Trust is like a broken mirror. Once it breaks it is difficult to put it back together. I know I’ve started off on a very serious note but it is important in this context of selling products close to the expiry date to customers.
A few days back I had a store review on The Nature’s Co and I had mentioned that the customer service was excellent. Guess what! It turned out sour later on. Read on to know why.
I usually visit the TNC store in Chennai to buy skincare products rather than shopping for them because I love the ambience of the store and I love the brand for the quality of the products. And one fine day I did the same and bought a shampoo and a conditioner. I did not check the expiry date on the conditioner because I knew the store manager and the SA very well (I will never make that mistake ever again of trusting SAs blindly!) and I don’t know what they thought or what was the intention behind this but they gave me a conditioner which expires in September. I understand if it’s something we use large quantities of like a body wash or something but I don’t think I can finish of conditioner in 4 months.
In the same week, I decided to use the conditioner and was generally checking ingredients and the packaging and let me tell you, the bottle was damaged. So then it struck me to check the expiry date because it looked old and damaged and guess what??
There!! I got a shock of my life that she had sold me this one and didn’t even bother mentioning it.(And I was a fool to not check it in the store)!! So I tried calling the store but the phone was eiter switched off or busy. Its a 45 minute drive for me to go to the store and I didn’t want to go to the store directly till I got a confirmation that the product would be replaced and I could go only in the weekend so I wanted to inform the Store manager of the problem. And then I mailed a person at TNC and she replied back stating that this wasn’t a problem and asked me to use the conditioner everyday !! Her reply and I quote “The expiry date is still 5 months away. If you are to be using the conditioner on a daily basis it wont even last you till then. Just because the expiry date is in september does no mean the product is bad, or not useable.” Like helloooo!!! I know when to use conditioner and when not to! And since I bought it in May there are only 4 months left for the expiry date. I did not expect that reply and was totally taken aback and then I posted this on Facebook and tagged TNC also. And then scared that it will tarnish their image they said they have spoken to the Store manager here and I can get it exchanged. And then I got another mail stating that they will send it by courier.
I got the conditioner along with two gifts (it does not compensate for the unfriendly customer service!!! Trust me!). But the whole experience kind of made me think twice about the problems we face as consumers. We pay for the products and expect quality, value for money and good customer service and companies better make customers as their first priority!!!
I’m not here to ruin anyone’s reputation or anything but I just thought I should share my experience with you all. I still use some of TNC products and I love them! (I will review them but I’m not sure of repurchasing them at the store or online anymore!) Please check all the details on the packaging and demand quality products because you pay for them!!
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| I haven’t opened the candle as yet. It came in like this 😛 |
Oh and yes! If any of you on who are my FB friends list are wondering where the post is I have changed the visibility settings of the post to “myself” since the PR of the company mailed me saying it was affecting their brand name and asked me to remove it.
Please be aware of what you buy and check if the product is of good quality in terms of packaging and everything else is the least bit of advice I would give all of you and especially myself after this incident 🙂
