Complaint Review: Strut Hair Solutions - Helena Gibson Consulting

Janie, my girlfriend purchased a $1,000 hair piece from Strut Hair Solutions several weeks ago and was encouraged to have it professionally style-cut to better match the modern look she wanted by one of their stylists.

Unfortunately, the workmanship of both the hair piece and the cut were subpar and the piece now has sections that have so little hair left that they are actually see through.  We can see Janie’s hair and scalp when she puts it on. She’s totally bummed. The piece is essentially ruined. Well, maybe we could use it for Halloween.

Janie was told before she purchased that all the products were guaranteed … so she requested a refund … twice. She left three messages over the next week for Elena, who is evidently a full time employee but never seemed to be able to make it to the phone to talk when she called. Still haven’t heard back.

One of the other employees explained to Janie when she called that Strut Hair Solutions usually doesn’t give refunds after a piece has been cut.  Evidently they cannot sell a wig or hair piece after it has been altered and the store owner was not willing to take the loss.  Don’t really have recourse here because Janie paid by check unless she wants to go to small claims court which is a crapshoot and Strut Hair solutions would have an appeal process if they lose.  Janie is just stuck.

I’m a detective who was an arbitrator for a short time while finishing my Masters. I’ve seen this type of thing many times before. Janie wanted me to go into the store and do the “badge” thing to get her money back but that type of approach is only seen on television and is frowned upon when you’re in law enforcement.

So learn from this you. Here’s my advice to the consumer

1. Remember to always read your contract.  For an item like a wig, if it’s altered (colored or cut) it can’t be re-sold so getting a refund or exchange will be next to impossible.

2. Try not to pay by cash or check because these payment methods don’t have the built in protections that credit cards do.

3. And tell someone what happened! Never make a scene where the offending party can call the police on you.  This turns the tables on you legally and makes you the bad guy.

Best thing to do:

Let people know how this store’s owner operates so it doesn’t happen to them. Best way to do that … the RipOff Report!! That will follow them for many years.

We should have looked there to begin with.  Looks like Strut Hair Solutions has had their share of problems in the past.