| Product: |
Littlewoods |
| Date: |
12/05/08 (83 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Allows you to pay over months, good value generally
Disadvantages: A recent bad experience only made better by the laughs it has provided
Okay, so I started using this site because my friend said its handy to have an account. I'm a rubbish saver as well, so its great to be able to buy something bang on time, and then pay it up. Apparently Littlewoods is the best option, charging very little interest in the event of you paying them over 20 weeks, and applying only a moderate amount of interest if you decide to pay it over the year or 2 years. All of which are an option. As is paying it instantly if you decide you dont want an account.
Although you can have a catalogue, the way that I use it is on the easy to navigate website. www.littlewoods.com is the address. It splits your items up into easy section such as electicals, home and furniture, menswear, ladieswear, kidswear, you get the picture. It has a wealth of items in each category, all at fair prices that reflect what you would pay if you nipped into john lewis or dixons or wherever.
The goods are delivered to your home by courier, and at no charge. Result. However, the snag is that they use different couriers, so if you've ordered 3 items and hope for them all on the same day, you're on to plums. I am going somewhere with this. However, its great not to be charged unseemly delivery charges and have it brought to your door. Thats the best I can say about them.
Now for my (long-winded?) rant about my recent experience. I ordered 3 items. A double bed, a headboard, and a drawer set. Simple thing for a catalogue company too manage, you would think. I was given 3 delivery dates, one per item. I called the littlewoods customer service line to arrange to have them all on the one date. I didn't mind if it was the very last possible date, as long as it enabled me to take one day off work and not 3. I was told that they had nothing to do with the delivery dates, and weren't able to get in touch with the couriers. What a farce.
I asked to speak to a manager. Apparently, there are no managers. The place is run by the monkey's apparently. I then asked what they intended to do, as I thought it was appalling to expect somebody to take 3 days off their work for the delivery of bedroom furniture that was all placed within the same order. I was offered the opportunity to have all 3 items delivered to my office which is only 6 1/2 miles from my home. I'm sure my bus driver would have been thrilled, not to mention my boss who is already complaining that I have left a pair of shoes under my desk. I think a bed, a headboard, and a chest of drawers might well have tipped him over the edge.
Anyway, the story isn't done yet. Six weeks after my items finally arrived in one piece, I'm loving the headboard and the drawers. The double divan though has caved in. Now, at 15 stone, I'm no feather. But I think a sturdy and somewhat expensive divan should be able to carry my weight. I called to have it exchanged, and was told that they can pick up the bed next friday. They'll have a new one delivered within 6 weeks. There goes my sleep for the next 2 months. Anyway, I had no choice but to accept.
The customer service girls that I have spoken to were extremely nice and as pleasant as they could be in the event of an irate and somewhat rude man coming on the phone to kick off. She actually managed to appease me with an extremely nice manner and a helpful attitude. Its just a shame that their support network (ie their manager's) aren't quite so keen to help customer's and take the attitude that they are too good to speak to irate and upset customers.
I am still pleased with other purchases from littlewoods and find the service acceptable. The bed experience has provided a few laughs around the office, especially when my consultants thought they might have to crawl over me in the morning as I got up to shower in the cublicles. So for that reason alone, I wont be too harsh on littlewoods.
The downside of their service is that of the above where they have no control over delivery's at the customer service end. This has to be sorted, not just with littlewoods, but with all companies who use courier services. In this day and age where everybody wants to work the hours of 9 to 5, its not really acceptable to expect customers to be taking three days out of their annual leave days to wait in for what is essentially the one order.
(I've just had a similar experience with bt - who cant negotiate the delivery of a broadband service with an engineer to fit a phone line - but I'll save that for another time. I'm sure this rant will be enough for you to sift through for one night).
To add insult to injury, they attempted to deliver the items on different dates from the original dates suggested. At least the courier's have enough brains to leave a calling card.
At 15 stone, I'm hardly light.
Summary: A good catalogue company who have a good online site. Just a shame about the delivery situation
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