geoffbeaumont Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Decided I was due a treat earlier in the week, so I ordered myself one of the Rangie Spares snorkels from Devon 4x4, along with a tow rope. Figured this would be nice and straightforward... The Devon 4x4 website didn't ask for a delivery address, only card address - if I knew of anyone else in the UK who supplied the snorkel I wanted I would at this point have stopped and ordered it from them instead, but as I didn't... Phoned Devon 4x4 the following morning to get the delivery address changed to my work, as it was unlikely the courier would catch anyone in at home. "Sorry, we can't do that - our card processor can't handle separate delivery addresses." Eh? What has that got to do with card processing?!! Complained that every other parts supplier I order from could manage it but just got told I'd have to wait for the courier to attempt delivery and then try and sort it out with them Anyway, Saturday afternoon while fishing rubbish out of the shrubs by the front door I found a very soggy parcel hidden behind them. Quick delivery, but... It's supposed to be signed for, so I guess the delivery driver signed for it himself (and didn't even bother sticking a note through the door). Bear in mind that I live in Birmingham, on an open plan estate, not the middle of no-where, and there were about £200 worth of parts in the parcel To add insult to injury, when I opened the parcel the snorkel is damaged, so I'm going to have to get it changed We'll see what Devon 4x4 have to say tomorrow, but I'm not impressed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I too had issues with the card address being the delivery address, and also with their rather brisk phone manner - it gave me the feeling that my business wasnt valued and that there were more important customers that they would rather be dealing with - thats probably right though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtydiesel Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 My past experiances of them have allways been very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 They seem to have a very good reputation - it certainly wasn't the sort of service I was expecting And to be fair, only the delivery address is down to Devon 4x4 - the rest is the handywork of their courier. Provided they deal with the issue promptly and without too much inconvenience to me I won't be holding that against them. The delivery address issue alone, though, would be enough to stop me ordering anything from them that I could get elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8CAMEL Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 the card issuers themselves will only guarantee funds if certain checks are made. one of which is card address. They also recomend delivry to the card address for the first order. Subsequent orders can then be delivered to other addresses. This is only recommended not a requirement maybe they are being ultra cautious giving that it would be them not the card issuer who refunds dodgy credit card deals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest diesel_jim Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Anyway, Saturday afternoon while fishing rubbish out of the shrubs by the front door I found a very soggy parcel hidden behind them. Quick delivery, but... It's supposed to be signed for, so I guess the delivery driver signed for it himself (and didn't even bother sticking a note through the door). Bear in mind that I live in Birmingham, on an open plan estate, not the middle of no-where, and there were about £200 worth of parts in the parcel To add insult to injury, when I opened the parcel the snorkel is damaged, so I'm going to have to get it changed Well, you parcel never arrived, did it?? ask the couriers to show you your signature on the delivery note, not there is it? looks like you'll have two snorkels soon!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Call then Geoff they'll sort it out no question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I seem to remember my experience of them involved unanswered emails and somebody else getting my money because getting ignored really p*sses me off, though I can't remember what it was for at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Its why I refuse to use website for ordering stuff. IMHO SPEAK to D4x4 and they are very good, if you have a problem ask for Liz Nige Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest diesel_jim Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Its why I refuse to use website for ordering stuff.IMHO SPEAK to D4x4 and they are very good, if you have a problem ask for Liz Nige Or go there and meet the girl who works on the front desk. I can't remember her name, but when i went there to collect my mach5's i nearly dropped one on my foot whilst letching admiring her... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 The address thing is likely not to be their fault. The first merchant account I had insisted that goods only be shipped to the card address. This (I felt) lost me so much business that I moved to a different provider. For phone transactions it isn't too bad, but the service providers are paranoid about web purchases and their attracting fraud. This all seems a bit strange when the retailer now (after a little bit of legislation) carries the full liability for fraudulent card usage (and get charged an additional 'chargeback fee' to boot) (Thanks Mr Blair!). So, it is the retailer who now looses, not the banks or card companies! You might understand that makes some retailers nervous even if the MS provider allows it. I've always found D4x4 really helpful & friendly on the phone - but not tried the web yet! Si Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MudAllOverIt Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I've ordered from D4x4 over the phone and via the website, haven't had a problem with either so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_warne Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Geoff, I think you've been very unlucky - give them a call and speak to Liz and there shouldn't be a problem. I've always found Devon's service pretty good and prices are competitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollythelw Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 in a less than *cough* perfect world simply ringing and saying wheres my box 'coz I've not seen it yet would net a replacement funded by the couriers goods in transit insurance.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon 4x4 Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Geoff, I think most of the issues have already been covered here... but I'll go over them from an "official" perspective. As mentioned, card processing companies will do absolutely anything to avoid taking responsibility for card purchases. If we deliver to an address other than the cardholder's and there is any claim at all, then we are responsible for the money.. the card company can take it back and we are out of pocket. As a result, we have a policy when dealing with new customers that we only deliver to the registered address. This is not ideal, but it is a sad reality that we got hit for over £3,500 from fraudulent card use in 2005... we got hit for almost none in 2006 after we introduced the policy. The delivery issue is a problem with our courier (Nightfreight). They should not have left the goods without a signature, they should have left a delivery card so that you could contact them and arrange a convenient way to get your consignment (i.e. a redlivery or collection) The fact that the Snorkel is damaged is unfortunate, but the fact that they left it without a signature means that there can be no contest on a carriage claim, and we will of course supply a replacement item. No system is perfect, and we do get occasional problems and for those we can only apologise and try to correct them. Phoning us would get a resolution far quicker than posting complaints on a forum ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I have never had a problem with them, in fatc the opposite, couldnt have been better for help and advice, always very helpful and good with parts in my experience but everyone has an upset now and then (like my Paddocks with my last order, at least you got the bits) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Okay, I'm going to make this the last post on this thread, and then close it and let it drop off the front page - I owe Devon 4x4 an apology for posting this before I spoke to them (I was a teeny bit hacked off... ). I spoke to Tim on the phone earlier today, and he was very helpful sorting everything out. Card/delivery address issue aside (which I accept is a tough call for any business - make life easy for your customers or get stitched up by the card companies whenever something goes wrong?), the fault here lies entirely with the couriers, and Devon 4x4 are just as much, if not more, an injured party as me. It was unfair of me to air this in public before they'd had a chance to do anything about the situation, and had I held off if I'd posted anything at all it would have been a lot less negative. Looking for to getting my new toy (in one piece this time, hopefully) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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