Note: the pictures are of a screenshot of their website photo of the fabric that I purchased, and of my own pictures, taken on my phone, of the fabric when I received it, the yellower one under artificial lighting, the other in natural lighting. I captured the color of the fabric as closely as I was able. Either way, it is neither "turquoise blue" nor the color shown in their photo.
(Sent November 15, 2019)
"To Whom It May Concern:
I initially contacted Fashion Fabrics customer service on October 23, 2019 regarding an order I had placed (order #——). The fabric was labeled "Turquoise Blue Stretch Corduroy" and the picture on your website showed it as a lovely cornflower blue (see attached screenshot). When it arrived, it was neither turquoise, nor the color of your website's picture, but a pale baby blue or powder blue. This was not my mistake, nor do I have a use for such a heavyweight 21 wale corduroy in such a light shade of blue (again, this is decidedly not what was advertised on your site).
I initiated contact with your customer service department on October 23rd. I did receive two short emails since then, the first requesting pictures, the second informing me that customer service was waiting till the following Monday (October 28th) for someone to go look at the fabric in the warehouse (see forwarded emails below). I have since received no response, though I have sent two follow up emails (I would have sent more but was dealing with congenital heart issues for my soon to be born baby boy, for whom I had purchased part of this fabric). I would appreciate a full refund of my purchase, plus return shipping label paid by Fashion Fabrics, since this fabric was falsely advertised. (If the fabric looks the color of that screenshot in your warehouse, then it would be worth investing in more natural lighting so you do not lose your customers.) I was very excited about the prospect of your site, and I do buy a lot of fabric online–I have not had an issue with fabrics being differently colored than they were shown online–but I will not be purchasing fabric from Fashion Fabrics in future due to inaccuracy of presentation (both title of fabric and color in photo) and unresponsive customer service. I will also warn my fabric buying friends to steer clear of your site.
I have tried to be reasonable and patient. However, if I do not receive a prompt and satisfactory response from Fashion Fabrics, I will contact my credit card company to dispute the charge for this order due to false advertising.
Sincerely,
(Name of customer and contact info)"
On November 19, 2019, I received the following reply. I did not need to remove names, as they neither greeted me nor gave the name of the customer service representative in any of their emails.
"You can send the fabric back and we will look at it and refund you accordingly. I do apologize that it has taken us so long to get back to you."
Note: I knew that they would take the fabric back without refunding shipping ($9) or paying return shipping (approximately $14 for the cheapest option for the size and weight of the fabric), but as a matter of principle, since the fabric was extremely mis-represented, both in title and photo, I wanted a full refund and no return shipping cost.
On November 21, 2019, I replied as follows:
"Fashion Fabrics Customer Service:
Thank you for your response. Would you be able to email me a printable link for a prepaid return label, please? I live in a rural area and am currently 38 weeks pregnant with a baby boy whose heart is partially out of his chest (we won't know until after he is born if he will make it or be part of our family from heaven). I'm losing energy for extra errands very rapidly at this point.
Thank you for your assistance!
God bless,
(Customer Name)"
(The information above is true, our Baby's heart is not completely enclosed in his rib cage–what can I say? Truth is stranger than fiction… Prayers would be appreciated.)
Same day, Customer Service Replied:
"I do apologize but we pulled the inventory sheet on that fabric and it is a light turquoise. I will not be able to send you a return address label per my manager. Again, I am sorry."
(I am not upset with the rep… He/She's just doing his/her job as an underling.)
"Fashion Fabrics Customer Service:
Naturally the fabric is listed as a light turquoise on your inventory, since it's labeled turquoise blue. According to a quick Google search, turquoise is a blue green color. The fabric I received is sky or powder blue. There is no green shade in it. That is why I emailed Fashion Fabrics initially, because if the title of the fabric had been accurate, I would have chalked up the discrepancy in the color difference between your site's picture and the fabric I received to differences in monitors, or possibly some unverifiable photo enhancement. The fabric I received is sky/powder/baby blue. It isn't a green-ish blue.
I am not trying to be a pain in the neck, but would your manager please take a look at the actual fabric in the warehouse? It is not a greenish blue. I am sure I am not the only customer who has not been pleased about the color discrepancy in receiving this fabric.
Thank you for your help.
God bless,
(Customer Name)"
November 22, 2019 customer service replied:
"We did pull the fabric and the fabric is the exact color that you received. We do not make the decision on what color to call the fabric. Our web team does that and they are in California. I am sorry but she said if you want to return the fabric you would have to pay the return shipping."
At least they say that they looked at the fabric… At this point I'm just going to return the fabric, and pay approximately a total of $23 or more dollars in shipping to get about $26 refunded to me (after subtracting shipping costs). Frankly, if I were not 38 weeks pregnant, I think I would still contact my credit card company to dispute the charge due to false advertising, since they have not addressed my initial concern that the fabric is mislabeled. If they really cared about their customers, they would get in touch with their California web team to at least consider the accuracy of the fabric's title and photo, but no one likes to take responsibility and admit that they or their business may have made a mistake.
Hope this will help others not to waste their time and money.