7dayshop www.7dayshop.com Review

Just managed to 'survive' my 7dayshop.com ordeal, which came to an end last week. Here's my story:

Ordered a Canon EOS 300D from them as it was the cheapest on the net by £25 (...plus I though I would qualify for a further £100 canon cashback offer). Thought I was laughing all the way until I read a review of 7dayshop on the web and then I started to worry, especially when I heard they were shipping US spec cameras, which would mean no UK canon warranty and no £100 cashback. Sent a message to them the same day to ask it was UK spec and if not, then I wanted to cancel. Unbelievably, I got a reply the next day (xmas eve, they must be a hard working lot) to tell me:

"Ours is a US import and will not qualify I understand - Canon UK will not supply us any way as they refuse to supply internet companies (except dabs!) - so please don't blame us !"

I replied to confirm my cancellation and got a reply on the 29th (fair enough, it's xmas hols) but they told me it had already been processed - their idea of 'processed' is an automated invoice e-mailed to you as soon as you click "confirm" on the order page. So, waited for it to arrive. Arrived the next day (hurrah, something good about them!), so sent them a message to say it was on it's way back and posted it with Royal Mail. 7dayshop claim you should use Special Delivery to sent stuff back to them, but from an Insurance point of view it is no better than recorded as the Special Delivery Insurance doesn't cover the Channel Islands. You do however get a tracking facility, unlike recordered delivery. Anyway, I waited and waited, worried and worried (sent recorded, no tracking!), thought it had gone missing. Hurrah, finally, 5th of Jan 2005 and got confirmation from the Royal mail website that it had been delivered. Sent a message to 7dayshop.com to ask when they would refund me. No reply for 2 days. Sent another message asking the same question, no reply. Waited 2 more days before threatening to take my problem to Trading Standards. Got a reply 2 days later - "you have now been refunded for the returned faulty camera". Well, it wasn't really faulty but wayhay, I'm getting my money back! Money back in account 2 days later, including p&p. It really is pathetic that customers have to threaten legal action to get their money back for a refund!

CUSTOMER SERVICES: The only phone number (which they don't advertise on their website) is an automated message. They reply quick enough if you're enquiring about a sale, but don't reply at all if claiming a refund.