Made.com customers given 25 November delivery deadline

Made.com customers have been told that unless an outstanding order arrives by 25 November, they should submit a claim in a bid to get their money back.

Administrators PwC say nearly 4,500 orders in the UK and Europe are already with carriers.

But "a large proportion of customer orders" will not be fulfilled as they are still in production in Asia or are not ready to be sent out.

The furniture retailer collapsed into administration last week.

High Street giant Next said it would buy Made.com's brand name and intellectual property for £3.4m, but not any of the remaining stock.

The collapse of a pandemic superstar has led to the loss of hundreds of jobs, as well as complaints from customers who have felt "in the dark" over the refunds process.

Katy Meehan, 33, from Leeds is worried that she will not receive an order for an £875 bed she placed in April.

"I've had quite a few pieces of furniture from Made.com over the years," she told BBC News - everything from a TV stand and curtains to smaller items like plant pots.

She describes the lead times as typically being quite long, but says she was willing to compromise and wait for the bed, which was due to be delivered in September. "I've always been pleased with the quality of the stuff," she says.

But with no update on her order after the firm's collapse, she adds: "I have no idea if my bed has been made. I was expecting to get a consumer-facing email telling me which steps to take."

Instead, she received an email from PwC which was "so difficult to understand" and directed her to an online notice that was also "unclear". She is now questioning what her options were, having made the purchase on a debit card.

PWC says it isn't able to give updates on specific orders. But UK and European customer orders currently with delivery companies are expected to be delivered by 25 November 2022.

Some 12,000 orders which have been paid for but not yet dispatched will not be refunded or delivered by Made.com.

If an order does not arrive, it is best to to make a Section 75 claim with your bank if you paid by credit card, or a chargeback claim if you paid by debit card to try and get your money back - although it is not guaranteed.

You can also make a claim in writing to the administrator explaining what you are owed and what for, for example, if you've been left with a gift card or voucher you cannot use.

The company also isn't taking returns or offering exchanges.

A spokesman for PWC said that all customers who might have an unfulfilled order should have received an email with details on how to submit a claim. Further details for customers are also available online here.

"We recognise the uncertainty and frustration that some customers will be experiencing with regards to their orders," the spokesman added, but they also said that the collapse meant the company cannot operate as usual.

The retailer, which sourced furniture directly from designers and manufacturers, gained a loyal base of mostly younger customers.

Last year, it was valued at £775m after floating on the London Stock Exchange.

But more recently the company hit problems, as households cut back on big-ticket purchases and global supply chain issues left customers waiting months for deliveries.

At the time of its collapse, chief executive of Made, Nicola Thompson, apologised to everyone affected by the business going into administration, adding that the firm had "fought tooth and nail" to avoid this outcome.