Next Direct COMPLETE **** UP

OH. MY. WORD. Next Direct - you guys need to get yourselves sorted out. I've just seen more reviews about how misleading your website is. Seriously?? Well here's my story anyway - Next Direct shoppers BEWARE!!!!! It all started when I placed my order via the za.nextdirect.com website on 25 February 2016. I received an email on the 1st March 2016 from Skynet telling me that because of the amount of my order, I was subject to some ridiculous customs charge that I had no idea was applicable as well as their own fee. My original order was R1058 - the additional costs were almost R900. Obviously, I decided to cancel the order - and seeing as it was still in the UK at customs, I naively thought that it wouldn't be too much trouble. So I cancelled my order with Skynet on the 1st March 2016 and after receiving no communication whatsoever from Next, I sent a message via Next's website on the 2nd March 2016 making sure that the order was cancelled. So far so good. I received an email on the 3rd March from Next telling me that the order was cancelled and that "This may take upto 28 days and we will credit the items when the parcel is received back". So I waited very patiently for those "up to 28 days" and by the 4th April (32 days later) I had heard nothing about anything and there was no refund, I rep**** to the email I received on the 3rd March and asked what was happening with the refund. I had no reply. By the 8th April I was getting more irritated and sent another email to the same address (*** by the way) asking why I was still waiting and why no one was getting back to me. And guess what? No reply again. So this time I tried your website's online contact form because, well, I am a really nice person and I was sure there was just some simple problem and I do like to give people the benefit of the doubt. I sent the message and was momentarily sustained by the comment on your page that said "we will endeavor to answer all enquiries within 24 hours". But no. Nothing happened again. By now I was reaching the end of my rope and my husband phoned Next's enquiries line (which is "open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week" but we struggled to even get through to anyone on the 12th April) - finally he spoke to an operator on the 13th April 2016 who checked on the order and told him the unbelievable story that it seemed there was a glitch and my order had not been marked as returned yet. She would tick it. How exciting! So, after cancelling my order, technically, on the 1st March, after my repeated emails were ignored, after having to phone Next ourselves and 40 DAYS AFTER THE "up to 28 days" email, now it appears that there was a "glitch". And of course now all my money would be refunded within 3 to 5 working days. If only that had been it. If only that had been the extent of Next's refund customer service utter incompetence. But no... it continued. So 3 days later on the 16 April 2016 I get a message from my bank saying "Next have deposited R58 into your account!!!" R58. Just R58?? What about the rest of the money? The total was R1058. How could they only refund R58 of the R1058??? So again, I phoned Next on that Saturday morning of the 16th April 2016 and asked, very politely still, WHAT IS GOING ON? The poor operator clacked away on her end only to eventually find another glitch - Next's system said that only 1 of the items were returned. She asked me "Did you receive any of the items?" The answer here is no. The items that I cancelled over 47 DAYS AGO never left the UK. Righty-ho. She checks and clacks away and asks me to hold and comes back apologising profusely and saying that it is now rectified and all the items are checked as returned. It is a miracle! But... wait... noooooo. No, it is not over yet. I receive an email on the 19th April 2016, "Confirmation of return from NextDirect" with a list of the items returned, which I look over quickly and not with a beady eye as everything should be fine now, right? WRONG. So we wait, patiently again, innocently, unaware that Next will retain their incompetence crown. On the 21st April I get the long awaited message on my phone "Next have paid money into your account". Is it the right amount? Do you even need to ask anymore? NO. NO. NO. It is still wrong. I ordered 8 items and have been refunded for 5 of them (and that includes the 1st tiny refund of R58). There is still R276 missing. By now I am utterly sick and tired of this shockingly bad customer service and the urge to say "to hell with it" is very strong but the need to vent my frustration and disbelief is stronger still. I understand this is just a silly little refund from a South African so what does it really matter? What is a measly R1058 to a giant such as Next? Well it's called "Customer Service" and it is an integral part of your company image and reputation, especially as a company that trades online and ships worldwide. I am here to remind you that everyone is supposed to matter - and yes, accidents happen, glitches in systems are a part of life, but to have emails ignored and constant mistake after mistake thrown in my face with not even an apology anywhere - you have messed this one up badly Next. And yes, if your name ever came up as a company to spend my money with, I will definitely yell "NEXT!!!" and move on as quickly as possible. Shame on you.