WebUser1384

Reliable source of range and stove supplies. I have an Aga stove and Rayburn range and usually come here for parts. Good selection of components right down to bolts, hinges and glass clips - everything you realistically need to maintain your system. Prices are at a level that I don't even bother shopping around, because I trust Rangemoors and rarely wander.

My only slight criticism is speed of packing and despatch. My last order was placed over a weekend but wasn't despatched until the Tuesday. There was the usual hiccup with DPD which meant I nearly didn't receive it before the weekend (my opportunity to do the work). Fine in the end but other suppliers I buy from usually ship on the same working day they see the order (assuming it was sent the day before). Maybe I'm being too harsh though. 😄

Just a quick review to pass on yet another positive engagement with The Metal Store. I bought a custom-sized piece of steel for a project which the genius couriers then promptly lost once it entered their warehouse. I contacted The Metal Store and the lovely Holly was hugely apologetic (not their fault!), told me not to worry and promptly ordered a replacement to be sent by priority post. The replacement then arrived as promised allowing the project to be completed.

This is why I don’t buy metal anywhere else unless I have to.

This is a long-term (4+ years) of the Blizzard CX1 Cat&Dog Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner.

SUMMARY: Powerful cleaner but uneconomic to repair and backed by a lamentable manufacturer’s website with a poor selection of over-priced spares.

Initially delighted (having binned a second irreparably-broken Dyson) this was purchased with a deep breath considering the eye-watering price. Lured by the promise of a long device lifespan and having 3 dogs that drop copious amounts of hair, we were initially very pleased with our purchase. It performed well, picked up hair effectively, and has been both powerful and easy to empty. Until recently, we’ve been very happy with it.

But, as you will all know, the key components of vacuum cleaners are all made from various types of plastic. Cheaper and lighter than metal, the downside of plastic is that when it breaks it’s irreparable by most people including, like me, keen repairers and DIYers. Plastic welding and 3D printing are niche skills and beyond the average home repairer. The plastic retaining catch on the hose handle has snapped so the telescopic tube falls off, and it could do with a new filter cartridge. I went to the Miele website to look for spares and realised that I’d made the error of not doing this before we bought the cleaner.

Problem #1: The website is utterly terrible. If you are selling spare parts, then you should provide a filter where the customer can pick their device – by name or serial number – and only the spare parts that fit are then listed. It’s really, really basic stuff. Miele however don’t seem to understand this and simply list parts for you to pick through, filtered only by online availability or not or the star rating. The average 12 year old could design a better website.

Problem #2: The spare part prices are eye-watering. Remember, much of the parts are plastic. Plastic…not titanium. Plastic that is manufactured in bulk somewhere like China, injection moulded for pennies. Miele seems to think plastic is mined on one of Saturn’s moons judging by the prices they charge. The handpiece for example, that connects the hose to the metal tube, is over £81 at the time of writing. Injection-moulded plastic, probably made in Asia.

If you want to repair and maintain your vacuum cleaner then DO NOT BUY A MIELE; if you buy one of these then it’s a use and dispose device because the parts are ridiculously priced. Really sad, but we won’t be repairing it or buying from Miele again.

I am now researching the next cleaner and I’m paying VERY close attention to the spare parts listing for each candidate manufacturer; I’ll post another review if I find something I can recommend. More and more people, especially given the current cost of living, are mending and repairing things at home and sharing experiences to help others. I welcome this. Manufacturers that cling to the old ways of doing things – making products that are uneconomic or impossible to repair – are likely to find themselves losing market share in years to come, and quite rightly so.

Ordered DIY supplies from a company I've used several times and never had any issues with, or more specifically the couriers they used. This time my goods, which were supposed to arrive on the Monday, just never turned up. I has received text messages from DX Delivery over the preceding weekend confirming arrival on the Monday but no further communications after that: No goods and no communications.

Happily I don't encounter DX very often but whenever a supplier uses them they ALWAYS mess up. I don't work for them so I cant say where the incompetence lies, but it certainly exists. Admittedly I'm in Scotland and have come to expect a second-class service from most couriers where goods come north from England, but DX are the worst by a country mile.

So if you're ordering online and see that DX has been allocated as the courier then brace yourself. Maybe in South East England they're great, but north of the border they're a disaster.

UPDATE: DX and the sender have both confirmed that my goods, a 1.3x0.8m sheet of steel, has been lost. Seriously...they lost it. I don't know what else to say.

Riddled with server-side (500) errors; Cloudflare failure messages at almost every click. Pub map never worked.
Saw it mentioned on The Hotel Inspector and thought I'd check it out, but total waste of time - useless website. Don't bother; stick to the usual .com names you already know.

Dear Reader,
If you are reading this it is almost certainly for one of two reasons:
1) You are considering moving banks and are wondering what people think of RBS.
2) You are an RBS customer, are having a horrible time and wondering if it’s just you.

If you are here for #1 then DO NOT PICK RBS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
If it’s #2 then it’s definitely not just you; RBS is terrible for many people and getting worse almost daily.

I have to confess at this point I’ve been an RBS customer for about 10 years longer than I should have; they have been in a gradual decline in terms of customer service for years, but in the past 18 months or so I’ve noticed this taking a decidedly downward turn. Really, it’s gone from an increasingly steep slope into a mine shaft, and I am finally bailing out. I would have left by now except I’m having problems extracting data (statements) before I close it all and run away screaming for years of therapy.

If you want to see how terrible they are you can start with their website. The way I test out a website is to set myself simple tasks and see if I can complete them. Try it yourself. Go to the RBS website and try to find the telephone number for Direct Banking. Time yourself. Go on…have a go. No cheating now – no Internet search engines – only the search tools on the website. Then look for their complaints form; if you can find it within 5 minutes from within the site then fair play – you are better than I and might have a future locating a living dodo, the yeti or the Loch Ness monster. Aw go on then, use an Internet search engine if you think it’ll help. [snigger]

And I haven’t even got onto their Digital Banking service yet. [deep breath]
Everything within RBS online is VERY secure if by ‘secure’ you mean an acceptable level of security on the way in that is then repeated in multiple places once you’re inside. It’s like going through airport security, wandering into a Duty Free shop then being strip-searched because you want to buy a large Toblerone as a gift (and that wasn’t a euphemism for anything by the way). Then searched again when you want to buy a sandwich. Specifically, if you are out and about and want to pay someone new from the app you cannot do it unless you happen to be carrying one of their annoying card readers with you. Who does that? So it means you have to wait until you’re home.

If you want to download statements you can do that if, and I mean IF, the system is actually working. If you enjoy online gambling or games of chance in general then you’ll love the RBS Digital statement feature where you never know if you can download what you require or not. For that matter it also applies to the service in general which recently has been offline on a Saturday or Sunday morning of all times.

Other fun stuff: Your ‘daily payment allowance’ isn’t actually daily in the sense that weekends and holidays are excluded. And there were you thinking this was all being done by computers….tut tut. In reality there’s a sad person behind the curtain being forced to pull the levers Monday to Friday in return for the promise of one day being released back into the real world. There is also a cheque pay-in tool within the app which, again, is really a Wheel of Fortune game in disguise: Will it work or won’t it? (Plot spoiler – It mostly doesn’t).

Actually, now I think about it, I’ve no idea how I’m going to survive without all this excitement once I’ve finally managed to locate the exit. I knew I should have brought more breadcrumbs….

This review is written following a visit to the Inverurie store; previous store location visits have been Elgin and Aberdeen.

The store was visited for an adult eye test and purchase of new glasses. Covid biosecurity precautions were still in place which I was very happy about; personally I hope they never end. Consequently the store was quiet, spotless and felt extremely safe. (Not everyone is twentysomething and immortal.)

The optician was very pleasant and efficient as they always are at Specsavers, and a thorough eye examination was soon provided, along with a new prescription. Experience has given me total confidence in Specsavers and it has been the only place I have visited for eye care for at least two decades.

The selection and fitting of new glasses was an easy experience thanks to Kimberley whose customer care skills are obviously faultless.

The whole process end-to-end took some time, but for every second of it I felt in the presence of thorough professionals who didn't want me to leave until everything I needed for my eye care was completed.

Though a private company, Specsavers always feels like a very efficient arm of the NHS (which, really, it is).
I really can't fault them.

Dear TheMetalStore.co.uk,

I am truly sorry. I don't know what came over me; I had a weak moment and wandered off the path. I...erm... bought some steel from a seller in The Bay of Pirates.

There, I said it.

I am so ashamed.

I have no idea why; I think maybe I was tired. The steel was overpriced and didn't turn up for weeks. When I tried to cancel they sent it out anyway, very late.

So, never again; never again will I stray from your competitive pricing, your excellent customer service and faultless, timely delivery.

Sometimes you have to make a mistake to truly appreciate how good something is. You have NEVER let me down so I won't be leaving you again. I hope you can forgive me.

xx

Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that it came to this. I've used eBay on and off for the past 10 years or so. Once or twice it's paid off but I was always left with the nagging feeling that I maybe 'got away with it' by not being ripped off.

Why do I feel like that?

Well maybe it's the prevalence of PayPal, the crooks' second favourite payment medium after wire transfer. Maybe it's the website design and functionality that makes me feel I'm in a time warp and it's still the 1990's, and that the web designer is the owner's nephew who's been roped into building it for pocket money. Or maybe it's eBay's whole ethos that the seller is king and the buyer can just put up with it.

Take eBay's cancellation policy for example. If you, Dear Reader, want to cancel an order from a retailer with an eBay shop you have to ask the seller nicely and hope they say yes. But they don't have to. UK law says you have the right to cancel and, if the goods haven't shipped, then nothing goes out of the door and you are given a refund. At least that is what is supposed to happen. But not in pirateBay apparently; eBay sellers can refuse your request, send it out anyway then make you jump through hoops to return the goods and fight for a refund, minus a hefty 'restocking' fee.

I recently placed an order with an eBay seller and was given an estimated delivery date range. After the last of those days (a Saturday) sailed by I contacted the seller on the Sunday and cancelled the order. My order status said 'Paid' and the despatched stage remained unticked.
The following Wednesday my order suddenly turned up with a 48 hour delivery label on it. In other words, the seller IGNORED my cancellation request and sent the goods anyway knowing that pirateBay would back them over me, the little customer.

So that's it - I'm done. I've pulled up my anchor and am sailing for friendlier waters where legal rights are respected and the customer always comes first. Which, in my experience, is basically every online company I buy from EXCEPT eBay.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

I've picked up linocut printing again after a long gap, and am so glad I found Handprinted on YouTube. Their wonderful videos are matched by wonderful service from their shop, with orders being turned around really fast.

If you are new to printing, especially if you enjoyed it at school and want to try it again, I can certainly recommend Handprinted as a starting point. I will certainly be restocking exclusively from them for the foreseeable future, and looking out for more of their wonderful videos on YouTube.

Have fun with your printing - it's a fabulous way to spend your valuable free time.

GOOD
- Wide choice of products.
- Delivered within a week.
- Provided the items I needed to finish my project
- Telephone Customer Service was efficient, and was honest.

NOT SO GOOD
- Some items sold as 'pairs' were only shipped singly. Not helpful.
- Delivery was slower than promised but not a disaster and they didn't cancel the order.
- No valid tracking number to follow the delivery of the parcel.
- Nothing made in Great Britain, all imported from China. Not the fault of Ironmongery World especially however since they can only sell what is available. More UK manufacturers would be excellent though.

Yet another company that has an Amazon Marketplace shop and cancels orders to Scotland. I live in the northern half of Scotland and placed an order which Elixir Garden Supplies then simply cancelled; no reason given.
This happened with another company last week, so Elixir Garden Supplies will now join them on my NEVER BUY FROM blacklist.

---
In response to the reply from Elixir...
1) The phrase "you will have been sent an email..." isn't the same as "you DID receive". I didn't. And no, it wasn't in my Spam folder.
2) There was no option at checkout to pay a surcharge nor any warning that this was likely. This shouldn't be a lottery.

I'm afraid you're still on my blacklist and no, I won't be calling you on the phone to reorder. There are others out there with much better customer service.

I was delighted with Naturespy when I purchased my first camera; great service and knowledge in terms of what to buy and what batteries to use. When my second camera stopped working barely a month after purchase the team at Naturespy (having first checked I wasn't doing something stupid, which was entirely possible) asked me to return the device. They then swiftly contacted me to say a fault had been found and a replacement was on its way. A couple of days later a brand new camera was in my hands.
Faultless service and, as a result, guaranteed future purchases from Naturespy.

I've had a number of issues with Ionos - previously 1&1 - over the years but the most recent one will be driving me to move my accounts to a UK rival in the New Year. Put simply, the two main problems are these:
1) The online chat service clearly uses an offshore bargain-basement call centre, probably India judging by the words the staff use ("Please allow me to help you with your problem." I'm contacting you for help....why would I not allow you?). The staff simply follow a script, almost starting with "Is your computer switched on?".
2) The ‘personal consultant’ is a joke. Mine sounded as though she was reading the technical manual as she was trying to assist me, and it was plainly obvious she really didn’t know what she was talking about. Aware of the recording, she countered any challenge I made by repeating my words back to me in a different order the way politicians do, e.g. “So, you are saying that it’s out fault because you don’t understand?” No, ‘personal consultant’, it’s YOUR fault because you don’t understand SMTP, RFC2822 and logical reasoning.

The web interface itself is reasonable, better than some and worse than others. The problem is, and it’s a ***BIG*** problem, if you get stuck the person assigned to help you will most likely a) know less than you do, and b) argue blind that 1=2, black=white and it’s all your own fault.

I was treated this way very recently and, fuming, conducted a number of tests after the call to check my sanity. I was correct and the Ionos ‘expert’ was wrong – I have the results to prove it. But all I really have is a feeling of impotent rage because Ionos couldn’t care less and there is nobody to complain to. All I can do is vote with my feet, which I will be doing.

Be warned.

Well this was a surprise.

I placed my first re-order on Friday lunchtime, selecting 'Free delivery', and it arrived the very next day on Saturday morning. And I live in Northern Scotland.

Also, confirming the pet name and upload prescription for each line of medication was an absolute breeze. If anyone is having problems with this then, sorry, but it's you.

So from this I have learned that
a) reordering with Pet Prescription is easy and fast;
b) free delivery doesn't necessarily mean slow (although I'm not expecting that speed every time);
c) delivery companies who tell me it will take 2 days and extra cost to send me a small parcel "because you're in the Highlands" are greedy lying crooks.

:-)

First order experience.
- Website was easy to use. Registering an account and pet was straightforward and in line with many other website form designs.
- Medicines were easy to find and add to the order.
- Prescriptions were easy to upload and assign to each line item.
- Payment was normal. One glitch - Mastercard 3D security didn't work and I had to call them to sort them out. (roll eyes). Not the fault of petprescription though.
- Paid extra for faster delivery, and projected date was inline with promise.
- Courier provided a delivery date confirmation in advance and kept their promise (which, in Northern Scotland, is unusual - it's normally all lies and broken promises).
- Order arrived complete with no damage and no missing items.

So, all good basically. And....HALF the cost of purchasing from my vet. (Whilst I will do anything for my dogs, I am nevertheless fuming that I've been paying 100% more than I needed to for the past year.)

I was slow in renewing my domain (my fault) but once I did found that it didn't come back up for nearly a week. It turned out that 123-reg were using the opportunity of my site being down to move the domain away from Tucows to someone else for their own "management purposes" as they put it. This was without my consent or prior notification.

Repeated attempts to contact 123-reg support just led to frustration as I had been locked out of the Nameserver admin area so couldn't fix the problem myself until their domain move process had completed. In short, the website was down for 3-4 days longer than it needed to be because of 123-reg's unilateral actions and refusal to answer my support queries.

In fact, it was my other hosting company that actually alerted me to the fact that the Nameserver settings had been changed by 123-reg and were incorrectly set. 123-reg didn't notify me at all.

If your website is unimportant and you don't care if it goes down and stays down then 123-reg could well be okay for you. If not, then I strongly suggest you go to someone else. My experience here and in previous years (I have the emails) is that 123-reg simply doesn't care once they have your money.