A week or two ago, I purchased a number of items from Pak Cosmetics online, which sells all kinds of Afro Hair Care/Extension/Weave/Make Up products (they just sell a ton of stuff basically).
I was all excited and rather impressed to begin with…everything seemed great, they even called me up on a Sunday to tell me something was out of stock and to pick an alternative.
Then the order arrived. A few old looking jars of hair conditioner and then this – a Queen Helene Egg Yolk Face Mask that I ordered. It had hardened in the tub:
So no big problem, they were so helpful before. I sent an email right away to let them know their face mask was hard and waited (they were very prompt before) but heard nothing.
I emailed again, with a photograph attached to show that the face mask was dry. I requested a replacement or refund.
The product is coming around from the edge – clearly it’s solid!
Still I heard nothing. Then, I called up Pak Cosmetics, pointed out an email had been sent with a photograph and they promised to email back with the result. Result?! The result is clear: REFUND or REPLACE!So finally I got an email from them, based on the phone call that was made.
Their response was:
Please note that this product comes like this, because it is a face mask and it has a thick texture like a thick paste. The product is fine as I have checked with the management. Please use it with confidence. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
I immediately replied and said (nicely) it was NOT fine – because the product is solid. It isn’t thick, it’s SOLID. How do I use something that’s solid?
Naturally…no reply.
So again I phoned up. This time the stuffy guy said that the matter had been “forwarded to the correct department” to look into. And that was all that could be said.
I’m thinking, what department? I didn’t understand what the complication was!
1. Your item is faulty, it’s dry and old – god knows why so:
a. Refund it or
b. Replace it
There is no other conclusion to be raised, because these are the facts!
So I threw a formal letter their way – (a great list of complaint letter templates here), sure enough I got 3 phone calls (I was out and about in London and missed all of them) and an email, then a refund. Done.
Nevertheless, I can’t help but be so annoyed that they made such a simple matter complicated.
Would I shop with Pak Cosmetics again?
Nope. This was a really lame thing to do. Plus I wasn’t that keen on the other items I got (will review later) but there you go, as George Bush said, Fool Me Once…
{ 23 comments }
I’ve bought from them a number of times – in person, and have had no problems. I’d never buy online though as the site (last time I looked at it) didn’t look that professional and I know there are a number of products in the shop that have been on the shelf for months, having gathered dust, so I prefer to pick my own so I can check the condition first.
I don’t blame you for not wanting to spend your money with them again though – idiots. LOL @ “correct department”, they don’t have any flippin’ departments. It’s a stand alone shop, with a couple of other branches dotted around London.
With all that being said, they’re still one of the best known afro hair stockists in London and there are some great products in there if you know what it is you’re looking for.
I was really impressed by how many products they have!
Who knows when I am next in london I may have a look in the store – the prices are so good, the hair mayonnaise is £2 and its £6 in Sallys! But yeah they must have sent me the old stock that had been gathering dust!
Oh gosh how terrible! Sorry you had such a bad experience.
It’s ridiculous though – how old must that mask be for it to turn into a solid?! Yikes.
Geez! I imagine AGES AND AGES!
Wow, what a mess. What were they thinking though, making the refund such a hassle? It’s not doing their reputation any favours…
Exactly, its a £3.99 face mask at the end of the day!
I’m sorry you had such a bad experience!
good customer service is everything!!!
Yeah it was pants, but they were brilliant at first!
Thank you for your review. I found your websites while looking for reviews on pakcosmetics since I just discovered their website and was thinking of placing an order. However after reading your review about them sending out old products, I’d rather order with a different store.
Pak cosmetics is maybe a bit cheaper but not worth buying from, as their customer service is terrible, and they often sell expired products.
Here are some reviews :
http://www.bnvillage.co.uk/black-womens-village/67362-pak-cosmetics.html
I placed an ordered with pakcosmetics they phoned me a week later to say its not in stock and its been a month im still waiting refund
row do u still have the queen helele egg yolk mask i know the product has been discontinued and i been lookin everywhere and cant find it would u be willing to see it???
i meant sell it my b
I placed only one order from pak cosmetics of Makari products but i received 3 expired products out of 4 and i send then many emails but no reply at all. I called them but they say are you sure you bought from us and i provide them my order refrence but they say is 10 days now and you must contact us with in 7 days. I told them i sent you many emails but either to say anything more they just disconnect my call. Such a rude customer service and i have to through all my stuff in bin. But now i got solution for myself and em buying now from http://www.beautyspire.com and em more than satisfied.
pak cosmetics customercare w hat customer care its an absolutely a joke 2wks ago i ordered some goods online becoz i could not edverything i wanted fronm the same website asked them to call me for the payment. They called asked them to add what i wanted and gave them my card detail later in the day i received an email that my bank rejected the payment knowing i have morantee than 10 times the amt they wanted in my a/c iasked them to give me their bank details so i can pay the money through internet banking which i did. 2 wks later they telling me they haven’t received the money and the money has left my a/c called them to give me their bank detail again to make sure i paid the money in the right a/c i paid it in the right a/c i find their customercare team very dismissive from the tone of their voices you can tell you are just wasting your time talking to them. i was told they will check with their a/c team and give me a call yesterday i am still waiting for that call.
I was not impressed with the product (Makari) I ordered from pak cosmetics.It is obvious that products are been tampered with at pak cosmetics.what you ordered for might not be what is in the container. Since my last order concluded never to order any thing from pak cosmetics.
I also have bad experiences with Pak Cosmetics.
My last 3 orders have all had an item “out of stock”. However, instead of calling me to ask about an alternative, they just go ahead and cancel the item, and send out the rest! We get the stuff delivered overseas, so it’s annoying to pay so much postage for a parcel, when the one item that really wanted.. doesn’t turn up!
Ever tried calling beforehand to find out if something is in stock? Well don’t even think about it. You get passed from person to person, until finally some old lady from the shop floor answers who hasn’t got a clue why you’re calling, and who can’t seem to speak English.
Well, I must say that having read all the bad experiences you’ll had with Pakcosmetics…I am a bit surprise. I am a frequent user of Pak’s online store. I live in Finland where buying african products is scarce and expensive..i have been buying from paks now for almost 4yrs and never for once have i experience any negative moments with them..
Am surprise my self, because i also bought some goods from pak’s online store and the products were nice ,which i shared with some of my friends and they really like the products and ask me to make another order for them as well.
Pak Cosmetics – Fraud Business, Don’t buy there
dear all
i always buy from paks, and always get good customer sevice,they allways try to help me,
i’m pleased with there services, i will surelly tell you all they are not fraud business.
I totally agree with Niomi, people grow up even MNC’s make mistakes do not look at the negatives balance them out with the positives and lastly “CUSTOMERS ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT” were all human. Peace
hi , i came accross pak cosmetics bacuause im looking for a 100% human hair wig and the complaits ive seen are pretty bad.. i seen a really nice one but is it worth buying it?
Comments on this entry are closed.