Auctionworld - your experiences

As satellite shopping channel Auctionworld goes into administration with debts of £14m, and after a recent fine by regulator Ofcom, we asked for people's experiences of the company.

Here are some of the many responses:

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Many months ago I bought a ring from this company. After three months it had not arrived despite several assurances that it would. I found customer services almost impossible to get hold of, often waiting more than 30 minutes to be answered and then being given numerous different excuses for the delay.

Auctionworld invited viewers to bid for items

Finally I decided to contact the company's solicitors and managed to get a refund, some two months after I had first demanded one. In hindsight it was obvious that this company was trading with little or no integrity.

However, this was not at all obvious from just watching the TV, although a bit of internet research showed up all sorts of failings reported by other customers. I too complained to Ofcom, who acknowledged my claim and said they were also investigating many others and would keep my complaint on file.
John, London

I purchased a camera for my partner's birthday and to date I have yet to receive it. When I rang and complained they told me it had been sent. When it did not arrive I rang again and after holding for one hour they admitted it had not been sent. I then informed them that I was moving house that weekend, but they refused to change my address.

I had no option but to cancel the order and I am still waiting for a refund. The camera was ordered on 11 October 2004, and to date I have not received a refund.
Janette Hannan, Jersey

Bought two or three items from Auctionworld about a year ago. Happy with both price and quality and all delivered within three or four days. If you ignore the inflated "guide" prices and just bid what you believe items to be worth (using common sense and a little research), then you should have no complaints.
Ian Greenaway, Ware, Herts, UK

I ordered a camera - waited six weeks for no delivery - tried for a week to get through to customer services and still have no refund. Thanks a lot Auction world!!!!
Colin Lindley, Didcot UK

Anyone who spends thousands of pounds on jewellery after only seeing it on TV is 'foolish'.
Daniel Coombs, UK

I have been waiting for goods since September and have not received them. The customer services number was always engaged so I have been left in the dark as they have not replied to my emails. I did receive a letter stating goods would be delivered in 14 days but they have not materialised.
Doug Hicks, Banbury, England

I ordered a ring (for £305) which I ended up sending back, and three months later I still haven't had a refund. I have phoned and emailed so many times and each time I'm told a different thing. I think it is absolutely disgusting that a company can get away with this really bad service. It now looks like I'm out of pocket.
Karen Noden, London, England

It never ceases to amaze me how consumers can be so gullible. Any 'fool' who thinks a TV shopping channel is the place to buy a piece of jewellery valued at £15,000 needs their head looking at. If something seems to be too good to be true, then it probably is.
Paul Derrick, Hull

Given the size of the fine imposed by Ofcom I hope that this money will be made available to the accountants to repay the customers who have lost money (myself included), rather than disappear into the government's coffers as a preferred creditor.
Martin Robertson, Hatfield

Won an auction on 18 October for massage chair. Money taken out of my bank the following day for £98.50. Never received goods. How do I get my money back?
Linda Tipping, Chorley Lancashire

Auctionworld cost me £218 and have fobbed me off with promises for the last two months.
Peter Dixon, North Shields, Tyne and Wear

I have bid for a few low priced items from Auctionworld in the past, they have been delivered on time and have been satisfactory. But a recent winning bid I made for a digital camera has not been honoured. I bid for the item on 14 October 2004 and the payment was taken from my bank account the same day. I have not received this item and from reading stories from other bidders it has become apparent that they did not have in their possession the cameras they were auctioning.
Pam Dearden, Widnes, Cheshire

I have been trying to contact Auctionworld for months having bought a faulty camera from them in September. They just kept saying a camera would be with me shortly even though I was saying I wanted a refund.

I only hope now that my credit card company will reimburse the money. Be careful of this shopping channels is my advice to anyone out there who thinks they are snapping up a bargain. Good luck...
Coleen White, Manor Park, London

We paid more than £900 for a diamond ring, which, when received after waiting seven weeks, had a huge flaw in the middle which was clearly visible to the naked eye. The ring was supposed to be valued at £1,200. Despite being promised a replacement, it never arrived and six months and many phone calls and unanswered letters later we were told we could not have a replacement ring but only a refund.

I was informed at this point that they 'sell' items which they do not have in stock - the girl admitted they took the money without the product being available but said she didn't know if this was against the law. The refund did not arrive when promised and so we employed a solicitor to act on our behalf. We did eventually receive a refund - seven months after payment was taken from our account - but it had cost us in excess of £350 for the solicitor's fees so in real terms we only got two thirds of the cost back.
Ian Roberts and Juliet Bennett, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire

I recently bid for a watch valued at £800, I bid £550 and clearly on the screen in front of me I was outbid, as the quantity was only two and there were bids in at £600. I was surprised to receive a call an hour later stating that I had been successful in my bid. When I tried to explain that I had been outbid, the operator on the phone was very aggressive in manner, I gave my Switch details and my card was debited.

The delivery date was stated as five days. It has now been 10 days. The behaviour of this company is criminal in my eyes, I should not have been called as I was outbid, I wonder how many other people experienced the same thing. It seems to me this was all planned, they knew they were closing down and tried to get as much money as possible from people like myself. Is there anything I can do?
Mr Gill, London UK

I used Auctionworld a number of times however I never bought high value items. The goods were always good quality, I was happy with the price and customer service was excellent. However I have stopped using them in the last 3 months so looks like I got lucky. Its always the staff who suffer.
Mark, Discs, Norfolk