How reliable are BES?

[Set Square]

Placed my first on-line order with BES last weekend for 20-odd quid's worth of flexible tap connectors, full-bore isolation valves, etc. in order to re-plumb part of my bathroom.

Most of it arrived on Tuesday - which was fine, but there were a couple of items missing. One of these was printed in the "to follow" column, and there was some sort of hand-written mark which I couldn't make out against the other.

I phoned up to make sure that they knew that *both* items were missing - which they did. They said they were both in stock and would be sent out. They hadn't arrived by Friday, so I phoned again. I was told that one item was on its way to me, and that they weren't sure whether they yet had the other item in stock despite the fact that their stock control system was reporting 7 on the shelf.

Can't say I'm that impressed thus far. What are other people's experiences?

[John Rumm]

I have used then two or three times... overall impression was good. The right stuff turned up without any delay. Some things came in separate boxes and via different couriers. Prices and range of stuff seems good.

[John Stumbles]

That's about par for the course :-)

9/10 they deliver OK, but they don't keep everything in stock and sometimes their stock control system hasn't caught up with the physical realiity and the packer marks the delivery note to show that an item is actually out of stock when it's shown as being in.

Occasionally they intercourse up big time: on one occasion I hadn't received anything after a week or so and phoned up to find that they _print_ _out_ orders received via the web and carry them over to the order-processing people, and on this occasion they'd lost the piece of paper with my order on it!

Generally I find them no more or less reliable than screwfix etc.

My main peeves with them are (1) their website doesn't remember what you've entered, so if you close your browser before placing the order when you re-open it and go to your trolley/cart/basket, there's nothing there; and (2) they invoice you for each part of the order they deliver, instead of for the order as a whole, which makes reconciling my record of orders with the paperwork I get back from them a pain in the donkey.

[Set Square]

Interesting you should say that. They have sent me an *invoice* for the part of the order which has been delivered - but my credit card has been debited with the value of the *whole* order!

[It's now Tuesday, and I *still* haven't received another delivery - depite being told on Friday that one was in transit and would arrive either later on Friday or on Monday. What a shower!]

[Pete C]

Hi,

Just got an order from BES delivered next day, with a couple of shortages and delivery note manually amended for one of them as another poster mentioned.

They could really do with a better ordering/stock control system a la Toolstation or Ebuyer, but maybe their turnover doesn't justify this.

As they carry a wide range of bits and you don't have to order a pack of 20 of something when you need just one, I'm prepared to forgive them that.

A lower MOQ, £30 or even £35 would be nice, would save padding the order with extra bits that they might not even have in stock.

Also is their free delivery really worldwide? Could be handy if installing a combi boiler in Antartica....

cheers, Pete.

[Michael Mcneil]

Safer for you though as if they fail on a £100 plus item or list of items, you are covered. If they do you over anything less, the credit card is no benefit is it?

[Set Square]

Doesn't help, I'm afraid - the total order was less than 30 quid, including carriage.