When Karen (name with held to protect identity) went to buy a pair of dress shoes at a store in Roseau, little did she know that the simple transaction would turn into a series of frustrating twists and turns.
The young lady told DNO that she bought the shoes, “for a couple hundred dollars,” on Saturday May 4, 2013 and first wore them the following Wednesday.
“By 8:20 that same morning the entire sole of the left side of the pair came off whilst I was walking on the compound. Surrounded by co-workers and customers, I was embarrassed! Luckily I still had the old pair home, so I got a ride home so I could change the shoes,” she said.
Karen said when she returned to work, she called the store to explain what happened. “The storekeeper asked me to return it to the store so that he could show it to management so that they could process a refund,” she recounted. “I live and work in Portsmouth, which I informed him, therefore I gave it to a friend who works in Roseau the same night so that she could drop it off at the store on my behalf the following day (Thursday).”
She said her friend called her about noon to inform her that the shoe had been dropped off at the store, which was confirmed by the storekeeper. The friend also gave Karen the storekeeper’s number to contact him if necessary.
“I called him again on Friday (May 10), and the storekeeper assured me that he informed management of the situation and I could come in Saturday to receive my refund,” she said.
“I went to the store on Saturday afternoon and he (the storekeeper) told me that the manager will be in shortly. I wondered why, since I thought that the shoe barely lasted an hour I will simply get refunded and sent along my merry way,” Karen stated.
She said after a few minutes, the manager didn’t show up and she was called by an employee, only to get the “shock” of her life.
According to Karen, the manager of the store told her, “We do not make the shoes. So what happens after the sale is not up to us”.
“I immediately got angry since I saw where this was going,” she said. “Then he made it clear that I will not be getting any refund but can have the shoe fixed. On that note I hung up the phone, explained what was said on the phone to the storekeeper, argued for a while and then left.”
Karen is now wondering if her experience reflects the type of customer service that’s being offered in Dominica. “Is this the kind of service we have in Dominica?” she asked. “”It is not rocket science – the shoes did not last an hour on my feet – doesn’t the customer have a right to request a refund?
She said that she is not going to let the whole matter rest. “I can assure him that it won’t end there,” she said. “I will pursue all means to get my money back.”
Had the same exact experience at the …. Store. All she wanted to do was repair the shoe but I wanted my money back and to return the shoe. I never got my money back and I left the shoe with them. That’s why I don’t shop there anymore. I return shoes all the way to Payless in St. Thomas and get my money back and I don’t even need to be present for that since someone does the shopping for me.
That’s the worse I have encountered in terms of Customer Service, we are just not ready in this Commonwealth of Dominica. I wonder if we still have a Bureau of Standard; and a Ministry of Trade.
if you don’t get a refund, expose them(say who they are), so the rest of us wont shop at this store. I am so tired of these people selling all these cheap stuff to our hard working Dominicans.
This is a serious matter. The cost of it and what happened made me laugh. The shoe cost a few hundred dollars and this is what happened to it? My dear, this was approximately a $10 shoes, if not less. In Canada we could purchase a $10 shoes on sale which originally cost more and it is much better than the few hundred dollars shoes. If per chance something is wrong with the shoes especially if purchased at Wal-Mart and other reputable stores, they could be returned for a full refund and even prior to three months purchase.
They have a policy no refunds. Some of them are only exchange. I do not go to the store for one item. We could spend a lot of money at those stores for they have some beautiful items. This is how they get our money.
It is to be expected that shoes that are worth that amount in Dominica cost very little abroad. She should be refunded in full. Not repaired. These merchants do not like to refund customers. It is for this reason why nationals purchase items abroad and visitors hardly purchase such items in DA. They travel with all their needs. Due to this Dominica lose a lot of revenue. Do not blame them for the goods which are purchased for exorbitant sums of money in DA are inferior and they cost much less than the selling price. This is why her shoes gave way and it was not even raining.
I remember reading on DNO about a woman who purchased a pair of shoes for $8.00 at a Chinese store in Roseau and this too gave way within one hour or a half hour of wearing it. I think she purchased it for her daughter. She did not receive a refund. These people do not give refunds. I can tell you in Toronto, they will have to refund me even if the item costs $1 to $2 for we have a Law which is reinforced. I go straight to the supervisor/manager.
At Christmas I bought a small traveling ‘Canada’ clock. It did not work. First of all as I passed by the store, Dollarama, I spoke to the manager about it. She told me to bring it in. I still had my bill. When I returned she told me to take another. The new one cost a few more cents. She told me that it is OK. It was a straight exchange. A smile goes a long way too.
Folks, the government must reinforce the Law. I do see a lot has to be done in DA to protect customers from bogus items which are also bought for an exorbitant sum. Customers are always reaped- off. They deserve much better than that.
Pursue your case but ensure you do not employ the services of a lawyer for it will cost you more than the pair of shoes. Always keep your bill for a while in case you need to return the item for whatever reason. Stores will only refund with a bill of sale; this is a receipt. If you need to send your shoes with someone to the store as in this case, ensure that you get a receipt for it. They could lie and say that they did not receive it. Good luck!
Government please reinforce your Consumer’s Law and other relevant Laws.
My friend bought a pair of shoes for 150.00 to attend a wedding at Fort Young. It was purchased on the week of the wedding. When she got out of the car and started to walk, the shoes came apart just like the ladies’. She was told that they (the store) would take it to the shoemaker to get it fixed for her (non-sense). These store owners are getting away with this knowing that the people cannot afford to take them to court continue to get away with it. Just robbing the little people of the little money they make while they compete to get richer.
I have experienced the same thing and after it was fixed it lasted about a day or two my money went down the drain because the shoe was dry rot fight for your right I’ll say a pray for you
We must look at the bigger picture, the poor person involved in this saga may like most of our people, they do not have any formal training regarding customer service, it’s not only in the clothing sector there are problems. I do recall we purchased an air condition system which after a short period there were several malfunctions the staff from the company were we purchased it, did not understand the benefits of good customer service, we will not do business again with this rip off company. They even tried to double charge for the repairs that they initially carried out and was paid by us, it’s only when we protested that they admitted to their error, if only we can understand the importance of good customer service, stop importing inferior products from China and stop paying extortionate prices for poor quality goods.
The shoes are sold at exorbitant prices that they remain in the stores for so long. I had two experiences with two pairs of shoes that I bought for my three year old, each
costing $60 plus- one peeled off the same day and the other one the design on them came off! Only in Dominica do people get away with these things. Sad but true!
The store owner should be ashamed of himself. A refund or a store credit should be the ultimate thing to do. That store has just lost a customer.PEOPLE WORK HARD FOR THEIR MONEY AND THEY SHOULD BE TREATED FAIRLY AND WITH RESPECT.NAME THE STORE DON’T PROTECT THEM IF YOUR STORY IS TRUE.
Take it to “Matt in the Morning” that’s the only service that works these days. Even Konkom is taking his present complaints to Matt.
true!! couple hundreds? leather? lol seems like the LAN* lolll
Woosh Mur Say Diz LOL the same Matt in the morning they wanted to shut down. Now that’s our court house, our problem solver and the list goes on and on. I Love Matt in the Morning. No matter where I am in the world as long as the www. is working I am locked. God Bless Mathias Peltier, Sheridon Gregoire…..Q95FM.
Is time the Ministry of Trade pass the Consumer Protection Bill, so long they have this thing there more than five years! This morning i hear the Director of Trade talking about it…but again is all talk while we the consumers suffer from poor quality products, Burweau there charging importers to make money and not monitoring the products that the ppl are bringing in an selling. In DA its buyer beware… consumers should take a stance…stage a silent protest in front of the store “DONT BUY THE SHOES” “BAD SERVICE”, “BAD FOOD”, “ROTTEN SHOES” r examples of placards…me i tell everyone i know and don’t go back…not even for sale, bc that’s even worst! Minister of Trade are u listening to the cries of the consumers…its the locals and Chinese doing it….Pape met do something!
i live in st marteen’ i bought a pair of shoes suppose to be leather for 75 us after discount. i came to Da used it for the week it started pilling. I brought it back to the owner and he gave me my full worth of shoping for my money.ONE DAY? have those suckers pay you back your money.
The same thing happened to me some time ago; I bought a shoe at a store on old street and I decided to wear it the same time; so I walked from the store on Old Street to Whitchurch supermarket on same old street; by the time I got to Whitchurch the shoe unstick; so the shoe lasted about 5mins!! I went back and what they told the young lady is the exact thing they told me; I am wondering if its maybe the same store; anyway I gave them “piece of my mind” and I dumped the shoe in their store and walked out; I can be walking nee-pyay but I won’t buy another shoe from them; never!! these store managers have to learn to treat customers better than that.
If the lady have her receipt she should allow DNO to make a copy and post next to the “DRY ROTTED” shoe and that way people will know which stores they should not shop at because of lack of customer service. She should only be afraid if she is not telling the truth, but a receipt will surely not lie. This seems to be a major problem with us in Dominica. I understand that sales are slow and the item may remain in stock for a long time which could lead to dry rot, but please do not sell the faulty item at full price. In Dominica proprietors have no concept of a sale – where they mark down the item to recover cost – once they claim they have a sale they put a twist to it and it is no longer a sale.
Lady you need to name the store by allowing DNO to print post a copy of the receipt, the recupersions will be greater that seeking legal redress and if they do not want the repercusions they will refund you.
I know a storekeeper who flung a dry rotted shoe after a customer who returned it because it came undone at the soles. You are lucky you did not meet the storekeeper/owner you could end up with the same shoe hitting you in the head.
good luck with the law suit, lady name and shame the store into stopping such bad customer service.
these store owners go away and buy stuff for $2. and $5 dollars and come D/A AND sell thier for hundreds of dollars. the gorverment should put pize lim it on certain items. eg went to the levi store a jeans pants is almost 300ec i see 10 dollars vest for mopre than 60 ec come.
about the lady shoes she should be refunded. the store owner can send the item back to his purchaser. stand for ur right.
Sanctions against the store should be encouraged! Boycott them!
She should give the readers the opportunity to know which store it is. I know there are two stores in Roseau that are of ill repute and famous for that.t is the same story, they did not make the shoes. And i They find it hard to give back your money. But where there is greed, one can’t succeed. They deliberately sell low quality shoes at high price because some buyers go for price as a mark for quality.
God bless the few stores where you get good customer care. You buy a cheap pair of good quality shoes at Issa Trading or at Poponne and you can guarantee they are going to last a life time. You feel satisfied that your money can stretch and you can provide more for your children.
To the dry rot goods store, I say, give the lady back her money. Put yourself in her place. Do not pick up rotten blow out sales and come to sell them in Dominica.
We hope the lady gets her refund through just channels and may Allah punish the oppressor. Amen.
This “manager” is very arrogant and one will see the end of these people who think they can oppress others with impunity.
I had a similar experience ……such greed. These people are the worst and dealing with them could get you in jail.
Choose the busiest day of business for the store and express your disatisfaction with a small demonstration outside the store. Use every expression necessary including the shoe in question….just saying….
Oh yes customer service is very bad in DA. And it starts from the Top.. Doing business with some professionals, they say they will call you back and never does… Banks, Lawyers, Sales Person and the list just goes on… Its like every body believe you on there time and have nothing else to do…. Jah Help US..
The store could have just exchanged it….I wonder if there was a return policy disclaimer within the premises….We need to take all that into consideration
Even if the name of the shop is not there, everyone will still get to know the name as everything spreads round dominica like wildfire. I say boycott the shop. Then maybe they will understand its their own business they killing.
Young lady have a very strong case for either a replacement of the shoe or a full refund.
If my memory serves me right there is a COSNUMER PROTECTION UNIT in the Ministry of Trade (Financial Centre). Take your case to them.
There is also a Dominica Bureau of Standards that deals withsafety and quality standards issues. You can find out from them what can be done to help.
Also take your case to the Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce (DAIC) and demand that they intervene. They represnt the interest of the private sector.
This issue also brings to light the need for a BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU Office in Dominica to address these and other related issues dealing with poor customer service and over priced and poor quality goods and services offered by some businesses.
I also believe that in addition to receiving a refund or replacement of the shoe from the business place in question that you should be compensated for the added transportation costs associated with this issue.
There should be provisions in place where such business places could be cited and fined when they knowingly sell inferior and substandard products to the public.
When someone purchases any product they are entering into a contract with the seller. It’s the duty of the seller to ensure that the products sold are safe and in good working condition for a reasonable period of time. Life isn’t always perfect and products sometimes fail. As a business person, the seller has to be prepared in the event of a product failure to replace the product or refund the purchase price.
Sad to say but you are allowing this dishonest man to do the same to other people, when you have the opportunity to put a stop to the nonsensical behaviour that is going on with our store owners in Dominica.The name of this store should never be withheld. Since what you are saying is true you should have nothing to be afraid of.
Stores in dominica sell shoddy products at inflated prices period.
The system is just too wicked…both the Gov’t and the store owners. Lots of ppl go out to shoe because of the deals out there and there are always those who want to get the most out of everything even if it means robbing the poor. The Gov’t won’t increase salaries by a decent percentage but they send taxes shooting to the sky.
I recently had a similar experience. If you know your shoes are not good or dry rot please advise customers accordingly. I purchased a shoe there wore it once and it was already unsticking. I returned the shoe and was told they cant exchange it but they will cover the cost to repair. As an easy going customer I agreed but I wanted another shoe to wear right away so I decided to buy another. I’ve bought good shoes at that place but this time around the shoes are dry rot.
My girl friend……hiding/protecting the name of the store is probably the first mistake you have made. Those few hundred dollars have probably gone down the drain…………
Customer service isn’t available in
D/M, never has and never will. Just order online and get what you want, with no hassle.
Chinese here don’t buy things made from China. Don’t let them fool you. You want to know where they shop? They shop at Macy’s, Piperline, Gap and Nordstrom. And, the list goes on and on but little countries like Dominica purchase their inferior, lead infest products and come show off.
That’s a total shame. Only in Dominica you see things like that happening. They should have refunded the woman her money. They get inferior things from China that cost less than $1 and come make money off others. Lady, you should take this matter to court and demand they give you back your money. I bet you, a pair of shoes from Payless would last longer. C
i know excatly which store is it!!!!!
Refund back please….the shoe dry Rot…
This is a crying shame that should be taken seriously by the authorities. Two years ago when I was on vacation I had a situation with a bag. I ended up with a ba that I threw away cause no refunds or exchange….yet we have a government that speaks of increasing tourism…good luck with that!
The store name starts with V……
I think I would rather say the name starts with C
Women all you buying too many shoes so the Chinese manufacturers doh have time to produce quality.lol. every month is a new pair of shoes, every wedding, president dinner, PM wedding all you buying shoes.
DNO live my comment alone so my wife can get the message. I cyan talk to her directly cause she will put my clothes outside
Man am laughing am LMAO.
L.O.L..
You guys have no sense of humor, he is correct as women we are obsess with shoes. I think his comment was funny
LOL..
Popeye you are so right, and funny.
Customer service is reall y in Da not doubt about it. Karen should get full refund for the shoe. Consumer services should be informed on this matter.
sorry really poor in DA.
Bottom line, blame the government for them sidewalks you guys have down there, shoes like those are made for smooth sidewalks, fine roads, and nice cars, do you expect those kinds of shoes to last in D.A? You want shoe to last, by local, they are shoes made of leather and tire.
Your comment is so ignorant and has no relation to the issue of the story … the young lady should clearly be refunded … It amazes me how ignorant we Dominicans are its actually embarassing
Was that necessary? Never follow a multitude to do wrong. That comment was foolish, yes. But you stooped to their level.
like really?u sound like a jackass
I don’t think the roads or sidewalks have anything to do with what shoes one wears. I remember a few years ago I was in Dominica with my niece who was 10yrs then bought a pair of shoes(because she forgot to carry a particular pair with her) at a department store and the same thing happened to her. New pair of flat shoes costing about $75 , sole ripped off the same day.
Oh yes! You think they too will last? Once when I was in DA a heel of my shoe gave way. Since I was out, I brought it to a shoemaker thinking he could fix it. He fixed it alright and I paid him for it. It was not two hours that same day the shoe gave way. I thought, DA does not have good shoemakers, repairers as they had in those days.
The young lady told DNO that she brought the shoes, “for a couple hundred dollars,” on Saturday May 4, 2013 and first wore them the following Wednesday.
I thought it was Bought and not Brought.
This continous errors are not typos. They seem to address a particular weakness.In my time those teachers i mentioned would have you write the words or re_construct the sentence 50 times if you were lucky. If not it would be 100.
See the problem with these young people today is they failed togo through the rigors of the early 60 and 70’s way of doing things.The weakness manifests itself all the time.
I can see that you are an editor…one question, what is “TOGO”?
he/she may have meant to go
nice one cd, is error bull crap looking for so show bull crap errors and typo. smdh. don’t know why he/she did not edit his/her own first.
Its re-construct, not re_construct
Its to go, not togo
Error or typo?
not re-construct; it’s reconstruct
and where does that fit in?you way off topic..shaking my head
Ha ha, careful Bull crap – you are editing someone else’s work without editing yours.
These* continuous…
re-construct,actually… reconstruct.
And you’re also missing quite a few commas, bub.
But regardless of provisions, a little empathy, and understanding as a human being should play a role, come on man to buy a shoe to last for hours, that is purely ridiculous. It is an indirect form of stealing from customers.
The store management is the issue here, and they know that they can do that because of the limitations that exist. Even in America some stores do not want to refund although it is allowed. Here in Dominica there is no provisions that I know of for refunds therefore the store owners do not feel they need to have great customer service. If there were provisions for returns and refunds they would certainly have done better. Perhaps DA should be looking into a consumer protection department.
What is d name of the store… for me to know not to spend my hard earned money on crap!
sweeetie D/cans HATE to refund,most times they buy the stuff,they give it a ridiculous price,it stays there for months,obviously heat will destroy it,they never make a sale,the employees are just as bad as the managers,they are well trained. D/ca has over 50 stores which is filled and 75% of the stuffs are “dry rot stuff” the managers don’t want to make a sale,they rather throw them. why the manager didn’t do an exchange??? he rather fix the shoe! i sure this shoe has been der for months! Wicked Elements
You should have exposed the name of the store, the store manager and the store keeper. That is one way you can encourage people to not shop there. Do not protect these people. Exposed them.
DA4real, you said it all. l agree. The name of the store, manager, & store keeper should be printed for all to see. lt is unfortunate that there is not a consumer protection agency that can protect its citizens from dishonest vendors in D/ca. Nothing new. There are too many complaints going without some type of resolution. From food services to paying bills consumers are getting the dead end of the stick. The sad fact is, poor quality goods, disgraceful, arrogant, incompetant clerks, and lying public officials that dont give a donkey’s behind about its citizens. Yet officials are heading East & West going after tourists to visit sweet, natural D/ca. We seem to forget that charity begins at home. Consumers must realize that they have the power to put dishonest vendors out of business. lt is eazy to boycut businesses that disrespect consumers and get away with it. Just dont buy their cheap, dry-rot trash.
Customer service??? Pa la! I once ask a lady for an extra napkin after I buy my bakes and chicken from her and de lady ask me, “how much mouth you have like that nah?” I say ok mam.
It is no secret that customer service in Dominica is below standard. Most of those providing the service are incompetent. As someone mentioned previously, whenever one secures a “little” position, he/she gets swelled-head and puts on an attitude. In essence, do expect a side of attitude with your purchases. What a place when comes to customer service!
they need to address that customer service ting..the other day i go post office and the lady acting like as if is in her house i come and disturb her for her sugar…i cyah understand that..my mail they paying you to give me..such bad attitudes..and it is an everyday attitude for her
I will stand in solidarity with you … just tell me the name of the store and i will refuse to enter there. i keep wondering who taught these people to do business?
That is the whole point, they are not competent in business. They were never trained.
ME too
that is a normal ting in Dominica..our people need to travel more for them to compare and really see the conditions we living in …
The shoes should at least be exchanged for another because it is impossible to buy a shoe today and wear it tomorrow and it gets mashed up and then to be told “we only sell the shoe so what happens outside is not up to us”. You can’t have my $200 and I have nothing they should not even be thinking twice to give her another shoe or store credit for the amount as long as she has proof of the date of purchase. This is just ridiculous!
hmm; you all remember the mou . soon all of roseau will be only chinese stores. there are about ten of them on king george v street.
What the Chinese do is that they do marketing by going, to the other stores look at the originals then, make faux merchandise for ppl.
Dominican s like nice things but rather pay very little for ccomess.
You are so right!!!! I had the same incident and I was thinking the same thing.
Just curious, was it made in China????
Excuse me! But are you aware that some major “brands” have their factories in China? So whether or not it was made in China is not the issue. D/cans too like to associate China with all things that not good. Shait man!
Point taken, remember they order so many things ,
So therefore, if they get 50% of good merchandise the other 50% is rubbish..
I so agree to that
VERY MUCH SO! in fact there is no customer service. An incident like this happened to me recently. I bought a pair of shoes in a store. When i went to work with the shoes for the first time both shoes unstuck. I did not return the shoes to the store, i’m just not venturing in that store any more!
Somes shoes getting dry rot in some stores and they are sold very expensive.
Customer service in DA is terrible period…everywhere u go…the same thing happen to me i bought a shore and was told, they didnt make the shoe and asked me to give it to the shore repair guy outside the store to fix, they paid him! Didnt not make a fuss…i just know that i wont be going there to buy more shoes. Another time i went to a shore and the sales person said doe buy that and peeled the strap of the shoe to prove to me that it was not gud! Told him thanks and left very quickly smh! at least he was honest!
I had a similar encounter at JE Nassief shoe store a long time ago, and had to slam the counter for me to get my money back. Poor in some areas not all so don’t say its all of Dominica
The govt. needs to put in place consumer protection laws so that these situations do not arise. Here in England even if the same thing had happened after a month the customer could have expected a full refund and apology!
As a business woman, I can understand this situation. Yes! I believe customer service is of great importance, and also consumer protection.
Should be implemented.
The merchant and government of Dominica are wicked! They buy weak cheap shoes and sell them for exorbitant prices. I expect that these people buy whole sale, and get some kind of discount. Here in the US, I can buy a decent leather shoe for $30 to 50 USD (about $80 to 135 EC), and some on sale could be cheaper. These shoes in Dominica will cost maybe $250+ in Dominica. Do they really have to be that high? The government charge the merchant exorbitant tax (maybe over %60) on these merchandise, which the merchants pass on to the customers, then the government charge VAT again on top of that. The merchant pay for their shipping and handling charges, and then they want to make a fortune on one item. So with a lower per capita income, people of Dominica has to pay sometimes 4 to five times what I pay for a shoe, or other stuff – I think that’s wicked. And to that merchant you stand on losing my not refunding or exchanging that shoe – you can write it off as a loss on your taxes and plus you keep a customer – common sense.
pray that some time in the far future they bring a home depot to dominica.the best thing about that store is that they dont have no date for return ,you can bring your gabbage and they will take it back (90 days to get your form of payment and anytime ater that you get a store credit )believe me it work i have seen it all.
Point taken today I spoke to my employees about that.
Am a Dominican I chose to do business in my country
And I observe that people in our country should be educated more about the value of their money, so whenever they buy something they must make sure that they inspect the item before living…. they must stop allowing the Chinese yo much authority over them.
Personally, I do not believe Dominicans like patronizing with their very own.
You won’t get changes if you don’t name the store who ill treated you!!…By exposing the names you also make others aware of what to expect should they go buy at this stores….
DA is a very hot place…some of these shoes are cheaply made and are exposed in the windows or in the sun…So it’s natural after awhile,the glue wont hold anymore..But the store owner should give the customers the choice of a refund or exchanges of the shoes!..Especially damaged after a short time of buying!!..Don’t wait to long..EXPOSE THEM!!..Expose them on TV-Radio!!..Make a report!!… I wish you luck in getting your refund..
I’m reading these comments there and some persons suggesting ordering shoes online. Now tell me honestly, how many of us struggling to make ends meet in d.a. can afford to “order online”???
That is not a viable option. The onus is on the merchants to sell quality for price.
on the govern,ent to stop them chinese from selling preety and weak stuff.i guess they waiting for some one to beat up a store owner for their hard owned dollars and send that poor man to jail for fighting for his rights and for the good name of his country.in dominica we always wait for a revolution to bring a solution. we need to be proactive INSTEAD OF REACTIVE; THERE IS WHERE THE OPPOSITION CAN GAIN POINT INSTEAD OF FEASTING ON ONE MAN THE PM; GET ALL INTERNATIONAL ORGANOZATIONS INVOLVED in shuch events make them know of what is going on in this land.
you can order online – some sites even have international free delivery – might take 3-4 wks but for the cost, and quality it is worth it.
if you struggling to make ends meet and you can afford a 200+ dollar shoe – you can order on line… same 200 including exchange rate and shipping can give you better quality shoes.
i visit Dominica alot and that s*** they sell for those prices are not worth it.. even if you spend a bit more to get better quality it will be worth it
would you rather gwayeh and work hard only to lose your 200 in 1 day? or would you rathe rinvest that 200 in something that will take you through the long run
cha…think outside the box – if you are gettign poor qulaity you need to look for good quality else where
or buy local made leather shoes
the prices of the shoes online are rather cheap ..is in customs they killing people to clear their ting..nonsense
you can order online it’s wayyy cheaper…. but just make sure u have a friend on d port… cause you know u finish! Dominica….the whole trade system in that place to rob the citizens and make our lives more difficult…
Is why we have to run away to other countries -_-… we cyah afford to live there
I usually order everything…. down to underwear… I jus could not wait 2weeks to get the shoes so I took a chance… I will continue to send all my money to the US and d/a businesses will struggle…
Yes you rather order your things in n/y,
And rather business in Dominica to struggle.
Tell me , how do you expect the country to be economically secured?
People this is a young MAN giving that story and NOT a lady
Doesn’t matter to me. That’s irrelevant here.
A guy name Karen? wouldnt DNO say Steve?
Idiot, you not seeing DNO is protecting the identity of its sources?
In a small place like Dominica, this is crucial.
Whether the source is a man or a woman, doesn’t matter….it is the story of poor customer service that is the main thrust here.
Go read a book or something.
it are the shoes they are complaining about, not the peron’s gender.
I see where you are coming from, the shoe looks masculine.
I live on the island of St. Kitts. I am a Citizen of the Commonwealth of Dominica by birth. However, I cannot speak about the customer service that is there but I can speak about the one here. Customer service here is not the best either and travelling from one place to the next to return an item is not as leaving from Portsmouth to Roseau or Portsmouth to Bense. The longest travel is about 20 minutes. But when we buy something we return it .The money is seldom returned and you are asked to take another product. Many stores do have a no cash refund policy. If Dominica don’t have a place where you can lodge complaints of this nature then one need to be opened.
the store is refusing both cash refund and replacement of item..they offered to fix the show for her -____________-
not just bad customer service but time for trading standards to step up
just one of the many reasons i spend my cash abroad, i know i will get quality and if its faulty i’ll get a full refund without the hassle
Not all the time nah you get refunds overseas. Some stores have adopted a policy no cash refunds, no exchanges, a whole set of ta-la-la. I steer clear of such places. I shop where I can return/exchange or even get my money back.
Dominica does have a Bureau of Standards, believe it or not. The address is listed as Stockfarm, tel:448-1685. As far as I know it isd headed by Dr. John.
that sounds like a story if not the name of the store then the name of the street on which the store operates. Cork street Hillsborough street Kennedy Avenue etc. Give us an idea so it will be buyers beware
in the mall
to the customer i advsd you to take the issue further dominica has lack the word custmer service …i come dominica 4-5 times a year and the same issue happens this sick my stomach …. we need a place where issue like this can be dealt wit …we know they done make the shoes but they have the shoes in the store for years and know it not selling and wil still sell there products for the same price and its rotten…them need to have sale year go round thats they way people mk money and products dont stay and rotten
since it makes you sick why the hell are you keep going back? I am not condoning this but you don’t have to go to dominica.
People like us come back to see our family, enjoy the weather, reunite with friends, to eat some good food etc etc etc. Inspite of all the horrible customer service in Roseau. That’s why I only come to Roseau to change my money in the bank, and run back to my village. Last time I was in DA I brought a visitor with me, and this girl behind the counter at a certain restaurant in Roseau was so rude to him. I was so embarassed. Not me again papa.
Customer service needs to be improved in Dominica. The owner who refused to change the shoe stands to lose more from one unsatisfied customer. He or she would have gained more by replacing the shoe or giving a refund. It is not all about making money. It is about customer satisfaction.
well said. i mean the shoe did not last the customer a day and money is so hard to earn. that store owner has no heart and his or her children will suffer the wrath of GOD. WICKED MUST PERISH.
This is rather unfortunate and these store owners can be so arrogant. I can relate…years ago a few of us were bridesmaids at our friend’s wedding. Long story short,she was also friends with the daughter of a store owner on old street and they promised her a discount if she bought her stuff there. Miss lady decided we all had to buy the shoes at that store, even though collectively we saw something we preferred and was more practical to wear in Dominica for church etc after the wedding. Right on Cathedral step my talon and another girl launch a protest and decided they staying behind while we go ahead. If the usher didn’t hold on to to me I’d eat my face down the flight of stairs. Monday morning go by the store, after the woman herself said she would make good on it at the reception, she turned around and said she can only give us $20.00 credit to buying another pair, because we may have worn the shoes before the wedding. A shoe mind you that was unique in colour just for the occasion. I have never bought a pencil in that place from then on!
Some business people are fowl and when people order stuff on the net or shop abroad they are on radio bawling Dominicans don’t support local.
I share that experience. Consumer protection is a MUST. Cheap things are no good and good things are not cheap. Avoid buying rubbish from dishonest merchants
i agree! she should name the store ! but we all know customer service here sucks! sometimes you enter a store and a whole 15 minutes you waiting for someone to ask you ‘how may i help you?’ d.a need to come better than that!
Ah wah papa! I’ve never been asked, “How may I help you?” I already hear, “what you want nah pal” and the like. Most time they does just watch me until I ask a question. Maybe I too pretty.
Ok first of all this is bull crap.If you making a complain give the name of the store. dont say a store. you want ti improve customer service in Dominica dont say stuff like a store. whats the store name, where are they located. You cant improve the service level in Dominica but protecting the people that suck at it. So seriously when people truly want change. then i will take you guys on. I am not saying she is wrong. but if u want things to change go all in. Not one foot in one foot out.
I wonder if is DNO that withholding the name of the store for legal reasons. But if they were going to break the news, they should ensure that what they are reporting is facts, and in this case, I would not have hold back the name of the store.
I agree that customer service is horrible and this incident should be handled amicably by the store owner. However, bad customer service happens all over, not only in Dominica. Purchasing rotten shoes is very common both locally, online and overseas. I think manufacturers utilize the cheapest material to make their shoes and customers are paying the price. My sympathies – you are not alone.
Well I purchased a laptop on hire purchase about three years ago. A couple months later one evening I opened my laptop for use only to find that the screen was cracked. i never lend out my computer, it was never dropped or hit and several persons told me that it possible that i was sold a faulty product. When i went back to the place of purchase of course they did not believe my story (and as first time customer I think I should have received the benefit of the doubt). I too work in Portsmouth- why would I damage my computer and put myself through the trouble of bringing it all the way to Roseau to fix, and denying my self the use of it for almost a month. I was told (for the first time) the warranty does not cover it because bla bla bla(things that were not in the contact).
To add to the trouble- the customer service I received through of this was atrocious and I, along with persons (including my mother who was a long faithful customer of theirs) who know my story will never patronize that place again.
It is time somebody opens a business in Dominica and show these so-called business people how to treat customers and how to deal with customer issues.
What is considered customer service is extremely poor. Having worked with the general public for over the 30 years I can truly say that I do not believe there is any such thing as customer service in Dominica.
How symbolic – the more those cheap and useless shoes disappoint you guys is the more you put your trust in those shoes. Shoes embarrassing you, leaving you broke, shoes cannot even perform the simple function. Boy how much more signs do we need to realize that it is better to invest your money in things that are reliable.
This seems to be happening a lot in town. I had a similar experience where I bought a pair of working shoes for $97.00 and the next day the bottom of the shoes stayed on the road on my way to work.
By Dominica standard, a $97 shoe should raise a red flag (except you are a lady or often get cheaper shoes). I left D/ca 18yrs ago and I had to spend at least $150 to get a half decent shoe.
DRY ROT ner, shoes staying on the shelves so long they are very expensive and store keepers refuse to call a SALE! some body well desperate for a shoes buy it BAM!!! shoes peeling, sole staying behind to check it own sene, you well embarrassed. Store keepers, when you know your shoes have expired shelf life put them on sale or put them in the labas. that is stealing peoples money making them buy shoes that you know will not even last them a day.
LOLOL I really enjoyed reading your comment.
I have a friend who makes good investment in LAND shoes and LAND bags. These managers I tell you.
Them Shoes dry Rot…Not the first time i hearing a story so at all…Order you shoes next time eh tone! U learn!!! Most they will tell you is you have a store credit. Take another shoe or take something else in the store!
This has happened to me also on too numerous to mention occassion although I never got a negative response like this one when I brought back the item Somehow I always got a replacement or an IOU. However my plight is why these store have such dry-rot shoe on the racks. I have the experience of just trying on a pair of shoe right there in the store and the shoe just start to peel in my feet when stretch. That why it’s always good to try on both sides of shoe which you are leaving the store with even with you try on the display always good to try on the one they go for at the back to leave with.
Bad and customer service seems to be the norm in this country. Even in places of business show up to do a transaction and the employees are rudely on their cell phones having personal conversations while you stand and wait with little to no acknowledgement. And they wonder why the country cant move forward when you have a bunch or rude idiots running around.
If you want your money back, you have to expose the name of the store so that people will not buy shoes there. When a few people try their shoes but refuse to buy, they will get the message and your monwy will be refunded. Otherwise you will be going round in circles spendng money for legal redress that might not work in your favour. If you have the receipt post it on line so people can see the name. The receipt is yours you can do what you like with it. Let the store know you have recourse apart from just talking.
Yep!
Customer Service in Dca SUCKS!
If i were you – i’d publicise the name of the company … that would teach them a lesson….
And what’s worse… some of the thigns they sell in Dca are so ugly…looks like thriftstore rejects.
I say if you are going to spend $200 EC on a shoe that looks cheap – might as well order online .. spend a little more and be guaranted better quality. But beware of where oyu are ordering from.
there are reputable online stores that sell amazing things at great prices.
If the shopkeepers want tos crew you guys over- Do not patronise their stores
Publicized the name of the company for others to take hide
A lesson for woman who buy shoes like KFC – every month. Twop soleur femme. Now you had to go back to a pair of shoes that you didn’t want to wear and guess what you live to talk about it. So stop throwing money away on cheap Chinese made shoes.
Karen it doh seem like you really lost much money.. couple hundred dollars and you not exposing the store? They dont even want to give you a refund or new shoes…Awah wi… if it was mwen…….
I expose the store but DNO chose not to put the name…. have to respect that….
well is so it is all where u go…. they figure u need them and they don’t need u but a person like me make my way to the cash register and take my money.
Lady if you really want your money back embarrass the store by naming the store.
Very good of her for bringing this issue to the public. Too many people go through this situation in Dominica. The employees have no customer courtesy! And even if they don’t make the shoes they are the ones that sell it so they should give you your refund! CALL THE NAME OF THE STORE, so people will know where NOT TO GO!
customer service? HA! employees answer the phone to say “I am on lunch and cannot help” or “its not my job call so an so” or “I can only do so much, I only have 2 hands” managers/employees need to copy from the show “undercover Boss” seems they are only wasting money on “customer service seminars”
de shoe rotten,calypso 2014.sad customer service in dominica,take the shoe back and leave it their.
“Karen”…. Thank you for publishing your story… I believe that bad publicity is the way to address these downright horrible customer service. It happens at both the public and private institutions. It’s shameful.. Nobody really cares and most people casually accept it.. Supervisors and Managers cover for their staff at all costs although they are quite aware that the customer might actually be right.. They don’t acknowledge that some people take time off work to get things rectified.. It’s just ridiculous.. We are have stories to tell.. I believe that the TRUE story can only be told when the villains are identified. So just writing about a certain store does not help much… How about naming the store??
For true…name them and shame them.
100% agree.Customer service is DA is the worse.
a similar thing happened to me.. i bought a pair of shoes on saturday and three days after wearing the shoes it started to tear….. then people wonder why everyone likes name brand shoes…..
The issue may not always be associated with the “brand”. It may be an issue of improper storage of the stock of shoes…a practice that may cause rot of the leather or other material used in construction of the shoe. The product could be a slow moving item. This is likely to increase the chance of a poor quality product being sold to customers at the time of purchase. The victim can consider holding discussions with the Bureau of Standards in an effort to obtain information on possible actions to remedy situation.
sorry about your situation, lucky me I got a refund when this happened to me on two separate occasions at different stores. Since then to be honest I am skeptical of buying shoes in Dominica with my hard earned money, less I become a victim like you Karen.
This is a problem that is being experience in Dominica especially with shoes.Some years ago my daughter experienced the same thing with her school shoes and most recently i experienced that same issue with a prominent store owner. To top it all up the are usually very rude to the customers.
Amen I agree with you some of these stores sell old rotten shoes at ridiculous prices knowing how long the shoes has stayed there “rottening ” time for people to start sueing
This looks like a $5 pair of loafers from Payless. It is not uncommon for businesses in Dominica to have a profit margin in the region of 500% even after VAT. Nevertheless, in Dominica, Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware) is King.
Next time it might be a good idea to request a formal “Return Policy” from management.
Here is what we can do as customers:
1. Purchase goods from the reputable businesses which have reasonable return policies.
2. Publicize those businesses that are unreasonable.
You will see how quickly we can effect change. It is not only at the ballot box. We got the power….Purchasing Power.
1,000 thumbs up to your comment!!!!!!!!!!!! Together we can do it… We are the customers… And collectively we can definitely mitigate all this crappy service!!!!!!!!!!
Makes sense. I’ll pass the word!
Start a Facebook page on that and let’s bring about the change we want to see. Make it happen informant
Girl, i can feel your pain. I had a similar experience with one of the “so-called” top stores. Although I spent a few thousand dollars there.
I almost cried that day,but I said there is a God above.
So, I sincerely believe that this is the kind of costumer service we have in Dominica.
I can so relate to this situation. These store owners are selling inferior products at ridiculous prices. This happened to me on two occasions with shoes, two separate stores. The soles of the shoes came out within buying the shoes in a day, one even peeling. The store owners are aware that most of these shoes are dry rot, so now they have people to fix the shoes right at the front of the store. Dominicans reading this comment know exactly what they are talking about. These store owners are just wicked and we need a department to deal with the likes of these people. Money not growing on trees!! What pisses me off is the price they asking for them shoes, I made a vow never to buy shoes in Dominica again after my last experience. They are buying these shoes for next to nothing and selling them way beyond a profit. But when they continue being dishonest they will continue to lose out. More and more individuals are ordering their shoes or just waiting to buy shoes when they travel. This is just an outrage in Dominica now, we just paying exorbitant prices for inferior products.
They should have named the store so others can be aware not to buy from them. they to damn tief and they getting money back from the default goods that they have because they have insurance on the items.Ah Magweh sa making the lady come all the way from Portsmouth to tell her this BS. My lady take them to court you will get a whole store of shoes.
Storekeepers never give money back, but agreed for an exchange of the shoes or anything valued your money spent. It’s unfortunate, it’s happens all the time. That’s why when I’m buying a shoes, before I pay or leave the store, I have to examine by stretching all sides and angle to be certain that it’s tightly secured. Shoes stays in the store for long period of time, then get dry rot due to humidity. Some of the storekeepers just too inconsiderate. They only care about making money, and not the customers. It’s sad.
see you may examine the shoes before leaving however sometimes it stands up to the examination. the problem is shoes in town are too expensive and they get left on the shelves, now in desperation you buy a pair of shoes then it falls apart on you…smh
Have your shoes or bag ever dry rot on you? you cant see it coming, trust me. Only the store owner knows how long the items have been on the shelf wasting away
You go girl!
I agree with you Karen. Dont let it die there.You deserve compensation. And dont take that nonsense from them about choosing something else or they having a credit for you. I had an incident with a store owner who told me no cash refunds since I was dissatisfied with the item purchased..well I went back to that door and demanded my money..I decided that day I would not leave with anything else but my money and that I did too. Stand Your Ground..Poor customer service in Dominica.
YES! This is the type of customer service we get. I have had this experience too. At least they paid to have it repaired. In Dominica you do not get any cash refund. When you make a purchase and you have to return it, you are made to take another item of the same value or pay the difference, whether you want to or not. i think the time has come for this to change.
What is the point of this if Karen is not prepared to name and shame? That is how you get results. You have to be prepared to stand up and be counted and name the store and the manager.
darling once u have ur receipt then u cant go wrong. go to the law and file a complaint. allow the court to give u justice by making the store owner refund u the money for the shoe and money for emotional distress as well. some of those store keepers too wicked…
This kind of behavior by business places will soon come to an end!!! Customer, you can call the Ministry of Trade on the number 266 3265 and an Officer will be very happy to advise you on a way forward with this matter.
Let the public know at which store this transpired!! Many of them (while its true they dont manufacture shoes) sell dry rotted shoes to people and act innocent when such embarassing incidents happen. It is also the responsibility of the buyer to ensure that the price matches the quality. if she spent a couple hundred dollars, this shoe should be made of leather. i highlydoubt that its the LANS store (whioh sells top quality products which will cost a couple hundred dollars) she is referring to. the shopkeeper and manager sould be reasonable and at least offer an exchange if their policies do not allow for cash refunds. this i believe would bring some control to the situation and maybe just maybe secure a returning, future client.
This is symptomatic of our mindset I’m afraid. when something goes wrong we do not want to accept resposibilty and think the matter is settled when we can blame someone else. The lady always has the option to sue the store owner on the basis that the merchandise he/she sold her was “not fit for purpose”. I sometimes think Judge Judy would have a field day in Dominica.
I think you are entitled for an exchange.
Had a similar experience with a shoe (not so expensive though). However, when I returned it, I was given a new pair. Kudos to the supervisors/managers at the Big Department store in Roseau.
I had that same experience with a popular clothing store in Roseau, where I bought a work shoe and it embarrased me on the street when it opened up the same way. I returned it to the store and I was offered an exchange for another item in the store, so I took a handbag and paid the difference. That handbag had dry rotted and the fleather on the handle peeled off in less than a week! Pursue your refund my dear.
oml! i can well imagine your anger! dont let it rest there!
Happened to me too after a week. Stopped buying shoes locally anymore. Ship them in. This is the fastest way to kill an industry and business. Forward we go!! Customer service is so bad and retailers do not want to face responsibility. Are there any consumer protection laws? Its a shame everything has to go legal and people are so lacking in moral principles.
This article makes no sense without the name of the Store. By naming the store, the owner will be embarrassed and I am pretty sure the young lady will get a refund.
Bear in mind that there are legal ramifications to publishing people’s names, names of businesses etc. The customer needs to do everything the legal way to seek redress.
You cannot have your right pass for your wrong.
The lady has a receipt showing the name of store she bought it from and that store would have a duplicate. What legal ramifications you talking about? Stupes!! There can only be legal ramifications if you can’t prove what you are saying is true. Why are people always scared in this country?
Read people read!!! The name of the store is there
Silly!! Since when did ‘a store’ become the name of a particular store. No name was given