Consider Long and Hard Before Ordering from Folica.com!
Written: Jan 10 '09 (Updated Feb 08 '09)
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Folica.com has a great selection of products, and a user-friendly website, but I am sorry to say that I have to write a negative review about folica.com. I ordered a Solia flattening iron that was on sale for a terrific price. I specifically selected this unit because it had all the features I want. I opted out of the more expensive Sedu because it did not mention having a swivel cord, which is very important to me because I have a small master bathroom area with outlets very close together. The Solia unit not only featured a swivel cord in the product description, but folica.com has posted reviews noting this feature.
I ordered the unit on 12/28, and although the "gift" portion of my order, a 2-year extended warranty and a special heat-protecting pouch/mat was backordered (seems like a common theme with them), my flattening iron did ship--although I had to call customer service to determine this. I actually got an e-mail stating the entire order was backordered, but when I called to check, I was told the unit had actually shipped. Again, a common theme with them according to other reviews.
I received the product on 1/6--seemed a little long. I used it and was very pleased. But by the 2nd or 3rd use, I noticed the cord was getting tangled, and realized it was NOT a swivel cord. I went back on the website--yup swivel cord specified and pictured.
I figured they just shipped me an older unit accidentally. Calling folica.com this time was as bad as everyone else says. Long hold times, and extremely indifferent agents. I phoned and got a male, who put me through to "customer service" (why wasn't he CS, I called the customer service #!), I held for about 20 minutes with periodic updates as to where I was in the queue, a nice touch. I had to hang up and go to work.
Later in the day I tried again and after waiting for about 15 minutes, I finally got a SURLY agent who told me that Solia "just barely started manufacturing the swivel cord" and she tersely concluded with "we don't have those." I pointed out that this was false since there are comments on their site going back many months mentioning the swivel cord, and I've seen the swivel cord mentioned on other sites for months. She then got curt with me and literally demanded my order number so that she could send me a return authorization.
I said, whoa, wait, is this your best resolution? I need a flattening iron like the one you described, and I ordered, with a swivel cord. If it needs to be another brand, I'll pay the difference. She told me the best she could do for me was to accept the product back!!! She didn't tell me she would find the right Solia (which clearly exists), or help me find another comparable unit. She told me I would have to wait to get the return authorization, wait for the credit to process, and then I could order another unit, OR I could pay for another one, but I would have to call back to order that. She clearly wanted me off the phone. I told her to please transfer me to someone in marketing and I ended up in the voice mail-box of someone named "Jackie" who did not identify her title. I never heard back from her.
UPDATED: Later I phoned again and got a much more empathetic representative named Linnea. She told me customer service is closed on weekends, but she would try to get a manager involved. She took my number, and told me she would pass the message along. I never received a return call.
I believe the company gets good buys on close-out merchandize and sells the product at nice discounts, which is totally fair, but unfortunately they advertise the product falsely, in my case with the features of the newer model. I would rather pay more and get what they advertise.
Worse yet, to date the site STILL specifies a swivel cord, even though the curt rep told me they had been getting many calls about this. I'm learning that many of these high-volume, online sources know that consumers just won't go to the trouble of joining in a lawsuit or some other type of consumer action to make them stop false marketing and production tactics.
In the long run, the aggravation was not worth the savings. And folica.com failed on many levels, as I would have ordered the more expensive Sedu had the swivel cord not been a selling point of the solia. I may end up keeping this older model, but it leaves a very sour taste in my mouth. I spend more $$ than I care to admit on beauty each year. Probably well into the thousands. AND, I need a new blow dryer and was looking at high-end professional ones, which I will order today from another site.
UPDATE: When my "free gift" arrived about 2 weeks later, it was defective. It was a heat-resistant pouch/mat, but was clearly a throw-away, since it was unstitched for about 2 inches on one side, rendering the pouch aspect useless (the iron slides out). It is also mis-stitched entirely, so it does not lay at all flat ... basically it's useless. I never received any paperwork indicating that I had anything other than the standard warranty.
I did try to phone them back one last time, but when my blood pressure began to surge, I saved myself the days off my life and moved on by hanging up.
Recommended:
No
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Solia professional ceramic ion flat iron
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Epinions.com ID:
pamelainoregon
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Location: Portland, Oregon
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Grant and creative writer, transplanted to the Pacific Northwest and firm believer in consumer power.
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