re Mick's comment -and not assisted by retail stores either.
My mother was after something from Next back last October. They were out of stock, me having sent in an e-mail, the mater being a technical dinosaur.
Then I got a message in early Dec saying that the item was restocked and, being close to Xmas, I thought that it would make a present for her.
I filled out the form and pressed to confirm, awaiting the payment page. "Ding" - back came the message that the order had been dispatched - and that my credit was £350. A good point was that the order was placed at 5.30pm and I had the item delivered next day at 1.30pm - impressive. But it did cross my mind about the ease of credit given - probably a cross reference on the postal code.
The bill did not materialise for about 3 weeks - £28 which I immediately settled and "Ding" back comes the message that I now had a £950 credit limit. Jeez and they wonder how folk get in credit trouble.
One other word of caution, a truck turns up in the depths of the countryside here to deliver two hefty Next catalogue tomes (about 6lb weight).....the next statement I see that I have been debited £5. I e-mailed about this to object as I can see their offerings on-line and they can come and pick the tomes up and that I should be credited back the money. That came off pretty quick and the admin said I could keep the tomes anyway..........don't get caught out by that little one.