M&S has recently taken the significant step of halting all online orders, grappling with the aftermath of a cyber attack encountered earlier this week. On April 22, the retail giant notified customers about the cyber incident, which caused considerable disruptions during the Bank Holiday weekend. Many customers found themselves unable to use contactless payments or access click-and-collect services, which led to frustration and confusion.
In an effort to mitigate further disruptions, M&S made the decision to temporarily take certain processes offline. This included putting a hold on click-and-collect orders through its online platforms. The company’s proactive stance aims to safeguard customer experiences amidst the chaos.
In its latest communication, M&S reassured shoppers: “As part of our proactive management of the incident, we have decided to pause online orders via our UK and Ireland websites, as well as some M&S International operated websites.” They emphasized that while online transactions are paused, customers can still browse the M&S product range online, and their physical stores are open and ready to serve.
Understanding the anxiety that comes with such incidents, M&S has engaged leading cybersecurity experts to assist in restoring online operations swiftly. They reiterated their commitment to providing quality service during these challenging circumstances. “Our team is working diligently to resolve the issue and ensure we can continue serving you well,” the company added.
Customers have taken to social media inquiring about various payment methods. In response, M&S informed shoppers that, regrettably, they cannot accept gift cards, e-gift cards, or credit receipts for both in-store and online purchases currently. For many shoppers who rely on these payment methods, this news is understandably disheartening.
This cyber incident is not the first technological hiccup for M&S in recent times; it follows another significant outage last year that left the website and app offline for several hours due to a third-party service failure in May. Such occurrences can shake customer trust, and navigating the aftermath of these issues is crucial for the brand as it strives to maintain its relationship with shoppers.
M&S has always prided itself on being a customer-centric retail giant, and handling these kinds of challenges head-on is essential to reinforcing trust. By being transparent and responsive during this crisis, they are taking concrete steps to reassure their loyal customers that they are in good hands — though it may take time to return to normalcy, M&S is committed to the journey of restoration.
As the situation evolves, customers are encouraged to stay updated through M&S’s official communications for the latest information.
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