Trusted but Busted: A tale of shopping from Splurge

Hi Beauties!

Very recently a post done by my fellow blogger has surfaced up on the blogoshpere where she has narrated the event of a fraud that was done by Sara Gulzaib, the owner of Makeup craves by Sara Gulzaib's page and blog. She highlighted how Sara looted and cheated her by taking her money and not sending her the goodies and alot alot more. I am adding a link here to her post so that any one reading this post might want to read her post as well and save her and others from such fraudulent people. Long time back I also did a post on my dire online shopping experience from Stay Stylish and I keep on facing the consequences of that post day to day. Here is a link to that post of mine. Maybe her services have improved now but the torment I went through I felt obligated to highlight it. Today I am going to do another such post.

I am sure you must all be aware of the Facebook page by the name of Splurge. I believe they have quite a reputation and trust among online shoppers. The fan numbers on their page depicts so. But I am sorry to say my shopping experience with them went really really bad. If you remember, sometime back I did a post on my haul from Splurge where I mentioned that they have to refund me. Well, I have not been refunded yet and it has now been more than a month. I am pasting a link of my own post here for your reference.

Let me narrate the whole shopping experience now. I placed an order for Wet n Wild trio eye shadows on the 17th of April, 2012. I was told about the total amount along with the delivery charges to be Rs. 5000. I made the transfer the very next day i.e April 18th, 2012 since it is demanded by most sellers to make the payment the very next day else they will cancel the order. So abiding it, I made the transfer the very next day. On May 12th, 2012 I was informed that my order has arrived and two palettes are broken. I was given the option to buy the broken eye palettes on discounted rates or either they can refund the money. I chose to get a refund and asked to make the refund along with the delivery. Upon which I was told that it isnt safe to refund the amount via courier so it would be transferred into my bank account. My bank details were taken. On May 18th I received my order and I informed them on May 20th that I have received the order and asked as to when I would be refunded. In Splurge's own words one to two days were committed for the refund. I am posting a screen shot of the conversation where she verbally committed to refund me the amount within two days.

Well this committment went down the gutter and no refund was made. Upon asking again on May 30th, 2012 I was told that she is busy in her exams and would make the refund as soon as she gets free. I wished her best of luck for her exams and told her to take her time and make the transfer when she gets free.

Then on June 8th, 2012 a status is updated by Splurge that their management is changing and their would be a new management running the page from now onwards. I commented on that asking about my refund as to when I would get it. Upon which I got the following replyin my inbox.

I asked them if customers are asked to make the payment the very next day then why cant sellers make the refund very next day then? Also I mentioned that I know its not their fault that the eye shadows came broken but I am questioning their after sales services as to why it is taking so long to make the refund. I got some very classic reply of which I am sharing the screen shot.

Here I have been threatened that they have the option of not making a refund and I can do nothing about it. Off course I know this.... You have my money, off course there is nothing I can do since YOU guys already have my money and you can chose not to refund. After all isn't this what you have been trying to do in the first place?

Later that night I received the following inbox from Splurge and my reply to is visible to you people. Again there is a threat that serious actions will be taken for false accusations though I fail to see how my accusations are false since I have not received the refund till date. Moreover I am insturcted to wait endlessly till infinity for the refund since no time span has been mentioned. Well I regret to inform Splurge I am not a vampire and I may not be able to live for eternity and wait for my refund of Rs. 1600.

On June 11, 2012 I ask about the refund again where I am told that the amount has been refunded. I kept on checking my account details day to day to see if the amount has been refunded but still NO. The responsibilty of the refund has been put upon previous owner's shoulders which is right technically but isn't it a common practice in businesses to clear all the liabilities before taking ownership or either take responsibilty for the liabilities themselves. The new owners have been very active in responding me, letting me know about their rights and threatening me and making false promises about refunding me then why don't they take it upon themselves to refund me?

Now the conversation is totally at a halt since they have I guess decided not to talk to me anymore maybe I am bugging them too much for two months for the money which techincally is MY money and they have chosen to keep it by FRAUD. My concerns are:

1. It is not a matter of owning a multi million business empire or a parchoon ki dukan. Its about ethics. Splurge itself gave me the option for a refund.

2. If you do not have the money then why did you make false promises and kept on stalling me for two months? Why did you even give me the refund otpion when you knew you can not refund it?

3. You are going to take serious actions against me for false accusations? What false accusation? Another one of the palette came broken. I did not whine about it, though as a customer I had the right to ask for a refund for the broken one too. It isn't my fault the palette came broken. Its either your fault or the courier service's fault.

4. As a customer I am entitled to get a refund as promised by you the very next day just like you guys ask for payment the very next day. Its ethically and morally wrong to stall a customer for two months.

This is all I had to narrate about my recent torment with Splurge. With all this experience would I ever shop again from them? NEVER. Would I recommend anyone shopping from Splurge? NEVER! My point is not asking you people out there for support, my point is to make you aware as customers to beware and be cautious when shopping online becasue the wolf may have dressed up like a sheep and act all innocent to snatch your money from you. Stay healthy and beautiful. Take care!