Life Preservers

Annie Cloth Sucks

January 17, 2020 at 1:45 pm 3 comments

Well, it’s a new year, and my resolution is to revive my blog. (Pardon my absence.)

Today, I’m going to tell you a story about what an idiot I am—in the hope that it will help save you from a similar situation. And, also because I have threatened this company with going public and filing a complaint with the FTC, and this is me putting a toe in that water while I await my refund.

First and foremost, if you read nothing else on this page, read this:  DO NOT SHOP AT ANNIE CLOTH. It is a fake website. And that is the last time I will use their company name to avoid giving them any positive SEO.

Friends, I thought I was fairly web savvy and I thought I was good at spotting what’s real and what’s fake online. Ahem.

One day, I saw some pretty clothes in a web ad and clicked through. The name sounds like a cute boutique, doesn’t it? And they present as if they are in the U.S.; their return address (which, obtw, is not really their return address) is San Francisco. But, they are neither cute nor Californian. Basically, these types of companies put up a website with (I assume stolen) photos of clothing and then, when you order, they send you some other random (poorly made, crappy, cheap) piece.

In my case, I purchased what I thought was a rather gorgeous sweater-coat. What I received was a hilariously hideous, polyester bathrobe-ish sort of thing. See photos, and be aware that the photos on the right don’t do justice to the true tacky-awfulness.

So, apparently, this is a Thing. Companies do this. And, apparently, they do so while hoping that, if they make the process difficult enough and expensive enough (or just ignore you long enough), you will give up.

I have decided not to give up.

I admit whole-heartedly that I was a dumb-dumb, but the site looked legit, and, like so many of us, I have become very at ease shopping online. (Funny thing:  I even noticed the really bad Photoshopping around the legs and boots. It should have been a clue.)

So, weeks passed and, in November, I received the item. Moments later, I began the return process . . . which continues.

It took weeks before I got a legitimate response from a human, who stated that if I wanted a full refund, I would have to return the item asap . . . to China . . . with postage over $20. (Yes. Yes. I can feel the collective cringe. I could have, probably should have, cut my losses and not returned it, but it’s the principle of the thing.)

While I wait for their response, I’m telling you all to be wary. Here is some info, which I found (or, in the case of the last bullet, would have found) helpful:

• How to file a complaint with the FTC:  www.consumer.ftc.gov/media/video-0054-how-file-complaint
• Other helpful info for dealing with fraud online:  fraudsupport.org/incidents/online-shopping-scams
• A place to vent, share, and see reviews:  pissedconsumer.com
• Remember that a trusted site could have advertising for a site that is not trustworthy.
• You can also stop payments/report problems through your credit card company or paypal.
• Before shopping with a new company, google them for reviews or complaints.

Happy New Year, people. Shop safe.

UPDATE I did eventually get most of my money back—thanks to PayPal. Hooray PayPal! 

Entry filed under: Uncategorized. Tags: Annie Cloth, anniecloth.com, cheap clothing, China, online shopping, warning.