TERRIBLE online service from Noel Leeming

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Handsomedan

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#225757 4-Dec-2017 17:06

Recently decided to pull the trigger on an upgrade of my aging Apple Watch and as the Series 3 is not available in NZ in Stainless Steel (due to it being Cellular-only) I decided to search for a retailer that would have the Series 2 in their old stock and available for immediate purchase.

Found one on the Noel Leeming website - no notes about it being low stock or special order - and it was heavily discounted. Great stuff!

Ordered on Click & Collect and duly waited the prerequisite 1-2 working days for it to arrive in store for me to pick up.

After several days, no notice or info was forthcoming, so I decided to use the contact form on their site (at which point a chat "bot" asked if I wanted to talk about my query).

I proceeded to politely ask if there's an ETA on my order...a long wait (and a prompt from the site that I might want to type something further as it appeared I was inactive) later and my ? was answered with "I'm looking into it".

After 10 minutes of basically silence, I asked for a progress update and got told this: "the item you ordered is on prevent order which means it's unlikely we'll be getting the order in any time soon".

So...not only was the chat bot not a bot, but the lack of timeliness and the responses given were apalling.

And the chat took 20 minutes fro start to finish, with just 3 responses from the "bot". I think if it had been a real bot, it likely would have been quicker.

Needless to say, I got a refund and went to PB Tech (paid slightly more but still discounted and I got what I wanted within half an hour).

TL;DR

Noel Leeming online BAD, PB Tech GOOD.

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#1912807 4-Dec-2017 17:19

Must be something in the water. I ordered something from JB Hi Fi. In stock, good price. Arrived in wrong colour. Need to return it.

Is there any way to contact JB re their online orders? Nope. No phone number. No live chat. No customer service. Just an email address which neither acknowledges receipt nor, thus far, elicits a response.

Result: So far, no reply at all from JB and one customer less as I won't spend a cent there ever again.

And yet....when Amazon comes and makes them all go bust, it will somehow be Amazon's fault.

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Behodar

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#1912847 4-Dec-2017 17:52

I submitted a question to NL's contact form on 23/11 and haven't had a response. Fortunately I no longer need the response, but still...

mattwnz

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#1912848 4-Dec-2017 17:55

I am not sure what is going on with contacting companies via email these days, but I have tried to contact several, and some companies just don't seem to reply. Maybe it is just a busy time of the year. I have been waiting weeks for some, and they do have ticketing systems to show they did receive the reply. Online chat IMO can be a waste of time too, and you don't know where they are answering it from.

mattwnz

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#1912849 4-Dec-2017 17:57

Geektastic:

Must be something in the water. I ordered something from JB Hi Fi. In stock, good price. Arrived in wrong colour. Need to return it.

Is there any way to contact JB re their online orders? Nope. No phone number. No live chat. No customer service. Just an email address which neither acknowledges receipt nor, thus far, elicits a response.

Result: So far, no reply at all from JB and one customer less as I won't spend a cent there ever again.

And yet....when Amazon comes and makes them all go bust, it will somehow be Amazon's fault.

I recently had really good service from JB Hifis local store after I purchased a defective item recently. The staff member lived near me and picked up and replaced the item themselves, to save me having to go back to the store.

quickymart

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#1912875 4-Dec-2017 19:11

I guess if you're going in in person to say "hey, this doesn't work" they can't really ignore you, but an e-mail can be fairly easily ignored...

tdgeek

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#1912881 4-Dec-2017 19:16

mattwnz:

I am not sure what is going on with contacting companies via email these days, but I have tried to contact several, and some companies just don't seem to reply. Maybe it is just a busy time of the year. I have been waiting weeks for some, and they do have ticketing systems to show they did receive the reply. Online chat IMO can be a waste of time too, and you don't know where they are answering it from.

Competition, need to cut costs, invariably that turns chat and helpdesk into lower paid newbies. If they provided quality contact support, and had higher prices, then no sales. Thats how it goes. Now I know I will see posts that say I will pay more for better support, but thats not reality sadly. Its all about price. (For most)

tdgeek

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#1912883 4-Dec-2017 19:18

mattwnz:

Geektastic:

Must be something in the water. I ordered something from JB Hi Fi. In stock, good price. Arrived in wrong colour. Need to return it.

Is there any way to contact JB re their online orders? Nope. No phone number. No live chat. No customer service. Just an email address which neither acknowledges receipt nor, thus far, elicits a response.

Result: So far, no reply at all from JB and one customer less as I won't spend a cent there ever again.

And yet....when Amazon comes and makes them all go bust, it will somehow be Amazon's fault.

I recently had really good service from JB Hifis local store after I purchased a defective item recently. The staff member lived near me and picked up and replaced the item themselves, to save me having to go back to the store.

Well thanks for that, just after my negative post!! :-) yes, there are very cool people who will go the extra mile, thats me too, but thats not really the norm.

mattwnz

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#1912896 4-Dec-2017 19:41

tdgeek:

mattwnz:

I am not sure what is going on with contacting companies via email these days, but I have tried to contact several, and some companies just don't seem to reply. Maybe it is just a busy time of the year. I have been waiting weeks for some, and they do have ticketing systems to show they did receive the reply. Online chat IMO can be a waste of time too, and you don't know where they are answering it from.

Competition, need to cut costs, invariably that turns chat and helpdesk into lower paid newbies. If they provided quality contact support, and had higher prices, then no sales. Thats how it goes. Now I know I will see posts that say I will pay more for better support, but thats not reality sadly. Its all about price. (For most)

That has been a problem for a while now. Often the companies that you hear the worst experiences of, are those that tend to be the cheapest, are and aggressive at being the lowest price to get the highest number of customers. It also often happens after a company is purchased by another, and then they try to but costs significantly, and outsource support.Appears to have occurred with numerous ISPs.

Personally I have never really had that sort of issue with Noels though. They seem to reply to emails quickly and any issues I have always got sorted out quickly.

tdgeek

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#1912898 4-Dec-2017 19:49

mattwnz:

tdgeek:

mattwnz:

I am not sure what is going on with contacting companies via email these days, but I have tried to contact several, and some companies just don't seem to reply. Maybe it is just a busy time of the year. I have been waiting weeks for some, and they do have ticketing systems to show they did receive the reply. Online chat IMO can be a waste of time too, and you don't know where they are answering it from.

Competition, need to cut costs, invariably that turns chat and helpdesk into lower paid newbies. If they provided quality contact support, and had higher prices, then no sales. Thats how it goes. Now I know I will see posts that say I will pay more for better support, but thats not reality sadly. Its all about price. (For most)

That has been a problem for a while now. Often the companies that you hear the worst experiences of, are those that tend to be the cheapest, are and aggressive at being the lowest price to get the highest number of customers. It also often happens after a company is purchased by another, and then they try to but costs significantly, and outsource support.Appears to have occurred with numerous ISPs.

Personally I have never really had that sort of issue with Noels though. They seem to reply to emails quickly and any issues I have always got sorted out quickly.

What I have found is what I have said is a fact, many business are in a race to the bottom. Power, telco's, big boys stores. But, you will always find really good people, it just that not all are really good. They are there though. Competition gives all of us lower prices, but with that comes a need to lower costs, hence this thread. Ive had no issues with NL either.

jamesrt

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#1912908 4-Dec-2017 20:19

mattwnz:

Geektastic:

Must be something in the water. I ordered something from JB Hi Fi. In stock, good price. Arrived in wrong colour. Need to return it.

Is there any way to contact JB re their online orders? Nope. No phone number. No live chat. No customer service. Just an email address which neither acknowledges receipt nor, thus far, elicits a response.

Result: So far, no reply at all from JB and one customer less as I won't spend a cent there ever again.

I recently had really good service from JB Hifis local store after I purchased a defective item recently. The staff member lived near me and picked up and replaced the item themselves, to save me having to go back to the store.

I too have had VERY good customer service in-store with an item originally purchased online. I understand that you, @Geektastic, may not be near a physical store; but perhaps could try just ringing your closest one...

Geektastic

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#1912911 4-Dec-2017 20:28

jamesrt:
mattwnz:

Geektastic:

Must be something in the water. I ordered something from JB Hi Fi. In stock, good price. Arrived in wrong colour. Need to return it.

Is there any way to contact JB re their online orders? Nope. No phone number. No live chat. No customer service. Just an email address which neither acknowledges receipt nor, thus far, elicits a response.

Result: So far, no reply at all from JB and one customer less as I won't spend a cent there ever again.

I recently had really good service from JB Hifis local store after I purchased a defective item recently. The staff member lived near me and picked up and replaced the item themselves, to save me having to go back to the store.

I too have had VERY good customer service in-store with an item originally purchased online. I understand that you, @Geektastic, may not be near a physical store; but perhaps could try just ringing your closest one...

I did indeed do that.

"Sorry, we don't deal with things bought online. You need to email them or ring this number"

Number rung 12 times over 4 days.

"Sorry. There is no one here to take your call. Please leave a message."

Message left. More than one. Replies? Nil.

alasta

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#1912952 4-Dec-2017 20:51

This sounds exactly like my experience when I attempted to order my series 2 watch when they were initially released last year.

They were available for purchase at Noel Leeming shortly after release, so I ordered one and they took payment immediately. A few weeks later they still had no idea if or when they would be able to supply the product and throughout the waiting period they only ever bothered to communicate with me when I rang them. Eventually I cancelled the order, requested a refund, and reordered directly from Apple who were able to quote a precise lead time and deliver accordingly.

After a series of experiences like this I now avoid dealing with the mainstream big box retailers wherever possible, and instead order electronics from Apple who always get it right first time. I'm not sure where I'll go when I have to eventually replace my TV or whiteware, but hopefully that's a few years away.

richms

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#1912953 4-Dec-2017 20:51

Document the attempts to call them, then get your bank to do a chargeback.

Richard rich.ms

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#1912959 4-Dec-2017 21:02

mattwnz:

I am not sure what is going on with contacting companies via email these days, but I have tried to contact several, and some companies just don't seem to reply. Maybe it is just a busy time of the year.

No "busy time". New Zealand companies are appalling. They simply do not reply. Period. End of story.

As mentioned, come March 2018 and Amazon opens their "doors" here, it will be a whole lot of dead companies.

As for the OP, you should go to a store and get the change done there.

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#1912961 4-Dec-2017 21:03

Geektastic:

I did indeed do that.

"Sorry, we don't deal with things bought online. You need to email them or ring this number"

Number rung 12 times over 4 days.

"Sorry. There is no one here to take your call. Please leave a message."

Message left. More than one. Replies? Nil.

They have to deal in-store. It's not your problem.

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