A few weeks ago, after many people had complained, the owner made a statement where she said that several of the pigments weren't made with eye safe cosmetics and glitters. Some were even made with soap dyes! She issued a recall of a number of colors. With her past track record and inconsistencies, I began to believe that *none* of the products were safe and immediately stopped using them. I sent a number of emails beginning December 23rd) to her and also responded on her Facebook fan page about my concerns and lack of response. Each time I said I was waiting for a reply, she would write that she was waiting for my email or call and hadn't heard from me. Finally, I wrote an email and started sending the same copy day after day. Here's what I was copying on a daily basis to her email box.
show details Jan 1 (3 days ago) |
I've sent three emails all via PayPal, with explanations in them and you've not responded to any of them. I know you've gotten them because you've filed a dispute against the $8.00 transaction I had this month and cancelled the two requests for a refund. I've texted you twice and left a phone message asking for a return response and they've also been ignored. All I've asked for from the beginning is an explanation and a plan to reimburse me and the TRUTH.
Lela, I felt we were friends. Now I feel betrayed, lied to, used and just plain disposed of. I feel like I've been buying things from a liar, cheat and thief. I've seen you promise to change this or change that about your business yet time and again you go back to the same things that made people upset and lose faith in you to begin with.
I've invested a lot of money into your products ($792.45 to be exact).This was money that I really didn't have to invest because my husband was laid off and money was tight for us. I told him I had found something that I would only ever have to buy once and would last forever, so it wasn't money being thrown away. Instead of being a purchase that I could use the rest of my life, I have in vested into something that is useless. I can't trust ANY of the pigments I've purchased from you. My opinion is that since you've lied so much in the past then you're lying now about what's safe and what's not. I believe that if you came clean about *all* the things you've put in these pigments that you'd have to recall everything you've ever made. Of course that would devastate you financially and you don't want to do that. The problem is, I have no faith in you at all. I cannot believe that you are going to do the right thing and honestly don't think you will. I warned you about the FDA implications several months ago when I first discovered them in the quest of starting my own small business. You acted like you took me seriously, yet you did nothing about it. I felt like it was a slap in the face. I've been told that I shouldn't take this personally but I can't help but do so. The issue with the clamshell set was a prime example of how not to run a business. You just ignored the $75 PayPal transaction for the clamshells that you didn't realize was from me (although I emailed you several times to let you know my error and if you'd checked your email, you'd have seen it). You didn't even try to contact the person who sent you the money to tell them that the item they were trying to purchase wasn't available. It just sat there and was ignored for almost 2 months! Did you just think that someone had sent you $75 for the fun of it? I'm still at a loss about how you didn't contact my Mom's email, especially when ALL of my orders came from that same email address. Then you said you'd issue me a refund and the next thing I know is that you're saying that "you sent it to the wrong person". I knew you were lying to me but I gave you a break. I thought maybe you were having a bad day, although I was still at a loss about how you could say you sent it to the wrong person and have me believe it. I'm not one of the twenty-somethings that have yet to really experience the world and are still gullible. I've been through a lot in my life and it takes a lot to put one over on me. I don't scam easily. I let you say that you'd fix me up and send me stuff that would make it worth my while. When I received my package, I was sadly disappointed in what I received but I told you that it was alright. I was expecting a full set of colors and had hoped for a nice selection of random colors. Instead I received a bunch of colors that were very similar in color. I feel like you (or whoever filled the order) just grabbed a bunch of stuff off a shelf and threw it into the bag. Yet, I still kept my mouth shut and let it go.
I've been more than understanding in the past. Now, I've run out of patience. You're behavior has been reprehensible. Your ignoring of the situation has just made things worse and your attitude hasn't helped. It's not going to go away if you ignore it, which is the attitude that I'm getting from you.
With that said...
I want a refund for the following colors.
Brenda's Lemonade
House of Horrors
Vanity
Gold Digger
Gold Digger
Silk Sheets
Annie
Kim
Jenn
Gluttony
Oyster Shell
Kiss This
Mad Hatter
The ENTIRE Rock Star Collection (because you can't separate Tragic Glamour from it) and mine was a purchased set not a giveaway set
Cupcake
Kitsch
Roxie
Mean Looks
Oompa Loompa
Carnival
Flight Club
2 of the TWLOHA set
2 of the GLADD set
5 Random Pinks
The Christmas pink vial
The Neon Liner Set
-----------------------------
That's 28 pots
The Rock Star Collection
The Christmas Vial
The Liner Set
Those are the colors that I have that are on the recall list plus any that I feel have pink/neon in them
28 x $6 = 168
Rock Star Collection $27.00 (purchased Sept 10, 2010 along with mirror Unique Transaction ID # 6G847184H7259072V)
Neon Liner Set - unknown price
Christmas Vial - unknown price
168 + 27 = 195.00
Let's just say $200.00. That's what I want for a refund. I will deal with the rest of the pigments myself. If you're claiming they're safe at this time, then I will sell them to one of the many people that have contacted me about them. If they turn out to be unsafe later, then that falls back on you for not telling the truth about them.
Please don't tell me that you'll not discuss this unless I call you on the phone.
I want a paper trail on this. A phone call doesn't cut it. I gave you the chance to call me and when you refused to return my call, you blew that chance. I have way too many things going on in my life to drop everything and call you. That's why it's taken me a bit to put together a total email with all of the information in one place.
The ball is in your court now. I fully expect that you'll ignore this email as well and not do anything to appease me. That's your choice.
I do make a recommendation to you though....As a business owner that is trying to salvage what's left of the mess she made of her business though, I would recommend doing the right thing and taking care of those who've been loyal to you for more than just a month or two.
I believe I told you during one of our calls about what having one dissatisfied customer can do to your business's reputation. You've got a lot more than just one dissatisfied customer at this point. You need to stop ignoring them and start dealing with the situation as it's only going to get worse if you keep ignoring it.
Sincerely,
Alisa Dougherty
On January 2, 2011, I finally received a response. Read below:
show details Jan 2 (2 days ago) |
Alisa,--
After all that's been said and done, I don't believe I will *ever* get a refund from Glittersniffer. I have filed challenges with PayPal and my credit cards, hoping for refunds for fraud and misrepresentation of product. I'm not holding my breath that Lela will *ever* contact me about my concerns. I'm pretty sure she just figures that if she ignores the people complaining that it will go away.
I know that I'm not going anywhere and am planning on pursuing this as far as I can take it.
I thought I would share my experiences here and welcome all comments.
Your email has been received. Considering everything being said about me on MJA I have chosen not to reply to e-mails with information or answer questions from anyone who participates in that group. I realize that it is upsetting to get a reply from someone other than Lela, but if it weren't for my answering e-mails it would take much longer to get a reply at all, and rest assured that everything I reply comes from Lela, it is just sent by myself. I have been trying to help but it seems that it hasn't been viewed as helpful at all, so I will let her know that your e-mail is in the inbox and she will get to it as soon as possible. I just didn't want you to think you were being ignored. If you would like to speak with her directly and need her number, please let me know and I will provide that for you.
Daphney
- Show quoted text -
XO- Lela <3
President of Glittersniffer Cosmetics
Lela, the owner, didn't even afford me the courtesy of a reply. Instead, she had her "Marketing person" do it for her. Daphney basically said that because I was a member of MJA (Makeup Junkies Anonymous - a private forum) she was refusing to discuss this issue any further. I took this to also mean that because I was a member of MJA, she would not be giving me a refund (as she had previously stated in emails to other people that she would be doing) because of it.
So I replied with this:
show details Jan 3 (2 days ago) |
What's being said on MJA is not what is at issue here. People have the right to compare notes, talk & vent their frustrations. Do you see ME going crazy over the bashing going on via the GS private board? I know what's being said & could care less. As a self proclaimed PROFESSIONAL business woman, you should have developed a tough skin long ago, you should also not choose to ignore people who gave you their undying support & helped you sell hundreds (or maybe thousands) of dollars of makeup by positive word of mouth. YOU had their trust & YOU took advantage of that trust by selling a product that was NOT safe!
Regarding making a phone call... I will NOT call. I have written & voiced my concerns. If a call is required, it should be YOU calling me to apologize & make arrangements to satisfy the issue. Any REAL company would get a number of messages from an upset customer & would CONTACT THEM to see whar resolution can be found. A customer should not have to initiate each step of the contact process. I've NEVER had to send multiple emails THEN CALL... EVER!
Plus, at this point, I want written word to back up what I get told. I'm not some sap who is going to listen to you whine about how it was this person's or that person's fault as to why you are in this mess. I don't want to listen to the blame game or hear how this has hurt your pride & I should be lenient & understanding. BULL CRAP! If you had done things right you wouldn't have been in a position to even have gotten into this mess. If you'd had GS set up as a REAL, LEGAL business you'd have had INSURANCE to cover any mistakes you might make (although any insurance co would have probably dropped you long before now). I'm sorry that this has blown up to the proportion it has but you created but it's a monster of your own making. This has always been, and will continue to be, a mess that could have been easily cleaned up if it had been dealt with on a professional basis. Unfortunately, I don't think you even know what the word professional means. This is sad, as you could have had a great company. Now all you have is a pile of ashes & fall out that is going to affect the rest of your life.
If you insist on continuing to ignore certain people because they dared to compare notes with others then so be it. I'm prepared to be an exceptionally squeaky wheel & to go to the next level if need be. I know that there are others who are fed up enough to go there as well.
I eagerly await your phone call or written reply. I won't hold my breath that either will happen soon, or for that matter, even happen at all.
Alisa Dougherty
Regarding making a phone call... I will NOT call. I have written & voiced my concerns. If a call is required, it should be YOU calling me to apologize & make arrangements to satisfy the issue. Any REAL company would get a number of messages from an upset customer & would CONTACT THEM to see whar resolution can be found. A customer should not have to initiate each step of the contact process. I've NEVER had to send multiple emails THEN CALL... EVER!
Plus, at this point, I want written word to back up what I get told. I'm not some sap who is going to listen to you whine about how it was this person's or that person's fault as to why you are in this mess. I don't want to listen to the blame game or hear how this has hurt your pride & I should be lenient & understanding. BULL CRAP! If you had done things right you wouldn't have been in a position to even have gotten into this mess. If you'd had GS set up as a REAL, LEGAL business you'd have had INSURANCE to cover any mistakes you might make (although any insurance co would have probably dropped you long before now). I'm sorry that this has blown up to the proportion it has but you created but it's a monster of your own making. This has always been, and will continue to be, a mess that could have been easily cleaned up if it had been dealt with on a professional basis. Unfortunately, I don't think you even know what the word professional means. This is sad, as you could have had a great company. Now all you have is a pile of ashes & fall out that is going to affect the rest of your life.
If you insist on continuing to ignore certain people because they dared to compare notes with others then so be it. I'm prepared to be an exceptionally squeaky wheel & to go to the next level if need be. I know that there are others who are fed up enough to go there as well.
I eagerly await your phone call or written reply. I won't hold my breath that either will happen soon, or for that matter, even happen at all.
Alisa Dougherty
PS. Having Daphney respond to everything is just one more avoidance tactic that has already grown old. You're an adult, Lela. You need to start acting like one & taking responsibility for your screw ups and the fall out from them!
I know that I'm not going anywhere and am planning on pursuing this as far as I can take it.
I thought I would share my experiences here and welcome all comments.
