Viola Milano - Horrible Experience - resolved to the satisfaction of the customer.

[lentax]

very bad customer service

 

[lentax]

very bad customer service

Update to my previous post. I placed my order before Christmas, and then received the wrong ties. So I send an emails to Viola Milano. Yep, you have to wait a couple of days, it took some time to get a response, finally settled the issue. They said the mistake was from the shipping company, and I was issued a refund, I can also keep the wrong ties as a gift. It sounds great. Actually, I really like their tie design, and tie quality is excellent. So I'd like to give it another try, I've place a new order. Now, I'm waiting for my order to arrive.

 

[shabbaranks]

Viola is a disaster!!!
It was a very horrible experience!

 

[Ryan C.]

I, too, have been wronged by Viola Milano. I purchased four ties back in April 2022. One of the ties they shipped was the wrong tie. The other ties I didn't like as much in person, so altogether I decided to make a full return.

I contacted Viola Milano customer service via email and corresponded with Tom and Davide. They were resistant to my request for them to cover return shipping, even though they shipped the wrong tie. I get it, because it's expensive, but all four ties were shipped in a single thin box, so either way I'm shipping back one or four ties in the same return, so what's the difference, right?

Anyway, to protect myself, I opened up a credit card dispute to put the charge on hold. After they were notified by their bank, we worked out a compromise where I would return the ties to their American agent in New Jersey (I would pay for shipping), and then I would receive a full refund--on the condition that I close my dispute. Sounded fine to me then, but in hindsight, I realize that was a bad decision because I lost my protection.

Well, fast forward to today, after I closed my dispute which prohibits me from opening a new one, and after receiving confirmation from Tom and Davide that they received the ties, they still have not issued my refund. My credit card company can't do anything because they are only allowed to hold the charges once, so the only decision now is whether Viola Milano will issue my refund. If they don't, then I'm out over $500 with no recourse from my credit card company.

If anyone on here, including Tom or Davide, can provide some assistance, then that would be greatly appreciated. Otherwise, hopefully my post will warn others not to do business with Viola Milano.

 

[Aly.B]

Hello all!

Love their patterns and wanted to get a couple of ties from VM but as per habit, wanted to check the forum first for product reviews on their ties and stumbled upon this thread instead. Now I’m feeling very apprehensive and rethinking whether I should go ahead with my order. Can anyone update on their recent experience with their order? Have their shipping/delivery issues been resolved or still a mess? Any update would be greatly appreciated! Also, if not VM, then what other tie makers offer similar patterns and quality? Thank you.

 

[St1X]

I got some items from VM in August. Shipping took a bit too long, but being a Spier&Mackay customer I am used to it.
Other than that I had no issues.
P.S. I was going to buy some ties from them, but noticed that https://granqviststore.se/ carried exactly the same ties, so bought them there as I live 15 minutes from the store. You might want to check them out. Highly recommend them

 

[Aly.B]

I got some items from VM in August. Shipping took a bit too long, but being a Spier&Mackay customer I am used to it.
Other than that I had no issues.
P.S. I was going to buy some ties from them, but noticed that https://granqviststore.se/ carried exactly the same ties, so bought them there as I live 15 minutes from the store. You might want to check them out. Highly recommend them

Thank you very much! Appreciate the recommendation as well! Will certainly check them out.

A big fan of VM patterns, been admiring their ties whenever they pop up on my Insta feed. Finally decided to pull the trigger on a few ties and came across this thread which kinda dampened my whole excitement. Haha

 

[Noblekostas]

Thank you very much! Appreciate the recommendation as well! Will certainly check them out.

A big fan of VM patterns, been admiring their ties whenever they pop up on my Insta feed. Finally decided to pull the trigger on a few ties and came across this thread which kinda dampened my whole excitement. Haha

Check out Granqvist as mentioned and Urban Ties

 

[Aly.B]

Check out Granqvist as mentioned and Urban Ties

Thank you, Kostas. I checked both these tie makers. I found most of their ties, if not all, are untipped/unlined. I prefer self-tipped ties which is another reason I was looking at VM. Any other suggestions where I could look for tipped ties with similar patterns? Thank you very much.

 

[GFox]

Unfortunately I also currently have a really bad experience with Viola Milano.

I ordered two ties and received one wrong. Tom from VM asked if I wanted to keep the tie I receive ad it costs more than the one I wanted.

As I was not interested I said no and he told me he will send the good one. Then haven’t heard news from them.

It’s a shame as I’m really happy with the other tie I received but their customer care is desastrous, they don’t bother answer to my e mails.

I could have been a loyal customer but this situation is a shame

 

[ZRH1]

I have to add my negative experience with Viola Milano.

I ordered a bespoke tie late March 2023. VM indicates up to 4-6 weeks, making that early May at the latest. I contacted them several times and received a note stating "delivery next week" mid-May, then a "tracking id coming automatically within a day" around 10 days later. This was now 8 days ago and I still haven't received anything.

For your reference, the destination was in Italy, so if the goods originate from Italy, there are no customs and/or international issues that would hold up the shipment.

Since I don't consider the company to take me seriously, I wanted to dig into it:

First, there is absolutely nothing registered in Milan, which makes the suffix "Milano" in "Viola Milano" a bit misleading. However, since we here are used that products are rarely made in the city of Milan, the return address in Poggiardo (Lecce) in southern Italy, should evoke more trust (see Google Maps screenshot below). However, the address appears to be a building that if used for production, is quite small and contrasts with the statement of "processing 100 orders every single day" from May 2020. Proof of said contrast is also found in the balance sheet of Mnwsr Srl in Italy, which apart from being registered only in late 2020, shows a loss of over 25'000 EUR, which leads to a negative equity and more interestingly, has only 22'000 EUR of stock.

100 orders per day, assuming around 100 EUR of value, would mean 10'000 EUR/day, which times 250 working days, would mean 2.5 Mio EUR of revenue. Based on stock levels at the end of 2020, this means they had only 2 days of stock at that point.

To end the financial analysis, Mwnsr Srl had 0 EUR revenue in 2020. It was created only in late 2020 and it is wholly owned by Tom himself. There is a Viola Milano BV as well as a personal holding Eriksson & Co BV, but the latter has been since deleted.

Tom Eriksson can be contacted here (IG: https://www.instagram.com/tom.nathaniel).

To conclude, I have nothing against such international constructs, but again, it is funny that such information can only be found by financial forensics instead of being transparently listed on their website and/or as is the case of Mwnsr directly, it lists another Dutch entity although it is not owned by it (NB: a lack of company name is a GPDR fine that carries at least 2% annual revenue as fine: https://www.violamilano.com/privacy-policy/).

I have yet to receive my items and solicited the company several times.

Should the issue persist, I am considering contacting the Italian authorities (Garante Privacy) on the use of my data. I am giving VM another week to fulfil my order.

 

[shabbaranks]

I have to add my negative experience with Viola Milano.

I ordered a bespoke tie late March 2023. VM indicates up to 4-6 weeks, making that early May at the latest. I contacted them several times and received a note stating "delivery next week" mid-May, then a "tracking id coming automatically within a day" around 10 days later. This was now 8 days ago and I still haven't received anything.

For your reference, the destination was in Italy, so if the goods originate from Italy, there are no customs and/or international issues that would hold up the shipment.

Since I don't consider the company to take me seriously, I wanted to dig into it:

First, there is absolutely nothing registered in Milan, which makes the suffix "Milano" in "Viola Milano" a bit misleading. However, since we here are used that products are rarely made in the city of Milan, the return address in Poggiardo (Lecce) in southern Italy, should evoke more trust (see Google Maps screenshot below). However, the address appears to be a building that if used for production, is quite small and contrasts with the statement of "processing 100 orders every single day" from May 2020. Proof of said contrast is also found in the balance sheet of Mnwsr Srl in Italy, which apart from being registered only in late 2020, shows a loss of over 25'000 EUR, which leads to a negative equity and more interestingly, has only 22'000 EUR of stock.

100 orders per day, assuming around 100 EUR of value, would mean 10'000 EUR/day, which times 250 working days, would mean 2.5 Mio EUR of revenue. Based on stock levels at the end of 2020, this means they had only 2 days of stock at that point.

To end the financial analysis, Mwnsr Srl had 0 EUR revenue in 2020. It was created only in late 2020 and it is wholly owned by Tom himself. There is a Viola Milano BV as well as a personal holding Eriksson & Co BV, but the latter has been since deleted.

Tom Eriksson can be contacted here (IG: https://www.instagram.com/tom.nathaniel).

To conclude, I have nothing against such international constructs, but again, it is funny that such information can only be found by financial forensics instead of being transparently listed on their website and/or as is the case of Mwnsr directly, it lists another Dutch entity although it is not owned by it (NB: a lack of company name is a GPDR fine that carries at least 2% annual revenue as fine: https://www.violamilano.com/privacy-policy/).

I have yet to receive my items and solicited the company several times.

Should the issue persist, I am considering contacting the Italian authorities (Garante Privacy) on the use of my data. I am giving VM another week to fulfil my order.

Dear ZHR1 I think you will not receive your bespoke tie, I think they do not the fabric you want in stock, as usual.
Viola Milano is a fake!!! Viola Milano have not a production and he does not process 100 orders per day and. Tom buy ties and shirts in Italy at a low prices and resells at crazy prices, he starts new companies every 3/4 years, it is the same old story.

 

[ZRH1]

Dear ZHR1 I think you will not receive your bespoke tie, I think they do not the fabric you want in stock, as usual.
Viola Milano is a fake!!! Viola Milano have not a production and he does not process 100 orders per day and. Tom buy ties and shirts in Italy at a low prices and resells at crazy prices, he starts new companies every 3/4 years, it is the same old story.

thank you for your information shabbaranks, I will await until the end of the week, I have several friends in the law industry in Italy who owe me a favour, so it will be fun if they decide not to provide the tie as promised.

 

[ZRH1]

UPDATE: Paypal refund AFTER apparent shipment.

This morning local EU time, I get the following message from Davide:

Tracking will come within a day or so - tie was picked up by Mailboxes.
Thank you for your patience. we also added a pocket square for free.

I hereby reply that I would like said delivery confirmation as proof, I then get:

Since you dont trust us we canceled the order and we calling mailboxes now to stop it. We have already sent back the payment via paypal. Why would you think we take peoples money and talk about court and judge. We process over 300 individual orders every single day all around the year.

I then replied that I found it fascinating how the got the courier to backtrace, which at the very least cost them money, instead of allowing the delivery and actually getting the money. Also, I wonder who will buy that bespoke tie at this point.

As a final email, I feel Davide has misunderstood my point and now mentioned 300'000 customers since 2018 (Note: wow, nearly 200 customers per working day!). He stated that I threatened him (Note: I mentioned that I read bad reviews on Trustpilot about promised deliveries and subsequent refunds) and that he lost 100 EUR on my tie. Note: I have never asked for a refund, merely for shipment proof.

I have now received the Paypal refund, hence for me the case is closed.

ps. if VM reads these lines, please recall that being falsely accused of threats is punishable under Art. 120 of the Italian Penal Code, which has penalties far beyond the Civil Code of the lack of remote order shipment and the associated issues.

 

[shabbaranks]

UPDATE: Paypal refund AFTER apparent shipment.

This morning local EU time, I get the following message from Davide:

Tracking will come within a day or so - tie was picked up by Mailboxes.
Thank you for your patience. we also added a pocket square for free.

I hereby reply that I would like said delivery confirmation as proof, I then get:

Since you dont trust us we canceled the order and we calling mailboxes now to stop it. We have already sent back the payment via paypal. Why would you think we take peoples money and talk about court and judge. We process over 300 individual orders every single day all around the year.

I then replied that I found it fascinating how the got the courier to backtrace, which at the very least cost them money, instead of allowing the delivery and actually getting the money. Also, I wonder who will buy that bespoke tie at this point.

I have now received the Paypal refund, hence for me the case is closed.

As usual, they don't have the fabric to make your bespoke tie!