Create & Craft

Create & Craft / Ideal World are one of those companies that I don't really like but still tend to buy from every now and then. I started my t.v. craft buying with QVC and that is definitely where my loyalties lie although as they are going through a craftless patch at the moment, there aren't many options open to us!

Things I dislike about Create & Craft:-
1- paying for the phone call esp. when their website isn't all that reliable,
2- the way they drag out those phone calls by trying to convince you to buy utter junk that no normal person would ever want to own,
3- the fact that when you do try to talk to someone, they don't actually listen to what you are saying!!!

You have probably guessed that I've had a not so great C&C experience over the past few days but, to give them their dues, I do like the C&C club and the capped p&p offers.

A few weeks ago, just after Christmas, they had a show including some reduced price cricut cartridges but they, regularly, emphasised that the full selection was online. When I got online, hardly any cricut cartridges were on sale price, even including the ones they had shown on t.v. After checking the website regularly for the next couple of days, there was a wide selection of cartridges on a half price deal. I found 4 that I was pretty keen to get (dinosaur tracks, robotz, create a critter & mini monsters) and they were all reduced to either £19.99 or £22.99. This price would also have my 10% discount added on too so I thought I'd treat myself.

When I eventually got all 4 cartridges into my basket and went to the checkout, the capped p&p offer was not shown and my 10% club discount was not working for the Robotz cartridge. I thought it was best to give them a ring and try to do it that way so that I wasn't overcharged. After listening to the various options & some very dodgy Christmas tunes, my call was answered. By this time the 'Create a Critter' cartridge had already sold out (gutted!) and the price was still not showing correctly. I had worked it all out, whilst listening to the dodgy Christmas songs, and tried to explain to the saleslady why the price was not correct. She was adamant that her computer was telling her the correct price even though she had already manually had to change the p&p amount! After going through it and trying to explain it to her 3 times I gave up and ordered them planning to ring customer services when they arrived.

The 3 cartridges were here within a few days and the invoice showed that my c&c discount HAD NOT been applied to the Robotz cartridge (as I had tried to explain)! I rang customer services (more dodgy Christmas music-even though it was January by now!) and it took me 2 attempts to explain to that person before she agreed that I had been charged incorrectly and they would credit the money to my account BUT it has to be used within 3 months- con!

The amount credited back to my account probably doesn't even cover the cost of the telephone calls but it makes me wonder how many other people are ripped off without even realising it.

Create & Craft / Ideal World customers- BEWARE!!!