Awful Company, awful customer service, awful experience

I've not done this before but such is the strength of my feeling about our experience with this company, I would not want anyone to order from them. I'll try to be brief, but this story unravelled over weeks and weeks.

CHECK TWITTER - I'm certain you will find ongoing issues with customers right now.

We ordered a bunk bed for our kids that was in stock with next day delivery. Took the day off (friday) work to take delivery. Email said the order had gone through etc with a consignment number. I forget the name of the delivery company but there wasn't very detailed online tracking. The bed didn't arrive, called Corban Direct who said the courier had not taken the item. "My Dad's a delivery driver and he doesn't wait for anyone - you know what they're like". Gob smacked.

I called the courier and spokje directly to them. They said they picked up several other items that day but were not given the bed to take. CD rescheduled delivery for wednesday. (Confusing as presumably if we'd re-ordered that day with next day delivery it would have arrived Tueasday...alarm bells).

Needless to say it did not arrive. I decided to pose as a new customer. Called rather than website and was told the item was out of stock. Called again as the original customer(!) and asked what on earth was going on. "The supplier is struggling to keep up with the orders" - I escalated this and spoke to 'Tim' - actually a nice guy and very calm but clearly working in a situation where he cannot win! He said he would personally call the supplier and get back to me. He briefly mentioned their name.

After a bit of googling I found the supplier in Blackburn. I called them but as they are trade only they could not help. So I called again posing as a new furniture business particularly interested in stocking the bunkbed. What was their lead time, stock levels, cost etc. Everything checked out, plenty of stock and a decent reduction in price!

Back to Corban to suggest the issue was not with the supplier. They had no answer for this but promised to deliver by the friday. Again - nothing. This time the delivery driver had made the decision that the box was so damaged he wouldn't pick up as it would almost certainly be returned. (Highly unlikely).

I called the supplier again. They said I would not be able to speak with them but should raise my grievances with CD. I told them I had, but that every time was told it was the suppliers fault. They were extremely annoyed by this and stated "THEY TOLD YOU THAT? SIR, YOU DO NOT HAVE YOUR BED BECAUSE THEY DO NOT PAY THEIR BILLS".

I reported this back to Tim at CD and they eventually agreed to pay the bill to release the bed for me. It arrived two days later with a reduction to the trade price. HOWEVER, the bunk was meant to be left or right ladder arrangement as per the description. It was not. I couldn't face returning, so drilled and filled until it worked for our girls room.

In short DO NOT TOUCH WITH A BARGE POLE.