Info Random Rant

Bad Online Shopping Experience: Kiss & Tell

As I am writing this I still feel very disappointed with my recent purchase at a highly recommended online store – Kiss & Tell.

I ordered this beautiful peep toe nude pump for RM99 after confirming the size with the seller. I was even given a RM10 discount for subscribing to their newsletter. And the best part? PosLaju is free too. Customer service was also top notch. The shoe delivery was delayed unexpectedly and the seller took the initiative to drop me an email on it which I am fine. All is still good until I received the shoe today.

Screen Shot 2013-07-04 at 9.50.31 PM
The first thing I notice as soon as I took the shoe out from the box is this.

The bottom of this “new” shoe seems dirty and scratchy. It seems like someone has been wearing it? Even shoes on display at Vincci which has worn by countless people doesn’t even look as bad as this!

Shoe1
My lovely surprise doesn’t just end there. The glue for the insole is all loosen up. Normally this condition only happen when (1) the shoe has been kept for too long so the glue has dried up, (2) it has been worn too long which is not the case as the color of the insole is still pretty new.

Shoe2
More weird things.

As far as I know the shoes at Kiss & Tell are all their own OEM brand which means the shoe box and the stamp on the inner sole will bear their name Kiss & Tell. What’s weird is I find a Kiss & Tell stamping on one side of the shoe which has faded while…

Shoe3
A stamp bearing the name “Pixels” on the other side of the shoe which has faded too. That could only mean that there’s 2 version and I was given a mix and match of both. After one disappointment and another, I am officially majorly disappointed. Not sure if there’s such word but heck I’m not in the mood to find the right grammar or vocabulary.

Shoe4
And of course I snap photos and email the seller. Below is our email conversation.

Screen Shot 2013-07-04 at 9.41.16 PM
Screen Shot 2013-07-04 at 9.41.47 PM
What a reply and bummer!! Seller claimed that the shoe is new but its at a boutique therefore it has been tried on. One thing I learnt from years of online selling is YOU DON’T SEND YOUR SOLD PRODUCT THAT ARE IN WORN CONDITION. IF YOU MUST (PERHAPS LAST PAIR), THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM THE BUYER INVOLVED.

Screen Shot 2013-07-04 at 9.43.37 PM
The store offer exchange and I strongly think I DESERVE an exchange because the seller sent me a faulty shoe, not me. But then she insisted to send her back the shoe for repair. Now the thing is, I read about the exchange policy on the website. It said that buyer will need to bear the cost of sending back and resend. So meaning I will need to pay 2 times of postage WHICH I THINK I DON’T DESERVE AS I DIDN’T SCREW UP. I didn’t want to bear for repairing cost because obviously its obnoxious for me to do so and seller offered to repair. And I think its not making any sense to send the shoe up and down just for repair so I ask for repair cost reimbursement, which seller refuse.

Screen Shot 2013-07-04 at 9.44.21 PM
Then seller offered to pay for the postage to send the shoe back to me after repairing so meaning I will need to bear the postage to send the shoe back to her WHICH I THINK IT’S NOT SUPPOSE TO BE BEAR BY ME. And the next thing I know seller decided to refund to me and told me to keep the shoe. Honestly I felt offended hearing that. Since when I ask for refund? All I requested for is for her to reimburse back to me the cost of repairing. I am not the kind of person that will argue just to get a refund AND keep the shoe. If I want to do that I have already done so at the beginning of the email! Obviously I wanted the shoe!

Screen Shot 2013-07-04 at 9.44.51 PM
I am not sure if her reply after that was the truth but I have yet to reply her. Who will have the time to read all their stockist details seriously? I’m so tired of all this shit seriously. I don’t need this.

Screen Shot 2013-07-04 at 9.45.13 PM

What do you think I should do?

Update 5th July 2013 – After cracking my head for a full day I couldn’t find a better solution on this issue as seller refuse to reimburse me the repair cost (what I wanted) and I refuse to send her back the shoe for repair (what seller wanted). Therefore I have decided to take on all your comments and suggestions to take the refund and keep the shoe. I received my refund yesterday night which is not long after I gave my bank details. Seller also apologize repeatedly for the inconvenient caused, which I appreciate very much. Thank you all for the suggestions. I do hope there is a better solution to this than refund. Sigh.

 



Comments (30)

  • That’s horrible seriously but since they screwed up from the beginning and seem okay with a refund, take the refund, use it to fix the shoes and keep it babe. I LOVE shopping online but shoes is something i wouldnt dare buy coz afraid might not fit my elephant feet. But I am indeed shocked they would send a tried on display shoes….unethical as they should have mentioned it to you.

    Reply
    • That’s the thing. If can…I refuse the refund. I wouldn’t want to be referred as cheapo. This is my 2nd time buying shoe online. Bought 3 pairs from Zalora and its all good. This one is highly recommended and this is what happen sigh. At least clean the bottom so I wouldn’t know ma right? SIGH

      Reply
  • this is my first time heard of the online shop..
    it is quite weird. aren’t repair reimbursement will cost smaller amount if compare with the heels?
    afterall, you dint ask for refund also. so weird, their respond.

    Reply
    • Yalor. I so nice you know…only want them to pay me back for the repair with receipt of course. They insist I send the shoe to them. So troublesome! Now rather refund. How la like that. Pening.

      Reply
  • OMG! The cheek! I am so sad for you Fiona. I honestly don’t think the response from seller was right from the beginning. I’d be so upset with this kinda of parcel. Sigh. I think I’d calm down first, sleep over it, when I wake up tomorrow most likely I’d sent the shoes back to them and request for refund. Any form of repair or refund and keep the shoes will only upset me further in my humble opinion.

    Sorry dear…hugs! May you find another beautiful pair of nude heels soon.

    Reply
    • I think so too. The only choice is to give her my bank details for full refund and send her back the shoes regardless she want it or not. Its hard to find a nice pair of pump. This pair is really gorgeous. SIGHHHHHH

      Reply
  • Take the refund, keep the shoe. It’s usually a normal practice from many normal online retailers. i think it sounds like it doesn’t make any economical sense for them to repair it, pay for ur return shipping and their shipping back to u again that’s why she offered for u to keep the shoe.

    Reply
    • No EL. If you read the last screen shot you will see that they are out of stock from every stockist. Thus the refund offer.

      Reply
  • I was shocked to see the quality of the shoes sent to you. I think even sellers on eBay may be more honest with their product descriptions than an online store. Hmm…I don’t know. I am one of those who cannot live and accept such brutal shoes sent to me which was supposed to be brand new and sexy pair of nude peep toes! Alas…how horrifying can it be to see dirty soles and peeling insoles? If the soles were dirty, I think that is still ok since no one will see it…but peeling insoles? Imagine when you visit someone’s house and had to remove your brand new shoes – uh what brand new? Dear girl…I feel for you.

    Well…a beautiful pair of nude heels can be hard to come by. Only thing is, if these shoes are aged and old…no matter what type of repair they make, it will still suffer from wear and tear due to it being old stock.

    Once fixed, not sure if it will be for better or worse…Haha, but then again, I am particular about my shoes. If you really like it and want to give it a shot, I say we take up their offer to repair and pay for all the postage. Good luck dear. Hugs!

    Reply
    • I used to run an online boutique before. Everytime I buy stocks, I open up one by one to check for defect, check again while folding and put back to plastic. The last check would be before I send out. Eventhough so our eyes sometimes will overlook especially that I’m selling clothes. So before I send out I will check again. When I found a defect I will inform the buyer with a picture, giving them an option of either continue or refund partially or all. At least they don’t get heart attack like what I had when they received the parcel.

      I can still close an eye on the dirty sole but the insole is too much for me to tolerate. There is no way I can wear that. It will came off in no time if I do so. I suggested repairing i.e. send to the cobbler for re-glue. It is definitely cheaper to do so that send back here and there. You are right about the old stock part. That’s what I’m afraid of too.

      Reply
  • omg this is too horrible!! feel so bad for you! as far as i know i thought that this is a well known brand in facebook and a lot of the review blog! a lot of the shopping review blog even advertised for them i think. i also nearly bought from them because i really attracted to the pumps when i see them online. mostly doesn’t fit me cause i am wearing size 40/41 so i haven’t had the chance to buy from them. wow i really did not expect this from the seller. how can they give you a shoes that obviously wore by people before, and they dare to say it was a display shoes and let the customer to tried it on. i thought they suppose to give you a brand new shoes fresh from the factory!

    Reply
    • Exactly why I bought from them. I thought the shoe will be as beautiful as the pictures. Afterall they are quite well-known store. I think mine is the bad luck case because I don’t see other people complaining except for me. But anyhow all this is not made up. I have picture as proof. Somehow feels a bit weird to get one sided shoe by Kill & Tell while the other side is Pixels. Either way both stamping had faded. This shows that really a lot of people had tried on the shoe.

      Reply
  • No idea why they would send a pair of display shoes to you. They could have communicated with you about it BEFORE sending the shoes to you. I would say, accept the refund and keep the shoes. Afterall, they screwed up big time.

    Reply
    • I told them exactly the same thing but they said it’s new, only at a boutique which is their stockist where it has been tried on for god knows how many times. They said they put up all the stockist details on the site. I mean who will go see about stockist details.

      Reply
  • Very bad.. if I see the shoes will be act same like you.

    Reply
    • Yeah, I consider very nicely talk to them already.

      Reply
  • You should just take the refund. I mean, that’s the best they can offer I think.

    Reply
    • I’m looking for the best and less troublesome way to fix this issue. If really cannot then only I’ll take the refund offer 🙁

      Reply
  • Sorry to hear about this bad experience. I agree with Angelina, they should have communicated to you that this shoe was out of stock before sending this used pair to you. You should just take the refund and use it to repair the insole of the shoes. At least you would still get to wear this gorgeous pair of shoes 🙂

    Reply
    • They only found out the shoe is out of stock after I ask for exchange. That is when they ask around all stockist if there is any stock left. You suggestion is also an idea that I am considering. I try not to do so yet cause I know its tough to run an online store.

      Reply
  • honestly if i were to receive such a reply, i will be so furious! this pair of shoes is in no condition for sale, and if i’m the seller, i’ll apologize profusely. but from her email , i didn’t get the sense that they were sorry at all! it sounded as if it was perfectly fine to sell that kind of shoes. They did not even offer to repair it for u, or offer a refund. U had to ask them for it. I just think it’s terrible service altogether, and that u should take the refund, and just keep the shoes. why bother going through all the trouble to send the shoes back. and never buy from them again!

    Reply
    • Yeap, they think it is alright to send me that shoe :(. All they do is to explain why the shoe is in that condition. Now after all this I don’t think so they will allow me to buy again 😛

      Reply
  • So sorry to hear you had to go through this. They should have told you the condition of the shoe they were about to send out – no one in their right mind could accept a ‘new’ pair of shoes in this condition without first being informed. It’s different if you were aware that this was the last showroom pair. I’m occasionally able to accept slightly imperfect stock if I really like it and am aware that it is the display set.
    I am an online shopping addict and buy more than 90% of my total purchases online but have never experienced this before (touchwood!) but I am very grateful to you for sharing your experience. I will make sure to ask any sellers if my shoe/ dress will be sent in mint condition or if it’s the last showroom set and keep all correspondence/ photos as evidence.
    Caveat Emptor is difficult to apply when we are buying online because we are at the mercy of the sellers that’s why I like to use PayPal because it allows buyers to open a case against sellers during a 45 day window period and works especially well for cases of non-delivery.

    Reply
    • Which is why I don’t call this shoe new cause it seems worn. I can also accept slightly imperfect stock provided I was informed. It is up to me if I still want to proceed with the transaction or not. I shop online a lot too and only had 2-3 bad cases. The last one is Ecotools. Pity these seller if I use Paypal cause they need to pay commission to Paypal. So local purchase I always use online transfer. Oversea purchases is all through Paypal.

      Reply
  • Just ask them to replace a new pair to you. There is no any excuses for this. Totally spoil their reputation now. At least their customer service should be good and not simply give a reason saying it is out of stock so their give you a display shoes. Even display shoes got discount when they sell it in store. And both side with different stamping? Really can’t tolerate this! Its just like simply find a matching shoes and send to you.

    Reply
    • They are out of stock now. All they can do is refund cause I don’t agree with sending them back the shoe for them to repair. Sigh.

      Reply
  • Din know Kiss N Tell would have problem like this. Thanks for sharing ! 😀

    Reply
    • I don’t think this occur frequently. Only I’m the unlucky one I guess.

      Reply
  • I saw their shoes on Fashion Valet. I wanted to buy them but after reading your horrific experience, I think I better not. I’m disgusted by the condition of the shoes sent to you. Thanks for the sharing.

    Reply
    • Hi Shoe Lover. As far as I know, every friend of mine don’t encounter the problem I had. So it must be me who is unlucky I guess. You can try though. You might have a better luck than me 🙂

      Reply

Write a comment