Chinazor Amarachukwu Iwuagwu, a fashion vendor operating Ladies Definition Boutique across social media platforms, has decided that a full refund offer “is no longer on the table” for Chisom Muomegha, a customer.
Muomegha ordered two pairs of women’s suits for N45,726, including a delivery fee, from Iwuagwu on January 23, and it was delivered to her in Lagos State.
Upon delivery, Muomegha discovered that the size and quality of the order fell short of her expectations. She spoke with the vendor, and they both agreed that the order be returned to Onyebuchi, a third-party supplier in Onitsha whom the vendor instructed to fulfil the order.
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After Onyebuchi took delivery of the package, he indicated interest in replacing the unsatisfactory order, but the customer was no longer interested. So, she requested a refund.
A copy of the bank transfer receipt.
Meanwhile, it was the customer who paid the return fee for the goods to get back to Onyebuchi in Onitsha. So, when she requested a refund, she expected the purchase price of the goods, as well as the delivery and return fees, to be refunded.
However, Iwuagwu said she was only going to refund the actual purchase price and that the customer would bear the waybill fees. Seeing that the customer insisted on a complete refund of the money despite persuasion, the vendor stopped responding to the customer’s messages and calls.
A screenshot of one of the ordered suits.
“She sent the wrong sizes, colours and quality. I called her and she instructed me to send it back to Onitsha to one guy called Onyebuchi. Meanwhile, before sending it back, she promised to give me back the waybill money,” Muomegha, the customer, told FIJ on Friday.
“After sending the clothes to Onitsha, it took her time to reply to me. I then told her I was tired and that she should give me my money, including the first and second waybill because I didn’t buy anything again. Moreover, it was her mistake for not sending the size and colour of preference I chose.
“I feel she doesn’t want to refund my money or even pick my call. If I send a WhatsApp message with another number, she will reply but upon finding out it is me, she will stop communicating.”
THE VENDOR’S RESPONSE
Iwuagwu confirmed the transaction but insisted that she could only refund 70% of the payment, saying the full refund offer she had earlier made to the customer was no longer available.
A screenshot of the second suit with green colour.
“She contacted me to buy a dress. I sent her the ones available in my store and she said she did not like them. She explained to me the kind of outfit she needed and I contacted one of my suppliers in Onitsha to send me some design,” Iwuagwu told FIJ on Saturday.
“When I forwarded the pictures to her, she selected two and paid. But because she needed it delivered within a certain period of time and to be able to meet up, I asked my supplier to waybill it directly to her in Lagos from Onitsha. When she received the order, she complained about the quality. I was not happy about it because I didn’t see the clothes myself before the Onitsha supplier delivered it. So I called the supplier and relayed my customer’s complaints to him and he promised to replace it.
“I told her that I did not mind paying for the waybill because my concern was to satisfy her. When Onyebuchi received the clothes, I called my customer and sent new designs for her to choose from but she said she wasn’t interested again. I pleaded with her to select another design, promising that I would check the specifications before sending them to her this time around because that was the only way I could get the money back from Onyebuchi. But she insisted on a refund.
A screenshot of where the vendor was pleading with the customer to go for another clothes.
“I told him that I would only refund the amount for the clothes and not the waybill because I could not recover the delivery money from the delivery driver. But she insisted that I must refund her all. Who does that? That was why I ignored her.
“As of today, those clothes are still with Onyebuchi in Onitsha, and I have not taken any replacement from him. I am not a troublesome person. In my eight years in this business, I have never had any unresolved issues with my customers except this customer.
“And I want it to be on record that if she is ready for a refund, I can only refund 70% or she picks her dress.”
When asked why she could not make a refund of the purchase price which she had earlier made to the customer, the vendor cited inflationary pressure.
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“Not at all. This 70% is till the end of this year. Because January next month will make it one year that she has abandoned those clothes with me and opted for trouble. The inflation rates have doubled since then,” the vendor said.
“I cannot do that anymore. The more she drags this issue, the more she loses. I don’t really have time to be going back and forth on this.”
FIJ relayed the vendor’s response to the customer and she insisted that the only fair option would be for the vendor to refund the full purchase price of N43,000 and one of the waybill payments of N2,500.
“She charged me for the whole amount and I even called Onyebuchi. He said my vendor would refund the money. I think the issue is from her not Onyebuchi.”
The vendor told FIJ that Onyebuchi had not refunded the money to her.
When FIJ reached Onyebuchi, he confirmed the transaction had taken place. When presented with the vendor’s claim, Onyebuchi told FIJ to ask the customer how much remained to be refunded.
However, the customer said no amount had been refunded to her at press time.
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