Hardly IDEAL. (Ideal World)

Member Name: boredindunoon

Product:	Ideal World
Date:	29/10/09 (94 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Low Prices (Based On What I Ordered), Well Packaged Items.

Disadvantages: Very Poor & Easily Confused Customer Service Staff, Unsafe Website, Slow Delivery.

Ideal World is a home shopping channel which is viewable on Freeview channel 22, Sky channel 644, and Virgin Media channel 747. They sell a large variety of items covering electrical, crafts, IT equipment, garden plants, fashion, kitchenware, as well as various other items.

Earlier in the month while I was channel surfing, something caught my eye, it was something on Ideal World. A pair of Hawaiian Palms which are rare decorative houseplant, for sale at the very reasonable price of £24.99. I say very reasonable as I've seen these plants from several online retailers starting at £19.99 each (before postage) which makes Ideal Worlds price well - ideal.

I took a note of the product number and rushed onto my computer to order them - which brings me to the first problem I encountered. I would strongly recommend against ordering online through their website, not only did the pages keep timing out, but as soon as I clicked that "Checkout" button I was hit with a number of warnings from both Firefox as well as my internet security software telling me that the website had an unsecure connection and an out of date security certificate. Slightly disappointed not being able to order using my preferred method, I decided to do it the old fashioned way and phone the order line. I mentioned the problems with the website when placing my order on the phone and was told (and this really is a quote) that she "...suggests not using the website as it has many problems."

However the greatest frustration was in trying to place an order. After getting through on the orderline (a 0871 number charged at 10p per minute) I explained that I was a new customer and that I wanted to place an order, but the customer service agent was more interested in trying to sell me other items before I could order. Everything from twin plants pots on special offer for £16.99 and a diamond pendant to trying to enter me in to a weekly prize draw that would have cost me several pounds a week to enter. I eventually had to say that I just wanted to place an order and that I didn't want any ANYTHING else. What I also disliked is that before I received the order I had received nearly have a dozen catalogues and leaflets with special offers from Ideal World trying to sell my other items.

It took several attempts for her to get my various details correct and a staggering five attempts to get my postcode correct. And when I received the order I noticed that not only was my second name wrong (with an extra R) but my email address was wrong (with a B being replaced by a D) which explains why I never received a confirmation email.

I placed the order on the 5th of October and was told that it should be with me by the 15th of October. When I hadn't received it by the 21st I decided to phone them to enquire about the status of the order, and it took nearly twenty minutes to get through. Only to be told without explanation that it will be another two to five days before I can expect the order. Another seven days passed without receiving the order and I decided to give them another call. At first the agent couldn't find any trace of my order, and then told me that I had already received the item on the 14th of the month. After another five or ten confusing minutes she apologised stating that she misheard my order number (despite having read it back to me correctly at the beginning of the phone call.) I was told that I will receive it within the next few days but to allow another seven days.

Thankfully just on the verge of giving up hope I finally received my order after twenty three long days. The plants arrived alive and well having being well packaged and protected during transit and even came with decent care instructions.

Would I use them again? Sadly I doubt it. While their price was very good and I did finally get what I had ordered, having to wait so long, call them again and again and having to deal with their customer support, I think I'll just skip over the channel next time I'm surfing.

Summary: Thanks For Reading.