FitBit farce

[Anonymous]

You may have seen the "great" deals O2 has posted re: the FitBit but for the sake of your sanity, I would avoid ordering this online. I ordered this last Thursday (26th Nov) on the basis that it would be delivered the next day. Come Friday, I had not received an email to confirm the item had been dispatched, and so I contacted O2 via their online help, only to be told that the item would be delivered "within 24 hours" i.e. by about 5pm on the Saturday. Come Saturday evening, no FitBit, so I again got in touch with O2 and was told that because Royal Mail does not deliver on the weekend (?!), the item would be delivered on Monday. Monday...no FitBit. Got in touch yet again, and told this time that the order had been cancelled because it is out of stock. 

Now if you visit the O2 shop, you will notice that the item is listed as in stock:

https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/fitness-trackers/fitbit/charge-hr/#contractType=nonconnected

I have just spent 53 minutes on the phone with someone who confirmed that the FitBit is indeed out of stock and they have no idea when it will be back in stock. Clearly someone is asleep on the job.

I am absolutely perplexed about how a) O2 can be offering an item for sale when they do not even have an item b) their complete lack of communication re: delivery delays c) their practice of cancelling an order without informing the customer. Had I not contacted them, I would still be expecting the item. The solution for this? To place another order...for an item that is not in stock! 

O2's inconsistency is absolutely maddening. I had previously placed an order for the FitBit and the delivery was delayed because they were "out of stock" but I was reassured that they regularly get stock and that I would receive the item within 1-2 days. However, because this overlapped with the Black Friday deal, and I would have spent more on the FitBit yet not received it in time, I was advised to cancel and place the order again. So the first time my delivery was delayed, I received no communication but was told that the order would be theoretically fulfilled as priority in a couple of days. The second time my delivery was repeatedly delayed and then inexplicably cancelled with again no communication. This makes me wonder if my first order would ever have been fulfilled?

In addition, I don't understand why the people on O2 chat mislead customers - why was I repeatedly told different times for delivery, none of which were true? This does not instil trust in O2 customer services at all. Furthermore, the staff on the online chat are clearly not trained well - I requested a transcript of my latest chat and was told it could not be sent while I was still online. This despite the fact that a previous rep had sent my a transcript while online and stayed with me until I received the transcript. I did of course tell the latest rep this but was repeatedly ignored and told he was "sorry I felt that way". Not sorry that he incapable of doing his job or asking for help if he didn't know how to do it.

To be fair, the lady I spoke to on the phone (because I was so disatisfied with the online chat) tried her best to help and was just as perplexed over the whole thing as I was. I now have to go all the way to a store to pick up a FitBit, but I lament the time and energy I wasted trying to order this online. O2, really - absolutely shocking. Do not sell an item if you don't have it. Simple.

[Anonymous]

Thanks @Cleoriff and @MI5 hopefully I can get this sorted very soon. 

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous I can tell you right now that what you have been told is absolute rubbish. I have ordered the FitBit twice and had the order cancelled twice (only once with my permission & knowlege) & both times the money was refunded back to the credit card I used to pay with. I am an O2 pay monthly customer, but that never factored into it. I think you just got very unlucky in reaching someone who doesn't know what they are doing.

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous Thanks for that, it's good to know that someone has had a refund correctly, just proves that guy was talking rubbish. I'll definitely phone them again in the morning, and hopefully I can get someone that will help and knows what their talking about.

Was it just the 202 number you called? There should be an option to speak to someone about online orders rather than go through the pay monthly team.

[MI5]

Just choose option 2 then press 0. You will get a non specific agent who can deal with your enquiry.

[Anonymous]

The first time (when I requested the cancellation) I was using the online chat. I received a refund confirmation email a couple of days later. The second time I was actually chasing up the delivery on the online chat when I was informed that it had been cancelled without me knowing. I then rang 202 to confirm what had happened (because I was so appalled) and the refund email was sent a couple of days later - absolutely no talk of it being credited to my phone bill (but on both occasions I actually had no idea money had been taken out - the second time the rep couldn't even check that for me and she said she didn't think any money had been taken).

I hope you manage to speak to somebody competent tomorrow - following @MI5's advice!

PS: this all begs the question as to why O2 doesn't adopt the practice of processing payments only once an item has been dispatched. It's all rather ludicrous.

[MI5]

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@Anonymous wrote:

It's all rather ludicrous.

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Those few words pretty well sum up the online ordering experience with o2 currently, although we are told they are trying to improve.

[jonsie]

Money should only be taken once an item is in stock. When you order accessories through o2, if they are supplied and despatched by a third party, money is not taken until goods are in stock.

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:

PS: this all begs the question as to why O2 doesn't adopt the practice of processing payments only once an item has been dispatched. It's all rather ludicrous.

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A practice that works well for Amazon and many other major retailers. Simply because they have a real time ordering system. They know exactly what's in stock. Order an item..once it is picked, packed and has the dispatch label attached.. they then process payment. Another advantage is their pre-order system. A game or book due for release in six months time can be ordered and until it is dispatched the customer is never charged

[Anonymous]

Why are O2 ? a professional 21 century company, dealing with technological products, sooooo darn slowwwww in choosing an ordering practice as just described above  ^  ^  ^ ( by @Cleoriff ) like other major retailers do eg Amazon, which I buy 'fairish' off ... ... ... & to date have had no trouble with what-so-over !!!

[Anonymous]

Just off the phone to customer services again. I have been told the same thing again " it can only be credited to my o2 account and then I have to contact them for a refund"

I brought up the fact that it doesn't sound legal as with any refund it has too be refunded by the original form of payment itch any retailer. He said that's the only way they can they can process a refund. He then went to seek advice and came back and said the exact same thing it can't be refunded to my debit card I paid.

He then said he can't see that I paid £69 but he can see that the Fitbit is £69 as if I hadn't paid. I assured him I have, I have the bank statement and order emails to prove it. He then said it will be fine I'll get my money back....Seriously!!...I just want my money back asap before there's anymore excuses.

So I have to wait till the 17th to call them back and then wait a few y for it to go back on to my card.

Absolutely shocking service!!

@MI5 I tried going through option 2 then press 0 but it was just saying this is not an option.
@Anonymous I brought up that fact that I heard of someone being refunded back to their card and not their account, he couldn't really give me an answer as to why I could not have a refund like this, he said it was not possible for me. They are treating customers different.