Stephensons Catering Equipment Reviews 18

We had an extremely poor experience with this supplier which directly resulted in the loss of a confirmed customer order due to repeated failures in stock management, communication, and fulfilment.

We placed an order which was shown as available at the time of purchase. We then waited approximately one month with no communication at all. During this period, we had to chase multiple times before receiving any response.

When they eventually replied, we were informed they had only then contacted their manufacturer and discovered the product had been discontinued after this period. This raises serious concerns as to whether the order was ever properly processed or verified in the first place. Prior to ordering, we specifically questioned availability and were told, “it wouldn’t be on our website if it was discontinued”, despite the item not actually being available.

The refund process was also handled poorly. We were initially advised it would take 7–10 working days, however this was not completed. After chasing again, we were told the refund had been “missed” and would take a further 7–10 days, which again was not met without further follow-up. It then required additional delays before being completed. Overall, the refund process lacked accuracy, consistency, and clear communication.

Communication throughout has been consistently poor. Emails are often only partially read, with key questions ignored or not addressed. Important information frequently had to be resent multiple times, and responses often took several days or longer, if received at all.

The overall tone of communication was also unprofessional, frequently coming across as dismissive and condescending, even when errors were clearly on their side.

Overall, this supplier demonstrated poor operational control, unreliable communication, and a lack of accountability. We would not recommend them for personal use, trade, wholesale, or any time-sensitive business use.

Customer service, delivery service, price

Duane is a superstar.
Went in on the 14/06/24 and Duane was amazing.
Exceptional customer service and took his time with us.
We spend around £2000 which was less than what we thought it would be.
Again thank you very much for your help and we will be buying through you again.
Josh

Awful web site, awful service. There is no option of checking out as a guest. They want your details no matter if you never want to use them again. I was left with no choice except to open an account just to simply purchase a small paring kitchen knife!!! I spent another 25 mins trying to open an account. The process is like a revolving door that spins you round taken your details again and again and sending conflicting and confusing messages. 'Don't feel this if you already have an account'. But you assume that having provided your details you already created an account. All that waste of my prescious little time was about trying to purchase a small kitchen knife. I didnt succeed in the end and moved on to find a more customer friendly service

Great prices and fast delivery. Ordered Villeroy & Boch wine glasses yesterday afternoon and they arrived by APC courier this morning in well packed boxes - thank you

Very helpful customer service and website and good follow up. . good range and prices for Birkenstock work shoes , and helpful with return for wrong size. assuming refund for wrong sized one goes smoothly but no reason to think it won’t . Will report again after . Thank you stephensons

From start to delivery of my order FANTASTIC. QUALITY PRODUCTS CHEAPER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE.Fast delivery.Well done.
Mrs Mitchell

Not exactly a great experience. Ordered some teapots mid January. No word apart from the order confirmation. Chased it 3 weeks later. One item still on back order. Will send both items when both in stock. No problem. Month goes by, nothing. Chased again.

The out of stock item then turns up but not the other item that supposedly was in stock. Chased again. Got an apology on the phone but no great enthusiasm to it.

I get that, items can be out of stock but, you know, communicate with people. I did explain this to the person on the phone but I think they probably hear it all the time reading the other reviews.

2nd item finally arrives. 6 days short of 3 months since I ordered it. No apology, no feedback email, obviously.
As I said to the lady on the phone in February I won't be using you again. And I won't.

Placed an order on the 24 January and still order not completed.
If items are out of stock you should be updating your customers before purchasing .
Plates is understandable but coffee spoons to wait 1 month to be delivered is ridicules. Inform for delivery times before accepting any payments.

Ordered Bevande Intorno Sage Large Cappuccino Saucer 6" plus saucers. Stephenson have taken payment on the 21st July. All I am getting from the Customer Services is an auto reply saying for they have high demand? No idea when I am getting my order. Order Number: #000031588 Not happy at all like many that have written here

Dreadful experience.... Took £71 of my money and delivered 4 plates... two of which were clearly sub standard or seconds... at first, Matthew the customer care assistant completely agreed with me that the quality of the plates was unacceptable but after I pushed him for for a resolution he then came back and said that the plates were within the parameters of what they consider acceptable because they are handmade and “slight variances are to be expected”... Now that would be okay if what I got were SLIGHT variances I’ve got two plates that were as advertised and the other two had large black holes in them, as if something had been spilled onto them before glazing... Matthew then tried to pass this off as “to be expected”
More or less told me that they will challenge any attempt by me to get my money back
I am going to contact the financial ombudsman regarding these cowboys as reading the feedback, it looks like it’s a regular occurrence
BEWARE.....DONT GIVE YOUR MONEY HERE... THERES NO RECOURSE WHEN THINGS GO WRONG!!
DREADFUL EXPERIENCE
************** Update. ********
In their reply …this company claims that they gave me a refund …
THIS IS NOT TRUE.
THEY SAID THEY WOULD REFUND ME BUT ONLY IF I RETURNED THE PLATES TO THEM USING A SPECIALIST COURIER FOR FRAGILE ITEMS AT MY OWN EXPENSE .. THE COST WAS £49 TO SEND THEM BACK WHICH I COULDNT AFFORD SO RELUCTANTLY I WAS FORCED TO KEEP THEIR SUBSTANDARD PRODUCT!!!!!!!

Excellent, can’t fault them.
Ordered 2pm Monday. Arrived 12PM Tuesday. Cheapest I could find too. Items were well packaged and no issues.

Just wanted to say how efficient and quick the service was. Kept me updated of where the order was. Very impressed with the company and excellent prices.
Will use again.

Outstanding service, prompt replies to emails, next day delivery, what more do you want.

Ordered catering knifes and holder back in september, with a short delay on the holder (approx a week ).
Called to chase 1 month later to be told they couldnt help but a manager will call me back on monday to resolve the issue. Nothing !!
3 weeks running i had to chase with the same promised each time.
Eventually manager Chris called and still no resolution was reached. Got my refund and wont be using this company ever again. A Complete Shambles !!!

Only ordered 6 glasses, i'm not a business. Quick delivery, items very well packaged, best price i could find for specific item.

Not satisfied with my purchase. They didnt deliver my order on time...

I recently purchased two cases of Greyland Virucidal trigger spray (6 bottles in each).
When it arrived there were indeed 6 bottles in each case but only two triggers in each case. I immediately rang Stephensons Customer Service Department to explain the problem and was promised that eight triggers would be sent to me the following week.
After a week nothing had arrived so I emailed them and explained the problem and emphasized that I was unable to use the product without the triggers.
After a further week went by I emailed them yet again to repeat my complaint. I heard nothing so a week later in desperation I rang them and spoke with Matthew in their Customer Service Department. He explained that the manufacturer had run out of triggers and was limiting supply to two per case even though there were 6 bottles of spray in a case. I explained that I had 5 holiday cottages, 6 b&b rooms and a cafe and needed one bottle of trigger spray per location and that, "No" I couldn't wait until one bottle was empty and then re-use the trigger on the next bottle. I explained that had this been mentioned when I placed my order then I would not have ordered the product. I also asked about the individual triggers that they were selling on line at 63p each for the same size bottle but he was not prepared to check to see if these would fit. Overall I am very unhappy with the way that I have been treated and am tired of Covid-19 constantly being wheeled out as an excuse for poor customer service and inferior goods.
I have sent a third email requesting a refund of the eight bottles that I am unable to use but have heard nothing from them yet, but do not hold your breath!