Thursday, 22 September 2011

eCommerce: Are we valued as a customer? Part 2

Yesterday I wrote about the shocking service I'd received from an Online retailer, and it got me thinking about another incident that happened to me when I used Quidco to get cash back on a mobile phone.

The offer I saw was £80 cash back when I ordered an HTC Incredible S through Carphone Warehouse on a contract with Vodafone.  I thought this was a great deal as I was looking to get a new contract anyway and so thought I might as well earn some money back for doing it.

I signed up for the deal on the Carphone Warehouse site having been directed there through the Quidco site.  I filled out all the details, and asked for the phone to be sent to my nearest store.  Unknown to me this store was still being built.  This is where all my problems seemed to start.

I got an email from Carphone Warehouse saying that my order was being processed and I would get sent an email once it had been confirmed.  No email ever arrived, so I thought I would go into the store to check if the phone would be arriving.  The store advised that the order was on its way, and even though the store that it was supposed to go to wasn't ready, it should be directed to them.  It hadn't arrived yet though, so asked me to come back.

Eventually it arrived, and I went into the store to pick it up.  I went in on my lunch break and was in there for over an hour as there was a problem with my order.  There was a computer error that didn't allow them to close down my order.  They spent most of the time I was in the store on the phone to head office trying to sort this problem out.  It was left that they would try and sort it out and I should go back after work.

I went back into the store and they said that the only way they could do anything was to cancel my order and then put it through again.  I was obviously concerned about this affecting my deal with Quidco and was advised that it should be ok.

They put the order through and I started using the phone, however as I was checking on Quidco to see how my cash back was tracking, I noticed it was only tracking at £20.  I checked on Quidco to see if this was normal and it said that Carphone Warehouse deals did track at lower rates.  I decided to contact Carphone Warehouse direct by email and they advised that they would give me a complimentary £20 due to the problems I had received.  I wrote back asking if this was £20 instead of the £80 cash back as if this was the case then I didn't agree.

I heard nothing back from Carphone Warehouse.  About 4 months after I saw on Quidco that my cash back had been rejected.  On enquiring with Quidco they advised me that Carphone Warehouse had rejected it.

This is where the situation becomes laughable.  I spoke to Customer Services at Carphone Warehouse and they advised me that Quidco had decided not to pay me as I hadn't passed their T&C's with regards to the deal and I should check it.  I contacted Quidco and they asked me to send the order confirmation, as it had been Carphone Warehouse that had rejected it.

This is just a case of each one blaming the other, however I'm really not happy with Carphone Warehouse.  I feel like I have been conned by them into getting a phone through them.  They have tried to palm me off with £20 when I should have received £80.  They have seriously got off lightly from serious mistakes they have made, and that's not acceptable.  Why should I suffer for receiving poor service?

I hope to continue using Quidco, however this has left a bad taste in my mouth as am I going to go through this with other retailers?

I'm not expecting any response from Carphone Warehouse as they have palmed me off and ignored me all through the process.

If you're looking for PPC jobs, SEO Jobs, SEM Jobs, Search Jobs, Social Media Jobs, Display Jobs, Digital Planning & Buying Jobs, Mobile Jobs, Web Development Jobs or Senior Digital Jobs, just give me a shout.  Or if you have any questions drop me a line on: dale@digital-minds.co.uk

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