Julia

My friend Nat & I went to the Asian run store ‘Julia’ at 69 George Street, Luton, to return the (Unused) faux, blonde, pony tail, that was not the same blonde colour, or style, of the one hanging on the hook, in front of it, when I bought it, when I was last in Luton. It had changed, inside the shop & they now had just fake & real hair strips, for weaves & hair products. The guy I spoke to re my purchase being wrong due to the hook faux pas (The Manager I think!!?) said he WOULD of refunded me, but they no longer stocked the product. As we came out we saw a business bang opposite called ‘Julia’s Wigs’ They had obviously taken over the shop opposite & separated them into weaves & hair products, in one shop & wigs & hairpieces in the other (Why did the guy not mention this, when saying he would refund, if they still stocked the product?) So we walked in & there was, a wall full, with the same brand of faux ponytails, I wanted exchanged for the right shade, it too was totally Asian run like Julia, so probably a family businesss. So I explained to the assistant, how I’d bought the hairpiece, but on getting home & looking at it, I found it was not the same shade as the one hanging on the front of the hook as an example (Not something obviously spotted, by me, when shopping half blind, due to having no contact lenses in) Also when in a box, with a black hairnet round it, it looks a slightly different colour, than one out of a box, even when it IS the same colour!! She could of easily swapped my unused item, in the wrong shade, for the same one in the right shade (Being sold, still at same price) But 1^st she tried lying that they were a totally different company! (A load of Bull) Saying she couldn’t refund anyway as even though they are both ‘Julia’ franchises (So obviously NOT a totally different company) as their street number is different than the branch opposite, my receipt is not valid there (Bulls**t, I have worked in retail for decades, she doesn’t need to have my receipt for records, only to know that it was bought & not shoplifted) She could of just put it through her till as an exchange. So Nat & I went back to ‘Julia’ & spoke to a shop worker & asked Is Julia’s wigs part of your business? and we were told Yes! Proving her claims that they were different company’s a lie (As we knew!) We then spoke again to the guy who said that he WOULD of exchanged my faux ponytail IF they had it in stock! We pointed out that it WAS in stock in their connected franchise across the road (Which he’d conveniently failed to mention, moments earlier!!) He then tried to back track & say although they were connected, they had different managers, then tried to say that for hygiene reasons hair pieces & wigs could NOT be returned as stated on receipt, which he now pointed out, adding I should of double checked the item was the same blonde at the time! Having worked in retail, I know you have to point out this ‘No Returns’ fact at the till to the customer, at point of sale (They had NOT done so!!) I also know via working in retail for decades, this hygiene clause, is also stated on underwear, like pants & knickers, but it is Null & Void if item is still in the packet & unworn! As my ponytail hairpiece was! Foolish move by two sets of liars in both ‘Julia’ & ‘Julia’s Wigs’ franchises, as I buy a lot of wigs, hairpiece’s etc for various roles, shoots & party’s so them being, lying, tightwads, has cost me £8.99, plus a hairpiece I cant use! But it has cost them a lot more, in the long run. As this afternoon alone, I’m paying out £121.67 on wigs for my horror TV role. They could of had a lot of money coming their way, via me, if they’d just done the simple task, of an exchange of hairpiece, for one of the correct colour, after all it was THEIR mistake, of putting the wrong coloured hairpiece example, on the end of the hook, of the row, of the one, that I bought! If they didn’t notice the difference, why would I when without my glasses!
So I’d NOT recommend anyone shop at ‘Julia’ or ‘Julia’s Wigs’ as their Customer Service, is abysmal, if they are not telling you out & out lies, they are twisting terms & conditions to avoid paying you any refunds, and lying that the two shops are not connected, the exchange could of been done & neither party would of missed out. So if you are foolish enough to shop there, I advise you double check every item before checking out at the till. I am only giving them 1* for their products but for Customer Service & honesty they get Zero Stars!!!
Trading standards next stop.