Homebase issues administration update after shoppers complain orders haven’t turned up
HOMEBASE shoppers have been given updates on their orders following the retailer’s administration.
The troubled DIY firm collapsed last Wednesday, November 13, but customers have still been able to make purchases online and in-store.
Some have also been waiting for orders they put through before it collapsed too.
However many have now raised concerns that their items have not shown up and that they haven’t been given refunds for unwanted items.
Taking to X, formally known as Twitter, one customer said they ordered a Christmas tree on Tuesday with the product expected to turn up this Friday, however, it never showed up.
Another disgruntled customer warned shoppers expecting an order should contact their bank for a refund.
They wrote: “Anyone ordered anything from Homebase and waiting for a delivery…. Contact your bank for a refund as ain’t happening!
“When you call, they can’t give you an update, they can’t track your parcel and no clue if and when it will be delivered.”
A third shopper shared how they bought a dining set and chairs from Homebase but were sent the wrong items.
They explained: “[Homebase] said they will arrange collection and delivery of the correct item and now are saying they can’t do anything due to them going into administration.”
Another replied: “Be careful if you bought anything and try to take it back , not only no refund also no exchange.”
A disappointed customer commented: “Found that out today when my mum tried to take back an electric blanket that doesn’t fit, they said she would have been told when she bought it on Friday she couldn’t return it but nobody said anything to her.”
While another groaned: “I brought Wednesday morning(before the announcement) and I’ve had nothing from them but order email. I’ve had to ring for any information. Cannot cancel because the refund will be lost in the system etc.”
An update on Homebase published on the BBC One Show website states customers’ orders in the process will be honoured “where possible.”
It went on to say that this is “subject to the availability of stock”.
It continued: “If an order can be fulfilled then there will be no refund should the order be cancelled, with the exception of purchases made with finance which have separate agreements.”
Customers should await a call from the Homebase Room Solutions team who will provide an update based on the specifics of the customer’s order.
Meanwhile, it states that any unwanted and unused items purchased in-store unless at fault, either pre or post administration are also not eligible for refund or exchange.
At the time of its collapse, administrators Teneno said that customer “orders will still be fulfilled as far as possible”.
The Sun has approached Homebase for comment.
It comes as administration sales have been launched in Homebase branches in Loudwater in Buckinghamshire, and Blackpole retail park in Worcester.
It’s not clear if the sales have been launched to simply clear stock or if the stores have been earmarked for closure.
The future of 49 stores remains uncertain after the home improvement store fell into administration earlier this month.
When Homebase fell into administration Chris Dawson, owner of The Range, rescued 70 stores in a pre-pack deal.
Plans have been put in place to convert them into Range sites, and the Homebase website will continue to trade as it currently is.
What happens if you do not receive your order?
If you placed an order with Homebase but have not yet received it, it is worth getting in touch with the group’s customer service team.
You can also claim your money back if a product or service remains undelivered or faulty or if a firm goes bust.
This is because when you pay by credit card, your provider is partly responsible if you don’t get the service you paid for.
This protection is provided under Section 75 of the Consumer Rights Act.
Remember, to make a valid claim, the goods or services you bought must cost over £100 and not more than £30,000.
Section 75 applies to all goods bought in-store, online, over the phone or mail order.
To make a claim, contact your credit card provider – your first port of call should be its customer services phone number – and tell them you want to make a claim under Section 75.
To learn more about this click the link here.
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.
The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.
Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.
It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.
The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.
Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.
“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.
“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”
Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.
However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.
The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.