Fashion X

Review: On Friday, December 7, 2012 I purchased a pair of colored contacts at the store Fashion X, located in the Square One Mall in Saugus MA. I explained to the associate what I was looking for and asked if she could help me select a pair that would give me the eye color I was looking for. She selected a particular pair, and I purchased them. I put them in later that evening. The contacts not only failed to make any difference in my eye color, they were also defective. One of the contacts mustve been a different size or possibly torn, because when I blinked my left eye the contact came right out of my eye. I even tried switching the contact to the right eye, and the same thing happened. I went back to the store the very next day to explain the situation and said that I wanted to exchange them for a different pair. I was told by a different sales associate, who said her name was [redacted], that due to their store policy I could not exchange or return them. I asked why, and she told me that all contacts are a final sale and non-refundable. I had the receipt in my hand, which clearly states that a store credit may be given within 7 days of purchase, except for pierced earrings & body jewelry. I told her that I bought neither, and Im not even asking for a refund, I just want to exchange them for a lighter colored pair that are both the same size. I also explained that I was never told that the contacts were non-refundable, especially if theyre damaged. She kept telling me that it was their store policy, even though the store return policy is posted on the receipt and all over the store, and it only states that body jewelry & pierced earrings may not be returnednothing at all about contacts. She called the manager, who told the associate that the best she can do is charge me half price to buy a new pair. I told the associate that I thought that was unacceptable and that they need to honor their return policy. The associate kept telling me there was nothing she could do. I asked her to please call the manager back, and if she wanted to speak with me she could. The associate called the manager twice, but she wouldnt answer the phone. About ten minutes later the manager called the store, and must have asked if I was still there, because I heard the associate tell her shes still here and she said that we have to honor our return policy. The manager still wouldnt honor their policy, so the associate said the best she can do is have me call the store during the week and maybe Ill catch the manager. I asked the associate for her name, so I knew who I was speaking with, and she replied [redacted], but why are you getting me involved? I told her that I wanted to make sure I knew the associates name that I was dealing with, considering she was the one who relayed everything the manager was saying. She told me, very rudely, not to write down her name. I asked her why she was getting so upset and told her if theres nothing wrong with the way they treat their customers then I dont see what the issue is. She started screaming and cursing at me for taking her name. She was so out of line that I started to get upset as well and began to yell back at her the way she was me. She followed me out of the store and into corridor, still yelling & cursing at me. My fiance and two other people were right there to witness the incident. I cant believe any business can conduct business so poorly. It was ridiculous how badly I was treated. Between the manager refusing to honor their own store policy, which Im pretty sure is not even legal and the way I was screamed at publicly in the corridor of a mall, I honestly dont know how this store is in business. I originally just wanted them to exchange the contacts for a pair that wasnt defective and actually serves its purpose. I was not rude to the associate at all. There was no reason whatsoever that I should have been treated that way. It was so unprofessional. I know the owners name of the store is [redacted], but the associate said that was not the person she was speaking with on the phone. She told me the woman she was on the phone with was the manager/co-owner, but refused to give me any information about her. I heard her refer to the woman as [redacted]. I just want them to honor their refund policy and allow me to exchange the contacts for another pair, or give me a refund. If you could help me in resolving this matter I would greatly appreciate it.Sincerely, [redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like the option to be able to exchange the item for another pair with no defects, or be fully refunded.

Business

Response:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I remember this customer and this incident very Well since 1 took the call from the cashier and I Was Watching the interaction unfolding via the remote monitoring security system in my office in another location. There are a lot of inaccuracies in this customer’s claim:

l- Our cashiers are prohibited from giving their opinion regarding Contact lenses

since no one would know how they would look on a custorner’s eyes. We have rnultiple tones of each color and We’ll leave the decision to the customer on which to pick. We verbally explain the policy of no returns on every sale and \\ that the low price ($19.99) of the contact lenses (fraction of what it cost in other locations), Will give you the opportunity to buy and try different colors without taking a big toll on your Wallet if you don’t like the color.2- On each and every Contact lenses’ displays, We have a visible and clear note that says “Contact lenses are final sale. No returns or refunds”. And we verbally recite this statement to the customer during each sale.

3- Cosmetic contact lenses are considered Body Jewelry since they are cosmetic and go in the body. For compliance with the Health Department, they cannot be exchanged. And we state that Body Jewelry are Final Sale on our small receipts. We can’t spell out any more details since we can only fit very few words on the small cash register receipt.

4- We have a big sign that is hanging from the ceiling over the cash registers saying our store policy of no exchange or returns of any items Worn in your body.

5- She came back and asked to exchange the Contact lenses claiming that one Contact lens was defective. The cashier called me and I told her to give her one Contact lens for the damaged one and the same color. And she never said as the customer claims that “. _. We should honor our po1iey...” since all our employees know that our policy is no exchange or returns of any contact lenses; and the cashier Was surprised When I said let’s not lose this customer and make an exception and give her one contact lens of the same color. Suddenly the customer changed her story and now she didn’t like the color either, which I suspect was the reason in the first place; and because of our store policy of no returns, she claimed that one contact lens Was damaged. Our store policy is not to exchange opened Contact lenses packages With a different color for Whatever reason, and again, not to lose the customer, I asked my employee to offer her Whatever color she liked for half the price and to tell her that’s the best We can do. We would share half the cost of her new contact lenses. And I ended the call there.

6- Looking into my cameras I saw the lady getting agitated and expressing threatening gestures toward our cashier. I called back and asked the cashier if this customer is giving her hard time or insulting her (and not if she is still there since I can see her on my screen). The cashier said “yes, she is” in almost a crying tone. We d0n’t pay our employees enough to take threats and insults from customers. S0 I asked her to tell this lady to leave or We’ll call Mall security and I asked her to call them anyway just in case.

7- I could see the lady still screaming and insulting my employee While her male companion literally dragged her out of the store.

8- The employee did not leave from behind the cash register showcase at any time

during or after this incident and the claim that she had followed her outside the store is a big lie. She was the only employee in the store and they are prohibited to leave the store unattended.

9- The employee is very shy and had never raised her Voice at any one or was upset

of anything. She Would start crying when yelled at or treated rudely from customers. And the things this customer is saying about my employee’s character is all lies and here I draw the line. She can insult management but we won’t allow » our employees to be treated this way.

10- A couple of minutes later mall security appeared in the store and I saw my employee explain to them what happened. Since the lady had already left and she Wasn’t around, there was nothing that they could do other than listen.

11- At the time of this incident, there were no other customers in the store other than our cashier, this customer and her male companion. So her claim that there were two other people Witnesses is an attempt to give credibility to her wild story.

12- Best of all, We got all this on cameras and saved on a disk just in case it comes to litigation.

It’s obvious that she selected a color that later did not like how they looked on her eyes and tried to get them exchanged for a different color claiming that one of them is damaged. We offered her to exchange only the presumably damaged one (even though We never got a complaint of a damaged contact lens from any customer before this incident in the last six years selling them). She revealed that she did not like how they looked on her and We offered her to get a different color for hall` the price if she Wanted. She did not take any of these options, instead she threw a in the store and threatened and insulted the employee who is just doing her job.

Even though We do our best to satisfy and retain our customers, due to the Way this person has treated our employee, We will no longer offer her any exception to the store policy and do not Want her in our store again. Our employees are instructed if they see her in our store again, to call security to get her out. I will not Waste more of my time or your time on such a rude and irresponsible customer. Any dealings with her should be through courts.

Regards,

Store Manager