Reader 210
Dear Fashion Truth,
It took me a good deal of contemplation before I finally decided I should make the time and effort to share this experience of mine. I would just like to warn buyers to be very careful when sellers do not post pics of their own goods, but use other sellers’ pics to sell on their sites. I’m sure some sellers use others’ pics for convenience (no harm done if the pic owners are generous enough to share), but there are a few who may have other not-so-good reasons.
I had this really nasty experience with one seller (A girls Wardrobe - http://a-girlswardrobe.
*I took a snapshot of the site when all this emailing to and fro was being done. It's on my work computer so I'll send that to you tomorrow fr work. The site has since been updated to reflect the actual heel height.
When I asked if the seller maybe made a mistake or perhaps the supplier did, and requested for an exchange (either in cash or kind i.e. for other products), she said that the design is the same and that there was a typo for the heel height, which she didn’t notice until I brought it up. She said that it's in the terms and conditions - no exchanges and returns allowed, so she can’t exchange or refund. When I nicely stated that I believe this should be an exception because the product clearly doesn't match the pics (the trim and heel height were different too), and that she had blatantly admitted to the mistake in the heel height
Here’s my reply to her:
“hey dear,
thanks for your prompt response. my further comments below:it wouldn't be right to say that the design is the same, because the shape is different, and the trimming & ribbon is also different from the pictures posted on your site...
your t&c is acceptable for cases where you have buyers who suddenly change their minds and want to return the item.
but for this instance, where the pictures do not match the actual item and are misleading, and there was a typo on the heel height, it would only be fair that refunds and exchanges are allowed. this is because the buyer is not getting what is depicted on the site.
if you actually featured the photo(s) of the actual item (with the thicker trimming and lower heel) then it would be understandable and acceptable that you stand by the t&c you mentioned, because the buyers have clear view of what they are getting.
i hope you can put yourself in the buyers' shoes (both figuratively and literally), and imagine what it would be like for you if you bought these shoes that do not match the pictures shown, and are lower heeled than depicted and stated.
i'm sure you would feel dissatisfied and would seek for a way to resolve this amicably with the seller.
thanks.”
In her reply to that, she said that she stated that she was doing a pre-order on that shoe and the pics she uploaded were from other online blogshops. She said she understood how I feel about it, but she’s sorry and her t&c applies to all items because she restocks that shoe only when she receives enough confirmed orders to prevent any losses. So no refunds or exchange of products are available…
I’m just wondering if I’m the only who feels that this is unfair. Plus, I believe that the reasoning/excuses given do not quite make sense. She could always have taken a picture of the actual shoe at the suppliers, or asked the supplier to give her pictures. I mean, how would she have selected the shoe if she did not see them in the first place? Did the supplier tell her to refer to those other blogshop pics? If so, that supplier is not to be trusted and dealt with at all!
Ok, so even if she had to first use the other blogshops’ pics, she should have taken a picture of the first batch of shoes once she received the stock before sending them out to buyers and upload those photos to replace the other blogshops’ pics currently on her site.
I could come up with so many different things that could have been done differently for the post on this pre-order shoe to be more accurate and less misleading, but I won’t bore everyone :-)
In short, it was a really disheartening experience. I feel like I was betrayed and ripped off… I have shopped online (a lot!) and had superb deals with various blogshops (some are truly gems! Fabulous, friendly sellers with great service, beautiful attitudes and some have become friends even) but this experience is just like a huge, stubborn thorn that simply ruins my whole rose-tinted picture of online shopping.
Anyway, just wanted to share and warn other buyers to be more careful so they don't suffer the same misfortune I did.
Thanks! :-)
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FT : have emailed the seller. no reply till today.
