Are we mugs?

I have just read Gray and Osbourn's latest catalogue and found an outfit inside that I bought in the States one week ago. Yes - I know things are generally more expensive here. I've lived here a very long time. BUT - this little sleeveless top and matching textured cardigan were $30 and $23 respectively in Macy's in Florida. A total of $53.00 or about £35.00. Exactly what they are worth. In the latest Gray and Osbourn catalogue the cardigan is £90 reduced to £72 and the sleeveless top is £50.00 reduced to £40.00. That's STERLING! Making this little outfit a whopping £112.00 STERLING in the UK! It's not spun gold! I'm tired of UK companies ripping us off! Be careful!

Returns fiasco

I ordered a jacket from Gray & Osbourn but unfortunately it didn't quite fit so I needed to return it and that's where the fiasco started!!!
MyHermes failed to pick up the package so 3 days later I rang G&O.
Spoke to G&O customer services who told me my postcode wasn't recognised - even though they delivered initially.
Was told that although I had given my phone number to G&O the courier didn't get that info so couldn't check with me if there was a problem - "we just need to complete the online form, the information doesn't get used or passed on!"
Tried again, same problem and 10 days later, despite chasing, so I asked if they would send me a returns label and I would take the package into my nearest PO (some 20 mins away) - that got sent to wrong address!
Eventually got another Royal Mail return label and got the package sent back but not until I was told that because the item was being returned late I would be charged a restocking fee!
When I explained this was due to G&O's returns process the best that could be offered was a refund of the restocking fee, only if I rang after I'd received my bank statement and pointed out the problem - no way could they stop the restocking fee!!!

What a pantomime! Moral of the story - only order from G&O if you're sure you won't wish to return anything!!!
(Should be 1 star for rubbish procedures but no-one was actually rude - just completely tied into a poor system, hence 2 stars in TrustPilot ratings)

Very poor experience indeed

As a long standing customer of Gray And Osbourn, we have twice had a problem where the delivery company sends our order to the wrong courier. The delivery company will not permit us to speak directly with them and tell us to deal only with Gray and Osbourn customer services, but Gray and Osbourn 'Customer Services' seem unwilling to liaise with the delivery company.

It's an issue that could be resolved very quickly by Gray and Osbourne CS but as it is, we are unable to move forward, either to obtain delivery or to cancel the order as the item was required for this weekend.

Exactly the same thing happened with our last order for which we had paid extra for next day delivery.

So far so good.

I have had fast service from this company. Returns have been handled well so far.

They also stock plus sizes in good quality clothes. This matters to me as I'm a large professional woman and like to look smart. I have a lovely Basler jacket from grayandosborne.co.uk which has been a staple for some time.

The only down side is that the sizing can sometimes be a bit random - two items of the same labelled size can have very different real sizes. But I think this is probably an issue with the brands rather than with grayandosborn.co.uk

Dire

My Mum ordered a cardigan from their catalogue. They phoned her and told her they had no stock in the size she had ordered, and would not be getting more in, but would she accept the next size down as an alternative. She agreed and they asked for her bank account details again. Of course she should have refused and told them this was not another order so they would not be needing to take further payment - but what can I say, she is 72 and naive and trusting.

The very next day the item arrived in the size originally ordered. She phoned them to ask them not to send the other item and was told that it had already been despatched but that she should refuse to accept it when it arrived. This she duly did.

To cut a long story short Gray and Osbourn took £55 and £4.99 for postage and packaging out of her account twice. Once on the 1 September and again on the 8th. They are now saying that they have not received the second item back from their courier company and that they cannot refund my mother's money until they 'investigate'. They are sending my mother something out to sign and return to them. If, and it's a big if, she does get her money back they will have had it for well over a month. This is entirely unacceptable.

They accept no responsibility for the fact that the whole fiasco was their mistake. To my mind taking the second payment out was fraudulent. My mother only ever ordered one item.

I have reported them to Consumerline and am awaiting their advice.

My advice to other consumers is steer clear.

Susan Jones found this review useful