Dabs not straight forward ordering. (dabs.com)

Member Name: olly374

Product:	dabs.com
Date:	11/10/07 (520 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: wide variety of products in one store

Disadvantages: Poor customer service, not truthful about telephone numbers

I last used Dabs about 2 years ago before I used them again this year. I use to buy products from them as they where a cheap place to buy computer peripherals such as printers and cables before I discovered that ebay included some small companies that were cheaper particularly if you were buying one or two items.

Website
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The website dabs.com home page is well-laid out with navigational menus on the top and on the left hand side are used to select the category of the item you want. The middle and right hand side of the page has images of items on special offer.

The site also has a search facility where you search the entire site or the results. Once you select the category of item you want you can then redefine your search to narrow the item type down. There is a slight problem doing this as if you redefine your search to much you have to start your search again.

The bottom of the site has a navigation bar that leads to pages that gives you information about delivery charges, the company’s privacy policy and about the company themselves.

After finding the item you want it’s simply a matter of clicking on the “add” button next to the item and it will go to your shopping basket. After you have completed your purchases you go to check out and have a choice of using Google Checkout to pay or setting up a Dabs home user or business account. (I won't use Google Checkout due to issues I had with another retailer.)

Setting up Dabs Accounts and Ordering
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I am both a home user and a business user therefore I need to have accounts with retailers depending on why I am buying the items.

My first order was as a home user and I ordered a printer. So I completed all my details and checked out choosing standard delivery.

A day later I got an email from Dabs demanding my address and telephone number because my order hadn’t gone through. I don’t like giving my home telephone number out because I don’t like people ringing me up to try and sell me stuff so I give out my business telephone number. Anyway I filled in the details and then got another email from Dabs stating that my card had been declined. The email stated I needed to contact my card issuer and find out why, and then reply to the email asking them to process the order again within 5 days. So I telephoned my Credit Card Company and they had declined my card as a fraud prevention measure. They agreed to let the order go through and so I replied to Dabs email. My order status in my account was updated from “awaiting security details” to “processed” within 24 hours, and I received the printer a day after that.

A month later I needed a new monitor as my monitor died. This meant I had no access at home to a useable computer. I went round to a friend’s house and used their PC and quickly ordered a new monitor. I noticed that option for delivery was next day delivery. I changed the delivery to 1-3 days as I knew I wouldn’t be in the next day to receive the order. Anyway the website took 10 minutes to checkout. In the meantime I could read my emails and go on other websites with no problems.

A day later I checked my emails at a relation’s house and discovered that Dabs had sent me an email demanding my address and telephone number. Again I gave them the same details as for the printer. I checked my account 48 hours later from an internet cafe and my account status was still “awaiting security details” so I sent the email again. A day later I received the monitor I ordered and the box stated on it “Next Day Delivery”.

I then decided to set up a business account so I could order stuff to use for my business. I entered my company name, company registration number, company address and company email address. I also entered my business telephone number, which was the same as the one I used for my home user account. After entering my details I scrolled down and noticed there were two boxes automatically ticked asking if Dabs could telephone you up for promotional purposes and could use your address details for promotional purposes. I unticked the boxes and then I clicked on the save button. The screen came back with an error message stating my telephone number was invalid.

So I clicked on the chat facility. After about 40 minutes someone called “Susan” came on line unfortunately I was busy working so didn’t notice this so the chat facility closed. I tried again and after half an hour I got through to Susan again. The conversation went something like this:
Me: I want to set up an account for my business my telephone number is 0871 xxxxxxx. Why is this unacceptable when Dabs doesn’t give their telephone number out. What is Dabs telephone number?
Susan: It’s Dabs corporate policy not to give out their telephone number see http://www.dabs.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=125
Me: Can you answer the first part of my question. My company telephone number is 0871 xxxxx why cannot I open an account?
Susan: We need the geographical number behind the account.
Me: It’s not illegal for businesses in the UK to only use 0845, 0870 and 0871 numbers. If you want to check that a company is valid you just need to check the details at Companies House.
Susan: Our system will only accept local numbers.
Me: That is not very helpful.
Susan: You can contact our corporate sales team on 0870 429 3010 or email them at corporatesales@dabs.com
Me: Thank you anyway.
Susan: Good bye.

I then went to Amazon.co.uk signed up with my company name with my company 0871 number and purchased the items there.

Conclusion
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Dabs states that the reason that they need your landline number is for security however they obviously have some flaws in their thinking. I could order as a home user using a business telephone number but as a business user I couldn’t set up my account using my business telephone number even though you can go to Companies House and check immediately if a limited company has valid details. Also when I pushed Dabs gave me an 0870 number for their business which shows they don't practice what they preach.

Rating
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4 out of 5 for website
5 out of 5 for variety of products
0 out of 5 for customer service
1 out of 5 for order processing

Summary: Dabs have a wide variety of products coupled with poor customer service