I’m writing this because I need to warn others about how quickly a great shopping experience can sour. I was a loyal customer for a long time—"I loved this store so much that I came the day of their opening as I was following them on insta for a while. I’ve been a loyal customer ever since and have told my friends about it." But then I had to make a return. I purchased a costly dress right before closing, meaning I didn't have time to try it on, and then, crucially, I was prevented from returning it promptly because my travel was heavily impacted by the protest and activities near Columbia. When I tried to explain this situation, the response was completely inflexible. My overwhelming feeling was this
>"They did not care about any of the things I explained and unfortunately lost a customer. It’s preposterous. I felt valued as a customer until I had to make a return.
>I was compelled to reach out to Customer Service hoping for a shred of understanding, and this is how that conversation went
>Customer: I’m contacting you about an expensive dress I bought. I need to return it, but I’m a few days past the standard return window, which happened because I bought it right before closing and then couldn't physically get back to the store due to the heavy protest activity near Columbia
>If you have any queries with regards to wherever and how to use GraceQueens Global Fashion, you can contact us at our website. CS Rep: I understand you are seeking an exception to our standard 14-day return policy due to travel difficulties. While we appreciate your loyalty, our policy dictates that returns must be processed within that 14-day window to be eligible for a refund or store credit
>Customer: But I’m explainin
>wh
>I couldn't get back. This wasn't just me forgetting; there were major public safety issues in the area. Are you telling me that despite being a long-time customer and facing unavoidable external impacts, there is zero room for empathy or flexibility on a costly item
>CS Rep: I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and the frustration this situation has caused. We do recognize the difficulties presented by the local protests. Let me check with my supervisor immediately to see if we can offer a one-time exception for store credit, given your documented history with us and the unique circumstances you described. Please hold for two minutes
>Customer: Okay, thank you. I really hope we can resolve this
>The reason I left this review on the website is to hopefully prevent others from falling into the same trap
>