Complaint Review: Brookie's Boutique - Castle Rock Colorado

I ordered a towel through Brookie's Boutiques on 10/5/2006 and used the option to pay through paypal.

On November 1st after not receiving any email from the seller saying that there is a back order, after receiving no shipping information and not receiving the product, I contacted the seller with the following email:

----- Forwarded Message ----

From: *******

To: [email protected]

Sent: Wednesday, November 1, 2006 9:00:22 PM

Subject: Fwd: Receipt for Your Payment to Brookie's Boutique

I sent you payment weeks ago for an Elmo towel to be monogrammed, and still have not received it, nor any word on when I will be receiving it.

If this item is not shipping, please let me know and issue a refund asap.

thank you.

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At this time I also filed a dispute on paypal. However, I got this response on 11/3/2006:

----- Forwarded Message ----

From: "[email protected]"

To: *******

Sent: Friday, November 3, 2006 5:15:21 PM

Subject: Re: Receipt for Your Payment to Brookie's Boutique

Hello-

Thank you again for your purchase. I had a family emergency that was not your normal issue. I just lost a baby unexpectedly at 11 weeks. I then had problems with hemorraghing and was hospitalized. I apologize for not getting back with you regarding this sooner. I will be working on your towel over the coming days and plan to ship next week. Thanks for your understanding.

Juanita Philben

Brookie's Boutique

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I then responded to her that I understood and would be awaiting the towel and said that I also understood that if it was too much than she could give me a refund rather than complete the towel.

After several more weeks I still did not receive it and sent her an email asking where it was so that I could escalate Case #PP-216-182-565 into a dispute if need be before it expired. She conveniently posted a message on 11/17 (4 days before the case expired) stating that she sent the item and I would be getting it. This way I wouldn't escalate the claim since I believed she was just having a hard time with her losing a baby and I was giving her the benefit of the doubt.

However, after several weeks I still did not receive it and sent the following message:

----- Forwarded Message ----

From: *******

To: [email protected]

Sent: Thursday, December 7, 2006 10:08:36 AM

Subject: Re: Receipt for Your Payment to Brookie's Boutique

Juanita,

I still have not received the towel. It has now been over 2 weeks since you said that it was shipped.

If it was indeed shipped, please provide shipping and tracking information.

Thank you,

*******

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She has conveniently not responded to my email now that she A) has her money and B) the case has been closed so I can not escalate it. However, I contacted my credit card company today to dispute the charge and I have sent in the paperwork necessary for them to reverse the payment.

I emphatically ask that you look into this case. I believe that this seller was fraudulent in this transaction. I think that she played on me as a mother with her miscarriage story and I was scammed out of my money. Thankfully my credit company will go after the money and hopefullfy paypal, will go after this woman. Who knows how many other people are paying for products that they do not receive? It is people like this that really make me leary of using paypal and she is damaging their credibility as a 'safe' exchange.

Becky

Red Bank, New Jersey
U.S.A.