undisclosed substitutions, then banned and publicly called a liar
I spent $358.10 with Korean Skincare Queens, and this experience completely changed my opinion of the business. My order took almost a month to arrive. When it finally came, four products I specifically ordered were missing and other products had been substituted in their place without me being notified beforehand. I contacted customer service, listed the four missing items, and requested a refund because I did not want to wait even longer for another shipment. To their credit, customer service refunded me for the four missing products and told me I could keep the replacements. I have never denied receiving that refund. The bigger issue started when I tried to discuss my experience in the Facebook group “Korean Skincare Queens: K Beauty tips for brownskin.” The group was created and is run by Brandi Wilson, who is also the creator/owner of the Korean Skincare Queens website and business. This was not an unrelated Facebook community. It is directly connected to the business I purchased from and prominently promotes the Korean Skincare Queens website. After raising concerns about my order and asking for transparency, I was removed from the group. I contacted Brandi Wilson directly because I did not understand why I had been removed simply for discussing a real purchase and customer-service experience. I later discussed what happened in another group, “Bald Head Heaux No Moe: Hair Growth Tips From Around The World.” Brandi Wilson responded publicly, called me “problematic” and a “liar,” accused me of trying to start problems, and stated that she was going to ban me from that group as well. Again, I never lied about receiving a refund. My complaint was that my order took nearly a month, four products were unavailable, substitutions were made without notifying me beforehand, and I was then removed from a community run by the same person behind the business after discussing that experience. I also think potential customers should be aware of the membership practices of the “Korean Skincare Queens: K Beauty tips for brownskin” group. The group’s public description states that it is “for BLACK women” and says “NO MEN!!!!” From what I personally observed while in the community, people who did not identify as Black were also removed. Customers and potential group members can decide for themselves how they feel about that. What bothered me most was the lack of professionalism. Receiving a refund does not mean a customer should lose the right to discuss why the refund was necessary. A business owner should be able to receive criticism without personally attacking a customer, calling them a liar, or removing them from communities for sharing a documented experience. I have screenshots of my $358.10 purchase, my original email identifying the four missing products, the company’s response confirming the refund and replacements, my messages regarding my removal, and Brandi Wilson’s public comments toward me. I appreciated receiving the refund for the products I did not receive, but the way Brandi Wilson, as the creator of both Korean Skincare Queens and its Facebook community, handled the situation afterward was completely unacceptable to me. I will not purchase from Korean Skincare Queens again and cannot recommend this business.
By Zyaira B.