Has play.com gone really downhill?

[MJ]

The only thing I've bought from them since my MP3 player incident above is the Halo 3 Legendary Edition and thankfully it arrived without any damage to its packaging. The LE was sent to me in the cardboard box used to send two of them to retailers and despite all the extra space in the box they didn't fill it with any padding to prevent the LE box from moving around inside, so I was really pleased when I opened it to find the box unscathed.

[SubparMario]

I like Play. Unlike Amazon, they seem capable of packaging CDs so that the jewel cases don't get mashed to pieces, every time, without fail.

[Lyris]

I very rarely order stuff from the UK (well, stores targeting the UK that is), but when it's from Play it's usually good. Unlike Amazon, they at least dispatch quickly.

[analog dog]

Hmm i'll add my 2 penneth worth.
I pre-ordered halo 3 they took the money from my account the wednesday (a week before release).
On that friday it said that the item had been despatched,I recieved my disc on the following thursday.
I could have bought it from blockbuster,not good.

[DarkSavior]

Last month the government changed the law so no longer will anything ?17.99 and under be VAT free, which is going to hit play.com and tescodirect/tescojersey (or whatever they are called) really hard. Not sure when the new law comes into effect, but read about a few Jersey based companies closing down or moving to other countries, extreme stuff eh.

Yeah, I live in Jersey and that is going to really suck for businesses over here, we have quite a number that do the ole VAT thing for mail order.

Anyone getting games sent to them in 1-2 days in mainland UK from them should consider themselves lucky because we always get days added on for when we order things from overseas over here (maybe customs are harsher as well?) which is a real pain. I wanted to kill everyone whilst waiting for the original import Shenmue to arrive it took so long (wow that was a long time ago!).

Olie

[iloveannie]

Play are very slow nowadays. Verrrryyyyy slow. Perhaps they get the cows to deliver them now?

[C']

A week ago I would have praised Play.com to the hilt. They got me a Halo 3: Legendary Edition in a perfect nick.

However this week, I'm less impressed. Placed a pre-order for an item last week and I noticed the item was classed as "In stock" yesterday and in fact I know a few people got confirmation that there order was shipped yesterday. However I check mine this morning and the status is "Packing" and I come home to check again and it still says packing. What have they been doing with it all day?

With the postal strike from Friday onwards, I guess I won't get it until next week now. It only bugs me because of the fact that the item will have clearly been in stock for about 48 hours before it finally gets sent out to me which is shocking for a pre-order.

[Dazzyman]

Yep their terrible gone downhill since 360 launch fiasco. Anyone that read the Halo 3 in headlines topic will have read mine got cancelled for no reason, I phoned up first to make sure my account wasnt compromised and then to check about the game (if they cancelled it for lack of stock fair enough) not intrested. Asked to speak to superivsor who from the off went off on a rampaging rant at me shouting. He refused to look at my account with my breach worry firstly, blamed me for cancelling it said they cant cancel (they cancelled my 360 so I not thats untrue), then said it was my ISPs fault it had got cancelled and to take it up with them. Everytime I tried to speak he shouted over me and wouldnt listen.

I was smacked up on pethadine that day (ill nothing else heh) and even asked him to try and let me speak due to being ill as I was pretty quiet and slurring a tiny bit but no kept ranting. He refused to let me reorder it said he couldnt as it was delisted and kept shouting over and over it would have gone to another customer already even though it was 20mins later (how when it was delisted unless lack of stock ). He wouldnt listen to any of my worries about the account breach at all and said yet again blame my ISP (yea lost me too) in the end I said to him retorically not much point in being a customer with you is their when you treat customers like this and he said ok no problem I will close your account for you now then and bam instantly shut before I could say out else. Thats long term customer over 200dvds since I think 99ish (but admit myself Ive only used them 3times since 360 fiasco as they shouted at me then) and a lovely shouty attitude for this.

Im just glad my account wasnt hacked thats all! He also went thru the roof when my last comment was I was going to post on here how you get treated screaming at me that I was threatening him, all very odd when I was placid, quiet and non threatening thru owt. He also refused to give me any details of the first bloke I spoke to, wouldnt give me his full name and refused to give me the business address of the headoffice so I could write a complaint. He said I had to write to them via email with my account, how can you when they shut it?

So bye bye Play you will not be missed

[C']

Haha, what a joke!

Despite yesterday the status of my order being "Packing" (which according to site meant processing of payment was complete and my goods were being prepared to be shipped) the status of the order is now "Processing" (We are currently processing payment for your order).

Muppets

[charlesr]

Ordered Xyanide Resurrection PS2 and they sent it same day, arrived next day.

[Daragon]

Play with a next day delivery to the mainland? You must have caught them on a good day, that's all I'll say.

Half a week at least is their usual best.

Although however bad play might be, they don't come close to the snail mail of HMV online. I ordered a 13 month live sub from them on the 27th and despite having been told "it's on it's way" the following day, it's still not reached me.

[Yoshimax]

I wonder if play has gone **** because of people starting threads on forums enquiring as to their ****ness which then become threads for complaining about them which become self perpetuating.........

[Beelzebot]

I don't think I've ever had anything arrive next day from Play. Usually it's a minimum of three days after shipping before it arrives in Edinburgh. I ordered a headset for my PC on Saturday and it arrived on Wednesday which is about average for them. Interestingly, it went to packing almost immediately so I couldn't cancel if I wanted to change my mind, then went to processing for a bit before back to packing and eventually being shipped.

I use them for convenience as much as anything else, but if I want something in a hurry, for a birthday or whatever, then I shop elsewhere.

[Dazzyman]

Na they used to be great for me, as I said I bought over 200 dvds from them since around 1998/99 (cant remember exactly I started using them) and thats even with stopping in since 360 launch. Never had anything arrive any earlier than 3days either their in Jersey so the going rate for me was 3-5 days average 5days. Customer service used to be great you could phone them up no problem and they even had a proper listing for emailing them and contacting their address, now its all hidden from view (they changed it after 360 launch) and the staff well not good for me anyway.

[funkydan]

I know it's a busy time of year, but I bought Links Crossbow Training on Tuesday and the money has already been debited from my bank account (this happened a couple of days ago) but the status is still saying 'packing'!! Does time slow down in Play.com-land? My previous experiences with them have never been this bad

Worse still, strangely their contact number 'seems' to be out of action, so I can't get hold of them! Anyone got a contact number for them other than 0845 800 1020?

[EDIT] s'okay, that number works now...just on hold!