Epic

Epic lack of understanding in comments.

It's not really free delivery if you have to go and pick it up, is it?

Debenhams - worst online shopping experience ever

Just bought some furniture from debenhams online and having a complete nightmare with it.

Ordered in store using debenhams gift cards to pay (had several cards, but couldn't use them all online as the stupid web site only accepts one per order).

Delivered to home. Opened packaging and found damaged items (after delivery person had legged it) - looks like caused by rough handling in transit.

Called debenhams - they offered 10% discount to keep damaged goods - said we wanted a replacement, not damaged goods. Told none in stock, asked to call back 5 days later to see if they had any then.

Called 5 days later - good news, now in stock. Great we say, please send replacement and collect damaged ones.

OK they say but you've got to pay for new ones first, and then when we get damaged ones back we'll refund back onto the gift card. Hang on we say, thats crap, can't the same person collect old ones and deliver new ones. No, they say (even though it is the same company doing it).

Also, we say, we don't have the gift card - the store kept it. OK they say, we'll send a new one to you (after we get the goods back).

But, we say that means we'll have ended up paying cash, not with the gift card we wanted to use. Tough, is the response.

OK we say, in that case cancel the order and collect the damaged goods, and send us a new gift card. And we can't take a day off to wait for the courier, so make it a saturday collection.

OK, they say.

As it happens I'm working from home the following Tuesday - and a woman turns up at the door saying 'I'm here to collect something (don't know what) for debenhams'. Oh I say, thought you were coming Saturday. Nope, she replies - doesn't say that in the collection details debenhams gave us.

Oh, well I say, you're here now - this is the item to collect.

I can't take that she says - I've only got a car and the weight limit is 17kg. You'll have to call debenhans again.

Called debenhams - they said oh, thats odd - yes it is still booked for a saturday collection (8am - 8pm). Call us after 8pm on Saturday if it hasn't been collected.

We notice their customer service line shuts at 8pm - so call at 7.55pm saturday to say we've been waiting all day and nobody has arrived to collect.

Oh, they say - we'll rebook it - but actually we can't collect on saturdays, or tell you what day it will be collected.

You bastards we reply - who do we complain to. Dunno, they say.

Since then I've been working from home for nearly 2 more weeks, no collection, despite frequent calls to find out why not. Just fobbed off with 'I'm sure it will be collected in the next day or two'.

The only alternative they'll offer is for us to take it back to the local store ourselves - but it is heavy and we can't lug it up the road from the car park to the store.

Truly the worst online shopping experience I've ever had, and the last time we consider using debenhams online.

It isn't delivery to the local store they need to be doing - it is a complete overhaul of their customer service and home delivery services.