Space NK – Order never dispatched, cancellation refused even though it’s their fault

Hi everyone,
I wanted to share my recent experience with Space NK in case it helps someone else.
I placed an order on their website because it clearly showed a 3-5 business day delivery estimate. I specifically timed the order so my husband could bring the items overseas with him before he left the UK.
However, the order was never dispatched. When I followed up, they told me (both by email and over the phone) that it would be delivered by the end of this week or early next week. This seemed very unlikely since the order hadn’t even been processed yet.
I explained the situation and asked to cancel the order. They refused, saying the order was already “being prepared”. They blamed the delay on a “system upgrade” but still wouldn’t cancel or offer any solution, even though the mistake was on their end.
Now the items will arrive after my husband has already left the country, so I’ve essentially wasted my money.
Has anyone else had issues with Space NK’s delivery or customer service refusing cancellations? I’m quite frustrated as this was completely avoidable.
Thanks in advance.