Pedro Moreira
Active Member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2016
- Messages
- 25
- Reaction score
- 14
Hi everyone,
I want to come here and share my first (and last) experience with Foster & Son. I hope my case was an unfortunate event.
I will try to keep it short, because the whole story was eligible for a Monty Python sketch.
On December 18th last year, decided to purchase a pair of shoes from Foster and Son, before the Brexit kicks in, since I live in Portugal. I purchased a pair of black oxfords, model Highclere with dainite sole and a Stag Handle Shoe horn.
Upon reception I noticed that the shoes had leather sole, not dainite and the shoe horn was not the one I ordered but a cheaper one.
Only on the beginning of January I was able to get an answer from them. Politely that present their excuses and decided to sent me the right pair of shoes and the right shoe horn, along with a complimentary cloth and shoe cream, asking me to send back the wrong ones, which I did.
A few days later, DHL contacted me asking me if I was willing to pay the customs and VAT taxes, catching me by surprise. I told them, that since it was an exchange of a purchase done before the Brexit, I would not pay again VAT taxes that were paid upon my order and I would not pay customs taxes, because it was an exchange, not a purchase. Upon calling F&S, again the apologised and asked me to refuse the package and they would send me another pair TAX FREE, which I agreed.
A few days later, DHL contacted me asking if I was willing to tay the customs and VAT taxes of the new package, AGAIN... Upon calling F&S again and again, calling portuguese DHL in order to solve the issue, I inform F&S to sent to DHL UK a "LOA" for tax purposes, in order to receive the shoes. If I hadn't do that, DHL would sent back the shoes themselves. I had to pressure F&S to send the "LOA". They did it on the eve of the last day.
So, when it was all final and done at portuguese customs, today on February 22nd, 2 months and 4 days after my order I finally received the shoes.
I opened the package and the shoe horn was the one I purchased. So far, so good. I opened the shoes box and inside a letter from F&S apologising for all the worries. After reading the letter, I thought to my self "Maybe I should give these guys another chance and make a new order".
I started unravelling the rest of the goods, and the left shoe was ok. It seemed to have a small creasing, but I think to myself "let it go, it is you being picky about it". When I saw the right shoe, I was left for dead. An enormous creasing showing intense use. It was tipically a pair of shoes used in stores to be tried on.
After a first email to F&S showing the shoes and telling them that I had it with them for good and I would keep the shoes and donate them to charity, just to avoid to deal with them again, I decided to call them saying that I changed my mind and I want my money back".
Sadly the story doesn't end here. I opened a PayPal claim, and very fast F&S answered me asking to send back the shoes and they would issue a refund. When I asked who would pay the shipping costs to return the shoes, they said: "YOU".
They already had the pictures I took, they knew the problem and yet they still want me to pay for the return of DAMAGED SHOES. Just Unbelievable.
What I told here, it's just 10% of the time I wasted back and forth by email and phone calls to F&S and DHL.
Just see for yourself and compare the right shoe with the left shoe. I am writing this not by spitefulness or hate towards F&S. Everybody I talked with from F&S, were very polite and friendly.
But if I can forgive a first mistake in the first order sent, the rest of it, ending with the reception of USED shoes is too much to disregard. I hope this story is just an unfortunate event by F&S.
I want to come here and share my first (and last) experience with Foster & Son. I hope my case was an unfortunate event.
I will try to keep it short, because the whole story was eligible for a Monty Python sketch.
On December 18th last year, decided to purchase a pair of shoes from Foster and Son, before the Brexit kicks in, since I live in Portugal. I purchased a pair of black oxfords, model Highclere with dainite sole and a Stag Handle Shoe horn.
Upon reception I noticed that the shoes had leather sole, not dainite and the shoe horn was not the one I ordered but a cheaper one.
Only on the beginning of January I was able to get an answer from them. Politely that present their excuses and decided to sent me the right pair of shoes and the right shoe horn, along with a complimentary cloth and shoe cream, asking me to send back the wrong ones, which I did.
A few days later, DHL contacted me asking me if I was willing to pay the customs and VAT taxes, catching me by surprise. I told them, that since it was an exchange of a purchase done before the Brexit, I would not pay again VAT taxes that were paid upon my order and I would not pay customs taxes, because it was an exchange, not a purchase. Upon calling F&S, again the apologised and asked me to refuse the package and they would send me another pair TAX FREE, which I agreed.
A few days later, DHL contacted me asking if I was willing to tay the customs and VAT taxes of the new package, AGAIN... Upon calling F&S again and again, calling portuguese DHL in order to solve the issue, I inform F&S to sent to DHL UK a "LOA" for tax purposes, in order to receive the shoes. If I hadn't do that, DHL would sent back the shoes themselves. I had to pressure F&S to send the "LOA". They did it on the eve of the last day.
So, when it was all final and done at portuguese customs, today on February 22nd, 2 months and 4 days after my order I finally received the shoes.
I opened the package and the shoe horn was the one I purchased. So far, so good. I opened the shoes box and inside a letter from F&S apologising for all the worries. After reading the letter, I thought to my self "Maybe I should give these guys another chance and make a new order".
I started unravelling the rest of the goods, and the left shoe was ok. It seemed to have a small creasing, but I think to myself "let it go, it is you being picky about it". When I saw the right shoe, I was left for dead. An enormous creasing showing intense use. It was tipically a pair of shoes used in stores to be tried on.
After a first email to F&S showing the shoes and telling them that I had it with them for good and I would keep the shoes and donate them to charity, just to avoid to deal with them again, I decided to call them saying that I changed my mind and I want my money back".
Sadly the story doesn't end here. I opened a PayPal claim, and very fast F&S answered me asking to send back the shoes and they would issue a refund. When I asked who would pay the shipping costs to return the shoes, they said: "YOU".
They already had the pictures I took, they knew the problem and yet they still want me to pay for the return of DAMAGED SHOES. Just Unbelievable.
What I told here, it's just 10% of the time I wasted back and forth by email and phone calls to F&S and DHL.
Just see for yourself and compare the right shoe with the left shoe. I am writing this not by spitefulness or hate towards F&S. Everybody I talked with from F&S, were very polite and friendly.
But if I can forgive a first mistake in the first order sent, the rest of it, ending with the reception of USED shoes is too much to disregard. I hope this story is just an unfortunate event by F&S.
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