Very Disappointed with Scan

[Pigbristle]

Imagine this…….

You go in a shop
You ask them, if the items you want are available, they say yes (so far so good)
They take your money of you.
Then after waiting for ten minutes, they tell you, your item are not available, we made a mistake.
Oh, & by the way, you can’t have your money back for another three days!
Would you be happy?


This is exactly how I felt I was treated by you in your store today.

After checking all the components were in stock through your web site, I decide to drive to your store, then waited for 20 minutes in a queue before getting served.

I give you my order, your system says in stock. everything’s fine.
You take my money off my credit card.
I then go to wait for said items only to be told 10 minutes later, we are sorry but two of the items we said were actually available, are not!

Ok I say (annoyed you had wasted my time) just give me my money back.
“Sorry sir, your money will be refunded back in 3 working days” the reply I got back.


Very disappointed with Scan, if you didn’t have them in stock why not tell us before taking our money?

This is the sort of thing that makes customers look else ware.

[Disturbedguy]

This same issue has been covered in other threads in the SCAN section, by SCAN themselves and other posters.

[daza]

Yes for orders placed online, but when you in the store its a totally different matter nothing should have been payed for untill the goods were sitting on the checkout ready to go.

That like going to a supermarket paying first then finding out what you want isnt there Id be royally peeeved.

[Adywebb]

I have to say I agree with daza on this one - at the shop they should check if the items really are available before taking payment.

Regarding refunding the money to a credit card, I thought it was just a simple matter off swiping the card again and inputting a refund credit - I don't see why there has to be a 3 day delay.

[moogle]

they say its the banks. fast system taking the money. slow system giving it back

[charleski]

Well since it's a credit card you never paid them in the first place, though it would affect your available credit until the bank processes the refund.

[usxhe190]

they say its the banks. fast system taking the money. slow system giving it back

can't scan just give you the money from their till if you are in their actual store?

[moogle]

can't scan just give you the money from their till if you are in their actual store?

well thats up to them i suppose. it'd be nice if it happened but it's unlikely.
only 3 days , but id be annoyed nevertheless.

[usxhe190]

Regarding refunding the money to a credit card, I thought it was just a simple matter off swiping the card again and inputting a refund credit - I don't see why there has to be a 3 day delay.

actually that's what i thought too
that's what happens in my local B&Q shop

[Pigbristle]

Don't suppose they didn't tell me they hadn't got some of my items in stock. in case I took my custom elsewhere, do you?

Hoping instead, because they had taken my money I would pick an alternative item from them, that way not losing them a sale?

[Steve B]

its not really a store though is it, its a trade counter. Its not like they have any live stock on show, its all in their warehouses.

[moogle]

it's a lesson learnt I suppose, next time with anyone tell them to bring the items upfront and then you pay.

[RedTed]

Pigbristle, a similar thing happened with me.

I drove to Scan, then ordered and paid for 3 items. Whilst waiting for them to be brought from the warehouse I was advised one of the items I had paid for was not in stock.

Because I'd paid in cash for my order, the amount for the item which wasn't in stock was refunded to me there and then.

I'm sure that if Scan could give you an instant refund on your card they would have done.

As moogle's already mentioned it's out of Scan's hands if the payment has been made using a credit card.

[Saracen]

its not really a store though is it, its a trade counter. Its not like they have any live stock on show, its all in their warehouses.

I can see nothing to suggest that Scan are trade. There's no reference to trade accounts or pricing, there's no suggestion of verifying trade status, the website is clearly targeted at consumers and their T&Cs list the differences in contracts between consumers and business (which is not the same as trade) sales. And the 'counter' is referred to as the "Bolton Store - Counter Sales". Note that word ... "store".

But even if they were trade, how it it affect the issue?

[Disturbedguy]

SCAN are like Aria or MicroDirect i assume, you can go in and see stuff on show etc.

At microdirect, when you go to buy something they have can get a live stock list while your ordering so can tell you whether summet is in stock or now.

Am not sure how SCAN work or how fast the stock system updates, but am assuming its the same for both places and there is some sort of delay in place.

Edit: - Forgot to say that at Microdirect and Aria for example, they will take money when you placing an order at the counter while items are in stock, or while they think there in stock. The thing is you could be buying items A, B, C and D while the person next to you is buying A, E, F and G and then there are people online who might be order all A, B, C, D, E, F and G, so with this happening with multiple online transactions and instore transacations, id assume it'd be hard for the stock system to keep track in "real time". Just my opinion of course.

[Steve B]

I can see nothing to suggest that Scan are trade. There's no reference to trade accounts or pricing, there's no suggestion of verifying trade status, the website is clearly targeted at consumers and their T&Cs list the differences in contracts between consumers and business (which is not the same as trade) sales. And the 'counter' is referred to as the "Bolton Store - Counter Sales". Note that word ... "store".

But even if they were trade, how it it affect the issue?

Sorry, yes, you're right. What I meant was that almost all of the stock is kept in the warehouse at the back of the shop. Like at the RS Components shops, which are attached directly to the warehouse. If the stock system showed the item as being in stock, then is there any reason to assume otherwise? If that was the case, it would take a lot longer to process orders, wouldn't it?

e! Didn't read Disturbed Guys post above, which is what I'm getting at.