I actually had some some sympathy for this company, at the start. Then it just turned into an absolute farce. The media eventually turned on them then, because the company consistently turned down requests for interview. Let’s face it, glitches will occur – some serious, some not so but these guys took it to a whole new level by burying their heads in the sand. They have no one else to blame except themselves because they forgot the three most important things to do in a time of crisis …. ‘communicate, communicate, communicate’.

My order is still queued for picking. Kids are back tomorrow. Yesterday morning they couldn’t say when I’d have delivery but then went on to issue press releases to say they had cleared the backlog. Blatant lies! I’ve ordered from them for 4 years but never again! If SuperValu have any sense they would completely disassociate themselves from this sort of a company.

Another company that won’t be around this time next year! People just won’t tolerate this kind of nonsense anymore!

I have ordered €700 worth of books for a book rental scheme I run in our school, and depsite the backlog “being cleared” my order surprisingly hasn’t being delivered….its status changed for the first time last sunday to “queued for picking” and has remained like that since.
As for communications from/with them…. absolutely none, depsite my best efforts.
So looks like a load of kids in our school will not have a full compliment of books!
Thanks schoolbooks.ie

Hey, here’s an idea, rather than sitting around thinking up reasons why new ideas wouldn’t work why not think of reasons why they would? If people sat around being negative we wouldn’t have managed, as a species, marvellous technological breakthroughs like the wheel.

Time to go digital!

Aaaaargh. “Technical problem” my hoop.

The problem here is they had no backup plan on place to deal with inevitable technical problems. It sounds like they still don’t.

They seem to think it’s ok to just shrug their shoulders, point the finger and carry on.

I will never use this company again..every day I’m told it will be tomorrow but nothing.. I can’t get my money back and all the website says is que for picking.Schoolbooks ..ie were made aware my son was back at school since Aug 22..he is attending school with no books..so much for md statement “no families will be left without books for school return”..very frustrating

i ordered the school books a month ago and still havent got it. i did the tracking yesterday. it is still in the picking since the 25th of august and havent been sent out yet. my children are back to school next monday. what up in the picking area????

Our schools parents council purchases school books in bulk with funds raised through bag packing, fun evenings etc. They then rent all the necessary books to the pupils for 25 euros a year. The system works great, parents and pupils make sure the books remain undamaged and they are then re circulated the following year. Obviously this saves us parents a fortune in books.

Im really struggling to understand this “technical problem”.

If a piece of software was to fail, surely a technician could pull orders directly from their database and forward them on for picking?

@Culm,
Of course, you’re right. Let’s wallow in the pre-digital mire because of all the insurmountable problems.

Why are school books not gone digital, kindle type device (rugged affordable version with a keyboard) for each child and affordable digital books. Less weight for kids to carry and if done properly will be cheaper. Most kids know their way around digital device these day. O wait the publishers won’t make a silly profit, ignore my idea.

Why do kids in Ireland have to supply their own books? I know it may seem a stupid question, but in many other countries the schools supply the school books, is that so mad?

Sounds just like Ulster Bank!

How is taking the money upfront ‘in keeping with standard online retail practice”? Amazon is undoubtedly the gold standard for this sector and only debit on despatch of goods. Also wish they’d stop saying they’ve added 30 staff to their 50. I don’t believe they hire using the decimal system and real staff numbers would be both honest and more convincing.

@weddingcars.ie. I’m delighted your child(ren) aren’t anxious about going back to school. I will do like you next year!!! Ordered 13th aug so by their own delivery time latest I should get them was 23rd (10 working days). Guaranteed by them last Thursday I would have books by the latest yesterday but hey guess what yesterday they couldn’t say when I’d get them. All I want is a date so I CAN tell both schools when I expect to have the books. Do you think that is too much to ask? I didn’t say I wished them to close or for people to loose jobs but like someone else here has said it is by their own ineptitude that this will more than likely happen and for that I feel sorry for the staff because they are just doing what they are told and saying what they are told.

Lies lies lies my books are still in the queue to be picked off the shelf keep this story going I won’t ever buy from schoolbooks .ie again which is there own loss

@ Culm Carty – Read this
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/education/2011/1101/1224306842130.html

How difficult is it for every school in the country to submit what they need to Dept of education and let those forward on the quantities that need to be printed. Hold them in a central location and distribute from there? They have all summer to do it and it don’t sound like rocket science .this is the first year I haven’t got books for my kids and ordered well in advance. Govshites! :)

Schoolbooks.ie are lying when they say all backlogs have been cleared. They’re also lying when they say that effected customers were sent an email explaining the delay. I have been lied to 4 times now by customer service representatives of this company (having dialled the number at least 30 times, each time, in effort to get through and then being on hold for 10/15 mins each time) who told me that my order has been dispatched, only to be told yesterday by another member of staff that my books had not even been “picked” yet! She has also turned out to be lying as she promised the books would be dispatched yesterday but my status remains the same on their site and I have received no email from the courier company (as promised on 4 different occasions). This is a shambles. At this stage I just want my money back – they suffered no technical hitch in taking that the day the order was placed!! I cannot get through to the phone number at all today and all my emails to them have gone unanswered. They have absolutely no respect for their customers!

Secondary school students should all be using iPads or Kindles instead of heavy school books at school! The weight of those school books is ridiculous!

My two kids are totally panicked about going into school tomorrow with no books and I’ll have to pay a visit to both principals a hassle I could do without, disgraceful in these times to be given such bad service so for me and I’m sure many others back to the school book shop next year. Hate to say but for that level of service they don’t deserve to be operating in this climate.

At 8:31am I checked the schoolbooks.ie web site for my order. According to the web site the status of the order is “All items have been sent to the warehouse for processing”. Considering I cancelled this order via email therefore in writing on MONDAY, this is very suprising. If the order does arrive it will not be accepted. If the money they took from my credit card is not returned by close of business tomorrow I will be contacting my credit card company & I will start a claim in the small claims court.

@Culm Carty Of course students will continue to sit certain examinations using pens to complete written examination papers. I was responding to your statement “What I am saying is the technology is not suitable at this time for school children”. This is incorrect as many schools now use e-books, tablets etc as an alternative to books for some lessons. Many schools now find that this is a more suitable learning environment and in time I am sure that many examinations will not be taken using pens and paper. No need for thanks as I have not proven your point.

I made a complaint to national consumer association Ireland this morning because I have waited over 30 days for delivery it has been sent to the commercial part of this organisation for consideration so send your complaints to http://www.nca.ie and let them know u are dissatisfied with schoolbooks.ie responses so far

I bought books off them last year, and they were great. To be honest, the kids can feckin photocopy a couple of pages off their mates if needed until their books come.

This is not the worst thing that has ever happened on Earth ever, I can understand people being angry, but it is a great service, yea they fkd up but new businesses often do, it’s not the falling down that counts its the getting back up and proving yourself.

Well that’s just great , now I have to go back to school ( no excuses now )
Well off to bed now as my first class on the morning is at 9.15

Seriously people would want to relax no school books for the first few days oh no the world is going to end!!! There are people starving around the world and if people put half the amount of energy in helping them the. They are giving abuse about such a minuscule problem. It’s sad and pathetic and listening to some of those parents speaking on the radio and fb let’s just say to hope they don’t teach their kids the same behaviour as they display.

Still no books, yes its not the end of the world but its clearly lies the backlog was cleared when there are hundreds of parents still have not received books. Some kind of update would be of help, a real update not fiction. People don’t know if or when the books are coming. I’m on hold hours everyday, just to find out whats happening, cannot get through. If they are not coming fine, but I cannot afford to go out and buy books without a refund. Frustrating. Its a shame as I have used them every years since my son started school 8 years ago with no problems. I’m on hold 45 minutes as i type. I ordered mine later than others without knowing about the backlog but i did get through 2 weeks ago and was promised that my order would not be affected it was only older orders.

I has ordered my books on the 18th July and waited until two days before school was to start and no sign of my order so i phoned again and waited 20mins to get through spoke to a girl called Elaine and she confirmed that I could cancel order and refund would be processed in 3- 5 days and this is what I did. I then bought every thing again from my local bookstore which I should have done in the first place. That was 2 weeks ago now and no sign of my refund and I have waited an hour on the phone each day to get through to them and no answer.
I think maybe the company have gone at this stage which does not surprise me!

Culm whats with the “Tab technology is not suitable at this moment and time.” That is one of the most ridiculous statements I have heard in my life. Now is the great time to use these tablets with all the fantastic developments in modern day technology.

@terrymcdonald apologies Terry. I guess I made a mistake, imagine! It is 7 working days however, and their commitment is 5-7 working days. Am I correct now. Oh how I hate not being perfect!