ComplaintsforYe Olde Head Shoppe Salon & Spa, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  08/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a gift card from this salon who advertises for massage services on 10/22/21 for my father's birthday. I told the sales clerk I was purchasing it for the amount of a one-hour massage. She told me that the price would be $65.00. No where in the facility was there a sign stating gift cards are non-refundable. Since then, my father has been repeatedly calling asking for a massage appointment. They have not been able to provide one because they do not have a masseuse hired. When he asked for someone to call him when they did hire someone, they refused. After almost a year of no success, I went in today, 08/03/22, asking for a refund so that I could use that money at another salon who can currently offer massage services in this area. The owner rudely advised that is against their policy and that she cannot drag people off the street to provide massage services. She advised boldly that they do not give refunds under any circumstances. I told her that I advised the clerk at the point of purchase that we intended to use it for a massage and that it was unfair of her team to not disclose the absence of a masseuse on staff at the time. I asked her to train her staff to advise people that gift card purchases are non-refundable and advise people of the staffing problem. She told me I had to use the funds given as a gift elsewhere in her facility and suggested I use it myself which makes no sense whatsoever given the gift card was purchased for a purpose explicitly stated to her staff. Due to her inability to provide services purchased, her rudeness in words and body language, and the staff's rudeness overall, I wish to simply get a refund. I would rather much my hard earned money to go another deserving small business owner. I feel it is unethical (perhaps fraudulent) for a business to knowingly take money from patrons and keep it when they cannot provide the requested services. Can you please assist me in getting a refund?

  Business response

  08/09/2022

  I am *****************************, owner of ************ Shoppe, LLC in ********** ******* responding to a complaint that you received from ***************************.

  On 8/03/22 *************************** came into my salon, I excused myself from my client at the time and proceeded to the front desk where I greeted

  ***************** and asked how I could help her. She first thanked me for taking the time out to talk with her and asked for a refund, for a gift certificate that she had purchased. I politely said that they were non-refundable and thats where ***************** turned into, and if I do say so myself not a nice person.  She was very downgrading to me and my staff.  I offered her and exchange of service or products for the price of the gift certificate, but there was no negotiation with her.  When she purchased the gift certificate on 10/22/21 for $65 we did have a massage therapist at the time, but she resigned at the end of December 2021.  Since then I have been trying to hire a new therapist but like so many other businesses, we  have been unsuccessful at doing so. In ***************** words You Have Been INCAPABLE Of Doing So. Since then any gift certificate sold for a Massage the client is under the understanding that they do not expire and that it can be used for another service.   Our gift certificates do not expire so when we are able to provide the service for her father we would be glad to do so, but until then she has the option of exchanging it for another service or product.  We are no different from any other retailer that sells gift certificates.  If the product is no longer available, they will offer an equal exchange.

  For any questions or concerns please feel free to call, ************.

  Thank You,

  *****************************

  Customer response

  08/10/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. 
  

   

  I submitted this case to the Better Business Bureau for assistance on obtaining a refund.  The business owner not only refused to offer a refund for prepaid services but went on to acknowledge that she wants to keep the revenue for services she cannot currently provide.  In fact, her response confirms she does not have a massage therapist on staff and wants my father to continue to wait for an additional and indeterminate amount of time for a massage that was paid for last year.  An unreasonable amount of time has since passed from the date of purchase.  Insistence of further delay is inappropriate and unacceptable.  I specifically stated the intent for my gift card purchase prior to execution of the transaction.  At no time did any staff member nor signage display that gift cards are non-refundable.  Had I known this, I would have actually been an informed customer instead of the uninformed one I am today working against an owner offering no proof a policy that could have been created spontaneously in response to my request to avoid the inconvenience of returning $65.00.   Given that this stringent no-refund policy is intended to be upheld leaves us in an unfair position.  I feel it is unethical for a business owner to acknowledge they received funds and have no ability to provide the service for which she was pre-paid in a reasonable amount of time, particularly since the only one with the ability to rectify the issue is the business owner herself. Moreover, I find it hard to believe that other companies upon learning of the inequity of this policy would stubbornly enforce such a poor customer service philosophy without regard to actual facts.  

   

  It is also important to note that my father has been bald most of his life and has little use for professional salon services, so an "exchange" of any kind is nothing short of a requirement to keep money that will not be spent by my father. Furthermore, an exchange of a product should be distinguished from a purchase of a service.  Products are not exchangeable for services.  In fact, they are so different that ******* sales tax law treats applicability of them differently.  I am currently unaware of any comparable service that would be a good substitute that this business can offer in lieu of that which was purchased.  As such, again, I respectfully request a refund and am more than happy to remit via certified mail this gift card so that it can be properly destroyed by the business owner in the event her software does not allow for actual refunds.  I am also willing to accept a check sent to me via certified mail within 30 days of receipt of the gift card remittance.  My request is not only equitable but returns the parties to the status they were both in prior to this transaction.  Please process the refund as requested.  Thank you.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩