Preppers Shop UK

[Dan00001]

Has anybody dealt with this company before?

I ordered a lIfesaver Wayfarer from them last week and after 3 business days of 'pending' status, I tried to contact them on Friday via phone, email and Facebook but had no response whatsoever. I finally had a reply from them on Facebook messenger at 8am this morning which stated they would get back to me with an expected delivery day but nearly 4 hours later, nothing. I've tried phoning again today and sent another email but I'm really struggling to speak to somebody.

It's been 4 business days now of 'pending' status. I know I am maybe being a little impatient but I really could do with this filter for a camping trip in Brecon this coming weekend and just want to know if I will have it in time. And quite frankly, I have had faster despatch times and better communications from companies in China.

 

[Pattree]

Sorry to hear that you are having problems.
My only dealing with Preppers Shop was for a cheap used Bergen. I wasn’t in a hurry so I don’t remember delivery times but it seemed fine.

 

[Dan00001]

Sorry to hear that you are having problems.
My only dealing with Preppers Shop was for a cheap used Bergen. I wasn’t in a hurry so I don’t remember delivery times but it seemed fine.

Thank you,

Their communication is shocking. They call themselves the UK's only dedicated prepping shop and only last month made a Prescence on This Morning on ITV. You'd think they would be a little more professional.

I'm seriously at the point at which, if I can find the same item where I can guarantee delivery with some degree of reliability before the weekend then I'm going to raise a dispute through PayPal and order elsewhere.

 

[Dan00001]

Still no response, will not answer the phone, no reply via email, no reply via Facebook so I've requested a refund and opened a case with PayPal and have ordered the Lifesaver Wayfarer direct from Lifesaver, who when I spoke to on the phone assured me that they would post tomorrow and that it would be with me before the weekend.

I will avoid Prepper Shop UK in future who obviously have complete disdain toward their customers.

Looking at Trustpilot and Google reviews, it appears a lot of people have had similar issues lately.

 

[grainweevil]

Even if they eventually respond, in my experience they will outright lie about having already sent an order to avoid refunding. (And then send the wrong thing.) That was the so-called director of the company too, not even a minion. Wouldn't touch them again with a ten foot pole. Sorry you had to join the unhappy band of former customers and hope PayPal sorts you out. Oh, and most importantly, enjoy the trip!

 

[Kadushu]

How do businesses still get this so utterly wrong?

 

[Dan00001]

Even if they eventually respond, in my experience they will outright lie about having already sent an order to avoid refunding. (And then send the wrong thing.) That was the so-called director of the company too, not even a minion. Wouldn't touch them again with a ten foot pole. Sorry you had to join the unhappy band of former customers and hope PayPal sorts you out. Oh, and most importantly, enjoy the trip!

Thank you, and sorry you've also been through it with them.

How do businesses still get this so utterly wrong?

It's appalling, this was the reply on Facebook messenger this morning at 8am to a message I had sent on Friday..

'Hi Daniel, I’m not actually customer services myself but if you can leave it with me I’ll chat to customer services and see if I can get an idea on expected delivery.'

That was 6 and a half hours ago, how much effort does it take to chase up an order and communicate with your customer? Even if it was a 'sorry, I'm still chasing up the order'.

 

[Billy-o]

'Hi Daniel, I’m not actually customer services myself but if you can leave it with me I’ll chat to customer services and see if I can get an idea on expected delivery.'

sounds like someone's gone to look for their sockpuppet

Sorry to hear you have run into it

 

[Dan00001]

They're responding to me now that I've requested a refund. They've as good as admitted that the item hasn't been posted yet, which confirms the 'pending' status.

 

[Dan00001]

I ordered it Tuesday night so they've had from Wednesday morning to post, I don't think it unreasonable to expect it to have been dispatched by now.

 

[oldtimer]

How will they manage when Armageddon looms?

 

[Dan00001]

Ordered direct from Lifesaver yesterday and it's been dispatched this morning. Can't ask for more than that.

 

[ged]

According to Companies House, Preppers Shop UK Ltd was incorporated in January 2021.

So that there's no doubt about the identification, I've confirmed that the company registration number 13151745 on the "Preppers Shop" Website

Preppers Shop UK

Contact Us You can contact Preppers Shop UK by email For general enquiries please email - hello@preppersshop.co.uk For Age Verification enquiries

preppersshop.co.uk

is the same as that given by Companies House.

The company hasn't reported its sales, but it has published its balance sheets (as it is legally required to do every year). The balance sheets have not been audited (that's not legally required for very small companies) so make of them what you will.

During its entire existence the company appears to have managed to lose around £300,000 - most of it during its 2023 financial year. You can see the details here:

PREPPERS SHOP UK LTD filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

PREPPERS SHOP UK LTD - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

Personally, unless I was going to the liquidation auction I'd avoid any business with a record like this.

Whenever I consider dealing with a company that I don't know, I usually take a quick look at the Companies House details like this. It doesn't always help, but in this case I'd have thought it very much a red flag.

 

[Dan00001]

That's interesting, they were on This Morning recently stating that they had been 'going for 10 years now' and that they were 'the first prepper shop in Europe'.

 

[ged]

They might have been trading as an unincorporated body (e.g. sole trader, partnership) before they formed the limited company.

The Wayback Machine has a snapshot of their Website at March 1 2014.

 

[oldtimer]

One would have expected them to be better prepared.

Why am I reminded of the old saying about fishing tackle shops' main business is not about catching fish but catching fishermen?

 

[Dan00001]

They did refund me today, so there is that at least.

 

[Chris]

I tend to do online shopping with a credit card just in case of things like that. Chargebacks if people don’t fulfil their part of the transaction. Saved me a couple of times!

 

[Dan00001]

Well it arrived today

https://flic.kr/p/2pYdEVK

 

[Dan00001]

Not having much luck with outdoor type shops lately, first with Ordnance Survey, then with Prepper Shop UK and now I ordered some lightweight Y tent pegs from OutdoorGB on Sunday, decided to give them a call today as they've not arrived and they haven't even posted them as they don't have them in stock. No email and says in stock on their website.