Not so great experience

So, if any of you are familiar with the blogging community, or have shadowed a few blogs here and there, it's likely you have heard of the Born Pretty Store. Lots of bloggers in the UK I see post many things about them and always a positive experience. So when I decided to finally get rhinestones, caviar balls, decals and tweezers, I chose to finally try BPS for myself. I never will again.

For BPS the shipping is free, unless you decide to pay $3 for tracking information on the package. I am not trusting, so I paid $3 and it took me emailing them 2 weeks later asking where my tracking information was to even receive information.

A few days later I received my package, from Singapore. I assume that is where their headquarters are located. Nothing was cushioned inside aside from the very small, overly priced white stamping polish. This is how my items were when I opened the package:

 

I wasn't TOO angry about it, because I thought that I would have no issues requesting a replacement. When I discovered the gold metal decals were bent and broken and some missing, I was kind of sad... I thought I'd be able to just pick through and separate them easily. Now, you have to understand. Amazon contracts the selling of some of these exact same items with the exact same retail packaging (not shipping packaging) for less money. But I had heard so many good things about BPS I wanted to give them a try and get their name out there.

When I sent an inquiry email in asking about replacements they asked to see photos. No problem. I took those photos above and attached them to my responding email. The answering email made me really mad.

 

Yes, I realize I myself thought I could pick the gold metal decals apart, but in my email I TOLD them there were many missing, broken and bent beyond repair. So this response was disregarding what I had to say as a customer with a concern. To compound my displeasure, instead of just replacing the steel balls that got all over the packaging, mixed together and gone altogether, they offer me a stamping plate on another order I should make (forcing me to spend more money on a separate purchase just to receive this incentive).

To be sure I fully understood, I responded asking if I got what they were saying correctly, asking for clarification. Then I expressed my dissatisfaction with their offer. All I wanted were my items replaced. If they'd been packaged securely enough in the first place, this wouldn't even be a problem.

 

To finally get the email above, I had to mention I had a blog and was trying to give them a chance to provide me with a happy experience, but so far I was very dissatisfied. I'm really mad still. I had to mention I had a blog to garner respect from their customer service? What if I was just some nailart enthusiast that wanted to try their store? Jeez. I haven't received information or any further emails after my curt "Thank you" response to this regarding the new replacements. We shall see I guess. But from now on I'm sticking to Amazon.