A cautionary tale.

[Culmor]

I ordered these  for my 'Batman Returns' Catwoman costume over a year ago.

   

Email correspondence with ‘Fabulously Fetish’ from 3/2/2015 to 7/2/2016

My emails in are black, FF’s are in blue italic. My order with payment by Paypal was sent 3/2/2015, this correspondence starts with its acknowledgement later that day. At the time the FAQ on the FF website read:
Shipping & Delivery Times
11. How long will it take for my items to be dispatched?
Shoes and boots normally take 6-8 weeks; small accessories will be delivered sooner if ordered separately. The time for bespoke orders will vary depending on the order, but these orders will take longer.
 
3/2/2015
 
Thank you for your interest in FABULOUSLY FETISH products. Your order has been received and will be processed once payment has been confirmed.
To view your order click on the link below:  (Link removed)

Quant

The Ring Master
  - Size: 7.5UK
  - Material: Leather
  - Colour: Black
  - Sole: Black Resin

 
29/3/2015
 
Hi,
Just wondering when I can to expect to receive the boots?
Cheers,
T.
 
30/3/2015
Hello,
 
Thank you for your email. I checked on your order, at the moment our team is working on your mock up boot. It should be finished within a few days and then posted to you. I will email you an update in a couple of days. 
Apologies for the delay. 
 
Kind regards,
Dorothy
 
30/3/2015
 
Hi Dorothy,
Thanks for the update.
Best regards
T.
 
            No reply received.
 
11/4/2015
 
Hi,
How are things coming along, any progress?
Regards,
T.
 
 
13/4/2015
 
Hello, 
 
I'm sorry for the delay. We are very short staff at the moment. The mock up should be send within a couple of days.  
I will email you the tracking number when the boot is ready to be posted. 
 
Kind regards,
Dorothy
 
 
 
8/5/2015
Hi,
How are things progressing?
Regards,

 
No reply received.
 
 
14/5/2015
Hi,
I sent this order on the 3rd February. After a chasing email on 13th April I was told you were short-staffed but I could expect the mock-up in a  'couple of days'. That's now over a month ago and I've not heard anything yet despite a another chasing email. Can you let me know what's going on please?
Regards,

 
No reply received except a mass promotion email on22/5/2015 a promotional ‘present’ of £50 off for anyone who ordered two pairs of shoes.
 
 
22/5/2015
 
Hi.
As a present, could you let me have an update on my order 827 of 3rd February?  I was told to expect a mock-up within 'a couple of days' of my email of 11th April but unfortunately you were 'short-staffed'. That's six weeks ago tomorrow and I've heard nothing yet since despite a chasing email.
Regards,

 
No reply received.
 
1/8/2015
 
Hi,
Just chasing as I haven't heard anything recently. I know you've had problems but on Monday it'll be six months since I ordered the Ringmaster boots, can you update me please?
Regards,

 
No reply received.
 
 
6/8/2015
 
Hello? Anyone there?
 
9/8/2015
Hello,
 
I really do apologise for the delay in responding but there is so much to do here at the moment and I am without staff to help with the workload.
 
I have been updating the production schedules and can confirm your boots are now scheduled for completion on the 17th August. I realise this is long overdue  fro completion and I apologise for this and assure you that I am doing all I can at the moment to make improvements for the future so this does not happen again.
 
I would like to thank you for patience in this and sticking with the process. I am sure you will ultimately be very happy with your boots.
 
Regards,
Cos.K
 
9/8/2015
Hi Cos,
Thanks for the update 😊
Cheers,
T.
 
2/9/2015
Hi Cos,
Wondering if you could update me on when to expect delivery?
Cheers,

 
4/9/2015
Hi,
 
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, we know that we promised you a completion date of 17th August 2015 and this date has come and gone without any further communications, we know this is unacceptable.  We're still working our way through the back log of customer orders and we can assure you that your order is is part of a batch to be completed in the next few weeks.
 
Looking at the current schedule, I can confidently say that we can get your order to you by week ending 18th September 2015.  I have to base this on older customer orders and the current staffing situation in production.  I can assure you that you will be happy with your Ring Master boots and we know the wait will be worth it.
 
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
 
Regards,
Anthony - Cos.K London
 
30/9/2015
 
Hi Cos,
Can you let me have an updated estimated delivery date please?
Regards,

 
30/9/2015
Hello,
 
Work has progressed with you boots and I apologise that they have not been finished at the time stated but I am sure I can have these finished for you now for delivery sometime next week.
 
Thank you again for being patient with this process
Regards,
Cos.
 
30/9/2015
 
Hi Cos,
Thanks for the update. However, I'm not clear on how I can be sent the boots next week when I've not even yet received the mock-up.  From your earlier emails;
 
03/02/2015 Order confirmed.
30/03/2015 I checked on your order, at the moment our team is working on your mock up boot. It should be finished within a few days...
13/04/2015 I'm sorry for the delay... The mock up should be send within a couple of days.
09/08/2015 I... can confirm your boots are now scheduled for completion on the 17th August.
04/09/2015 I can confidently say that we can get your order to you by week ending 18th September 2015
30/09/2015 I am sure I can have these finished for you now for delivery sometime next week.
 
I also sent several emails in the summer asking for an update which didn't even receive a reply.
 
I intended the boots for two events which are now past. Frankly, I'm now beginning to lose patience with this.
Regards,

 
 
1/10/2015
Hello,
 
I was indeed going to send you the mock boots first to try on and they have been cut ready to be made up. However due to the long wait you have had to endure and the volume of work I have to get through, have decide to take a chance with all below knee boots and get the final products finished for all customers instead in an effort to catch up on the backlog. As I am making all patterns myself now as well as all the shoemaking, albeit with some help from the trainees, I am quite confident you will not have any issues with the fit. Most of the boots which have been sent out recently have had no fitting problems and I am sure this will also be the case with yours. Some time saving decisions have to be made in order to get back to shorter delivery times without sacrificing the quality of the products and this is one of the few areas that can.
 
I understand how frustrating it is to keep receiving conflicting information but I ask you to please continue having faith in me and you will be very happy with your product.
 
Thank you,
Cos.
 
1/11/2015
Hi Cos,
Another month gone, any news?
Regards,

 
No reply received.
 
3/12/2015
Cos,
It's now over two months since you wrote:  
 
'Work has progressed with you boots and I apologise that they have not been finished at the time stated but I am sure I can have these finished for you now for delivery sometime next week' . (30th Sept).
 
It's ten months to  the day since my order. Are  you actually still making boots? If not please refund my £390 paid on 3/2/2015, Paypal transaction ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Yours,

 
No reply received
 
 
3/1/2016
Dear Cos
 
I don’t appear to have received replies to my previous emails of 1/11/2015 and 3/12/2015.
It’s now eleven months since I ordered my Ring Master boots and it seems I’m no closer to receiving them. I know you’ve had staffing problems but I intend to draw a line under this transaction.
Ideally, I’d still like to receive my boots and I’ll give you four weeks from today (until 3rd February 2016) to supply them. That’ll be a year to the day after my order and payment.
At that point I’ll expect to have either my boots or a full refund of £390 in my Paypal account. If not I shall be making a claim for my money plus interest in the Small Claims Court. I’m sorry that it’s come to this but I don’t see the problem being resolved otherwise.
I've attached a pdf of our correspondence over the last eleven months.
Please acknowledge this email.
Regards

3/1/2016
‘You have my personal assurance that you will receive your boots within the next few weeks’.
 
A year today from my order and no sign of them yet. I'd still like to receive the Ring Masters but I see on your Facebook page people who have been waiting thirteen, eighteen months and frankly I've long lost faith in the whole process. So, give me a realistic, set-in-stone deadline because if they're not with me on time this time (and I don't have a full refund) I'm going straight to the court.
 
Regards,

 
6/2/2016
 
Hello,
 
I am sorry about this but the relocation process has really taken much more of my time than I anticipated. I have now finished with this and can focus my attention fully on the production issues. I can assure you I will have these finished for you shortly. I will give you a final deadline date of 4th March but can promise you will receive them before this date.
 
Thank you for persevering with this.
 
Regards,
Cos.
 
7/2/2016
Hi,
 
OK Cos, one last chance. But if I don't have my boots or a refund by the 4th March I'm going straight to the Small Claims Court, no more correspondence.
Regards,

[Tinker D]

This is one reasion why I don't do bussness with Some overseas people.
Most are ok, some are not. That is why I check ebay feedback.

I hope you get your boots.

[madjack]

Bummer!

And its not as if they are some cheap eBay seller, this is an expensive UK based company - you'd rightly expect more and better service.

I hope it all works out, those boots look fabulous!

MJ

[Culmor]

Just met someone on Deviantart who's still waiting for an order paid for on 31th March 2014! That's despite the FF website still saying 4-12 weeks delivery on custom work. On the FF facebook page we're trying to find anyone who's received anything from Cos since last Christmas but no luck yet.

Cos is a fraud and conman, I'm suing.

http://www.deviantart.com/art/Ring-Maste...-545866383

[Like Ra]

Any progress on that?

[Culmor]

I've been traveling (see 'Off topic') but I'll turn my attention back to the matter shortly. I now have another contact who's been waiting eighteen months...

[Culmor]

I've checked out Companies House, the UK government body that

... incorporates and dissolves limited companies, registers the information companies are legally required to supply, and makes that information available to the public.

 https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/compa...ng-history

Notice was served on Cos on 19th Jan that in two months his company would be struck off the Register and dissolved, all property and rights owned by it passing to the government. That action's now been discontinued but it doesn't sound promising.

It's been pointed out that Cos was featured in a positive light on UK Channel 4 recently which doesn't say a lot for their investigative journalism. A clip is embedded here:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-g...sex-survey

[Culmor]

The Notice served on Fab Fet earlier this year was under 'Section 1000 of the Companies Act 2006' - 'Power to strike off company not carrying on business or in operation'. So it seems the Gov thought Cos was out of business too and if there's one thing they don't like it's not getting their taxes.

[Culmor]

It's fifteen months today since I paid and enough's enough. Cos tells me he can't refund me as he's aeady been working on the boots, I would have some sympathy with that if he hadn't been claiming the same thing since March 2015 and if he wasn't ignoring me when I ask for photographic evidence.
I've issued a claim today through the County Court requesting a full refund of the cost of the boots plus 15 months interest (set by the Court at 8% pa) and the court fees, we'll see what effect that has.

[Culmor]

I emailed Cos a pdf of the Court Claim document this morning with a note saying it would be officially served on his registered office within next five days. 

Surprise, surprise, three hours later I received an apologetic reply 'The boots are now ready and are being dispatched to you later today or first thing in the morning'.

I await with bated breath...still going to try to get the court fees out of him though, I don't see why I should have had to spend £35 to get him to do  something he could clearly have done anytime in the last twelve months if he'd been arsed.