Well, well, well. After weeks of absolute chaos that left shoppers staring at empty shelves like it was some post-apocalyptic nightmare, M&S has finally announced they're bringing back online shopping.
The whole thing started over Easter weekend when hackers basically took a sledgehammer to their entire digital infrastructure. I'm talking about a cyber attack so savage it made other retail breaches look like playground pranks.
Back in Business (Sort Of)
M&S dropped a statement today saying online shopping will resume "this week" - though they're being annoyingly vague about the exact day. Classic corporate speak, right? They're starting with their "best selling fashion ranges" for delivery to England, Scotland and Wales.
Northern Ireland customers are still stuck waiting. Poor folks.
The company promised that "more of our fashion, beauty and home products will be added every day" and Click & Collect will return "in the coming weeks." They wrapped it up with a polite "thank you sincerely for your support" - which honestly feels a bit rich after leaving customers hanging for this long.
When Easter Became a Nightmare
This whole mess kicked off during what should have been a quiet holiday weekend. Instead, M&S found themselves dealing with one of the most devastating cyber attacks to hit British retail in years.
The fallout was immediate and brutal. Online orders? Gone. Click & Collect? Broken. Gift vouchers? Useless pieces of plastic. Their supply chain got so messed up that stores were literally running out of bananas and Colin the Caterpillar cakes. I mean, when you can't even keep Colin stocked, you know things are bad.
Some branches had to pull their meal deals entirely.
The Damage Report Will Make You Wince
Here's where it gets really ugly - this attack has cost M&S around £300 million in lost profits. Three. Hundred. Million. That's not pocket change, even for a company their size.
But wait, there's more! Customer information got stolen during the breach too. Security experts are pointing fingers at a notorious cyber gang called "Scattered Spider" - and honestly, with a name like that, they sound exactly as menacing as you'd expect.
My colleague in cybersecurity texted me yesterday: "These guys don't mess around. When they hit, they hit everything."
Gift Voucher Drama
Oh, and if you're one of those people sitting on M&S gift vouchers, here's some mixed news. The vouchers are apparently working again (finally), but don't expect any extensions on expiry dates. The company basically said "tough luck" to anyone whose vouchers expired during the chaos.
Seems a bit harsh, considering none of this was the customers' fault.
Look, I get that cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated and harder to prevent. But the way M&S handled the aftermath - the vague updates, the lack of clear timelines, the refusal to extend gift voucher dates - it all feels like they're treating their customers like an afterthought rather than the people who keep their business running.
At least they're finally getting back online. Better late than never, I suppose.
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Did you miss our previous article...
https://hellofaread.com/money/this-retailer-will-actually-refund-your-grimy-festival-tent-yes-really
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