I purchased a faux fur coat and hat from Fur Outlet on 2/28/08 for a total of $296.38. I did not receive an order confirmation the next day, so I contacted them at the email address provided on their site, asking whether my order was received. I also called the phone number listed on the website and requested that they call me if there was a problem. They never called.
On March 3, (4 days later) I received an email from Fur Outlet asking me what I had ordered. This led me to believe that they were having a problem with their website. I responded to their email and gave the specifics of my order. I also informed them that I needed the items ordered by a specific date and was displeased with the events thus far. I insisted that they contact me at my home phone. They didn't call, nor did they send a confirmation of my order.
On March 7, (8 days since order placement) I received another email from Fur Outlet stating that my order had been shipped. I immediately checked my credit card account online to see if the charges had been posted, only to find that I had been charged $299.38 instead of the $296.38 stated on my website receipt. I replied and informed them that I was dissatisfied with the way this process had been handled and requested that I be refunded $3 to my account for the overcharge. I asked that they call me to explain why it took so long to send my order and why I was being charged an additional $3. I also informed them that I would be returning the items if they weren't correct. I did not receive a phone call or an email explanation.
On March 8, the items I ordered arrived and the coat was smaller than a 3X, although the markings said 3X. The sleeves were at least 3 inches too short and the coat fit very snug. There was no receipt in the box, nor was there a return postage label. I immediately returned the package (at my cost) and used the same shipping method (priority mail & insured). I included a letter in the box requesting a full refund of the $299.38 charged to my credit card.
On March 12, I received an email from Fur Outlet stating they had received the returned items and that I would not be given a refund - only STORE CREDIT. They also deducted a restocking fee and told me that there was an additional $3 charged for shipping, handling and insurance. They claimed to have a store credit policy, but this so-called policy is no where to be found on their website, nor is there any information on their site regarding additional charges for shipping, handling or insurance. The credit amount is $223.99 (approx. $76 less than charged to my account). Not only are they forcing me to shop at their site now, they're also "strong-arming" almost $76. Fur Outlet is certainly guilty of deceptive and misleading advertisement and grossly unfair business practices.
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