Needle Needs - rant alert!

Hello all!

ADDITIONAL MAY 2015 - since writing this post in April 2014 Needle Needs have updated their website to indicate orders will take 8-12 weeks to process (at the time of writing it was 28 days) Whilst you can be guaranteed of receiving excellent quality products you must be prepared for a long wait. There is no doubt that Needle Needs products remain very popular among stitchers, a fact which appears to have made the company a victim of its own success.

I really need to get something off my chest and thought that sharing it with fellow stitchers would be a good way. If you don't like rants, please move away from this page now. You have been warned.

I mentioned in my last post that there was a reason I could not start my new WIP. This was because I needed the 30" Millennium Bars. Many stitchers use the Millennium frames and accessories, so to you in particular, what do you think of this as service from Needle Needs? Have you had a similar experience with them? or have I just been unlucky?


02nd February - order placed for 30" Millennium bars and 3 pairs of Bar Parks. All items were in stock.

20th February (day 18) - I emailed them asking if there was any progress on my order. They replied asking me to give them 28 days.

21st February (day 19) - my order was marked as being processed. What a coincidence!

19th March - (day 45) - I emailed them again asking when I could expect to receive my goods.

NO REPLY

28th March - (day 54) - I phoned and asked where my goods were. I was informed that my order was 5th on the list, should be processed by the following Wednesday (today was Friday) so would be with me by the end of next week (5th April).

05th April (day 62) - guess what?

07th April (day 64) - phoned again, leaving name and number for them to phone me back.

NO REPLY

09th April (day 66) - phoned again and was informed that my order was being processed today.

14th April (day 71) - phoned again and was informed that my order had (eventually) been sent on 10th April.

15th April (day 72) - guess what arrived at 3pm? Finally.....


Now, I am generally a patient person and understand that Needle Needs might have (had) issues which caused this delay including (1) having a baby, (2) moving house, (3) drafting in family members to cover, (4) an increase in the number of orders and (5) working on a new product but I had no courtesy communication from them indicating an order processing delay, nor an apology of any sort, even during phone conversations. It's almost as if they didn't care. In one conversation I was informed how a good review in America had increased their orders and how they have been working on a wonderful new product. Did I care? No. Did I get an apology of any kind about my order? No. Do I think that my small order was put aside to deal with bigger orders? Yes, (although I have no proof of that).

With hindsight, maybe I should have made a nuisance of myself and chased this order up more frequently or been more assertive and demanding, but that's not my style.

So, is it just me or do others agree that this is not how a business should be run? 28 days to fulfil an order is bad enough, but 72? That's pants to put it politely. My husband and I run a small internet Lego shop and there is no way we would treat any of our customers this way. Grrrrrrr!

I do not deny that Needle Needs produce good quality products (of which I have many that were purchased at craft fairs or through eBay) but their order turn around time is rubbish, especially considering their £10 delivery charge and the fact that all items were in stock when I ordered them.

So a word of warning - if you want anything from Needle Needs make sure you order well in advance and/or are prepared to put up with excuses and delays. Or are very assertive. Or perhaps you won't have a problem.....

Thank you for having the patience to read this rant and I hope that this experience does not happen to you - with any business you have contact with.

Now that I actually have my bars I can make this long-awaited start on a my new project. I don't care about washing or housework or food (or children/mother/pets) today - I just want to stitch!!!

I'll be back with a new start - and much happier - post soon. :)

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x