When Alaina Chargois orders an outfit from an online marketplace called Afrikrea, she receives the wrong item. But after she returns it, the merchant doesn’t respond — and it won’t refund her $230. What should she do?
Question
I ordered a custom outfit from Afrikrea, an online market that sells clothing, jewelry, art and accessories. I received the shipment, but it wasn’t the pattern I ordered and didn’t fit.
I contacted the seller, who did not respond until I sent an email that the return package was back in their city, waiting to be picked up. The seller asked if I’d like a replacement or a refund, but then stopped responding.
I reached out to the Afrikrea site via email and Instagram and didn’t get any support from them either. Can you help me get a refund for the $230 I spent on the outfit, please? I’ve been waiting for three months. — Alaina Chargois, Washington, D.C.
Answer
Obviously, the merchant on Afrikrea should have sent you the right outfit. Based on what you’ve shared with me, it looks as if you received the wrong dress, and the merchant just ignored you when you returned the package.
But there are a few issues. First, it looks as if you returned the outfit without a return authorization. Typically, a merchant will pay for your return or at least provide a barcode for a FedEx or UPS package so you can return it to the right place. It looks as if you sent the package back to the merchant and then notified the business. (Related: This Apple Vacations voucher doesn’t work! Can I get my money back?)
Also, it appears that you didn’t contact the platform until after you tried to work out the return with the merchant. I think you should have let Afrikrea know about the problem before — not after — you tried to return it. (Either way, you could have used my tips for resolving any consumer dispute.)
What are your rights if your return never makes it?
Technically, the burden is on you to make sure that a business receives your return package. That said, you still have some rights — and responsibilities. (Related: Do travelers deserve bad customer service?)
Your responsibilities
- Take a picture of the merchandise in the package before you seal it.
- Send the package with a return receipt.
- Make sure you double-check the return address.
And track the package until you have a return receipt. Keep that information just in case the merchant claims that it didn’t receive the return. (We’ve had that happen.)
Your rights
- The business must follow its return policy. If it doesn’t, that would be considered an unfair and deceptive package and is a violation of the law. (Related: The biggest complaint mistake you’ll ever make.)
- The company should cover the expense of your return, particularly if the merchandise is defective. If you just don’t like the color, you may have to pay for the return.
- If you sent the package to the correct address and followed the return instructions and the business received your package, you should receive a return within one week. If you don’t, you can consider a credit card dispute to claw your money back.
Of course, some businesses ignore your rights — and indeed, ignore you — when you have a return problem. That’s where we come in.
What did Afrikrea have to say about this case?
I checked with Afrikrea about your package. It says you reached out to the platform via its customer care email address (yeswecare@afrikrea.com) to let it know that you wanted to return your article. An Afrikrea representative says the company replied the same day asking for the order number in order to process your request.
“With no response from her, we did not proceed with her case,” the representative said.
There might be an explanation for all of this. It’s possible that you reached out to the merchant and Afrikrea and that they responded. But the emails might have gone to your spam folder. You might have also tried to call Afrikrea. The number is (929) 999-5810.
You reached out to my advocacy team. I contacted the company on your behalf. Afrikrea responded quickly and gave you a full refund.
