Complaint Review: FootSmart Benchmark Brands

FootSmart advertises a 120 day return Policy. They also promise, on their website, to handle returns as follows:

If you return any item, your return will be processed in 1-3 days from the date of receipt in our Fulfillment Center, and your account credited, 7-10 business days after we have processed your return, depending on your credit card issuer. We will refund your purchase price only. A credit will be issued to your credit card less the shipping/Smart Label fee, or you will receive a check if you paid by check or money order. Unfortunately, we cannot refund shipping and order processing charges or return postage.

It's bad enough that I had to pay for shipping to me and overpriced shipping & handling for the return (apparently, this is one of FootSmart's ways of making money off customers--even those who return products), but now FootSmart is holding my money hostage. I sent the return package to them on September 15. Only after I contacted them to ask why I hadn't received my refund did I receive an acknowledgment that they list it as arriving at their facility on September 24. It is now October 3rd - more than a week later - and they have NOT yet PROCESSED my return, never mind initiated the credit to my account.

When I called the customer service number today to determine why I have not received an acknowledgment that they have processed my return, I was told "because we haven't" and "we are still working on September 23rd returns and yours didn't arrive until September 25th". I corrected that, stating that I have an email confirmation from them dated September 24th that acknowledges they had received my return. I was then told they are a week behind in processing and they won't process my return until they process all of those received before mine.

Either they are inadequately staffed, badly trained or deliberately slow in order to retain the money (and subsequent interest). Whatever the case, this is incredibly unprofessional and deceptive business practice. FootSmart states one thing and do another. I will never order from them again and highly recommend that you don't either.

TZ
Cambridge, Massachusetts
U.S.A.