Now that the Swoozie’s bankruptcy news has been out for a while, I’m wondering…are customers who pre-paid special orders getting refunds (or, more shockingly, their orders)? Stores were promising to do the right thing, but I haven’t heard how “the right thing” is actually playing out.
Also, if a customer gets a refund, is it being issued to their credit card (assuming that was the original form of payment) or is Swoozie’s saying they’ll mail a check? If the latter, well….what are the odds it won’t bounce?
There’s been some fancy footwork regarding Swoozie’s locations handing off in-process orders to local stores for completion, but I’m hearing just as many local store owners say they’re getting fuzzy (if any) info about exactly how they’ll be reimbursed. More than a few retailers have stepped back with a polite “Thanks, but no thanks” once their questions about money were sidestepped.
After all, who wants to (a) inherit someone else’s mess which means (b) they also inherit the invoice but (c) inherit little or no income to pay for it? Keep in mind, most of the orders in question were sold at deeply discounted prices since Swoozies’s began price slashing like mad after the holidays. Even if a store does get the original money paid, it won’t be nearly the full margin they deserve—especially when you factor in the hours of consumer therapy necessary to hear out each customer’s story of justified anger.
Just curious about how this meltdown is playing across the country…. What a mess.
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Well, I just wanted to say that I have been a loyal swoozie customer for many years. I also had a few special orders with Swoozies during the past months. They have done a great job under the circumstances to refund my money IN FULL for the orders that could not be delivered. Boy I hate that with all that they are going through right now, you are spreading untruthful news to all that read your column.
You obviously are not a Swoozie customer.
Sincerely a forever Swoozie customer
Editor’s note: All of the above has been corroborated by numerous individuals around the country. I stand by every word, and am sincerely glad to hear at least one customer has had a good experience in getting their money refunded.
Dear Ms. Baxter,
Yes and yes. As an associate of the company, I can confirm that customers who pre-paid for special orders are getting their orders. And, if we cannot fulfill their orders, they are absolutely receiving a refund. No question. And yes, we are applying refunds back to credit cards. We are not attempting any fancy footwork. Conversely, we are sincerely trying to take care of the customers who have placed their orders with us.
We apologize to our loyal customers for any inconvenience incurred. Swoozie’s has always put customer service first, and we are making no exception now.
Dear Ms. Baxter-
I have worked at a Swoozies store for a number of years. The bankruptcy is a real hardship for hundreds of employees who are losing their jobs and for vendors who will probably not recover their outstanding accounts receivable. However, at our store and many other stores we regularly communicate with there have been absolutely no problems with outstanding special orders. We were instructed to stop taking custom orders quite a while ago. Corporate told us-again quite a while ago-to provide refunds to customers who had outstanding orders in which there was a question regarding fulfillment. We resolved everything many weeks ago. At that time we suggested other local stores which carried the same vendors to our customers and suggested they shop there. The Swoozies situation is not a good one but I am mot sure this point has validity.
It’s obvious that Swoozie’s employees are reading (and posting to) the blog, which I appreciate, but as noted before, I stand by my story, based on numerous confirmations that there are current special orders in house with multiple vendors.