JD Sports to inform customers of its online store better at the request of ACM
Sports-fashion retailer JD Sports will present realistic delivery times on its website, and it will ensure that its customer service can be easily reached. The company will make these adjustments after the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) had contacted the company about these issues. Between December 2020 and February 2021, ACM received many complaints from consumers about the poor service offered by the online store of JD Sports. Consumers reported that their products were delivered much later than promised or were not delivered at all, and that JD Sports’ customer service was difficult to reach. In addition, the company failed to inform its customers properly about the status of their orders. JD Sports has already adjusted its processes with regard to these issues. Over the next few months, ACM will keep a close watch on the company, for example, by following the reports filed with ACM’s consumer information portal ACM ConsuWijzer.
Edwin van Houten, Director of ACM’s Consumer Department, says: ‘When it comes to selling online, the provision of information to consumers is crucial. Consumers must be informed about the delivery times of their orders, and customers must be able to reach the online store’s customer service easily. ACM enforces compliance with these rules, because consumers must be able to make online purchases with confidence.’
What was the case about?
Reports filed with ACM ConsuWijzer reveal that consumers often had to wait a long time for their products being delivered. In addition, the delivery times were apparently much longer than what they were promised when they placed their orders. ACM had asked the company to explain this situation, and has reviewed various documents. JD Sports said that the logistical problems were connected to, among other reasons, the effects of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers that contacted JD Sports inquiring about the status of their orders received either an automatic reply, or an actual reply but then only after a long wait. As a result, consumers were not given any certainty regarding the status of their orders, or whether they would be delivered at all. Following ACM’s intervention, JD Sports adjusted its methods.
What has been the result?
JD Sports now delivers many orders directly from their Dutch stores. This means that the orders no longer have to come from their warehouse in the United Kingdom. As a result of this adjustment, orders are now delivered at the delivery time that was promised. JD Sports has also expanded its customer service. Consumers now get responses faster, and they are better informed about the status of their orders. ACM will continue to keep a close eye on the company, specifically on the abovementioned issues, for example, by following reports filed with its consumer information portal ACM ConsuWijzer.
Swift approach to consumer problems
ACM has many different instruments at its disposal for solving consumer problems. When selecting the right approach, ACM puts consumers first. In this case, ACM prefers to contact the company in order to solve the problem. On the basis of reports filed with ACM ConsuWijzer, ACM will keep a close watch on whether the company actually implements the agreed upon adjustments.