Much-maligned Purbeck online cookware store 'overwhelmed' by orders (From Thisisdorset)

Much-maligned Purbeck online cookware store 'overwhelmed' by orders

7:00pm Thursday 9th July 2009 in

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ONLINE shoppers are being warned about a Purbeck cookware company after it received dozens of negative reviews on internet forums.

But deCuisine bosses have defended the firm, saying it has become overwhelmed.

Dublin-based Anne Kennedy paid for 19 items totalling £127 several months ago and has since received only one.

Further research online brings up a host of bad reviews about the firm, which is based at Lytchett Matravers and run by Mike Wheale, his wife and son.

Most say they were charged for goods immediately but received nothing or received only part of their orders.

On one review forum, 45 out of 51 reviews slated the company. Anne, who runs a food and wine website, said: “He’s causing mistrust in the internet and there are really good online suppliers out there and this gives the internet a bad name.”

Mr Wheale has now refunded Anne and said: “We had some staff, but found that they were rushed off their feet for a day and then had nothing to do the next day, while we were awaiting a supplier's delivery.

“So there are now the three of us chasing deliveries, placing orders and paying suppliers, receiving deliveries and packing orders, answering the phone, emails and correspondence and trying to explain to customers that products are no longer made in the UK, they all come from the Far East and delivery delays can be in terms of weeks, not days.”

He said deCuisine shipped about 18,500 orders each year and received around 70 complaints.

Ivan Hancock, divisional trading standards manager at Dorset County Council, said they had had two meetings with deCuisine.

He said it appeared that the firm had been “overwhelmed” by orders.

“We don’t believe there’s any more untoward or sinister than that. It’s a logistics problem where expectations are not being met.”