ComplaintsforFree People

• Initial Complaint

  03/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was gifted a pair of free people jeans for Christmas that did not fit me, so I returned them as a gift for store credit. I was provided a return packaging slip, and told I was responsible for mailing the package and would not be provided with a return shipping label. (Even though I later found out that this was incorrect information). After a few weeks went by and I never heard anything about my store credit, I contacted the company who told me the package had been lost and that they would escalate my case and I would receive my store credit soon. After a few more weeks went by and I still had not received anything, I contacted customer service yet again and was told the same information. I waited a few more weeks and still never received anything, so I contacted them once again and was told that my case was being escalated and I would receive my store credit in a few days. Now, just yesterday the person who gifted me the jeans received an email saying that they would not be able to help me and would not honor my return or provide me with a store credit. So, on top of all of the hassle and confusion that I've been through they now have alerted the person that I have returned their gift, which I specifically asked each customer service representative to make sure did not happen.

  Business response

  03/11/2022

  *********,

  Thank you for reaching out regarding your order **********. If you have a copy of your return receipt, please provide a clear photo of it so we can assist you further. Unfortunately, if we do not have a record of the return or a way to track it, we will be unable to issue a refund until it is received in our warehouse. We apologize for the inconvenience. 

  Customer response

  04/12/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I was misinformed of the correct way to return these pants and I would like the courtesy of my refund. This is the fault of your customer service representative. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************
  

  Business response

  04/14/2022

  Hi *******,

  We require the return tracking number or a receipt of your return with **** to offer further assistance. Unfortunately, if we do not have a record of the return or a way to track it, we will be unable to issue a refund until it is received in our warehouse. You will need to contact the postal office you dropped this package off to obtain a receipt for us.  We apologize for the inconvenience. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Cannot get ANY help with my Account issues...I have tried so many times...I am writing to let you know HOW disgusted I am with Freepeople.com. I have tried and tried ordering, and my order ALWAYS gets cancelled. (see enclosures)I have messaged, emailed and texted and all I get AFTER waiting 3 or 5 days is that there is a problem with my account (see attachment of chat 2/27/22)I had a problem with an order around 2018 or 2019 with some type of velour shirts. The shirts were defective something to do with the stitching. I contacted Free People explained the problem to a representative. Free People credited my account BEFORE I shipped the shirts back which I thought was strange, however, I sent the shirts back with the postage label. So WHY is there STILL a problem with my account I'd like to know. As i mentioned, still after almost 2 years, I still cannot get any help. I have written letters, emailed, chatted..NO RESOLVE..

  Business response

  03/08/2022

  I have confirmed that the issue was with order **********. This has been resolved and the customer is free to order. We have sent her an email to let her know. 

  Customer response

  03/09/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Free PEOPLE NEVER emailed me.  Headquarters STILL has not responded to my snail mail .  The dress i wanted in XL is now Not available ...

  Free people's CO BEST be getting new staff all around, because the companies business practice is ATROCIOUS....No wonder they have SO MANY COMPLAINTS on the BBB website.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  03/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I've been a loyal customer with free people for 5 yrs and recently when I try to place a order&it kept getting canceled & found out they decide to block my account due to fraud?? I have no idea what's going on and contacted them via chat ********* phone& email and all they do is a vague answer like I will be contacted within 24~48 hrs which I have never heard back from ever since. I figured with the global pandemic happening a business especially an online business should improve their customer service to be competitive amongst other business. I thought I would take this issue up on BBB to give it another try ,if nothing resolved, I would gladly to spend my money elsewhere. In the end I would like to get my account reopened. Account : ************************

  Business response

  03/03/2022

  Another email was sent out in regards to needing further verification for your online account. Please reach out to our Order Processing department to resolve your account at ************.

  Customer response

  03/03/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:I haven't received email that you mentioned from your order processing department , can you resend them for me?
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************
  

  Business response

  03/13/2022

  We have resent. If you are not receiving these emails, we recommend reaching out to our Order Processing department to resolve your account at ************.

• Initial Complaint

  03/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  seems like i'm not the only one experiencing URBN randomly restricting / blocking accounts!! i placed 4 orders with free people and it keeps getting cancelled and customer service said its due to my account being restricted! this is absurd bc urban had sent me a pair of sweats more than a year ago that were defective and i was sent a new pair to replace them. i returned the old pair at the urban store and yet now they're STILL blocking my account??? clearly they don't value their customers and this has been such a disappointing and frustrating inconvenience.

  Business response

  03/01/2022

   **********: We have looked at the account and the hold stands. If the customer can get the store to call customer service and verify that the item was returned in store then we can look at the account once again. 

  Business response

  03/10/2022

  I am so sorry you did not receive the email. I have sent another one to you in a different system. As well as below. 

  We have received your inquiry about the block on your account. After review of your order history with us, the restriction on your account has been removed.

  You are now able to place orders online or over the phone without issue. 
  
  Should you have any concerns in regards to recently used promotion code/promotion going on during the time of your recent attempt please reference the recently cancelled order number with customer service and they will be glad to honor the promotion code/promotion.  Please do not directly respond to this email.
  
  Please note Urban Outfitters, Inc includes the following brands: Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, BHLDN, and Terrain. Please note the hold will affect all brands.
  
  Sincerely,
  UrbanOutfitters.com

  Customer response

  03/11/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I HAVE NOT TRIED TO ORDER AGAIN YET TO SEE IF THEIR CLAIMS THAT THEY LIFTED THE HOLD ARE TRUE, BUT I FINALLY DID RECEIVE THE EMAIL ALERTING ME OF THE UPDATE.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Free People sent me an incorrect item, which I received the day that I left for a trip. I called Free People to inform them that they had sent the wrong item. They told me I had to return the incorrect item before I'd be sent the right item. I told them that they were legally obligated to not charge me for an unordered item and that they either had to ship me the ordered item or give me a refund. They sent me the ordered item. Months later, on February 4, 2022, they emailed me the attached email saying the following:--Per your recent conversation with our Customer Service team, we have placed a charge on the credit card that you designated. Below will you find a summary of the amount charged back to your designated form of payment.: : : --There was no order information (Just the three colons), amount I was being charged, and no conversation recently or ever where I agreed to be charged for something I never ordered. However, there was a pending charge for $67.45 on my credit card from Free People. I contacted customer service again (from the number in the email), was told to call another number *************). On every level, the representatives insisted that I had to pay the amount I originally paid again for an item that I never ordered. All the details are typed out in the attached email, but the gist is: they don't care if they are charging me illegally (I was told to sue them in court) and that they have always required customers to return unordered merchandise or else they'd be charged. It didn't matter when I told them this was illegal according to the Federal Trade Commission (https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-youre-billed-things-you-never-got-or-you-get-unordered-products).

  Business response

  02/16/2022

  I apologize that you were initially sent the wrong item.  We do require that wrong items be returned to us.  As a one time courtesy you have been refunded for the chargeback.  Please allow 1-3 business days for the refund to be posted to your original method of payment.  

  Business response

  02/20/2022

  a refund was issued on 2/16/2022 for the amount of $67.45.  In order to be refunded for the other charge of $67.45 {Original} the item would have to be returned as the correct item was sent to you and delivered on 12/9.

  Customer response

  02/21/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I accept the refund for the unpaid merchandise, but I reject the business response that their failure to operate legally (by requiring customers to return unordered merchandise before getting what they ordered or a refund for the undelivered ordered merchandise) is a matter of their policy. I request that the BBB forward this complaint to the proper federal, state, and local authorities so that they can take action. It should not take this much effort on the part of the consumer to stop a company from illegally charging their credit card. 

  Regards,
  
  ***************

• Initial Complaint

  01/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 12/22/21 my mother made a purchase in-store. They didn't have her size available so they took a payment and shipping information and promised it will be delivered by mail. My mom paid in cash that they asked to put on a gift card first. She paid $130.45. After two weeks of not receiving the item or any emails with tracking numbers, I contacted customer service on her behalf. I was told that this order number doesn't even exist in their system and after a long conversation, they promised that we will receive a refund via electronic gift card. It's been more than a month and we still didn't receive anything. During this time I contacted customer support several times, contacted order processing, and even went back in person to the local store. I was told that it was most likely a failed web order and that someone will reach out to us about a refund. Noone reached out. The person in the store was really trying to help and also contacted multiple departments and was able to generate a case number for this issue: # ******** and advised me to contact order processing if I don't hear from them in 3 days. It's been another week since then and when I called order processing to check on the refund status they told me they don't see this case and that I need to contact customer service. When I called  10th-time customer service they told me that the gift card was sent in ... NOVEMBER. How is that possible if the order was placed in December? Also, we never received any gift cards from Free People. This is very frustrating spending so much time and going through all this stress to get a simple refund on the item that was never sent to us.

  Business response

  02/17/2022

  Customer was refunded via merchandise card. This card was utilized in-store in November. There is no additional refund to offer.

  Business response

  02/18/2022

  The gift card **************** had the expended funds in the amount of 129.65 which was previously expended on a failed-web-order re-applied on 1/19. These funds may be applied to a future order. 

  Customer response

  02/18/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************** & *************************
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I made an online purchase with Free People on 18 Jan 2022 for 8 items; two pair of sandals valued at $178 each, 1 pair of sandals valued at $108, 4 dresses valued between $70-$99 and a bralette top valued at $58. Total purchase of $932. This order shipped out on 18 Jan 2022 with ********* and was marked as delivered to my mailroom on 21 Jan 2022. Upon seeing an email from Free People that my package was delivered I immediately checked around and outside of my home and then went to my leasing office because i did not receive notification of a package. My mailroom is a secure locker space owned by **************. If a package is delivered a code and locker is sent to the recipient to pick up. I never received this. I called ********* customer service and filed a claim that this package was not delivered. They performed an investigation and concluded that their driver delivered the package so I needed to contact the seller since I didnt receive it. I emailed Free People customer service on 21 Jan 22 to notify them that my package was lost and I wanted a refund or new items sent to me. I called Free People customer service on 22 Jan 22 and filed a claim as well. I called **************, owner of my mailroom, to file a claim and they investigated this claim. My mailroom has cameras within and the lockers have sensors. The confirmed no package from LaaerShip was delivered or even attempted to be delivered to me after checking the delivery history within their system for 21 Jan 22 between 3-4pm. They further had my leasing officer perform a locker audit to check every locker for my package in case it was misdelivered. Again, no package was found. I called Free People customer service back today in which i asked to speak to a supervisor because i emailed all of this information and no one will speak to me about my claim to help me get a refund or new items even after sending evidence of no package delivered. I am getting no assistance from Free People on this issue.

  Business response

  01/25/2022

  *******,

  My apologies for the delay in our response. We are working with our support team to file the investigation on this missing package. Please allow a response in the next 48 business hours or less. Be on the look out for an email soon on the final result as this investigation is completed shortly.

  Sincerely,

  Management. 

  Customer response

  01/25/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that I will await the results of their investigation within the next 48 hours. Due to not receiving my package I am requesting a refund, new merchandise sent or store credit which is my desired result. This issue has not been resolved as of yet, awaiting further information within the next 48hrs. Please leave this case open pending more information from Free People.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************
  

  Business response

  01/26/2022

  *******,

  A full refund has posted back to your original form of payment on 1/25/2022 as a one time courtesy for a non receipt claim. Please allow 1-3 business days or less to see your credit post back.

• Initial Complaint

  01/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I placed an order with free people Order Number: **********. According to tracking this order was "delivered" on 1/13/2022. Also according to tracking, it was handed to an individual who signed. If you look at the name and signature, it does not match my name...at all. I already knew it was not delivered to my address but this irrefutably proves it. I reached out to free people who told me to wait until 1/15/22 for it to show up. I reached back out on 1/17/22 and was told free people would open a claim and investigate and I would hear back by 1/19/22 at the latest. On 1/21/22 I spoke with a representative again who asked me to wait an additional 2 days. This is beyond ridiculous. I then received an email after I advised that representative that I'll be taking further action aka this complaint that told me to file a lost package claim with my police department. Since when is a package that was clearly not delivered to the right location based on the signature that was provided, the responsibility of the buyer? I've been shopping at free people for years and this has only happened to me ONCE before and when it did the Supervisor was super accommodating and provided me a refund as well as 20% off for my hassle. When did the exact same situation become the buyers problem? Absolutely ridiculous.

  Business response

  01/21/2022

  Thank you for contacting us. I do apologize for the negative experience that you have had with your recent order. A full refund has been processed for your order. Please allow 1 to 3 business days for this to appear on your banking statement. We apologize for any inconveniences. Thank you for shopping with us. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On December 31, 2021 I attempted to make a purchase from Free People. One of my payment methods included a gift card in the amount of $34.92. The transaction failed to go through but I saw that the amount on my gift card was taken as if it were successful. Upon contacting customer service I was told I would receive the amount in an egift card so I discarded the old original gift card. Several days go by and I contact customer service again and am told the amount went back onto the original gift card which I no longer have. I did take a screenshot of the gift card number when the order failed to go through on 12/31 though so I have the gift card number on hand.I am then told they can help me help retrieve the pin since I have the number.They direct me to call their gift card service number who says I need to email their customer service instead. Upon emailing customer service I am told I need to call gift card services. They also keep asking for an order number which I must have mentioned 3 times now that I do not have one since the order failed to go through successfully. I was also told by a free people representative that it's company policy to issue egift cards instead of issuing the amount back onto the original gift card. I am being sent in circles after being told several times they would be able to either retrieve a pin, transfer the amount to a new gift card, or issue a new egift card.

  Business response

  01/19/2022

  I sincerely apologize for the wrong information provided.  I have created a new e gift card be sent to you.  That order # ********** will process shortly and be sent electronically.

  Customer response

  01/19/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ** ** *** 
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Im filing a complaint in regards to my order (order # ********** ) that I placed on 01/11/2021 with expedited shipping. On the day of delivery I was home all day. I checked the status of my order periodically so I could check delivery status. To my surprise the package was "delivered" 2 minutes before I checked however there was no package nor did I see a delivery attempted by *** (I have a view of the driveway and front door from my windows). I waited well into the evening to see if maybe it would show up however it did not. I contacted customer service who told me to wait 24-48 hours to see if it gets delivered. I checked with neighbors and even checked a house that mistakenly gets our packages sometimes. I contacted the next day and was told to wait another day. Again no package received, I contacted customer service once more via chat and spoke with Rohit who told me I needed to wait another 48 hrs as the request needed to be escalated. What else do i need to do? I waited two full days and the package was never delivered despite the tracking saying other wise. At this point I would just like a refund as the package was never received. I waited the 48 hrs even though I paid for shipping to be expedited. The package was clearly never delivered to my home. I've ordered from free people and their sister stores and I'm disappointed in their lack of customer service from their chat agents. I truly hope this issue can be resolved as I am a frequent shopper.

  Business response

  01/31/2022

  We apologize for this inconvenience. After review, we have confirmed that your order has been refunded as of 1/19/2022.

  Customer response

  02/01/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  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. ↩