Ideal Home Shopping Direct, trading as Ideal World TV (and running
some catalogues) gives the punter a very rough ride.
It swiped my Visa card on May 22, 2001 for goods that were delivered
in July, 2001 after I had spent some time mentioning the words
small, claims and court to customer service representatives.
It swipes the card at the time of order & not at the time
of despatch (accepted in most mail order houses as good practice),
so if it doesn't have enough of the goods it holds onto your money
for two or three months and refunds your money - if you remember
to complain and know the order number.
In June 2001, I was sent a refund letter, with enclosed with
it a refund letter to a Mrs O*****, of Devon, giving the number
of the card that had been credited. Ideal World Customer Services
was riled when I told them that I had looked up the O*****s' phone
number at bt.com and warned them about the breach of confidentiality.
On September 22 I ordered a ring. On October 22 'Lizzy' told
me to wait another week. The ring showed up with a second that
I had not ordered. Both were cheaply made and badly finished.
I returned them and may/may not have been refunded for them. (It's
hard to tell as the Ideal World refund letter says that your card,
number [for example] 4646 6464 2323 3232, or whatever, had been
credited with an amount of money and tells you the order number,
which, it goes without saying, you've forgotten by this time).
One such refund letter credited my card with an amount of money
for an order I did not recall placing. A grown-up in customer
service told me it had been for a Paul Rankin cook pot. I don't
recall ordering it and the refund was two months after the initial
debiting of my card. The grown-up in customer service told me
that something had gone wrong and the order had never come in.
I have been refused a refund for a suede jacket which arrived
after some expression of my discontent at the wait filthy and
stuffed jauntily into a box that come open at both ends. The courier
said: "It doesn't matter, it's only a jacket." Ideal
World insists on returns bein "pristine condition" so
I refused to accept it. The jacket went missing. I was told by
customer services that it was my fault- I should have accepted
it and then tried to get a refund.
On December 8 an executive's PA phoned me after I had written
her boss a terse letter. Four weeks later nothing has been done
and the PA will not return my phone calls.
On January 2, 2002, Ideal World got through about £200
of my bank account. Many of the amounts debited do not tally with
orders placed with the company. Two debits, for instance, of £17.10,
mystified one of the staff when I called.
She put through me to a customer service manager, TF, who told
me that she was "second only to the call centre manager"
in the pecking order. When I tried to get back to her, I was told
that no-one with TF's name worked for the company.
The company, losing money at 52% of gross turnover -according
to the 2001 annual report- would appear to use its customers credit
and debit cards as a source of extempore refinancing after the
unexpected exit of the finance director.
08700 700 802 (the customer service number) frequently says that
"all our representatives are busy" please try later.
This means that customer service is unstaffed. Tip dial 08700
700 800 (the order line) and ask to speak to a supervisor or team
leader -and use up valuable telephone lines
MORAL: If you must shop off the TV, do it with the big channels
and remember, there's no such place as an Ideal World
Link to Other Ideal Complaints: Link1|
Link2| Link3
Thank you for that brilliant write up of your complaint. Truly
enjoyable read. Wonder what Ideal World have to say.
A Right of Reply letter has been issued.
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