A reader by the name of Kevin contacted us in desperation after his child had been left without a bed for a long time despite his best efforts to have it resolved.
He bought a mid-sleeper bed for his child on the Very site – formerly Littlewoods – at the start of last month and was told his order would be delivered by January 13th.
“Two packages arrived within that time frame; however, the remaining package did not arrive until January 29th,” he says.
“As the bed appeared to have arrived, we disposed of my daughter’s existing bed and attempted to assemble the new one,” he says. “At this point, we discovered that essential parts were missing and that we had, in fact, been sent the same package twice.”
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So he contacted the retailer’s customer service department “and was left on hold for a significant period. When I eventually spoke to an agent, I was advised that they could not simply send the missing package. Instead, I was told that we would need to return the incorrect package, wait for a refund, and then place a new order. As the bed had taken almost a month to arrive initially, this was not an acceptable solution, particularly as my daughter currently has no bed,” he says.
He goes on to say the bed was purchased at a sale price and while he was told the discount could be reapplied, the extended delay or the inconvenience was not addressed.
At this stage, I feel I have exhausted all reasonable avenues
“An alternative suggestion was that I purchase a new bed upfront and then return the incorrect one for a refund, which would leave us significantly out of pocket. I requested that a manager contact me, and it was agreed that I would receive a call on Tuesday, February 3rd, between 9.30am and 10.00am. No call was received,” he writes.
He tried to phone the company again and was left on hold for an extended period.
“I attempted to email a formal complaint but discovered that the only published email address is for credit-related queries. I have contacted the company multiple times via the web link and was repeatedly asked to allow more time. I requested either that the incorrectly sent package be replaced with the correct one, or that the bed be collected and replaced at the same time. Couriers have not provided delivery or collection windows, and as we do not work from home, it is extremely difficult to be available for multiple separate appointments,” he writes.
He says that when he tried to contact the company via its web link it has not worked while messages sent via Facebook have gone unanswered. “Any attempt to call results in lengthy hold times that I am unable to wait through during working hours,” he says.
“At this stage, I feel I have exhausted all reasonable avenues. I am simply seeking a replacement for a product that is not fit for purpose, without undue inconvenience to my family, in line with my consumer rights. I would greatly appreciate any assistance or guidance you can provide.
We contacted the company to see if we could get our reader’s child a place to rest her head. This is the response we received: “We have spoken with [our reader’s] wife and have apologised for the time taken to resolve the issue. The family’s experience fell below the high standards we set ourselves, and we have provided a full refund and are working with the family to organise the delivery of a new bed in the coming days.”
