First purchase on SpinCDs (UK online retailer) = bad experience

They've been like this for last few years but somehow they've survived, so do not lose your hope too fast. That's their modus operandi it seems...

to:spincds - Twitter Search »

 

Oh, I can empathize with those Twitter posts!

I finally stopped using them after one delay too many, but I will say that Spin did - eventually - honour all the orders I made with them. But I can't be bothered with such a poor level of service anymore.

 

HMV is back up and running online, not a big selection but prices not bad.

 

All I can say is that they're a very intriguing case. Despite all these shortcomings they do seem to have a loyal customer base:

Spin Compact Discs - - Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear »

 

I've bought a couple of things from the revived HMV, some good prices and the service seems to be excellent.

 

I'm openly asking if they're insolvent: they have all the patterns of going down the drain. Taking monies, orders not fulfilled, and no answer to telephone / email queries.

 

Judging by the last few years of their activity - no. I would be surprised if you do not get refunded after a (longer) while.

 

Jay Dee, thank you for your correspondence. I have emailed Brooks directly, and the content is below;

Are you insolvent ? You're not responding to emails regarding the Van Morrison Too Late to Stop CDs ? You don't respond to telephone calls, and you're appearing permanently engaged. Can you advise why you are ignoring requests to contact you, as it's pretty poor customer service. You took my monies on 29th May 2016 for these items, yet many other people have received them. Are you having to pay creditors to the detriment or genuine customers, and that you are, thus, badly in debt ?

All I want are the outstanding CDs ? You used to be a great company to deal with, but you have declined ? You don't even respond to tweets on the Twitter feed, and your Facebook page has gone. Can you please advise as to the whereabouts of the Van Morrison CDs, as my order is still "processing". If you don't advise by tomorrow, 13/06/2016, I will have recourse to either the Small Claims Court, or Trading Standards. The items still appear as "In Stock" on your website.

 

I'm no longer calling him Steve; I'm referring to him as Brooks. The guy's an *******.

 

Still no response from Brooks.

I've even gone so far as checking the Insolvency Service database.

 

Phone keeps ringing out. I wonder if he's done a runner.

 

Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?
Brooks, where's my Van Morrison CDs ?

 

Don't think he'll be at work today - it's Sunday.

 

Yes. I've also been kicked off the Van Morrison thread about Too Late to Stop now.

I wonder if this idiot at Spin is connected in some way.

 

I don't know but I think you maybe need to chill a bit. You must be aware it's us on the form (s) that are getting you anger & not the intended guy.


Peace and love✌

 

I know; I just want the CDs, and that's all.

 

Spamming this forum with pos libel isn't going to make them arrive any quicker.

 

I enclose a copy of my most recent email.
Sorry, Steve, and I don’t intend any ill will towards yourself. Thank you for your reply.
My order was initially described as being sent on 12/6/16. I was subsequently assured that a copy had been sent some weeks later [with no result]. I can only assume, given your email, that this assurance was worthless.
I have now ordered, and received the Paul Simon cd, from Amazon. in three working days.
I don’t really care at the moment whether I get any refund from you or not. I just got sick of waiting. I don’t like the principle of Amazon. I would much rather choose an indie provider such as yourselves. I have been using your services for some years, and hitherto have been very happy. However, it would appear to be the case that email assurances, and indeed t/c conversations with yourselves are, in recent times, worthless.
The music you promote has always been up my street, I wish to support you, However, I am currently very pissed off.
I have one current outstanding order with you. Should, or can I, cancel this? Or can I get a refund on money which may have already been taken from my bank account?
This email is not meant offensively, Steve, but I am more than unhappy with your current standard of customer relations.
Yours
Phil Smith

 

I order a CD over 6 weeks ago. I recently checked their website. The CD shows "processing" I checked my statement and my bank account was debited 6 weeks ago. After reviewing this thread, I decided to send a request to Spin for a refund withing 48 hours. I also told them if I don't hear from them withing 2 business days, I will initiate a Chargeback. Credit card rules require a merchant to ship an item before or on the the same day the account is debited. I plan to contact my card issuer if I don't get the money posted back in my account.

 

I just received the following reply:
"No problem Peter, the order has been refunded, sorry we could not supply.
Cheers"
FYI, Merchants will always try to avoid Chargebacks, since they cost them time and money, so any such threat usually gets swift response...

 

I ordered the Free remasters from them on the 14th July.....the money was taken from my account on the 15th July, I know that the Free set was not due to be released until 9th September. It's now the 1st of October .......my order was marked as complete last week and still no discs. They used to be a reputable company......seems to have gone pear shaped.

 

I pre-ordered something back in July, it was released in September, my account just listed it as "processing", gave them a week, sent them an email with zero response, tried calling the permanently engaged phone line, called credit card company and got a chargeback, what a waste of time, a shame as in the past they were pretty good.

 

They're not shady *but* although in fact I'd been purchasing from them since they opened up almost twenty years ago I now no longer do so.
Their service level has dropped enormously since both their change of address and their website upgrade - if you can call it an upgrade.
I've had issues with a number of items with the same complaint as the OP. I'm now suffering the same complaint with the Rolling Stones Mono CD box. I must have been one of the first to order this item as I'd received the email announcement not 60 seconds before I placed my pre-order. The price quoted was £99.99. They debited my card no. within what must have been minutes of placing my pre-order. So, we're now two months down the line from physical release and I noted that on the release day the price at SpinCDs had increased by £10.00 to £109.99. Now, given that I was one of the first to order surely I should have been one of the first to receive? You'd think so, but no. I have twice spoken to someone at Spin who spun (no pun intended) the yarn on both occasions that they had not received as many from the supplier as they were supposed to, yet, I've found three people who ordered well after the pre-order date and two who ordered after the release date who each received the physical items within days of their ordering. The one thing the five found recipients have in common is that they all paid the later advertised price of £109.99, thus, the question lies: are SpinCDs sitting on the £99.99 they quoted me in the original ad. until such times as that money has accrued £10.00 in interest...? One can only conclude that this is the case being that as yet, three months after they debited my card no. and two months after physical release of the item, others who paid the later £109.99 have received their orders but my £99.99 order remains unfulfilled and I remain bereft of my Stones mono box.

 

Did you manage to speak to them by phone, if so I'm amazed as I tried calling them over several days, at different times and on numerous occasions, I didn't think they answered any more.

 

I'm having issues with these guys aswell. Paid nearly two weeks ago for an item that was supposed to dispatch within 24 hours....