Two tops I have brought out of three have both shrunk in the wash, with NO tumble drying.

I would like to get across how good the suit is but I feel I should warn others about how bad my 'recommend a friend' experience has been. I bought the suit as part of the recommend a friend deal with my ushers and 2 best men and Next have messed up at every turn. They have failed to apply discounts and incorrectly opened 'cash' instead of 'credit' accounts meaning the £20 credits cannot be applied (even though I was advised this was not an issue). What is hugely concerning is that I have been told different things by different advisers which adds to the frustration. I have had to call a few times a week on an expensive '0844' number, for the last two months to get the credits applied and have racked up huge phone bills as a result. The positives however are that the waiting times are extremely quick. What is also misleading is that when using the deal, you cannot collect the items at the shop meaning you have no option but to pay the £3.99 delivery charge and the £3.75 catalogue cost, so the £20 reward actually becomes £12.26. So in short, good suits, ill advised customer service and misleading reward scheme.

I have used Next Directory for some time, handy and convenient in the past. Until recently it had been about a year since I had used them. I ordered a number of items (all in stock) on the 23rd August 2012. I received an email to advise they would be ready to collect on the 27th - great! The next I heard was on the 31st when they arrived so four days late. Unfortunatly the event these were for was on the 31st, but in a different city and so I was unable to collect so these were returned. Stupidly I decided to order a few more items before I go on holiday, however with a day to go these are also late. Looks like I need a quick trip elsewhere at the last minute thanks Next. Assuming they don't arrive in the morning these will also be returned. Worse of all though, whilst I've always had a DD established to pay in full each month, this seems to have deactivated. Since receiving my statement on August 30th, the money didn't leave on September 4th as it used to. Further there seems to be no mention of the DD on the statement or in the account menus. Concerned I messaged Next who adivsed not to worry, the money will be taken... Still, no sign of it leaving so to be sure I will have to pay the balance manually just in case. So potentially the money could be taken again, all for clothes which I haven't had. Next used to always meet or better their delivery times, they now seem to be unreliable. This coupled with higher prices, suits which need to be re-hemmed almost immediately come together to persuade me to go elsewhere in future. They have become Waitrose pricing with a Tesco service.

Next's Gloucester store holds a fairly large stock of items at mostly slightly discounted prices. It's quite a way from the city centre so for me, and for many others, it's a special trip if I want to visit. The biggest problem with this store is that the changing rooms are always closed. Next sell a lot of jumpers, jeans and other items which are relatively high value and have a high chance of not fitting. There's no "one size fits all" for these kinds of items, so I think buying one without trying it on is just foolish. Unfortunately, having been in Next Gloucester on at least 12 occasions since it opened, the changing rooms are always closed. The store, and its changing rooms, are recently purpose built: someone went to a lot of trouble to ensure Next had changing rooms. Every time I have asked the staff if I could use it, but always the answer is no. I've had a different excuse every time. Ultimately the store manager told me they keep it closed at all busy times, because staff have got other things to do. Looking around, they have got a lot of standing around to do, laughing and joking with friends all day most days, so I can see that letting people into the changing rooms is tough for them. They're saying "we don't care if your clothes don't fit". Today a new low was reached. The staff have printed out a home-made-looking paper sign saying "these fitting rooms are closed due to health and safety reasons". This is at odds with all previous excuses, and it's clear from the staff that no-one really believes it. Obviously, there aren't any health and safety reasons, it's just easier to print out a sign than it is to work whilst actually at work. The upshot is that if you can be bothered to make a special trip the The Quays to visit Next, you have to take your chances with whether the items you buy will fit. If not, you have to make another special trip another day to bring the item back. I don't think so - life is just too short. Shop somewhere else instead!