My experience with John Lewis was shockingly bad from a brand which historically was a byword for quality and good customer service (case ref. 09744226). I waited three months for bespoke curtains, the order was then botched and I cancelled it and am currently trying to get a full refund and compensation. I was given various different excuses for the delays and, frankly, lied to about the status of the order, and I only got any kind of update by phoning and emailing numerous times for several weeks. In total, I estimate that I have spent at least 24 hours taking time off work to be there for the measurer, waiting in for the fitter and on an endless series of frustrating calls, waiting on hold for 20 minutes each time and being shunted between the central hub and store. This was on top of a whole host of other problems such as ordering the fabric sample six times and never receiving it, the fitter being extremely late when I had taken time off work to meet him, and having to phone in to confirm appointments which I was then told were not on the system despite the fact that they then occurred. When John Lewis finally arrived to fit the curtains it transpired that the 'professional' measurer had failed to include the correct brackets or any curtain rings in the order. It beggars belief! I spent 35 minutes on hold to the store before I got through to someone and told them to find the parts and put them in a van to get them to me that day or to give me a full refund. You would think they would go out of their way at this point but no, I was called two days later by someone saying they were trying to contact the fitter to get the exact parts that needed ordering! Clearly, 'get me the parts today or cancel the order and refund me' was too difficult for John Lewis to understand. I have been refunded my deposit but not yet the payments I have made to date on the interest free credit scheme. It only happened when I found the CEO's email address online and copied her in my email to customer service. I now have to start all over again with only two months to go to Christmas when I have family staying in a curtainless room, and I want compensation. It is not right that John Lewis can absorb so much of its customers' time, waste holiday hours with appointments that lead to nothing, and cause a lot of stress, without providing something meaningful in compensation. Gift vouchers for a company that you NEVER want to shop in again are not worth anything!