Don't use if book not in stock (Waterstones)

Member Name: Chrismax

Product:	Waterstones
Date:	05/08/09 (7 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Huge range books supposedly available

Disadvantages: Unable to fulfil their commitments and don't care if they can't

Don't bother with Waterstones unless you are sure the book is in stock. I ordered a book on the 20th May hoping to receive it in time for my wife's birthday on the 8th June. Admittedly, the entry did say "Usually despatched within 7-10 days" but that should still have been fine. Needless to say nothing arrive. I was patient but eventually contacted them two months later. I got a feeble response saying that they were contacting the publishers, who would let me know via e-mail when it was due to arrive (incidentally the despatch time on the website still said 7-10 days). Needless to say I still heard nothing. A further 3 weeks went by (27th July now) before I contacted them again at which point they said that they automatically cancelled any orders over 60 days old and promptly did so (the website still says delivery within 7-10 days!). In fact this is was a blessing in disguise, as I then went through Abebooks, using Brown Books of Hull. Ordered on 31st July, book arrived on the 5th August - very prompt and efficient. I won't be using Waterstones again because it is basically a big store that does not care. It presumably lives off its name and does not worry about losing custom, enticing more people in by putting books on its lists that it has no hope of delivering.

Summary: If you are going to use Waterstones - make sure the book is in stock not an estimated delivery time