TOA Reviews

I've been a regular Toast customer for over six years and have always been more than happy with their products and service standards. I love the fit, style and quality of their clothing, and rarely look anywhere else now. I didn't realise that there had been any recent issues until after placing an order, which subsequently needed to be returned. Needless to say, after reading the reviews on here regarding the new website, I was a little anxious about the purchase. Happily, the item was dispatched very quickly and the new return process was really easy to use - I posted the item back on Wednesday afternoon and received the refund this morning (5 days later, including the weekend). Well done Toast!

I’m really surprised by the negative reviews. I buy from Toast regularly. It is expensive but good quality fabric and well made. Had no problem with returns. The website serves me well.

I finally have notification of a refund from Toast having spent a lot of time sending emails and waiting for a response. My last (and very final) email was responded to fairly quickly so maybe they are now clearing the backlog of disgruntled customers.
When companies change computer systems they really need a contingency plan to deal with the (almost inevitable) impact on customers. It also impacts on the customer service staff - so no-one is happy.

What happened? I started buying toast about fifteen years ago when they had a variety of pretty, well made designs that felt special, for reasonable prices. Over the past five years or so the design element has disappeared and the selection now consists mostly of garments made up of large squares of ugly, rough and often smelly material, poorly sewn together and the prices are now eyewateringly high. As a longtime fan of toast I tried to find something I liked this season and ended up with just one shirtdress (from John Lewis as I don’t trust Toast’s own customer service any more) and it was so boxy that I was asked if I was pregnant the first time I wore it. If you read this, Toast, please don’t leave your ridiculous cut and paste response about contacting you as you don’t answer emails or calls and customer experience is clearly NOT important to you.

I recently purchased an Eda denim pinafore dress at full price, and by my second wearing two buttons had fallen off, and the remaining ones look a bit insecure. I don't mind this provided customer service is excellent, as these things can happen, but I have no idea what has happened to Toast recently. No reply whatsoever to emails, and I am wary of returning the garment in case I don't get a refund. I am really sorry to write this as Toast has always been brilliant, if expensive, but it now looks like they couldn't care less about their loyal customers.
Edited to add that the new website is rubbish, loading up so slowly, and not receiving a returns label with an order is immensely frustrating. I can't imagine I shall order from Toast again until all this is sorted out.
Edited again to add that John Lewis sell a selection of Toast garments for anyone who still wants to buy them. It would be much better to buy from JL if they stock what you want, and you would get a return label too!

2nd review, waiting for refund for weeks. Have now received reply to my e mail saying the money was in fact refunded on 28 April. No it was not! Nothing has been credited to my account. There is something very wrong going on with this company right now, one I have used for years and have only ever had amazing service from. This is making me feel very sad indeed.

I was so excited to receive my order since the company seemed to be doing all the right things, until... The items arrived and, while they seem to be up to the level of quality I expected, I needed an exchange due to sizing. The box didn't come with a return label, so I emailed them right away to set up an exchange (I don't even want a refund/return). I never got a reply. Now, almost a week later, I decided to call, and as I'm writing this review, I've been on hold for over 30 minutes. The lovely British accent of the voice message assuring that if I'm happy to wait for a "little longer," my call will be answered VERY shortly by a member of the team doesn't minimize my level of frustration, lol.

I like many others am waiting for a refund. I received an email saying I have been refunded but it still hasn't shown up in my account. I rang and spoke to a very nice woman in a store, as couldn't get though to customer services. She said that lots of the refunds were having to be done manually and it could take months. Before changing over to a new online system Toast should have kept the old system up and running while trialling the new one, so errors could be ironed out. Toast claim that the new system will benefit customers is ridiculous - how ? A while ago I was sent an email from Toast CEO saying that the company is aware of the problems and everyone who has been affected will be contacted, well no one has contacted me. I will not be buying from Toast again.

Ordered the same item twice, once on backorder in January and the second one from apparent stock listed on their website in April. Neither order has been fulfilled. Rang and emailed customer services several times and received conflicting responses, eventually getting a refund for the second order. Then last week was told the first order will be fulfilled and I had to call to make payment. Not sure if it will be fulfilled - still waiting for despatch over a week later. It shouldn't be at the stage where you don't even know if your order will be fulfilled - terrible retail experience. I haven't received the CEO communication other reviewers have mentioned.
The lesson is that Toast clearly need to employ competent people for IT systems implementation - very likely they used contractors on fat day rates and didn't know how to manage them. Of course the fall-out from this whole botched exercise has hit frontline staff hardest. Shocking. Says a lot about how companies are managed. Also they should know better than to fob customers off - some of them work in the filed and know exactly what has happened tp produce this outcome. Wonder how many customers will walk away permanently. Such a shame as the items I have are lovely and there is a real gap in the high street for clothing of this quality.
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Re the response. Toast keep leaving copy paste responses asking you to contact customer services number/email who you have already spoken with numerous times and made complaints with no resolution and conflicting responses.
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Update - still waiting for my order which was supposed to be despatched 3-5 days after I made payment exactly 2 weeks ago on 26th April. The item is now showing as in stock on their website. How hard can it be?
Update 11/05. They took payment on 26th April for the order I had been waiting 2 months for. Last week it somebody on the chat facility said it had been picked and packed they now tell me there has been a stock discrepancy and it won't be fulfilled. I will have to chase for a refund now. They offerd me 15% off a future order which I have to place by May 2021. It's insulting. Why would I want to place another order with a company this terrible at fulfilment and communication.
Just spoke to someone on the chat and they said i was given the wrong information about the order being picked and packed. How is this even happening? I repeatedly asked when the item was in stock last- no response to that question. I also asked why the item is showing as in stock on the website. The individual said stock is expected in the next few days. She also asked if I wanted to cancel the order. Why are Toast asking people if they want to cancel their order when stock is expected in and also allowing even more people to place orders via the website without fulfilling backorders? I asked also how stock is being allocated to customers. I have been told repeatedly that the stock was allocated and I would receive the item. I have kept all copies of communications and will be using them to complain. Meanwhile their marketing carries on as normal - wth?? How can you trust anything coming from Toast.

Seriously downhill since 'kindred', and I was told, a new website. This is meant to be a premium service for their valued customers! Can't log-on, customer service is now a call centre so people there have no personal knowledge of the products, e-mailed three times to try to place and order and to 'complain' officially. Nothing...

The CEO of Toast has recently emailed customers acknowledging problems with the customer service, pledging to fix these problems and offering an apology.
I find that reassuring.

I am also wondering if Toast is running a scam. Their online operation is one of the worst i have come across. Like other people who have posted here I returned an item two weeks ago, and Royal Mail confirmed receipt by Toast. However no email to confirm receipt or indicate when I will receive a refund. And nor do they reply to emails or answer the phone. If the item was cheaper perhaps you could put it down to experience. I'll probably have to raise a dispute with my credit card company to try and get my money back. Seriously wonder if their 'processes' meet legal requirements about online returns and timelines for processing of payments. Using Toast's online operation is so stressful I don't plan to use it again, I have only done so because of the closure of non-essential shops over the past few months. No doubt the obligatory Toast post will follow which invites me to contact it by email or phone!