goldsborobooks.com

Well below average for a small independent busniess

Edit: more excuses. I could hear your team fine on the phone. They could not hear me allegedly. Your staff member in Brighton was dismissive and rude. Not me. Do better in future.In May 2024, I pre-ordered a numbered special edition title due for release in October 2025. In June 2025, I placed a second pre-order for another numbered special edition, released 27th August 2025.For the 2024 order, my book was delivered around three weeks after publication. While late, it at least arrived. For my more recent order, however, I have had no correspondence at all since placing it. I emailed and received no reply. I sent a direct message which was ignored. When I telephoned, I was hung up on repeatedly, and when I left a message I was finally contacted—only to be told I “shouldn’t expect Amazon service.” When I called your Brighton shop, the staff member I spoke to was unhelpful and, frankly, rude.This is unacceptable. Customers are not expecting Amazon-level turnaround, but they are entitled to the product they paid for—especially when it was pre-ordered months in advance. The repeated excuse of a “heavy publication period” (which I have also seen cited in many of your historic reviews) is not a valid reason for such poor communication or delays. Using platforms like Shopify obligates staff to monitor and dispatch orders in a timely way; it is not the customer’s responsibility to chase repeatedly.Pre-ordering demonstrates patience and loyalty to a small business. It is precisely because customers are willing to wait that we expect better communication, transparency, and fulfilment when release dates pass. The service I have experienced instead has been dismissive, disorganised, and far below reasonable expectations.

Date of experience: Sep 01, 2025