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Frequently asked Question’s from our Customers
Below are a list of frequently asked questions, if any of your questions are not answered here, simply call one of our friendly Customer Service staff on 0800 831 300 – they’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.About Chrisco and your Customer Guarantee
Ordering
Payment Information
Delivery
Chrisco and Commerce Commision
Why choose Chrisco?
Chrisco is a reputable company with a 30-year history, so you can be assured of our integrity. We will stand by our promises and make sure you’re entirely happy with your orders. We take pride in our code of ethics and the way we maintain the highest standards of customer service at all times. You can rest assured we comply with industry guidelines and that our procedures are tried and proven. That’s because we have developed them with advice from our customers over many years.
How Chrisco prices compare with supermarkets
The price you pay includes the cost of collecting your payments (charged to us by our bank), special packing, delivery, GST and is fixed for the year. We do charge a little more than some supermarkets because of all the extra costs, but thousands of customers think that Chrisco is great value and tell us they wouldn’t be able to manage without our help.
We guarantee you will get the products you paid for
Chrisco was established in 1977, and we have been supplying hampers here in New Zealand since 1993. The fact that we have been around for so long demonstrates our commitment to service and delivery. We’ll be around for many years to come! Click here for details on our Products and Pricing.
We guarantee our products are good quality
We only use brands you know and trust, and will only deal with suppliers who have an established track record for goods of the very highest quality.
Learn more about Chrisco and Our Guarantee
To find out more about Chrisco click here
To find out more about Our Guarantee click here
How do I place an Order?
Click here to view How to Order
How do I calculate my payments?
Final payment for catalogue orders is due 26th October 2012. Therefore, your payments depend on when you place your order and how often you pay them. Once you start to add products to the shopping cart the weekly price will be displayed in the top right corner. You can check how much your payments will be if you wanted to pay fortnightly or monthly or if you wanted to start paying later by clicking on the ‘Payment Calculator’
What is my Membership Number and why is it important?
Your Membership Number is important. It is the way that we identify you and keep your account up to date. Please write your Membership Number on all letters to us and also quote your Membership Number when calling the Customer Service team on the phone, or emailing us.
What happens once I have placed my order?
You can expect to receive an order confirmation from us in the mail within 5 working days. Please check all your details very carefully as this is what we have on record for you. If any of the details are incorrect please Contact Us immediately and we will make the necessary changes. If you do not receive an order confirmation please Contact Us and we will look into it.
Can I change my order?
Yes, you can change your order any time until the last change date. Just remember that changing your order can lead to an increase or decrease in your payments, a customer service representative will be more than happy to help you out. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions of Purchase for last change dates.
Can I order Vouchers and Gift Cards from Chrisco?
Yes. Chrisco offers a range of vouchers to make shopping at Christmas time easier. This is a great way to save for kids presents and other treats. You’ll be able to choose what to buy and when, so you can take advantage of specials.
Can I order items as a gift for someone else?
Yes. You can even add gift items to your own order. When you do, simply let us know that it’s a gift and during the checkout process we will request the gift delivery address. We won’t write to the recipient so it will remain a surprise.
Can I order any time during the year?
Yes. We take up orders up until the Last Order Date for each catalogue. You’ll need to refer to the Terms and Conditions of Purchase for these dates. Remember the earlier you order the more weeks you have to pay and therefore the lower the weekly payments.
How can I pay for my order?
By Direct Debit, Automatic Payment or Credit Card. Credit Cards will be debited on the 15th of every month.
What is a Direct Debit Authority?
A Direct Debit Authority allows a payment to be automatically deducted from your bank account. You can call Chrisco with your bank account details or complete them online or by filling out the Direct Debit Request form in the downloaded order form. Chrisco is the registered initiator of Authorisation Code 1209835. Our bank debits your account electronically on the day you have chosen (usually your pay day) It’s easy. Just fill in the form and then... relax.
Can I stop a Direct Debit payment?
Yes, if you call us by midday the working day before your payment is due we can stop a payment (i.e.: before Friday midday for a Monday payment).
What happens if I skip or miss a payment?
We’ll automatically recalculate and slightly increase your future payments so that your order is fully paid by Friday, 26th October 2012.
Will I be charged if I miss a payment?
Your bank or Building Society may charge you a fee.
What happens if I can’t keep up my payments?
We understand that circumstances change and if you are not able to keep paying, please call one of our friendly Customer Service team to discuss your options on 0800 831 300.
What happens to my payments on Public Holidays?
Your Direct Debit payment will come out the working day prior. Please note that Chrisco is located in Auckland, therefore we observe Auckland Anniversary (we still collect payments on Auckland Anniversary day). If you wish to skip a payment on a public holiday, or on the day after, you will need to let us know before midday on the working day prior.
How does a HeadStart Plan work?
Your direct debit payments will continue until your order is fully paid for (no later than 26th October 2012). After the 26th October 2012, a HeadStart Plan will be created for you and direct debit payments will continue accordingly. A HeadStart Plan allows you to make payments towards next year’s order, while giving you time to decide exactly which products you want. We will write to you to confirm your HeadStart Plan payments prior to commencing your direct debits. Your HeadStart plan is fully refundable, at no cost to you, should you wish to stop it. Once your HeadStart Plan has been converted into an order, Chrisco’s standard cancellation policy will apply. Your HeadStart payments must be converted into an order by 1st February 2012. Chrisco will send you reminders before that date. By entering into the HeadStart Plan, you agree that, if you have not converted your order by that date, Chrisco has the right to convert your HeadStart payment into an order on your behalf. Where this happens, we will base the order on your previous orders.
Where do you deliver to?
Chrisco delivers throughout New Zealand. Should you live in, or move to a remote rural area, we may ask you to collect your order from a local pick-up point and some very remote areas may not be within our courier delivery range.
When will my order arrive?
All products are delivered between mid November and mid December with the exception of Back To School which will be delivered in January 2013.
What happens if I change address?
If you change your address, simply Contact Us to let us know as soon as possible.
If you have any more questions visit Contact Us to reach our Customer Service Team.
Q. Why did the Commerce Commission prosecute Chrisco?
A. The Layby Sales Act is non-prescriptive with regards to the allowable level of cancellation fees. The Act is old and not designed with modern layby sales only businesses in mind. Chrisco and the Commerce Commission had different views on the proper calculation of “selling costs” for the purposes of the Act.
Q. Why did Chrisco plead guilty to the Commerce Commission charges?
A. Chrisco strives to be a responsible corporate citizen. When the Commission raised concerns about its policies, it reflected on them and took independent advice. As a result of this process, Chrisco has changed the way it calculates selling costs for the purposes of setting cancellation fees. Focusing on getting things right going forward, rather than looking back, Chrisco decided to enter guilty pleas and get on with the business of helping customers experience a magical Christmas which it has done for the past 17 years.
Q. Why did the Commerce Commission’s investigation take nearly three years?
A. That is something for the Commission to explain. However, because of the length of the Commission’s investigation, Chrisco voluntarily implemented a review and took extensive remedial action during the investigation.
Q. In light of the Commerce Commission decision, what has Chrisco done to fix the situation?
A. Nearly two years ago, Chrisco voluntarily started to review its internal processes, changed its cancellation policies and refunded the small number of customers affected and added a generous interest component.
Q. What is Chrisco’s cancellation payment policy?
A. In the first instance, Chrisco’s Customer Service representatives make every effort to work with customers to discuss options such as reducing their order. If, however, a customer chooses to cancel their order, Chrisco applies some charges in order to recover its selling costs. If an order is cancelled within 21 days of receiving an order confirmation there is no cancellation fee. After 21 days a cancellation fee of 20% applies, to a capped maximum of $250. An order cannot be cancelled once it is fully paid.
Q. The Commerce Commission said Chrisco did not have a formal compliance programme in relation to the Fair Trading Act. Why is that?
A. Chrisco has always had a formal training programme for all staff, including a robust training programme for its call centre staff. Prior to the Commission’s investigation, it was aligned to Chrisco’s previous cancellation programme and did not make specific reference to the Fair Trading Act. That is what the Commission’s comments refer to. This has now been changed and Chrisco’s new staff training includes express instructions on the company’s obligations under the Fair Trading Act, and an explanation of the Layby Sales Act.
Q. Why does the Commission believe the “extent of harm” from Chrisco’s cancellation payment policy is an issue?
A. Customers who may have been affected fall in to two groups. First, those who chose to cancel. These customers were refunded and received a generous interest payment. The other category is those who may have been put off cancelling by the cancellation fees. This category will include many customers with whom Chrisco worked closely on other options such as reducing their order and stopping payments. It is, however, important to note that it is standard commercial practice for businesses operating in a wide variety of sectors – banking, travel, Telco’s, retail – to have fees which are aimed at recovering costs incurred as a result of cancellation of goods or services.
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