----------------------------------
We are still waiting for a d.v.d player to be delivered after over a months wait we have been fobbed off and told to waste our own money chasing it on the phone we shall never use them again and our friends shall be warned about their lackadaisical service.
David Laverick... 29 January 2003
----------------------------------------------
Good web site. Easy to navigate but what a shocking back-up. Placed order over email but no tracking system. Telephoned for confirmation to be told email order not processed so new order number given, but operative failed to cancel email order. Ended up with two televisions delivered, but refused second delivery. However, credit card debited and it took 6 weeks to obtain credit (after I had paid credit card company)

To add insult to injury, TV died after 3 months and after 4 telephone calls to ED customer services and 3 telephone calls to service company I still have no engineer. I'm sorry to say you are a real shambles and goodness knows how you won a consumer award. A real shame because you promise so much but obviously can't deliver. (Bet you don't put this on your customer comments!!) John Kirk... 4 March 2003
--------------------------------------------
I have not orderd from this company, the reason being is I rang to ask if the samsung phone they sell came with a base unit I was told "we sell over 4000 products and you expect me to know everything about them" I said yes you should know what you are selling I know everything to do with my job which is alot more complicated than selling products (me being a Technical Manager for a cinema). I then said to the sales man that he was not being very helpful. I was then called a prat by the sales man.so I will never purchase from this company and looking at the reviews from other people I would advise others NOT TO PURCHASE FROM THEM. WARREN LAKE... 30 May 2003
-------------------------------------------
Empire Directs customer service is absolutely farcical.About a month & a half after getting delivery of my brand new state of the art TV, it blew up.The engineers picked it up a week later and then nothing happened for a month despite constantly phoning Empire & the engineers, nobody seemed to know what was happening.Eventually,(after mentioning Watchdog & Legal action)I managed to speak to a manager who apologised profusely & offered to replace the TV.That was 4 days ago, nothing has happened since and every time I phone I'm told someone will phone me back but no-one does.This morning I was told that they are now out of stock (although the manager assured me there were 15 in stock when I spoke to him).I am still waiting for a call back.I saved £200 buying from Empire Direct but had I known the grief I was going to get, I'd have gladly paid the extra at a high street store.
I warn anyone reading this, avoid Empire Direct like the plague !
Matthew Shelley...30 June 2003
-------------------------------------------
I ordered a television from Empire Direct. When I received no goods, nor any news of same, for over two weeks, I emailed the company, but have yet to receive a reply. I am now writing to cancel my order. Watch this space...
Stephen Coombs .. 9 September 2003