Not with a bargepole.... (letsbuyit.com)

Member Name: GroundZero

Product:	letsbuyit.com
Date:	25/03/01 (146 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap products...

Disadvantages: ...but shoddy service, unreliable, uncontactable

I write this as someone who has had their fingers badly burned by Letsbuyit. Hopefully this review will prevent others from making the same mistakes I made.

Letsbuyit.com first came to my attention last year, when their adverts featuring a horde of little ants were splashed all over the national press. At this time, a large number of companies were just getting into web selling, and it was thought that the companies with the largest marketing budgets would be the ones who would prosper. It turned out to be the exact opposite – those companies spending the most on their advertising were actually overspending, burning money faster than they could make it.

The unique selling point of Letsbuyit was their co-buying model. Their website offers a large range of different products, which, when ordered by a large number of customers drop in price. This group buying method was supposedly the way ahead, and it certainly looked impressive, with some significant savings available if enough people signed up.

I ordered my DVD player, a Samsung 709, from Letsbuyit last September, as the price was cheaper than anywhere else on the web or high street. I duly signed up, confirmed I wanted to buy the item, then had to wait until the cobuy closed. The price of the item drops in increments depending on how many people sign up for it, so you may be unsure of the exact price until the last price threshold is reached. You can of course specify that you only wish to buy at the lowest price, but if this is not reached, then you will have waited the time it takes for the cobuy to finish before you can be sure you will not be getting the item.

After the cobuy closes, you have to wait up to 15 days for the product to be delivered. With my DVD player, it only took a week, but not knowing when it was due to arrive was annoying to say the least. You don’t even get an email to confirm the item has been shipped.

Fast forward to Decemb
er last year. I decided to buy a Samsung widescreen TV from Letsbuyit, for a very reasonable £280. I was assured the TV would be delivered by December 23rd at the latest. The money was taken from my account when the cobuy closed (Dec 10th), and all I had to do was wait for the TV to arrive. By Friday the 22nd, the TV had still not arrived, so I contacted Letsbuyit to see what was happening. I was told that “due to delays”, the TV would not now be delivered before Christmas, and offered the chance to cancel the order. I was also promised 2 free cinema tickets as an apology.

I decided to cancel the order, and expected the refund to be made almost immediately. Over 3 months later, I am still waiting for that refund. About a week after cancelling the order, I was phoned by someone wanting to arrange delivery details. I told them that I had already cancelled, and wanted the refund made as soon as possible.

In early January, rumours started to emerge that all was not well with Letsbuyit. Financially the company was struggling, and looked likely to be the next casualty of the internet depression. I contacted Letsbuyit again, only to be told that “my” TV had been sent to the courier, and that they had no way of refunding me until they had the item back. This was in no way my fault, and I told them as much, but they said there was nothing they could do. Customer service? Don’t make me laugh….

All of a sudden, Letsbuyit appeared to be terminal. It became impossible to contact anyone at the company as a “moratorium” was placed on the company. This meant that they had ceased trading, and were trying to find ways of raising the cash necessary for them to continue. Still waiting for my refund, I became very concerned that the money I had paid was lost completely.

Midway through February, it became clear that the company would soon be back in business. It was still impossible to c
ontact them though, as their customer service phoneline continued to go unanswered, and any emails I sent seemed to be ignored. When the website did reopen for service, it is notable that the customer service phone number is nowhere to be found on the site – hardly inspiring when you need to contact them.

I finally managed to speak to someone last week, who confirmed that my refund should be made within the next week. That’s over 3 months they have had my money, even though I cancelled the order way back in December.

This company will never get any more custom from me, nor any of my family or friends. The shoddy way in which I have been treated (and I am not the only one, not by a long way) is absolutely appalling for any company aiming to boost their customer base. I would strongly recommend everyone to give Letsbuyit a miss, and don’t let them do to you what they have done to me.

The biggest mistake I made (apart from using Letsbuyit in the first place) was to pay by switch card. Had I paid by credit card (I don’t have one), I would have been much more secure, as the credit card company would have dealt with getting my money back. As it is, I am left to wait and hope that I will get to see my money again.

Although Letsbuyit’s prices may appear tempting, just because something is cheap does not make it a bargain. You are far better advised to find somewhere with a good reputation for service than these amateurs. This whole experience has been a complete nightmare, and has certainly highlighted the dangers of buying over the web. Up until then, I had never had a problem with any company. As it is, I am now far more wary about ordering over the net.

Summary: