SMYTHS TOYS HAS been bombarded with complaints from customers who claim the store took their money online then failed to deliver the goods.
But the company has blamed shoppers trying to cash in on multiple discount vouchers – a breach of its terms and conditions – for causing the glitch.
Smyths’ Facebook page was littered with comments from disgruntled parents who said their orders had been cancelled without any explanation before they were left on hold waiting to talk with someone from the company.
Jen Byrne wrote: “Don’t buy your Xmas toys with Smyths they are cancelling orders on people who paid for them online even though they are in stock in the shop.”
“I’m on hold 15 minutes and while I was still talking to the girl she ignored me and put me on hold.”
Another Facebook user, Catherine Fitzpatrick, said Smyths had taken money from her card before cancelling her order, but it was yet to issue a refund.
“Care to explain please as I have already waited long enough on hold to speak to a human,” she said.
Others vented their frustrations on Twitter, but Smyths was yet to repond directly to any of the comments this afternoon.
However a Smyths spokesman told TheJournal.ie the company had looked into the cancelled orders and they were rejected because customers had breached its terms.
“Unfortunately these orders were processed with multiple voucher discounts,” he said.
The terms and conditions detailed on the vouchers clearly state that only one voucher can be used per household and only one voucher can be used per transaction when spending €25 or more. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
He said the customers would all get their money back.
Ireland’s biggest toy store
Smyths is Ireland’s biggest toy retailer with 70 stores across Ireland and the UK, including 22 shops in the republic.
It recently attracted controversy when staff at its Dublin store put up signs announcing the shop was boycotting Israeli goods.
The notice was taken down quickly after the company’s head office stepped in and said didn’t “engage in national or international political affairs”.
READ: Protestors hold Israel boycott ‘die-ins’ at several Dublin stores
READ: Has Ireland run out of paddling pools?
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say