Whimsical Wears still hasn't come. What should I do?

[whittyanne]

Well I think I've been more than patient at this point. I placed my Whimsical Wears order the last night of the co-op, got the confirmation from Kim and waited.

I received an email from her over Thanksgiving confirming that it was late but she was working on it and that it would ship end of the week.

Mid-December it still wasn't here, meanwhile my neighbor who ordered long had hers (she placed her order later in the night after me), as well as someone else I know on these boards. So I emailed Kim again and she said it was shipping that week. That was December 13th.

Well I emailed her early January since I still hadn't gotten it - and she said it had shipped, but her husband mailed them with no delivery confirmation. She asked the PO and they said to give it up to 30 days.

It's been well over 30 days now, so I've emailed Kim and asked for a refund and she's not responding to me at all. I keep trying to give her the benefit of the doubt and even now I'm thinking, "well maybe she's away and not on email" but I'm finding it harder and harder to be patient.

I've read all the posts and know she is sick, and I completely feel for her, but this is really unprofessional. She's had my money since OCTOBER. I placed and order and trust when I sent her money via Paypal and I still have no bag.

I can't help but feel like part of it too is that I'm a lurker, not a regular on these boards. My neighbor is one of the more frequent posters on here (who placed it after me) and she got hers with no problem.

Anyway, at this point I just want my money back - it's a matter of princial. What should I do?

[writeleigh]

Hi. I have ordered a bag from WW before and had very good customer service, but I do know from other posts that some have had similar difficulty. Like you said, I know she is sick and I think the co-op orders overwhelmed her. On the other hand, she did take that on and has an obligation to either get the bags done or offer full refunds. I think it is reasonable for you to want a refund at this point. Sorry you're still bagless :(

[jamsmu]

Well, you either need a refund or a product--you didn't sign on to make a donation!

We all understand what it is like to be sick, and we all feel for Kim. But this is clearly irresponsible. It is business, as money exchanged hands, and it needs to be followed up, with either product or a refund.

I wish I had more advice. I wonder if there are others who still haven't had their orders cleared up? Maybe they can state what they are doing to rectify the situation. I would hate for you all to have to fight over it, but you do deserve what you pay for--or the money back.

[turtledove]

Check your email, I sent you something.

[jasabo]

I agree with you - I'd ask her for a refund. It's not at all professional how she's handled this, which is sad b/c she offered great customer service when she first sold to us. She actually posted initially in response to complaints about bad Ella customer service which she said was completely unprofessional. She offered her bags as an alternative and promised great c/s, which she did have at first. So she must be pretty sick or something bad must be happening for her to completely slack off like this. Not that there's an excuse, IMO - when you run a business, the customer comes first. If you can't deliver, be honest and refund the money.

I know how frustrated you must be. Do you have her phone number? If she's not answering her email, I'd try calling her.

As for you being a lurker, I can't imagine that has anything to do with it. Kim didn't seem the type to do something like that. I think it's just the "luck of the draw." When she sold us our first bags in her first co-op, I was one of the "test subjects" and placed one of the first bag orders and I got mine very late in the game after others received theirs, and I post fairly frequently here. I just think she does the bags in the order that she receives fabric.

Anyway, I hope you get this settled. Good luck.
Lisa - mom to 19 month old twin boys

[debbiet.]

They can refund you....And handle the dispute.
I have had "deadbeat" vendors and handled it this way.

I went on the metrodiet, and cancelled first day.
They billed me for a whole month and the cc company refunded/
took care of this.

Deb

[R2sweetboys]

I haven't gotten my bag either. I posted last week wondering if anyone had heard from Kim as I certainly hadn't. I had emailed her almost a week prior to posting here. The next day after posting, I got a reply. It was very short, saying it will be mailed out on Wednesday and that she is feeling better. I really hope that is true, but it's hard to be sure at this point. I at least expected an apology for the major delay.

I actually ordered three bags. My handbag was cancelled at the beginning of December. I wasn't very happy about that as it had been two months since I ordered it and I was so excited about it. I spent lots of time finding the fabric and designing it. The second bag came a couple of days before Christmas bascically because I really pushed as it was a Christmas present. The third has yet to come.

I too am more quiet here and wonder if that is a factor. I've been really patient and nice, maybe too much. I understand that she had morning sickness but it is still possible to send an email to let her customers know what is going on. I wish you luck in getting resolution to this, one way or another.
~Leslie

SAHM to...
Ryan 8/14/00
Matthew 2/14/03

[Jen516]

Whit,

As you know, I am not a regular here and though my bag was late, it was delivered eventually. Kim did email me and told me that she could not complete my order, and a few minutes later I got a refund from PayPal. I have to say that I was very disappointed that she could not finish my order, but I did receive a very prompt refund.

I am sure Kim is not withholding your money on purpose. Is there any possibility she has not seen your recent emails? Is there a possibility she sent the bag and it is just not there yet? Can you request that she refund your money through a PayPal alert?

Either way this stinks! I'm sorry you had a crappy experience. I was not thrilled with my experience but I have to say that I love my bag and get tons of compliments on it! I hope you gets yours (or your money) very soon!

[whittyanne]

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses. I received an email from Kim late last night. She said she's been out of town on a family emergency which is why she didn't respond.

She says it hasn't been 30 days yet, but it was December 13th so I'm writing her back to say it has. She also told me that once items leave her possession (get shipped) that she is no longer liable. So I'm assuming that means I'm SOL, which I find really unprofessional. I'm responding and will keep you guys updated.

Leslie - I wonder if anyone else hasn't received theirs?

[whittyanne]

Deb, I paid via Paypal. I know I can submit a claim but I'm still trying to give Kim the benefit of the doubt.

If it comes to that though, I don't have a problem doing it.

[bethdg1]

Ugh, what a load of crap. I, too, ordered from Kim during the last co-op and I am less than pleased with my bag. I had to send it back for her to fix the straps that were not sewn together correctly and it was returned to me worse than before I sent it back. I sent her an email but no response. I feel like I wasted $65.00. I understand morning sickness but her behavior and her "customer service" has not been the least bit professional.

If I were you, I would contact paypal to see if you have any recourse and the Better Business Bureau of Mobile, Alabama and file a complaint against Whimsical Wears. I am this close to doing it myself.

[Toba]

Okay, I'm trying to compose myself as I just got an e-mail from Kim. I purchased two bags, both with matching changing pads and makeup bags. They were beyond late. I was one of the first to order (in the initial ten) and she told me that it would take three to four weeks. It took more than three months to receive them and many e-mails. I understand that she was hit with the hurricaine, but her initial deadline was well before the hurricaine. I was never offered an explaination or apology as to why it took so long.

Anyway, my bags came in different shipments. The last bag to arrive was incorrect. The pattern was reversed (the inside was supposed to be outside), the hardware was two different colors and the flap was sewn badly. She told me I could return them. I e-mailed her for her address (my husband had thrown away the box they came in) and got no reponse. I knew it took a long time to get a response from her, so I was patient. Shortly thereafter, she announced that she was closing because she had morning sickness problems, etc. I e-mailed her a few more times, asking for her address. No reply.

I tried again this weekend, and finally got an answer. She said that because it's been 60 days (which it hasn't), she won't accept them. I replied that I don't think I should be penalized for being patient with her. I am really very upset. I spoke to Kim a few times on the phone and I just did not see this type of customer service coming from the other end of the phone. I spent over $200 on bags and now I can't return a defective one because I was trying to patient with her??? I'm hoping that she re-thinks this after she gets my e-mail and does the right thing.


~Kimberly Anne~
Noah Nevan, March 12, 2004
*the light of my life*

[ShayleighCarsensMom]

With paypal I believe you only have 30 days to submit your claim, unless you paid with your CC via paypal...then you can fight the charge on your card.
I really hope she is okay, and I am sorry your havent gotten your bag.

[ShayleighCarsensMom]

I would say that if it were ebay, it is not her responsibility...but what if you ordered something from diaperbags.com per say...they would be responsible tha the package reaches you...and if it doesnt they are SOL.
I am so sorry, I hope that she takes care of this for you.

[bethdg1]

Don't hold your breath, Kimberly. I donated my defective bag to the women's shelter at church.

[dowlinal]

Even on E-bay unless there is a disclaimer in the listing the general rule is that if one party is a merchant and the other is a regular customer then the merchant is responsible until the item reaches the customer. That's why so many of the ads explicitly say that the seller takes no responsiblity after shipping. AS far as I know there was nothing said during the co-op about this so I would think that WW is responsible until the bag is in your hands.

[jamsmu]

I can't believe so many people have had problems, and I'm so sorry for you all. I think that, collectively, if it comes down to it, you can all report your issues somewhere. Maybe you all paid with VISA or something? I hate that this is a member of the boards, but there is no excuse that so many people were basically cheated by what sounds to be terrible customer service. Perhaps submit a claim to an internet authority?

[tina-t]

I am having a problem too. I never received my second bag and I just emailed her 2 days ago. She replied that for all the orders that she could not fill, she had sent refunds last Dec. But I never received a refund. I sent her another email asking for the refund.

I'm hoping to get a resolution on this too.

[R2sweetboys]

I am in utter amazement at all that I'm reading here. I too have been giving Kim the benefit of the doubt and have been very nice and patient. I can't believe that she has scr*wed so many people over. Sorry for the choice of words, but that's really what it is. I have a hard time trusting someone who repeatedly lies and makes up excuses. There is NO excuse for her behavior.

Whit-I too wonder who else didn't get a bag/refund. She never mentioned anything to me about a family emergency when she emailed me on Sunday. I'm not buying it. I would be IRATE if she told me I was SOL because the bag never arrived. I wouldn't let it end there, that's for sure. She needs to provide you with a receipt PROVING she(oh, that's right,her husband) mailed it. The USPS provides a receipt every time. "The post office lost it" is the oldest excuse in the book. If it was undeliverable to you, it would have been returned to sender.

Kimberly Anne- I can't believe she has the nerve to tell you she won't accept it due to a non-existant deadline. If she made it wrong, she needs to fix it! These bags weren't cheap. What is her excuse for not returning your emails asking for an address?

Christina- I would definitely pursue this further. You have proof with your Paypal account that you didn't receive a refund. She never even emailed you to tell you your second bag wasn't coming and that you were getting a refund?

We have all been patient and kind and look where it's gotten us. Kim, I'm sure you must be reading these posts. At this point, you really need to be honest with your remaining customers and get this straightened out.
~Leslie

SAHM to...
Ryan 8/14/00
Matthew 2/14/03

[whittyanne]

Hey all. Thought you'd want to hear the latest. I emailed Kim back saying that I basically thought it was unprofessional, and that she had a responsibility as a business woman to do good work and to deliver a product to her clients. Anyhow, I thought I was nice about it -- or tried to be anyway.

She's responded to say she will mail me a check. She closed her Paypal account so she can't refund money that way. She asked me to resend my address - which I did, so hopefully something will come in the mail.

[Toba]

I've been e-mailing with her back and forth for the last day. She says that she sent me two e-mails with her address so that I could return my items. I NEVER received a single e-mail from her. She never responded to any of the e-mails that I sent her either. I am beyond furious. This bag was defective ... not my fault. She says she thought I decided to keep it ... why would I keep a defective bag??? I've already called my credit card company and they are sending me the paperwork to fill out (they said I will get my money back). I told her that if she doesn't make it right by the end of today, I am filing with PayPal (which I know I won't get any satisfaction from, but it's necessary so they don't close my PayPal account when they get the chargeback from my own credit card company) and then with my credit card company.


~Kimberly Anne~
Noah Nevan, March 12, 2004
*the light of my life*

[AdoptChina]

Hopefully the check will come faster than the bag lol ;)

[tina-t]

I just received an email from Kim that she will send me a check. Hope that it comes.

[Truska]

I'm sorry to bring this thread back up, but I posted briefly yesterday on the Babybags Swap site, ISO of a similar bag to the one that I ordered (*very* early on) in the co-op, and was told to check here, that I might find some people of a similar experience.

I received an email from Kim in December, I believe (after posting on her Yahoo group, wondering where my bag might be), telling me that she had mailed the bag out in October, and that it was out of her hands now, and that it could've gotten lost in the mail. There was nothing she could do, as it was shipping to Canada, there was no tracking number. I felt just stuck, and I didn't know what to do, so, honestly, I kind of wrote it off, *very* disappointed. I even called our customs office, to see if I could somehow find out if it had entered the country, and they had no way to check. I also called our post office, but again, they couldn't help without a tracking number. For some reason, I assumed (you know what they say when you assume...I should know better) that the package would be insured. While I spent less than many of you, this was still quite a bit of money for me (and, once you convert it to CDN, it's that much more), and I'm just upset. Now I see that maybe there's a pattern. Disappointed and upset, I guess.

I checked my paypal history, and I paid for it using funded paypal on August 26, 2004, so, really, I don't have much of a recourse, right?

Thanks for listening!

[bluej]

Wow, someone needs to look into the post office Kim uses. They seem to lose a lot of her packages. Yes, read that with heavy sarcasm.

I'm sorry you didn't get your bag (or your money since you didn't get a bag). Unfortunately since you used funded paypal I don't think there is anything you can do. I suppose you could write Kim and tell her you don't believe for one minute that she mailed your bag and you want a refund. What do you have to lose at this point?

[writeleigh]

I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience. From your words, I can really sense your disappointment, and can understand- when you get excited about a new bag and all it can be very hard :( Obviously, there's not much I can say to help you at all, just wanted you to know I sympathize with you.

[Truska]

>I suppose you could write Kim and tell her you don't believe for one >minute that she mailed your bag and you want a refund. What do you
>have to lose at this point?

I guess I could do that...I found an email address when I searched my paypal history. Thanks.

[Truska]

>I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience. From your words,
>I can really sense your disappointment, and can understand-
>when you get excited about a new bag and all it can be very
>hard :( Obviously, there's not much I can say to help you at
>all, just wanted you to know I sympathize with you.

I appreciate the thoughts. I guess I'm just surprised to see that others experienced this as well...I didn't expect that.

[Toba]

....

~Kimberly Anne~
Noah Nevan, March 12, 2004
*the light of my life*

[R2sweetboys]

Hey Jenn, I'm actually glad you did bring this thread up again. I'm the one who posted over on babybags because I too am really disappointed in Kim's lack of professionalism. Here's my story...

I ordered 3 bags from her at the end of the co-op(Sept 30?). I waited patiently and finally heard in early December that one of my bags(the one I wanted the most of course!) wasn't coming. The fabric was no longer in stock and that was it. There was no offer to do another fabric. I understood because she was apparently overwhelmed,etc. She supposedly had bad morning sickness and couldn't even get on her computer. Then, I ended up having to email her several times to push to get one of the other bags as it was a Christmas present. Fortunately, it did come a couple of days before Christmas.(cute but missing a couple of options requested) At that point I was still waiting on a backpack for myself. I was so desperate to get the bag that was the gift that I said not to worry about the backpack until after the holidays.(yes,to be nice and VERY patient,IMO)

Mid January came around and I still hadn't heard anything at all from Kim. When you know someone has been exceedingly patient with you, it seems the least you can do is communicate and let them know what's going on! People started posting here wondering what was going on and what to do. I was one of those people and I didn't care if Kim saw it. It was obvious based on the posts that others were also being taken advantage of. Apparently, one of Kim's friends alerted her to the posts. She emailed me saying that she didn't appreciate the comments and that she wasn't sending my "finished"(yeah right!!) backpack. She did send a check which very unfortunately got ruined when something was spilled on it. It was my fault completely but she did not return my email asking for another refund via Paypal or check or to just send the bag. So I'm still out $70+.

Gosh, sorry that was so long. I just couldn't believe her lack of professionalism. And then the "I'm not sending your bag because you spoke ill of me" just struck me as very immature. I would NOT accept this as over if I were you. I'd email her letting her know that you don't believe her excuse about the post office and to REFUND YOU! It is NOT your fault that her husband sent it out without tracking or insurance.(and no, I do not believe it was ever made or sent,just my opinion) She can't just say "sorry, your loss". Let us know if you get anywhere. Good luck,
~Leslie

SAHM to...
Ryan 8/14/00
Matthew 2/14/03

[Buffys Mommy]

I wasn't part of this coop, but feel horrible for all of you who were victims. I was scammed by someone on ebay and it makes me so mad to see moms screwed. Here was an e-mail I received from someone else scammed by the same person.

File a complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) - The IFCC is partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center. The IFCC will review and evaluate complaints and refer information to the appropriate local, state, or federal agency. Every complaint that is referred by the IFCC is sent to
one or more law enforcement or regulatory agencies that have jurisdiction over that matter. You can file a complaint with the IFCC at:

http://www.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp

I don't know if it will help at this point, but...

I can't believe anyone in business would refuse to send a finished product just because of comments on an internet board.

Tammie
Momma to Sarah Michelle 10/13/03

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif[/img][/url] 18 months and counting

[Truska]

I just typed up an email to send to Kim at the address that I had used to Paypal her the money for my bag, and it came back undeliverable. So, seeing as how I had been at her site last week, and remembered that while it was closed, the page still had a bit of info, and an email. I went to get it, and the page has changed, and now this is what is states:

"Dear Valued Customers,

I would like to thank you for all the well wishes and kind thoughts you have sent me in the last few months and working with me on getting your orders or refunds out to you.

Over the last few months I have spent much time reflecting on my family and my business, and the direction I wished to take both of them. For three years I ran a very successful small business from my home, but at a price I am not willing to pay again. While I loved what I did and enjoyed working with my customers, I know that my family needs to come first and that my children should not have to compete with my customers for my time. As many of you know I often would work late into the night and would wake early in the morning to start it all again. With four children and a husband I know that I could not return to working like that again.

Many of you have asked if I will reopen. I get letters and calls daily asking when I will work again or have diaper bags available to sell, the answer at this time is that I do not plan to reopen Whimsical Wears, our internet store or our eBay store. I am expecting a new baby in June and I plan to devote my time to her and our three other children. This is where I need to be now and I feel at peace with this decision.

According to my records, all orders have been shipped or refunded, as have any repaired items. Please note that I am not responsible for items once they were shipped from my home or left the post office. I have made a reasonable effort in helping locate any lost packages or making refunds to customers according to the policies on the website and eBay store.

Thank you for a wonderful three years of business.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Wright-Knowles

Owner, Whimsical Wears

[email protected]"

This wasn't how it looked mid-last week, I know that for sure.

I am still going to send my email to Kim, at the address provided, but don't necessariy expect to hear anything back.

I'm going to post it here as well, on the off-chance that Kim sees it. If nothing else, I'll feel like I tried.

Thanks for everyone's info and support, and if I'm out of line at all here, I apologize.

~Jenn
************************************************** ********************

My email to Kim:
Hi Kim,

I was part of the BBB co-op of last August. I never ended up receiving my bag from you. It was in Amy Butler fabrics, with numerous "extra" options (inlucing cosmetic case), and I paid you via funded paypal last August 26th, 2004. Around the end of October, you let me know that the bag had been sent out, and that it was now out of your hands if it didn't arrive. It has never arrived. I'm sorry, but I fully expected it to be sent out with insurance, as I was never offered that option. Had I been offered and declined, I would understand, and this would be completely my fault. But, because it wasn't offered, I assumed that that was standard. Apparently not, and I'm now without a bag (that I must admit I was looking quite forward to, as this was my first foray into custom/personalized diaper bags, and had only heard wonderful things about you, and your customer service/craftmanship), and without my $62USD.

I undersatnd that you haven't been well, and for that, I am very, very sorry. But to simply say that it was shipped, and is now out of your hands is completely unacceptable. If you're not going to send the bag, I would appreciate a refund. That seems fair.

If you're wondering why I’m only now contacting you about a refund, well, it's because I posted an ISO looking for a WW bag in similar fabrics on the babybags swap group, explaining that my bag had been lost in the mail. I was pointed to a couple of threads on the BB boards, detailing that mine may not be the only bag that was *lost* in the mail. While I realize that I'm in Canada, I've never had any issues receiving anything.

For the record, the bag was purchased by Jennfier *****, and to be mailed to ****. My new mailing address is Jennifer ****. My paypal address is: ****. Oh, my previous email was: ****

Please respond, as I'd appreciate knowing what is going to be done about this.

Thank you.
~Jennifer
************************************************** ********************
ETA: The email on her website doesn't work either. That email was also returned.

[LD92599]

Jen:

I'm sending you a PM w/ possible more info.

Laura
mom to William
3.5.2003

LKibala at optonline dot net

http://homepage.mac.com/ld14m

[jamsmu]

Well that sucks, Jenn. I can't believe how lousy the whole situation was for you. Sounds like she was tipped off to this discussion and tried to cover her butt with that letter.

There is absolutely no excuse.

I'm so sorry you were "burned."

[Truska]

>Sounds like she was tipped off to this
>discussion and tried to cover her butt with that letter.

I kind of had the same thoughts, unfortunately.

Laura, I'll look for your PM. Thank you.

Sorry, I guess I should let this thread die, eh?! Sorry!

[AAHHmom]

While I realize that she says she is not responsible once packages leave her house. If the tracking number she gave you is invaild she has no proof what so ever that she shipped your bag.

[Truska]

>While I realize that she says she is not responsible once
>packages leave her house. If the tracking number she gave you
>is invaild she has no proof what so ever that she shipped your
>bag.
>
>

Unfortunately, there was no tracking number, as it's optional when shipping to Canada, and I didn't specifically request it.

Well, here's my update...I heard from Kim (one of the several addresses worked, even though it showed as "Undeliverable"), and, well, she's offered to refund half of my money. I'm inclined to take it, simply because, up until a few days ago, I had completely written it off. It's only that to these boards, as well as the Yahoo group that I found out about some possible issues.

Thanks, everyone! While it's not the bag (which truly would've been ideal!), or a full refund, I'm content.

[jasabo]

Jenn, can I ask why she's only refunding you half your money? That's a very strange way for her to "resolve" the issue. You'd think she'd either stick by her story that she mailed it and refuse to refund you money, or admit that she never mailed it and refund all your money.

I know it's not even the money that's the issue for you, but terrible customer service like this just bugs me to no end.

Lisa - mom to 22 month old twin boys

[Truska]

>Jenn, can I ask why she's only refunding you half your money?
>That's a very strange way for her to "resolve" the issue.
>You'd think she'd either stick by her story that she mailed it
>and refuse to refund you money, or admit that she never mailed
>it and refund all your money.
>
>I know it's not even the money that's the issue for you, but
>terrible customer service like this just bugs me to no end.
>
>Lisa - mom to 22 month old twin boys

Good point, Lisa. To paraphrase what she wrote (not sure if it's fair to post her email):
~she hadn't heard from me in 4 months (I have a pretty valid/personal reason, and I just kind of hibernated for awhile), so she didn't know if I had or had not received the bag (she last heard from me in December)
~insurance was optional on all orders, not her responsbility to provide it, clearly stated on her website
-one of the reasons she didn't ship to Canada or overseas was because of the lack of tracking abilities (I personally ship to the US all of the time, and can get a confirmation number, so I know if it's been delivered)

Simply, we're both out time and money. She does not know for sure if the package arrived, and must blindly trust that it didn't (as she hasn't heard from me in 4 months), as I must blindly trust that it was in fact, shipped out. Apparently, she shipped out hundreds of orders, and some were returned to her home or lost. All customers either received their finished product or a refund (when she was able to have a DC number, which wasn't possible when shipping to Canada).

Apparently, I should've contacted her sooner.

While I'm still not thrilled with this (in re-reading it, it's the fact that I should've contacted her sooner that I have issues with...yes, I should've, but I just wasn't up to dealing with diaper bag issues when I had other stuff going on that took *major* precedence, sorry), do I have a valid reason to push further? Sorry, I'm not good at making these decisions, so any thoughts are appreciated!

[jasabo]

Thanks for clearing that up. I can understand why you would have let it fall down your priority list...in the big scheme of things, it's not that big of a deal. But it still doesn't sound like she provided you with good c/s in the beginning, which has been a complaint from others too. I should say that I ordered one bag from her during the first group sale about a year ago, and I was very happy with the bag and her c/s, so I was really surprised when so many people had problems with her (just didn't want it to sound like I have a grudge against her or something :) )

It's probably not worth your time and all the hassle to push it any further just to get an additional $20 or $30. I would probably just take what I could get and chalk it up to a lesson learned.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience.

Lisa - mom to 22 month old twin boys

[masetane]

This person is a disgusting salesperson. If you want to find her, PM email me and I'll help you. I have some pretty good friends who can help me find leads. I got screwed by an ebay seller and I finally was able to track down her real name, home number and it all got resolved. I would definitely report her to authorities. Of course she closed down - no one liked her business. What a nasty nasty person. She should refund you for her error. I'm serious - email me and I'll help you track her down. I hate people who think they can get away with this crap

Caroline
http://fool.exler.ru/sm/ma.gif
Isabelle 10/1/00
Nicholas 2/27/03
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Birthdaycakeideas/

[pritchettzoo]

I just noticed this thread yesterday and wanted to stay out of it because I had no answers. But this seems a little over the edge to me.

I organized the co-op. I have no affiliation with Whimsical Wears other than being a happy customer who wanted to share a good deal with my BBB friends, and I received nothing in return for organizing the co-op.

Right around when most of the orders were coming in, Hurricane Somebody (don't remember the name--category 4/5) hit where Kim lives. Her house was severely damaged as was the entire area. She had no power, no internet access, etc. Her local supply places were damaged by the hurricane and closed, so she couldn't get materials or anything except online. Her mail delivery was screwed up because mail trucks couldn't get through due to downed trees, ruined bridges, etc. Shortly thereafter, she was pleasantly surprised by a pregnancy and then unpleasantly with the hyperemesis that goes along with it. Her grandfather passed away. Her FIL was terminally ill and her family was travelling back and forth to deal with that. She has 3 children and a husband to care for. Due to her personal life, she chose to close her business and refund outstanding orders.

As far as I saw on the yahoo group, which I kept open until the LAST MONTH (the co-op began in Aug/Sept) to make sure things were resolved, most of the orders were refunded. People were unhappy with the refunds rather receiving the product, but they got their money back.

So now the issue is that someone has gone 4 months without complaining of a lost package (due to personal issues of her own) and YOU WANT TO TRACK KIM DOWN? What the heck would you do once you found her? I don't think ANY business would give you the time of day about a 4-month-old lost package. If I sold something on ebay and didn't hear from the person for 4 months, I would tell them to go jump in a lake! I think offering half the amount is more than most businesses would do in this situation.

It's a diaper bag. I had a horrible experience with another WAHM diaper bag. I got a complete piece of crapola and never got a refund or the bag fixed, and I was even prompt in my complaint to the business. I didn't track the women down. I posted negative reviews and moved on with my life. Because really, it's just a freaking diaper bag.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and a BOY! (coming July '05)

[Laela]

After reading all these posts, I'd have to disagree with you Anna. It's not like Whitney was quiet for 4 months - Kim was emailed multiple times, from what I have read. Yes, it is very unfortunate that Kim had to go through all the troubles she has, but she had an obligation to fufill and she did not. That means she should refund the FULL amount if she could not go through with the order. No one should blame Kim for not being able to handle the massive amounts of orders during her troubles, but she can definitely be blamed for giving customers the run-around and not delivering when she promised to.

It's not JUST a diaper bag. Taking someone's money for a product that was never delivered is STEALING. And just giving back half the amount is not acceptable. It was not her money to begin with.

Just adding my 2 cents.

[whittyanne]

Well that just sucks Jenn. I wanted to respond since I was the original poster of this thread.

Kim did indeed send me a full refund shortly after the entire incident/posting. And the bag never did come - she asked me to send it back if it did but it never came.

Anyway, the entire situation was a shame and I feel badly for everyone involved.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I am pretty sure that calling someone "disgusting" and "nasty" is against the rules here.

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/superpower.gif http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/borntobebreastfed2.gif

[pritchettzoo]

I don't think you are following the thread accurately.

The original post by Whittyanne was back in January--she has just posted an update that she did in fact receive her entire refund. An entirely different poster (Truska) pulled it back up this week and said that she didn't receive her bag but hadn't contacted Kim in over 4 months due to "valid personal reasons." Kim, who has never lied to nor deceived me so I have no reason not to believe what she says, states she mailed the bag--so she did fulfill the order 4+ months ago. If you sold something on ebay and shipped it out according to the terms of the sale and then didn't hear from the person for more than 4 months, would your not refunding the entirety of the money be called stealing?

My issue is with the person to whom I was replying who had offered to TRACK HER DOWN for her. WTH? Where is threatening someone's home and family in any way appropriate for a BUSINESS dispute?

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and a BOY! (coming July '05)

Edited to correct names

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I own 5 Whimsical Wears bags, 3 of them came from the last co-op. Due to the hurricane, death and illness in her family and her severe morning sickness that left her unable to work, Kim was unable to complete the accessories I had ordered. She refunded my money.

I think that you will find that there are far more satisfied customers than not.

I love my bags and I am glad I got them. The experience was nothing but pleasant for me. The only glitch was waiting for the fabrics to come in after the hurricane (totally understandable and not her fault!), but I got emails from Kim and even a phone call during that time to let me know.

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/superpower.gif http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/borntobebreastfed2.gif

[pritchettzoo]

Lesli, I believe Kim told you she would issue you a new check as soon as you returned the ruined one to her. Have you sent the old check back to her yet?

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and a BOY! (coming July '05)

[papal]

I'm sorry but I do think your statements are WAY over the top. This is another mom we are talking about, who has a family, a life and has been having a lot of problems these past few months. I can understand you might be frustrated about not recieving a refund and/or diaper bag but there is no need to be threatening her.. that is really uncalled for.

[papal]

I'm sorry but I do think your statements are WAY over the top. This is another mom we are talking about, who has a family, a life and has been having a lot of problems these past few months. I can understand you might be frustrated about not recieving a refund and/or diaper bag but there is no need to be threatening her.. that is really uncalled for.