Early Learning Centre - www.elc.co.uk

No communication or order updates, system error meant didt recieve item till 1 month later. 3 months later chased on rest of order only to find they cancelled it due to the length of time take for them to process it!!! No offer or vouchers, compensation or gesture of good will at all!!

I bought a sand and water table which came missing the two screws meaning that the table cannot be set up. When I contacted the customer service they said they would first collect the item and then can deliver a new one. I cannot go to a store to change given I am 8.5 months pregnant with a toddler and a job. ELC has been only able to give me a 12 hour slot in a day to collect the item. Firstly, this is ridiculous because we all work for a living and I cannot be home for 12 hours but I have arranged for that day someone else to be in. They failed on collection twice already, not giving me a phone call either or any sort of notification. Almost three weeks later the item still has not been collected (hence I paid for a faulty item which is stil in my possession). The summer is almost over which also deems the purchase almost irrelevant. I am extremely dissapointed with the level of customer service from a big company like ELC and would not buy anything from them again.

I have an account with ELC and purchased 2 items on 11th November via their online order system and chose to pay by Paypal and received acknowledgement via Paypal that the order had been placed. This is important as had I not been using my online account, I would have had to input all of my delivery/invoice address details etc so the Paypal acknowledgement proves I placed my order. Delivery was due in 5-7 days and having placed the order I just forgot about it. Yesterday I rang to chase it to find that there was no trace of the order.

I initially got no apology, no promise the IT issue would be looked into, to reassure me that it was safe to use their system and I got a simple "you need to reorder". Why should I have to wait another 5-7 days because of their IT issues??? I was furious and after expressing my annoyance got offered free standard delivery but this was still 5-7 day wait. I pushed it and asked to speak to a manager which I wasn't allowed to do but when the customer service person spoke to the Manager, they said I could have free 48hr delivery. Not happy but went for it and then was told that one of the two items was not longer available. Really annoyed and was given no confidence that the IT issue would be resolved.

Will not use them again as I need a reasonable confidence on the certainty of the order placed and its delivery.

Citylink lost the Christmas presents I bought for my sisters kids. Don't think anything else needs to be said. Lame excuse !!!!

I wish I had read the reviews for this AWFUL game before buying it. What has really annoyed me is that the game is for sale on the ELC Website in the UK for £5 whereas it was marked in the Irish store at €11.99 and had a large reduced to €5.74sticker. That said, I would not pay £1 for this poor quality game. As one of the previous reviews said, you would not expect this poor quality from an ELC product. ELC should withdraw this and refund all previous customers their money.

I placed a very large exsencive order for my youngmsonmwho has aurtism for his birthday I placed the order five days before his birthday as it clearly states 3-5 days delivery 5 days later working days I might add they still have not got the order ready "processing" not been shipped they don't care at all poor excuse "it's a buzzy time for us" "in the terms it says we can take 5 days to ship it" well it's been five days and it's not shipped so I guess elc are going to either sort out my problem or deal with my solicter I've had enough of them don't use elc if your getting for Christmas or birthdays your child will have no presents and just be left upset if you have a problem emailing and calling don't work they just give poor excuses and tell lyes

Totally annoyed with this service, I ordered goods and paid extra for next day delivery and the goods haven't arrived!! It's my sons birthday tomorrow and won't be a happy boy all down to ELC, i also had the same problem 2 year ago at xmas - i shouldve learned then defo wiould not recommend them to anyone unless u want to be disappointed!! That is all!!

I purchased a number of items from ELC TOYS and was charged for them seconds after the order was placed only they never applied the current promotion to the order and I was overcharged. After calling their ridiculous customer service phone centre several times over the course of a week and never being called back and constantly hearing the automated voice of you have been placed in a que and will be called back shorty, I was furious. A simple refund when the company is at fault should not be so difficult.

Eventually well over a week later I was contacted and informed that the customer service attendant would check the order and call me back, I'm still waiting some 2 weeks later ... ELC TOYS has appalling customer service and I am outraged that they think they can get away with overcharging customers with no consequence. It is one thing to make a mistake at the check out but to let it go on this long is a sign they never intended to honor their promotion! I would never purchase from this website again and I will not be letting this rest until I am refunded!

ELC were doing a special offer on a Playtable and a Train Playset before Christmas. I thought it would make a terrific gift for my nephew. I ordered the two and they arrived soon thereafter.

The set weighed about 5 pounds and retails for about £125. ELC's packers had decided to dsend it in an ill-fitting cardboard box and had put in a sheet of brown paper (not scrunched up, just lying flat) as some sort of protection for the journey!!

The set had rattled about on its journey and arrived bashed up and looking tatty and soiled. I called and they offered to pick it up and replace it - good for them - I accepted. They picked it up and 2 days later a second set arrived. They had packed it exactly the same way as before and the results were the same - bashed up product that did not look new and did was not fit for purpose.

I called again. This time they had no more stock available - to cut a long story shorter - I had to return the Table and Set or keep the bashed ones. I sent them back.

Why can't people send items that are obviously gifts with a bit of care so they arrive in good shape? Internet shopping is supposed to be convenient - it isn't if product arrives looking 2nd hand.

Absolutely appalling customer service and still no sign of the goods arriving before Christmas even though I have had an email stating that the goods have been dispatched. I ordered on the 12th December 2010. Think twice about ordering from this website.