Dear Create and Craft / Ideal World,

I am contacting you with regards to you contact numbers here:

“Customer Service - Open 9am-6pm Monday to Friday
If you are calling to track your order
Tel: 08717 123455 (Calls will cost 13p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)

If you are calling to change your address or payment details
Tel: 08717 123455 (Calls will cost 13p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)

If you are calling to check a refund or returns
Tel: 08717 123455 (Calls will cost 13p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)

If you have a query regarding the timing of your delivery
Tel: 08717 123455 (Calls will cost 13p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)

If you have a problem with your product or wish to cancel your order
Tel: 0330 3321301. **

For all other queries please call
08717 123455(Calls will cost 13p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)
Orderline - Open 6am-12.30am daily
Tel: 09056 480 480* (Calls will cost 20p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)”
For complaints about this 090 service call 0843 308 1979
•      All of the 0871 numbers listed above are after sales related enquiries (perhaps excluding changing address/payment) and as such are in direct contravention to the Consumer Protection and the Consumer Contracts regulations.
As advised by the UK Government: here
J. Prohibition on customer help lines charging more than basic rate
How can I comply with the basic rate requirement? 1. Where a telephone helpline is provided, the basic rate requirement means not charging more to phone a trader about something you have bought than to call a friend or relative, that is to say the simple cost of connection. This telephone number provided should not provide the trader with a contribution to their costs 2. The following numbers, if used by traders, would comply with the regulations: • Geographic numbers or numbers which are always set at the same rate, which usually begin with the prefix 01, 02, or 03; • Calls which can be free of charge to call, for example, 0800 and 0808 numbers. In certain circumstances charges to these numbers can be applied, for example, for those ringing from a mobile. However, OFCOM’s proposed reforms will mean these numbers will soon become free in all circumstances; • Mobile numbers, which usually begin with the prefix 07. 3. Premium rate numbers would not comply. They begin with the prefix 09. 4. Other revenue sharing numbers would not comply. These are numbers in which a portion of the call charge can be used to either provide a service or make a small payment to the trader. These usually have the prefix 084 or 0871, 0872 or 0873. 5. Numbers with the prefix 0870 are not revenue sharing numbers. However, they can be higher than a geographic cost, and will vary depending on the tariff of the consumer’s telecom company. They would therefore not comply.

•      Based on the above information Create and Craft and Ideal World are contravening the regulations as stipulated by the EU and the UK Government.  The only number that complies is the one I have marked with ** however NO call charge information is displayed.  This number is charged at Standard Geographic Rates and is included in call plans.
•      On the Create and Craft website there is also an 0843 number listed for any complaints on the 090 number.  So Create and Craft are charging customers more money to complain about a number that costs them money, why is this?
•      Additionally the Ideal World website has this note in regards to the 0330 number: **Calls cost 9p per minute plus your phone companies’ access charges.
This is incorrect!  The number as advised above is charged at Standard Geographic Rates and does NOT have an Access Charge imposed on it.

When does Create and Craft / Ideal World intend to rectify this error?
I look forward to your reply

The use of a premium rate 090 number for ordering is complete madness. Callers pay up to around 31p per minute extra from a landline or around 65p per minute extra from a mobile to call this, compared to calling an 01, 02 or 03 number.