Should be careful when you order on Future Fashionista!!

[roey]

LVShoeFan2 and naughtymanolo,

How long has it been since you have talked to your friend?

If recently, she is well enough to call or email thus well enough to speak to customers and resolve issues.

Her avoidance is a form of scamming. She knows people are trying to reach her about fulfillment of orders and is not respondng. Yet she certainly has time to take care of other business.

Maybe the business is not doing well and she's letting it fold, like health clubs that suddenly close the door and continue to take customers' money via credit card deductions.

She's had plenty of time to rectify problems or appoint someone else to do it for her. Unless she is dying and unable to physically function, there is no excuse.

 

[alliemia]

i'm wondering too, for those that are her friends, what is her answer as to why she hasn't mailed out people's orders since August?

 

[Premiereoffour]

To add to what I wrote in #60, Elana isn't one of the diamond suppliers on polygon, she is accessing it as a retailer not a wholesaler. She doesn't own any of the stones or a lot of the jewelry on her Website. It is resold from polygon but only purchased after it sells.

 

[HauteMama]

I agree with roey. No one is making up stories or trying to turn anyone against Elana, and I know that many people have done business with her successfully. However, the FACTS are that many people have had their credit cards charged and have not received their merchandise and have been entirely unable to contact Elana or anyone from FF. If a person is well enough to post pictures on FB (I don't know this, as I am not on FB, but I am going based on what others have said) and update their website, why are they unable to answer or return phone calls?

Additionally, there have been complaints about packaging, and how valuable pieces were wrapped in toilet paper or had whoopie cusions enclosed in the packaging. I can appreciate a sense of humor and I know that Elana was very humorous on this site when she was posting, but surely anyone can see that is unprofessional? Packaging reflects on a site, and it means a lot when people are spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a piece of jewelry.

There IS no excuse for this. There just isn't. Temporarily shutting down the business would be fine. Even missing a few orders in August and THEN not accepting future orders would be acceptable if illness was the problem. Anyone could excuse that, as sometimes severe health problems creep up unexpectedly. But this has been going on for quite a while now, and people STILL don't know why. Unless she is struggling with mental illness (she may be; I haven't a clue), there is just no way a person could think that Elana's actions have been consistent with the trusted business person she presented herself as.

 

[Nyria]

ROEY & HAUTEMAMA =

The fact that she is avoiding her buyers but has time to do many other things speaks VOLUMES.

 

[bisbee]

What I was trying to explain, I guess badly, is that in my case, if my jewelry comes back appraised lower than what I paid, I will consider that standard in the industry and not something to be upset about only, not meant to extrapolate out or shape others' feelings.

I don't understand your statement. I bought a pair of earrings from Elena - I haven't had them appraised (now I'm afraid to), but I would expect them to appraise for MORE than I paid. At least, that is standard for ALL of my fine jewelry purchases for YEARS!

 

[tulip618]

This is so hard to believe...... I have purchased multiple items from Elana and all my experience were wonderful. Like many of you, I wish to hear from her again!!

 

[risingsun]

I agree with roey. No one is making up stories or trying to turn anyone against Elana, and I know that many people have done business with her successfully. However, the FACTS are that many people have had their credit cards charged and have not received their merchandise and have been entirely unable to contact Elana or anyone from FF. If a person is well enough to post pictures on FB (I don't know this, as I am not on FB, but I am going based on what others have said) and update their website, why are they unable to answer or return phone calls?

Additionally, there have been complaints about packaging, and how valuable pieces were wrapped in toilet paper or had whoopie cusions enclosed in the packaging. I can appreciate a sense of humor and I know that Elana was very humorous on this site when she was posting, but surely anyone can see that is unprofessional? Packaging reflects on a site, and it means a lot when people are spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a piece of jewelry.

There IS no excuse for this. There just isn't. Temporarily shutting down the business would be fine. Even missing a few orders in August and THEN not accepting future orders would be acceptable if illness was the problem. Anyone could excuse that, as sometimes severe health problems creep up unexpectedly. But this has been going on for quite a while now, and people STILL don't know why. Unless she is struggling with mental illness (she may be; I haven't a clue), there is just no way a person could think that Elana's actions have been consistent with the trusted business person she presented herself as.

This post states the case very well. Elana's behavior has affected people far beyond tPF. When I became ill and could not see my clients, I contacted every one of them, explained the situation, and referred them to my colleagues for treatment. An ethical person doesn't do what Elana has done. There simply is no excuse. If she can update her blog, she can make arrangements to deal with her customers. You certainly do not take new orders. You refund money, when goods have not been delivered and you make sure that people receive their purchases in a timely fashion. If you are not well enough to do it yourself, you hire someone to take care of it.

 

[Contessa]

This post states the case very well. Elana's behavior has affected people far beyond tPF. When I became ill and could not see my clients, I contacted every one of them, explained the situation, and referred them to my colleagues for treatment. An ethical person doesn't do what Elana has done. There simply is no excuse. If she can update her blog, she can make arrangements to deal with her customers. You certainly do not take new orders. You refund money, when goods have not been delivered and you make sure that people receive their purchases in a timely fashion. If you are not well enough to do it yourself, you hire someone to take care of it.

Agreed Risingsun.

And I don't know Elena from Adam, but I will say that as a medical professional, someone who is truly, legitimately ILL would NOT be sitting by a PC documenting their illness.

Facebook would be the LAST thing on my mind if I was ill.

 

[lovely64]

I don't understand your statement. I bought a pair of earrings from Elena - I haven't had them appraised (now I'm afraid to), but I would expect them to appraise for MORE than I paid. At least, that is standard for ALL of my fine jewelry purchases for YEARS!

What do you mean? Nothing you buy is worth the amount you pay, it´s almost always a lot less.

 

[gga]

I don't understand your statement. I bought a pair of earrings from Elena - I haven't had them appraised (now I'm afraid to), but I would expect them to appraise for MORE than I paid. At least, that is standard for ALL of my fine jewelry purchases for YEARS!

Insurance replacement appraisal, yes, you would have that expectation and outcome. That valuation is often the highest possible price you'd have to pay to replace an item with a similar item immediately. That is not the information I'm seeking from this appraisal.

 

[catcat]

Yeah but I asked Elana for that kind of appraisal as well since as a TPF'er and some negociation etc...I still paied quite an important sum and the appraoisalvalue (according to Elana) was nearly double...I really liked her, talked a few times over the phone and she was always very helpful but now I am scared that all the diamond earrings studs etc...are far far less then what I payed for.

 

[bluejinx]

I highly recommend googleing order future fashionista and seeing what comes out. It seems that this has been going on since may. It also seems she has been caught in some interesting mis-truths. To the OP, I would dipute the charge immediatley. I would not only want it quickly resolved but I would not want to support Elana no matter how many tpf-ers have had positive experiences or like her as a friend.

 

[TXGirlie]

Hopefully most people with unfulfilled orders and unanswered emails paid with a CC and were able to do a chargeback.

 

[bisbee]

What do you mean? Nothing you buy is worth the amount you pay, it´s almost always a lot less.

I'm not saying what you would get if you sold it...I'm talking about the usual jewelry appraisal for insurance/replacement value. I've never had an appraisal that was for less than what I paid for the item. As far as turning around and selling it...that's another story entirely!