kortney m.

I purchased some products from Dermstore on Cyber Monday, when I ordered the items it allowed the products to be discounted using the 30% off cyber Monday code dermstore provided. I ordered the items, gave my credit card and paid for them and even received order confirmation emails confirming my purchase with the discount. A day or so later when the products where shipped I received a new order confirmation email from dermstore, this confirmation had removed the discount and charged me the full amount, an un-agreed upon amount. I contacted Dermstore to make them aware of the mistake, and I was told numerous times by email and phone that I was wrong and that I could not get the discount and that I wouldn't get a refund for the difference, finally I provided them with pictures of the discount and order confirmation and they finally conceded and provided me with a refund of the difference. Then when my order finally arrived, upon opening up the package it was clear that the curling iron was a used/ returned product that I had been sold under the guise of it being new (the packaging on the iron was ripped and obviously had been opened before). As someone who works in the consumer products industry this is incredibly troubling, as we would never sell used/ returned product as new, we are upfront and honest when someone is buying used product and never pass it off as new. I contacted Dermstore and stated that I would like to make a return, as I had been incredibly unimpressed with the customer service I had received so far from Dermstore. That return took weeks and many emails back and forth from me and dermstore, with them trying everything from not acknowledging what I am asking for, refusing my return, to saying I can only have a store credit, quite frankly it was the worst customer service experience I had ever had.Do not believe their claims on their website about 'easy returns' returns if your not happy with the items, it's completely false. Finally I was sent a return-shipping label, I told them that I lived in Canada and that would not work, they stated that I would have to pay to ship their used product back to them if I wanted a return. Finally after calling the customer service line yet again, we came to an agreement that I would have someone drive to the border and drop the package in the mail and upon receipt I would be given a refund. Now months later I have decided to try again ordering as I really wanted the products and Dermstore is the only place you can purchase them, again I waited and used a discount code I was sent, in the checkout phase it allowed the products to be discounted again, but yet again when I received my invoice a day or so later it had removed the discount and charged my credit card an un-agreed upon amount, when I called customer service they're playing the same game of insisting that I was not allowed the discount. After checking online reviews this is very common with customers being offered coupon codes and then having them pulled away after their payment and purchase, specifically with the 'favourite item' sales. Again after checking online this is quite a common occurrence for Dermstore to send out product which has obviously been opened/ returned to customers, and making it incredibly difficult to return items. Dermstore's customer service and business practices are unethical, fraudulent and truly atrocious. I thought I would give them one more chance and yet again they blew it, I am telling everyone I know to stay away from Dermstore at all costs.