It is extremely rare for me to leave a negative review but I am so disappointed with my experience of Minerva.
I placed an order on 19th January for 3 different fabrics & 5 Gutermann threads. It was to be sent via Royal Mail 48 Hour service.

I received an email on 22nd January informing me that one of the fabrics is out of stock and is not due back in stock till "around March" and it would be sent when it arrives.

There was no indication on the website or at point of ordering that this fabric was out of stock or that there would be a delay in receiving it.

Two of the fabrics were despatched in separate parcels on 23rd Jan. On one of the despatch emails, it stated that the other, out of stock, fabric would be "due back in stock approximately 28th January 2026". I thought, great, it won't be as long a wait as their original email claiming it would be "around March".

On 4th Feb I had received no further communication and had never been informed about delivery of the Gutermann thread.

I emailed sales@minerva explaining the situation, and to ask why I had not received the Gutermann threads - they were to be sent via Royal Mail 48 hour service but it had been two weeks. I asked if they had been despatched and when I should expect to receive delivery. I explained the delay had negatively impacted my business.

I received a reply from Ryan, Sales Office Manager, who said:
"we are still awaiting the final on demand fabric coming into us. This should hopefully be landing any day now. With our on demand products we do advise the rest of the order will not be sent until all items have been received into us and we do advise to split these orders to avoid any delays."

1. Ryan did not apologise in any way

2. Ryan placed the blame on me, the customer, by saying "we do advise the rest of the order will not be sent until all items have been received into us and we do advise to split these orders to avoid any delays."

I was never, at any point, informed that the out of stock fabric would delay the rest of my order - or given the choice to split the order.

I replied to ask why the Gutermann threads had not been sent out with either of the other two fabrics on the same order, which had already been sent - separately. I noted that I had not received an apology. I asked for the remaining items to be cancelled and refunded. I asked for them to confirm the refund amount and date by which I should expect to receive the refund.

Ryan replied to confirm the cancellation and refund and noted that refunds can take up to 10 days to be processed, followed by: "I apologise for us not being able to get the items to you within the time frame you were working to on this occasion."

1. They did not answer my question, to confirm the refund amount

2. Their "apology" made me, the customer, feel like I was in the wrong - by being unrealistic in expecting to receive an item (which appeared to be in stock) within the delivery timeframe originally promised by them when I made the purchase.

I order fabric and thread from many different companies and - from other companies - I have always received my order as expected, within the expected timeframe. I have placed a few orders with Minerva now and they never arrive as quickly as they should, or as quickly as from other companies, but my experience this time was particularly disappointing. I will not be ordering from Minerva again.