The saga of a suitcase......

I did the majority of my packing for India on Sunday evening. Having done it the suitcase was quite full (without the addition of toilet bag and other last minute stuff), and I noticed that the stitching was going on one of the corners on the zip.

I thought it wise to get a replacement, rather than have my things spread all over the tarmac at Heathrow.

I didn't have too many options, since I would have trouble getting anywhere to buy one in person this week, so I went online to a well known catalogue store with shops. I should have heeded the first warning signs of things being wrong - I was presented with their mobile site on my desktop.

I persisted though, selected a suitable case, checked that they would deliver to an alternative address (although, I knew that they did as I had had things delivered to my daughter in York). I went through all of the process without being presented with the select delivery address option. I rang them - they had gone home. I sent a message through their website - basically, change the address or cancel the order.

By lunchtime on Monday, no response, so I rang them. They couldn't do anything now as they had printed the label! I said cancel the order then, and suddenly it was possible for them to do something. After many minutes she said that she would call the depot, get it changed and call me back.

Two and a half hours later, no call, so I rang again. I spoke to a different lady, who checked, let slip that the other lady hadn't done anything, and then she found that it was now with the couriers. They would deliver on Tuesday, return it to the depot and then it would get sent to my work address. That sounded like a recipe for disaster, so I cancelled.

I then went online to a couple of supermarkets who have goods available from catalogues. I found an almost identical case, paid, delivery on Wednesday by 5PM, but it was on its way.

At 4PM on Tuesday, I received an email telling me that that suitcase had been delayed, but the delay should be no more than 2 days (I would be on my way to India by then, so too late). I went online and cancelled the order. I also tried to phone them. I was told that all their systems were down, and that I would have to call back on Thursday. I received a blunt refusal to take my details and for them to call me - stating that they didn't make calls.

After my doctors appointment this morning (happy with my blood pressure, back in 6 months), I called into the town centre and went to this small independent shop. I was amused when the assistant (who had an eastern European accent) couldn't use my metric measurements for the size of the case, she had to convert them to inches. I selected a new case, on a 50% off offer, and left, finally with a new suitcase.

Well done to Argos and Asda for reinforcing my faith in the small trader. I don't think you intended to! Oh, and I did get a call from Asda, as a result of my online cancellation, so they do make calls.