This review relates to purchasing via their websit...

This review relates to purchasing via their website.

I am resident in Switzerland and in November I ordered a Hamper from F&M to be sent to a military friend serving in Afghanistan.

It never arrived and I heard nothing from F&M.

When I contacted them in February it took almost a month for them to work out what happened to the hamper.

Apparently it had been returned by parcel force as it was too large an item to be delivered to a BFPO address. Fair enough. But why had F&M taken my money and not got back in touch with me?

On the 13th March 2013 I received this email:

"Please accept my apologies for the time it has taken to respond to you. ...... Now I have the information I can confirm that we will be refunding you the full value of the order, and also sending both yourself and your recipient a compensatory gift. We also wish to send a letter of apology to your recipient."

Fine. Now at the end of April I have received a gift card from F&M but still no refund.

When I chased this I received this response on the 20th April:

"Thank you for your email. Please accept our apologies that the refund has not be processed yet. I have viewed your account and the refund has been authorised, but it is showing that our refund department have not contacted you to complete the xxxx credit to your account. I have flagged this now, and you can expect one of my colleagues to contact you on Monday 22nd April for the completion of the refund".

Nobody contacted me.

When I chased it last night, I received this email today:

"We sincerely apologise for the poor level of service you have received from us. Having had a look at your account with us and after speaking to my colleagues in my team, I can see that your refund was added on a gift card and was sent out to you and also to the recipient as an apology on behalf of Fortnum & Mason."

Err....hello...why the sudden change in the agreed compensation offered?

I phoned today and got the same message, when i asked to speak to a Manager in Customer Services I was told they were busy and that someone would phone me back today.

Have they?

No.

I am sure I am a one off - but cannot say I am impressed with their customer service.

Online buyers beware.