Caption: Consumer Council of Fiji CEO Premila Kumar. Photo: SHALENDRA PRASAD.
Consumers should be cautious when buying items from The Pink Window Creations, an online shopping boutique.
This stern warning comes following several complaints received by the Consumer Council of Fiji in recent days against this online company.
To date, the Council has received 46 complaints totaling up to $20,043.00. Only 10 complainants received their refunds while 36 complainants are still waiting for their refunds.
The Pink Window Creations market their products to consumers online via social networking site, Facebook and also has a store located at the Sports City Complex in Laucala Bay, Suva. Items are normally imported from overseas after consumers place their orders and pay for the items by making bank deposits or cash deposits at their Suva office. After the company failed to deliver the items, it indicated that they were undergoing internal restructure.
The Council continues to receive complaints from aggrieved consumers who have ordered and paid for item with The Pink Window Creations but have not received any of the goods paid for so far. Some orders have been placed as far back as February 2013.
The Council is deeply concerned with the stance as The Pink Window Creations has failed to provide timely redress to consumers. Consumers paid full amounts and upfront deposit from the outset. The Council has not been able to contact the company as they are not responding to the Council’s emails and phone calls and have also shut down their Suva store.
Furthermore, Pink Window Creations is in breach of Section 88 of the Commerce Commission Decree 2010 for “Accepting Payment without Being Able to Supply as Ordered”.
The Pink Window Creations should comply with the law and refund the consumers immediately.
The Council is also urging the Registrar of Company to be more ‘vigilant’ while registering new companies as the Council has come across complaints which show that people set up companies only to hoodwink the consumers. There should be more stringent rules in place for those wanting to set up new companies.
The Council encourages other consumers who are in similar situation to come forward and lodge their complaints with the Council.