”What we do is simple: we buy cancelled or returned orders and over-runs from some of the most respected British high street stores including John Lewis, Multiyork, BHS and many more; we then sell directly to you at hugely discounted prices. And, what you see on the floor is what’s in stock for immediate collection or delivery.” – Charles Wheeler, Owner Legally we cannot mention actual store names but we do work with the top four department stores, two of which share boys names. See something you like online? Beat everyone else by using click and collect and we’ll reserve the item for you and ensure you can take it away when it suits you. We have over 3,000 products in stock across our two showrooms, ready to take away same day. Not ready for it? Not to worry, we can work around you. Walk into our showroom and its like entering a treasure cove packed full of wonderful furniture bargains and household accessories just waiting to be found.Click and Collect nightmare for shoppersClick and Collect may be booming, but so are complaints about failures in the system
15 Jul 2016, 3:45 A third of people who used Click and Collect services over Christmas say they had problems with their orders. The massive boom in Click and Collect that has seen 41% of people use it over the past year has also appeared to overwhelm retailers. The second annual JDA/Centiro Christmas Customer Pulse report found that Click and Collect usage was up from 39% of people to 41%. Some 56% of people said they used it to avoid delivery charges while 49% said it was more convenient than waiting in for a parcel. One in four said they actively chose a shop because it offered Click and Collect. It also revealed three main problems suffered by shoppers. Some 31% of people said there was no dedicated Click and Collect place in store, which caused confusion and delays. Social media is rife with complaints about shortfalls in Click and Collect. On the Argos Facebook page one user posted yesterday: "Ordered an item and reserved for collection. Had a message to say item was available so walked into town to collect, to be told there was a problem with the reservation and actually the item wasn't available in any store."
The John Lewis Facebook page, meanwhile, features the experiences of another shopper who went to her local Waitrose to collect lamps, which were meant to be delivered by 2pm that day. Staff told her they had been overlooked, so she cancelled the order. When she returned home, she received an email refunding the original payment - but not the £2 Click and Collect fee. And the Tesco Facebook page recounts the saga of a woman who placed a Tesco Direct order on 1 January to be delivered to the Hull store on the 5th. When she called on the 6th she was told the parcel was 'lost in transit' and was now out of stock, so would have to be refunded - which takes five working days. As she put it: "So essentially I have just given you a pay day loan, so to speak. I pay for something, you don't send out the goods and I'm out of pocket for 14 days while it's sorted. Once again Tesco I applaud your excellent customer service."Stores need to improve Jason Shorrock, vice president of retail strategy at JDA said it was essential these services are improved, explaining: "Shoppers are showing a growing preference for Click and Collect as it offers them the convenience they crave, and it is vital that retailers get it right.
Without the effective management of staff, stores and inventory, retailers risk damaging customer relationships." Click and Collect will have to be much more efficient in future if it is to deliver on expectations, because increasingly customers are being charged for it too. John Lewis was one of the most high profile retailers to introduce a charge for orders under £30 - in July last year, and it will be followed by Tesco Direct in February this year. While customers may be irritated by hiccups in a free Click and Collect service, when they have paid for it, they are likely to be even less forgiving. Unfortunately, if you're sick of problems with Click and Collect, the study showed that you are unlikely to benefit much from choosing home delivery next year instead. Over Christmas it found that 48% of people had either had late deliveries or items had never shown up, while 48% had missed a delivery that came while they were out. But what do you think? Do these services work for you?
Let us know in the comments.Either take-away (Mon-Fri only) or we can arrange delivery for an additional fee. All products are sold as seen and are ex-display, seconds or returns. For new furniture in your choice of finish and fabrics visit your local retailer. The Ercol Factory Outlet is situated in our showroom at:Summerleys Road, Princes Risborough, Bucks HP27 9PX Last Updated 2nd March 2017 @ 17:44 Free UK mainland delivery on orders over £1000.Before you rush out to buy furniture for your rental property, think very carefully about what you need and even if it’s really necessary to provide any furniture at all. About half of all prospective tenants are looking for unfurnished accommodation and furnishing a property does not generally increase the amount of rent you can charge. Speak to local letting agents about the type of tenant your property is likely to attract and get their opinion on what items, if any, you need to buy. Families and young couples might not want any furniture at all;
students, by contrast, will want the property fully furnished; and a single person is more likely to be looking for part-furnished. If you’re unsure what your market is, you could always leave your property unfurnished but make it clear in your advertising that you’re prepared to provide some items on request. If you let to students, you’ll need to provide a bed and wardrobe in every bedroom, a sofa, dining table and chairs. If you let via a college or university it will probably insist on a desk in every bedroom. Ikea is a good source of affordable furniture for student lets. Neutrals work: John Lewis has sofas from £299 and sofa beds from £175. Any furniture you provide should be easy to clean and hard-wearing Corporate tenants usually want properties to be comfortable, at least part-furnished, with a bed, sofa, dining table and chairs. If you’re letting your property on a short lease of less than six months, you’ll probably need to make it more homely with extra items such as coffee tables, rugs and some artwork — but don’t include anything valuable or irreplaceable.
Make sure everything you buy is hard-wearing, easy to clean and, if you’re letting budget or student accommodation, cheap to replace. Keep colours neutral and avoid overpersonalising with “statement” items that might put people off. Think modern, fresh, simple and, above all, well lit and warm. Go for sofas with removable covers that can be machine-washed, or real or faux leather you can wipe clean. Divan beds should last longer than flimsy bedframes and think storage — beds with built-in drawers provide extra. Supplying mattress protectors will extend mattress life. Hygena's Amparo table and chairs, above, £99.99 is a good compact buy for smaller homes where space is at a premium It’s a legal requirement that all soft and upholstered furnishings in rental homes, including mattresses and sofas, are fire-resistant so make sure they have a fire-safety label attached. If they don’t, check with the retailer that they comply with regulations. Several firms sell off-the-shelf furniture packages for different budgets and types of tenant.
They aren’t the cheapest option but they’re good for landlords who are short of time or inspiration. David Phillips also offers a convenient next-day delivery and assembly service within the M25. Tidy minds: the Malm Ottoman bed from Ikea, £329, has storage underneath You can save money by picking up used furniture on websites such as Gumtree, at auction and in second-hand shops but it’s better to leave a property unfurnished than fill it with tatty or mismatched items. Buy cheap ready-made curtains online or at department stores. John Lewis has a good line. Inspect all second-hand sofas, mattresses or other fabric-covered items to make sure they don’t harbour bedbugs. For the telltale signs, visit rentokil.co.uk/bed-bugs. For smaller properties, look for space-saving flexi furniture such as dining tables that fold down and sofa beds. If you can’t fit in chests of drawers or cupboards, put up shelves. In bedrooms, look for under-the-bed storage boxes, such as those at Ikea.
Light and bright: blinds rather than curtains, make a room look bigger. John Lewis has a big choice, from £8 for The Basics range. The above are blinds in Jane Churchill's Larkin fabric, from £35 a metre available in store Blinds instead of curtains will make rooms look more spacious, but curtains are actually easier to clean when your tenants move on. Try to avoid including electrical appliances such as lamps, toasters and microwaves as you will be responsible for keeping them in good repair and you could be held liable if they are faulty. While most tenants expect landlords to provide “white goods”, such as an oven, hob, fridge and a washing machine, they are usually happy to provide their own portable appliances, saving you money and hassle. You can’t deduct the cost of furnishing a rental property from your tax bill — only items you repair or replace are tax deductable. Meanwhile, from April, landlords will lose their 10 per cent “wear and tear” allowance for furnished accommodation, too, so it makes sense to provide only what is absolutely necessary.