Buyer beware: defective dress and refund runaround
I would never order from Hayridge again. I paid $78 for a dress that took a long time to arrive and was shockingly poor quality. The tulle felt cheap and plastic, and the bodice was visibly asymmetrical and unevenly constructed. I sent Hayridge photographs. They responded in writing that they could “clearly see the asymmetrical bodice and uneven construction.” That should have ended the matter. Instead of issuing a full refund for merchandise they themselves acknowledged was defective, Hayridge offered me 10%, then 20%, and finally 50%, each time telling me I could keep the defective dress. When I requested a full refund, they maintained that I would be responsible for international return shipping. I also later found what appeared to be the identical dress being sold on Walmart Marketplace for approximately $19. I had paid Hayridge $63 for the dress plus $15 shipping. After the dress was delivered, I was also unable to access Hayridge’s website from my location and received a “Restricted Access” message. After repeated attempts to resolve this directly, I finally had to open a PayPal dispute, which I was refunded the total amount and the shipping charge. This was not simply a case of changing my mind or disliking the fit. Hayridge itself acknowledged the construction defects. Yet obtaining a full refund became a negotiation in which the offer slowly increased from 10% to 20% to 50%. My advice is simple: read the independent reviews, investigate where the merchandise is actually coming from, and understand exactly where and at whose expense returns must be shipped before ordering. I wish I had.
By Deb