Kobo UK customer service is terrible!

[Graham44]

Edit: Before reading this post we have put together a list of Kobo customer service telephone numbers, this avoids having to use the 'chat' facility and instead get to talk to someone, also for anyone that doesn't want to read the whole thread Kobo in the end resolved the issue and gave me a discount on my next purchase -

Kobo Customer services UK 0800 088 5482

Canada/US: 1-800-368-5390

Australia: 1-800-985-496

New Zealand: 0-800-466-458

Ireland: 1-800-816-852

I ordered a clear back cover for my Clara the other day, it arrived today but they sent a kobo Libra colour sleepcover

Ok so I contact customer service, takes ages to get connected then they want me to take photos , which I can't, then they want to escalate it and this may take several days, then they cut me off

So I try again a bit later and they then say you've got to take it up with DPD, umm no, DPD delivered it on time, you packed the wrong item. Never the less they say I have to contact DPD???

So I ask them, who packs the orders Kobo UK or DPD, Kobo UK they say, so then it's Kobo UK thats at fault so I want you to sort the problem out, all I need is a return address and for you to send out the replacement. Sorry we have to escalate the problem first and we can't say how long that will take!

Well I can safely say I won't be ordering any more physical items from Kobo if this is representative of their customer services!

I will still buy ebooks just not anything that needs to be sent

[Sirtel]

Heh. I can't even buy a physical item (including an ereader) directly from Kobo, as they don't ship to my country. All my Kobo devices have been bought elsewhere (Amazon or European retailers).

[Quoth]

The contract with carrier is the shipper anyway.
Just mention SoGA or whatever it is in UK.

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by Quoth

The contract with carrier is the shipper anyway.
Just mention SoGA or whatever it is in UK.

I sent them a follow up email stating that UK law allows a 14 day cooling off period aside from the fact that it's the wrong item sent so theres no ambiguity, I did not receive what I ordered, I also mentioned that I had informed them it was the wrong item within 3 hours of receiving it - still no response yet.

If I do not hear by tomorrow evening I will send them another email stating I am going to take it further with the consumer ombudsman (or whatever they are called), this is so silly for such a simple matter, all they had to say was ever so sorry here's our returns department send the item back and we will send out the correct one!

[Graham44]

Well I managed to get a telephone number out of the automated chat assistant, by repeatedly saying I didn't want to chat to an assistant online.

What a difference, the lady on the telephone was much more helpful, I explained they had sent the wrong case and I just wanted it exchanged for the right one, so while on the phone she sent me an email with a link to a customer portal, which she then talked me through (just a case of selecting why you are sending the item back) this opened up a returns ticket, couple of hours later I got an email with a returns label.

She also informed me that they had put in a priority shipment for the right case. The only slight concern is while she was talking me through the exchange on their customer portal interweb it says you want to exchange product A for Product B and product B was showing up as the case I'm sending back, I pointed this out and she explained that apparently there is a glitch with the Kobo stock system, the clear case for the Kobo Clara is showing up as the sleepcover for the Libra (which I guess is why the wrong one was sent in the first place) I will have to wait and see, hopefully I don't end up with them sending me the exact same (wrong) case again

The only other slight concern is I've had no confirmation they are actually sending the right case, only her word, but I'm sure they will.

Oh and she gave me a 20% off my next Kobo order as an apology

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Graham44

Well I managed to get a telephone number out of the automated chat assistant, by repeatedly saying I didn't want to chat to an assistant online.

What a difference, the lady on the telephone was much more helpful, I explained they had sent the wrong case and I just wanted it exchanged for the right one, so while on the phone she sent me an email with a link to a customer portal, which she then talked me through (just a case of selecting why you are sending the item back) this opened up a returns ticket, couple of hours later I got an email with a returns label.

She also informed me that they had put in a priority shipment for the right case. The only slight concern is while she was talking me through the exchange on their customer portal interweb it says you want to exchange product A for Product B and product B was showing up as the case I'm sending back, I pointed this out and she explained that apparently there is a glitch with the Kobo stock system, the clear case for the Kobo Clara is showing up as the sleepcover for the Libra (which I guess is why the wrong one was sent in the first place) I will have to wait and see, hopefully I don't end up with them sending me the exact same (wrong) case again

The only other slight concern is I've had no confirmation they are actually sending the right case, only her word, but I'm sure they will.

Oh and she gave me a 20% off my next Kobo order as an apology

Would you please post the phone number? That would help others who need to contact Kobo in the UK?

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Would you please post the phone number? That would help others who need to contact Kobo in the UK?

Of course, here it is -

Kobo Customer services UK 0800 088 5482

If you are in another country and want to try and get the customer services number, try what I did, repeatedly asking the AI assistant for a CS number

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Graham44

Of course, here it is -

Kobo Customer services UK 0800 088 5482

If you are in another country and want to try and get the customer services number, try what I did, repeatedly asking the AI assistant for a CS number

Here are (hopefully) more correct phone numbers for Kobo.

US: (866) 204-4714
AU: +61 180 061 2739

[PeterT]

Canada/US: 1-800-368-5390
Australia: 1-800-985-496
New Zealand: 0-800-466-458
Ireland: 1-800-816-852
United Kingdom: 0-800-088-5482

All courtesy of asking the virtual assistant for phone number for customer support.

[Graham44]

Well I finally received the correct case so at least that's something!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Graham44

Well I finally received the correct case so at least that's something!

Can we please have a change of topic? CS is not terrible. The chat is terrible.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Can we please have a change of topic? CS is not terrible. The chat is terrible.

Yes. Kobo actually has good customer service. Is the automated chat new?

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Can we please have a change of topic? CS is not terrible. The chat is terrible.

If you want you can start a new thread I will always make the effort to praise a company when they do well, but equally I will always call out a company if I have a bad experience, if you don't feel thats right you could not participate/ start your own thread on why you think they are good

Originally Posted by Quoth

Yes. Kobo actually has good customer service. Is the automated chat new?

The chat I used wasn't automated it was customer service representatives that were replying to you.

[JSWolf]

Maybe the topic can be...

Kobo Customer Service, call instead of chat.

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Maybe the topic can be...

Kobo Customer Service, call instead of chat.

That might be of use to lots of people as Kobo didn't give me an option of calling off the bat, it could save people a lot of to'ing and fro'ing and give them a more positive experience from the get go