In December 2011 I purchased a purple clover bedding set from La Redoute following a recommendation from my mother. The item was intended as a Christmas gift for my sister. Though components of the set were out of stock (specifically three pillow cases and one fitted sheet), I was advised by the firm that these would follow the duvet cover in January. I gave the incomplete set to my sister for Christmas as intended, promising her that she would receive the items that were outstanding in January. January came and went yet La Redoute had failed to provide any information as to the whereabouts of my order. I checked the website only to learn that the January delivery date had since been changed to February. Under the circumstances, I felt that I had no choice but to hang in there and wait for the firm to make good on this order. By March 2012 the three pillow cases had arrived and I rather foolishly thought that the remaining fitted sheet would follow shortly, at which point I could gladly cease trading with this establishment. By April there was no word from La Redoute and no sign of the fitted sheet required to complete the bedding set that I had given to my sister earlier in the year. I penned an email to Customer Services wherein I enquired with regard to the whereabouts of my order, although this was ignored, hence a second application of the same followed the next week, and a third approximately one week after that. Weeks later I was sought as recipient of an anonymous email from the establishment claiming that the item in question had "Due to popular demand", been discontinued. No apology was made, nor was any form of resolution offered. Feeling that this was unacceptable, I wrote to Customer Care Manager one Ms. Liz Roberts whom ignored each and every one of my submissions. By now, more than a little unhappy, I conducted a little research on the company discovering that one Mr. Michael Truluck is the current Managing Director of Redcats UK. I of course sent him a letter in which I detailed my sub-standard experiences of his establishment. Whilst Mr. Truluck did not have the courtesy to respond to my epistle, Contact Centre Manager one Mr. Andrew Farnell later wrote offering a credit of fifty pounds to my mother's account. I have declined the above on the basis that it is a conditional offer dictating that I must do further business with this firm in order to take advantage of this offer which, quite frankly, I am just not prepared to do. I make it known that I utilised my mother's account to order the goods in question, and whilst those attached to La Redoute were only too happy to take payment from me, when it came to an issue of poor service, oddly, they were able to converse only with my mother. I am so ashamed and embarrassed that my sister's Christmas gift remains incomplete and we are now in July of 2012. The poor girl has a bedding set which is in no way fit for purpose and La Redoute personnel have made no attempts/efforts to provide a replacement. I urge all other complainants to head over to blagger.com and post there too in efforts to assist the consumer wherever possible. Also those seeking refunds and or compensation really should consider posting on www.thesqueakywheel.com as doing so proves very successful indeed! The failure and or refusal of those affiliated to La Redoute to recognise the worth of ones customers is clear. Let us show them that customer service really is key and their abysmal standards shall be tolerated no longer.