Uktobacco

Good prices and cheap fast delivery

Have used these for years, the service is absolutely spot on. Very good choice for cigar and pipe tobacco, and very keen prices. Delivery charges are very reasonable too compared to other sites. Usually get orders next day, though its down to postal service if first class gets to you next day or day after.

Bankofscotland

Good transfer deals

Credit card - was offered 0% interest rate on balance transfers for a year and also 0% on purchases through to June 2012. Haven't paid them any interest so far!
Excellent deal to switch, found them very helpful and friendly on the phone - UK call centres too so at least you can understand them, and you get through quickly too.
Online banking is straightforward.
Worth checking out their deals if you're looking to switch

Yodel

The worst parcel service ever

I can't be bothered to explain the whole shocking story but instead I'll give some hopefully useful information if you're a poor sod having trouble with these clowns.
email elaine.boyle@yodel.co.uk
She is head of customer relations and the person you need to contact to get things sorted. Hope that helps someone.

Myyodel

The worst parcel service ever

I can't be bothered to explain the whole shocking story but instead I'll give some hopefully useful information if you're a poor sod having trouble with these clowns.
email elaine.boyle@yodel.co.uk
She is head of customer relations and the person you need to contact to get things sorted. Hope that helps someone.

Robert Richardson a trouvé cette évaluation utile

DPD UK

Best out of a bad bunch

Parcel firms do have a bad reputation, and its easy to see why when you look at the horror stories.
I've been let down by DPD before, but I get parcels every day and with DPD you do get a text advising you of a 1 hour time slot. This saves you waiting in all day, and its spot on most of the time.
With the likes of Yodel and Citylink around, DPD is a better bet of getting your goods and not having to wait around for them.

City Link

Not a courier of choice

They were to deliver an order to me which was in two parcels. They only delivered one and had to come back again with the other. If a neighbour hadn't taken the delivery its a 2hr round trip to their depot!. The best time slot they can give is 07:30 - 17:30. DPD can give you an hour time slot so you're not waiting about.
In a modern world of bar code tracking and GPS routing, Citylink don't have the technology or efficiency of modern couriers.

SKY

Poor content, over-priced, shocking customer service

If you want to watch USA tv programmes and endless repeats then welcome to Sky TV. If you want to pay a fortune every month for the privilege, welcome to Sky TV. If you want adverts every few minutes then welcome to Sky TV. If you want foreigners answering the phone, talking over you and getting it all wrong, welcome to Sky TV.
Hundreds of channels churning out the same old crap with adverts after adverts. You cannot pay only for the channels you actually watch (about half to a dozen) but have to buy packages of garbage channels you have no interest in. Because there is no other competitor they are churning out shit and charging heavily for the privilege. It's not worth the money.

TopCashBack

Good cashback rates with no annual fee

Have used TCB and Quidco. Quidco charge you an annual fee whereas TCB pay you the full cashback and increase it the more you use them. So usually TCB are better than Quidco.
When it comes to failed cashback tracking, TCB seem better at getting you your cashback. They also will pay out when you want it, not on a fixed payout date.
Haven't come across a better cashback site yet. Though still have to wait months to get paid out. The industry itself is fraught with loopholes and failures (see this article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/blog/2011/nov/03/cashback-sites-consumer-rights-minefield ) but TCB seem to be the leader.

Quidco

Great to get free cash, just sometimes you have to work for it

Had a few instances where the purchases have tracked then the retailer refuses to honour the deal.
I have had to involve Trading Standards on one occasion.
For those who haven't joined up, you might read this article first: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/blog/2011/nov/03/cashback-sites-consumer-rights-minefield
It does offer some good advice and raises the question - who is making the offer - the retailer or the cashback site?. When it works its good, when it goes wrong both blame each other and leave you to it. Once you involve Trading Standards then you may get some redress. But it all takes time... and the effort might not be worth the amounts involved, and you're left feeling cheated. It's an area where retailers benefit whether or not you get paid cashback, so for them it's a win-win situation. Those that do rip off customers offering cashback then refusing to pay up need to be taken to task.

Coopelectricalshop

Probably the best prices on the internet

Found them to be far cheaper than the likes of comet, currys, john lewis. Goods arrived within the 90 minute promised time slot. Item was damaged, offered 20% discount to keep it or replacement could be sent the following day. Delivery guys were friendly and helpful, they called in on their phone to report damaged item. Unwrapped it and took away all packaging without fuss. Shame about dent, but these things happen and they did make a generous offer or prompt replacement so that plus the excellent prices means it has to be 5 stars!

Bosch Professional

Fantastic power tools and First Class backup service

Bosch "blue" power tools are for the trade. Similar in design to some of the green DIY tools, but inside are better components for daily use rather than occasional. Hard wearing. Its good gear right enough, but when things do break down they really excel. The blue stuff has a year guarantee that if you register your product within 4 weeks of purchase, they upgrade free to 3 years. If anything fails, they send a courier out to wherever you're working, collect the faulty item and repair/replace and return it to you within a few days. All under warranty. Now that is service!

Google Chrome-browser

This could have been the perfect browser

Changed many many years ago from MSIE to Firefox. Firefox was THE browser. Far more secure and superior to Internet Explorer. Then along came Chrome, very simplistic and not resource hungry like FF had become. BUT it is so unstable at times. I have chrome on 3 PCs now, each running different op systems and of different specs. When it comes to Flash websites it just crashes and locks up. Not all the time but far too regularly to be just a glitch. It hates the Sky Go iPlayer and regularly falls flat on its arse on that website. Right now it's just too buggy for any more than 3 stars. If they don't sort it out soon I'll be going back to Firefox. But on the plus side, it does have a refreshing simplistic layout, much better tabbed browsing than the current catch-up attempt by MSIE, and some good extensions. I'd prefer it over IE any day. But against Firefox.... undecided.

Angliatoolcentre

Some very good prices and fast delivery

Found some excellent prices on here, cheaper than anywhere else inc VAT & Del.

Tooled-Up.com

Good prices and quick delivery

Some good deals on their website, delivery next day with text giving 1hr delivery time slot. Goods arrived as promised within the hour timeslot. Impressive.
Haven't had any problems with them, and it's when things go wrong we judge a company. I'll keep using them and give a well deserved 4 stars. If they continue to be spot on then I'll happily go to 5.

Transtools

Good prices, average delivery times

Haven't had any trouble with transtools over several orders. Stuff takes a few days to arrive, not a next day outfit so if you do want it quick maybe look elsewhere. But the prices and range I think are good. Latest order was sent in two parcels, one parcel went astray but that was Citylink's fault and arrived the next day [website showed 2 parcels but they only delivered 1]. When I emailed transtools, they responded quickly.
You only know how good a company is when things go wrong. Haven't had cause to fault transtools yet so until then I'm happy to keep using them.

Powertoolworld

Can land on a good deal

The prices are OK, and sometimes you can land on a good deal.
Had a problem recently but the MD called me personally to discuss it after leaving a review of my experience on here. Think that took some balls to make that call rather than pay lip service or ignore it. The problem stemmed from the courier making a hash of it, then was compounded by overwhelmed business and temporary under-staffing. Have withdrawn my original review rather than update, I think if someone can hold their hands up when it goes wrong, they deserve a second chance.

O2

Security of your personal data a major issue on O2

When you browse from an O2 mobile, we add the user's mobile number to this technical information.One business owner who checked his servers' logs told the BBC that he had discovered that they contained hundreds of mobile phone numbers and said that he was concerned that advertisers could make use of the information. "They could now know not just your phone number, but all the websites that you visit, and so target you."
One Twitter user wrote: "Woah - @O2 users' mobile numbers are being beamed to every website - and ad server - they access? That's... not good."
O2 said it "would like to apologise for the concern we have caused".
There is no evidence that other networks had experienced similar problems.

Screwfix

Click but nothing to collect

Order on a Saturday, it says available to collect "tomorrow". You go on Sunday to collect and the stuff ain't there. Their head office could correct their website but they can't be bothered. They'd rather you waste fuel going to collect something that isnt there. That's thousands of pounds in materials they won't be selling at their new Keighley store. Once bitten. screwfix are part of B&Q, that's why they're shite!

NiceCans.co.uk

Useless and ignorant

Goods never arrived, no response to email. Credit card company notified who made immediate chargeback to them.
I'd advise anyone who has purchased from them and having problems to contact your card company immediately and get a refund that way.

UPDATE: Within an hour of writing this review the idiots finally contact me with this pearler : "Sorry has it arrived now please?". No apology and a pigeon English response. Well here's mine; "Do one cranks!"

Firstfurniture

Ignorant and fail to deliver.

Ordered goods last year, still shows "awaiting shipment". They dont reply to emails so telephoned them. They were going to ring back but as with most companies they never did.
Card company have intervened and credited me back what I paid them.
How anyone in business can hope to survive by ignoring customers is unbelievable.

Pixmania

Do not buy from here if you're in the UK - no legal rights

What it doesn't tell you on the website is the stuff they sell and advertise in Sterling doesn't ship or come from UK stock. These are grey imports shipped in from France that arrive with a 2-pin plug! When contacted they posted me an adaptor that took over a week. The goods were then found to be faulty anyway (surprise, surprise) and I had to wait for over a week for a courier to take them back to Paris, wait for them to check the item, wait for them to then process it all before I got a refund. Then they didn't refund the full amount and tried to charge me for the return courier costs even though the item was faulty. Very slow to respond to emails.
I would advise anyone in the UK to avoid dealing with these foreigners. It's a slow tedious process, and the goods are not UK models. Also, because they are based outside of the UK you have no redress regarding faulty goods or Sales of Goods Act. You have been warned.

Added response to Pixmania comments:
Yes I did eventually get an adaptor but it came from france and took a week - a little adaptor in a shoe box by courier : very environmentally friendly.
And yes, you did collect the item BUT it took weeks to get a refund AND the refund was only in full after I had to chase up for the rest of it because you tried to charge me for P&P [A review on Jan 8th 2012 by Sarah shows you didn't refund her £9 P&P also for faulty items returned. Coincidence or just pure bloody underhand cheek?].
Basically it was about five or six weeks from start to finish over a faulty product which is NOT acceptable, especially as I had to send about a dozen emails to get it sorted. That is POOR service.
I notice you make no comment as to the fact that UK buyers are not covered by the Sales of Goods Act by purchasing from you. And you obviously would not wish to advertise the length it would take for any returns/repairs to be made with the time taken to get stuff to and from France, that is if it is serviceable or you are prepared to answer emails (which is slow from my own experience.) I stand by my original warning - UK users get a very slow and rough deal dealing with yourselves because of location/logistics and poor customer service and should stick to UK mainland retailers because as soon as anything goes wrong they are outside the protection of UK law and have to hope for the best. However things are changing which won't please Pixmaniac. Read this: http://www.out-law.com/en/topics/commercial/consumer-protection/the-new-consumer-rights-directive/

Greenenergyuk

This is how all companies should be

I have been with GreenEnergy for about five years now, purely from an ethical point of view. They are one of the few companies that actually supply 100% renewable energy, and not use the renewable electricity they sell as a ‘green’ tariff towards meeting their own Renewables Obligation like the 'big 6' do. They also offer shares in their company after you have been with them for three years. They are usually the last to increase prices and the first to reduce them, acting quicker to wholesale prices and therefore benefiting customers more quickly than the big companies.
When I moved home, I asked them to supply my new address too. They were the only company out of gas, electric, telephone, bank, mobile, broadband etc that I did not have to contact after moving because they had fouled up changing my address, failing to record meter readings etc etc that other companies did. They were impressive simply because they did the basics 100% right, which clearly was not possible by any other company. GreenEnergy are prompt to answer the telephone, speak English and not over the top of you. An English company that if you care about where your electricity comes from you should check them out.

Yourcalls

Underhand rollover contract, poor customer service

Very devious company to deal with. Wish I'd seen this review site sooner.
I contacted ofcom, they are aware of these people and as of January 2012 they are now required to contact people regarding rolling contracts. This doesn't help the poor sods they've ripped off already. Back in August 2007 they breached Ofcom's amended General Condition requiring calls to 03 numbers to be charged at 01/02 rates.

I've come across details about their CEO Owen Bloodworth and his foul reputation in the industry, nicknamed "scumbag". You can find this here: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=339168

Newcalltelecom

A communications company that cannot communicate

Highlighted by moneysavingexpert.co.uk for being cheap. And that's all they are. And everything that goes with it. Pakistani/Indian call centres with staff who have a lower IQ than the rating given here. They cannot set up direct debits properly, cannot bill properly, cannot speak properly. They will not answer your emails, though you will get a cut and pasted reply that doesn't answer your question. They will offer to call you back but never will. They are the most complained about communications company to the telecoms ombudsman. Previously called "Primus", they are a nightmare that will knock Buzby off his line!

Primussaver

A communications company that cannot communicate

Highlighted by moneysavingexpert.co.uk for being cheap. And that's all they are. And everything that goes with it. Pakistani/Indian call centres with staff who have a lower IQ than the rating given here. They cannot set up direct debits properly, cannot bill properly, cannot speak properly. They will not answer your emails, though you will get a cut and pasted reply that doesn't answer your question. They will offer to call you back but never will. They are the most complained about communications company to the telecoms ombudsman. Now called "New Call", they are a nightmare that will knock Buzby off his line!

Vistaprint

These guys will fill your email inbox

I ordered some business cards, they were free but had to pay a few quid postage. The cards were OK. Then...day after day after day endless emails offering stuff they could print - T-shirts, mugs, diaries, calendars, key rings and much more. I ordered the free stuff, one of each, to have a look at the quality. I still had to pay P&P, but got allsorts free by responding to different emails and getting it delivered as slow as possible to keep costs down. I've had many products to look at and I can say that if I'd paid for these things I'd be gutted. The mugs and key rings look like they were printed on a cheap inkjet, the T-shirts might just last a few washes, need I go on? I'd definitely order just one from the many freebies you will be offered, see what you think then order in bulk if you're happy. But personally I think it's expensive for the low quality.
Interesting to note that the majority of good reviews on here are from people who have only written 1 review. Call me cynical but makes me think they have a marketing team write their own...

Santander

Finally a bank that is doing something positive.

After being subjected to the garbage that is HSBC with their pakistani call centres and poor internet banking crisis, losing customer records scandals etc etc, the switch to Santander was refreshing. All done online, minimal fuss, and good communication. Telephone staff introduced themselves and which part of the UK they were from, very friendly and easy to understand. Have had no problems whatsoever, knew what was going to happen and when. And just been paid as advertised the £100 for transferring to them. Really like their internet banking too, can access quickly from any PC without the secure key nonsense I had with HSBC. Santander - a refreshing change!

Hsbc

The worlds local bank, answering your call in pakistan or wherever

Can't understand a word they mumble. They talk over you. Rude. Very rude. And now their internet banking requires you to carry with you a tacky kiddie calculator to gain access, made in china and works for a few minutes before dying, that's if it even turns on in the first place. Ask them to revert back to the non-secure key era as they have alienated so many customers with it and their answer is "since you have made a complaint regarding the secure key we will be de-activating your access to the service within 60 days". Well done the Listening Bank that was - now deaf! Glad to leave you.

Debenhams

Customer Service is good for such a big company

I've ordered online from Debenhams quite a lot recently, and the experience was very good considering it was Xmas and therefore couriers/stock levels/working days etc are all affected in some way. After receiving my goods I noticed they had been reduced somewhat considerably in the sale. When I called I was told the only thing they could do was to arrange to collect my existing order free of charge, refund me in full, and for me to start a new order at the reduced prices, which I did. Would have surely been cheaper to just have the difference credited to my card ? but the courier (Hermes) came when they said, and I saved 20%. When I called to query an item description they were helpful over the phone too. Big companies tend to be pretty crap when it comes to being polite and putting things right. Debenhams do a half decent job considering. I'd order with confidence - it may not go right first time, but they do seem to sort things out, and when they say they will.

Bethere

A company that died when O2 took them over

As we all know O2 have gone from being a very good comms company to very aggressive and rude in the last 18 months. This has filtered through to companies they take over, such as BE Broadband. BE now take longer and longer to respond, and the call centre staff babble in their native tongue over the top of you. If things are working first time you should be ok though, and they are mid-range in price but there are much better deals out there from Orange, PlusNet etc. Their prices have increased a lot recently (about 40% = £5 extra a month!) BE are borderline average, they were better. And its easy to see why they're going downhill...choked by O2. Oh, and when you cancel you get an email confirming that "work is being carried out in your area" and your broadband suddenly goes off! Coincidence? When you're on the cancellation call they offer 2 months reduced price to stay - if you decline that they get nasty, spit their dummy out and start slagging off the competitor you're going to and saying the speeds wont be the same...blah..blah. Very professional!

Directchoice

The worst insurance company in the UK

Their website promised online documents so everything would be quick and easy. But the link they emailed me to retrieve them was down. In the end I cancelled the policy as I needed to tax etc and could not wait any longer. They charged me £70 for three days insurance against an annual policy of £358! Even though I was technically insured I could not drive the vehicle as I couldn't get the tax etc without the documents. They stood firm and refused to listen even though I sent evidence of their failed links etc etc. Clearly they want money off you and once they've got it your not a customer, just an interruption. Rude and nasty people, surprising as they are a subsidiary of Saga.

Cclonline

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE

Their faulty goods lead to damage of other equipment. They refused to even communicate with me - even the directors ignored letters sent by recorded delivery. Had to involve Trading Standards, and they even tried lying to them. Absolutely the most underhand con artists in the computer trade.

Sleepingsolutions

False discount offers, cheaper elsewhere

I found this company through Quidco offering 10% cashback, so overall they came out slightly cheaper than other retailers on a £300 order. Delivery took ages but eventually arrived. They then declined the cashback so now I have paid more overall for using a firm I had never heard of, tricked by their false discount offers.
I called their general enquiries and a director answered (huge firm then?) who refused to sort out the declined cashback or to even pricematch even though they claim to do so. She even slagged off the competitors website saying "their sites very shoddy, not something I would recommend". Well sleeping solutions is definitely not recommended. Trading Standards were contacted and the money has amazingly now been paid.
It turns out this is a small outfit run out of a little unit with no stock. Everything is drop shipped by the manufacturer which is why it takes so long to get to you. Fools playing at the big I am....