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Forum -> Fashion and Beauty -> Sheitels & Tichels
Deceptive Buisness Practices - Vent
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33055




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 13 2014, 8:49 pm
I bought a Freeda closeout supposedly a discontinued model. There is no way that my Freeda was originally priced at $1200 and sold at that price point. The quality of the hair is beautiful but it is really thin. It is as think as only one row of hair on a regular sheital. It was sold at $398 and it is not worth a penny more. This is really not a discontinued item, but one designed to sell at a lower price point.

I bought a Malano and it was sold as brand new, but it was actually a used wig. The company refused to reimburse me. They wanted me to travel to Brooklyn to replace it. I contend that is is their responsibility to pay for the postage both ways. It was ripped and smelly. It stank of B.O. At the time I bought a second wig from them, they put some kind of coating on the hair which disappeared upon washing two times and the wig is bone dry and the hair is ugly and unwearable. They put on some kind of silicone coating or something to make it appear shinny and a better quality hair

I have had the same issue with the coating on other sheitals I bought.
There also was the poster who touted the Mimi wigs which were not as advertised.

This is a hard enough mitzvah and the sheital companies should not be deceiving their customers.
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MaBelleVie




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 13 2014, 10:38 pm
Yup. I could add another brand but I don't think it's necessary. All I'll say is that honest shaitel machers are few and far between, but when you find one, stick with her.
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33055




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 13 2014, 10:52 pm
I just checked Freeda's website. All of their hatfalls are discontinued. I started watching their site around 3 years ago because of a thread here. My color and length periodically were out of stock on their discontinued list. When I saw it was back in stock, I decided to order it. I didn't put two and two together and realize that a discontinued item could not be restocked until I received mine and realized something is not right.

They really need to be straight with their customers and say this is a lesser line. I am now afraid to wash it twice.
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asmileaday




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 13 2014, 11:16 pm
You pay cheap you get cheap. Don't expect anything more. The real unprocessed hairs will not have a "coating" that can wash off. But you'd have to pay close to 2K for a short one.
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asmileaday




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 13 2014, 11:19 pm
Very rarely is there such a thing as a good sheital on sale. If it's on sale it's for a reason.
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studying_torah




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 12:08 am
I've been ripped off w wigs 1,000 and 2,000 plus as well.
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MaBelleVie




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 12:12 am
And I experienced extremely deceptive business practices with a $3k wig.
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rosenbal




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 12:22 am
Squishy wrote:
I just checked Freeda's website. All of their hatfalls are discontinued. I started watching their site around 3 years ago because of a thread here. My color and length periodically were out of stock on their discontinued list. When I saw it was back in stock, I decided to order it. I didn't put two and two together and realize that a discontinued item could not be restocked until I received mine and realized something is not right.

They really need to be straight with their customers and say this is a lesser line. I am now afraid to wash it twice.


I got a Freeda discontinued wig before pesach. It was horrible. I should have had my shaitel macher look at it first. She told me she would never ever have advised me to buy it.

Really horrible hair. Doesn't keep curls in but doesn't stay straight either. Just poofs up horribly. My stylist is amazing and has tried everything but the wig really stinks. Hard to believe it was expensive ever. I think the worst I ever bought. I wish this thread had been around then...

At least I'm "only" out $700. Rolling Eyes
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DrMom




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 1:07 am
Squishy wrote:
I bought a Freeda closeout supposedly a discontinued model. There is no way that my Freeda was originally priced at $1200 and sold at that price point. The quality of the hair is beautiful but it is really thin. It is as think as only one row of hair on a regular sheital. It was sold at $398 and it is not worth a penny more. This is really not a discontinued item, but one designed to sell at a lower price point.

I bought a Malano and it was sold as brand new, but it was actually a used wig. The company refused to reimburse me. They wanted me to travel to Brooklyn to replace it. I contend that is is their responsibility to pay for the postage both ways. It was ripped and smelly. It stank of B.O. At the time I bought a second wig from them, they put some kind of coating on the hair which disappeared upon washing two times and the wig is bone dry and the hair is ugly and unwearable. They put on some kind of silicone coating or something to make it appear shinny and a better quality hair

I have had the same issue with the coating on other sheitals I bought.
There also was the poster who touted the Mimi wigs which were not as advertised.

This is a hard enough mitzvah and the sheital companies should not be deceiving their customers.

That's horrible. Did you take photos and send them to the company when you complained?

As for the silicone coating: Can you buy some sort of hair product (Frizz-Eaze, or similar) to help revive it? Those are silicone-containing products. That's what I use on my hair (not a wig -- my actual hair) to help it look shiny when it's bone-dry and frizzy.

I agree that this is deceptive and horrible. Nobody in their right mind would buy a wig made out of my frizzy "unwearable" hair!
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33055




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 4:38 am
DrMom wrote:
That's horrible. Did you take photos and send them to the company when you complained?

As for the silicone coating: Can you buy some sort of hair product (Frizz-Eaze, or similar) to help revive it? Those are silicone-containing products. That's what I use on my hair (not a wig -- my actual hair) to help it look shiny when it's bone-dry and frizzy.

I agree that this is deceptive and horrible. Nobody in their right mind would buy a wig made out of my frizzy "unwearable" hair!


I took photos and sent it to them to Milano. The piece was also a hat fall and had valor ribbons making a cage which held it on. The ribbons were all ripped and torn. Being I never had a hat fall before, I thought somehow they tie together. I bought this at a traveling sale in Monsey. You can clearly see how ripped and torn the top is when it is sitting on a white sheital head.

I tried Silkease, finishing cream, smoothing shampoo, and deep oil conditioners on the piece. These all work on my own hair to give it a sleek appearance. I left the deep conditions on for a few days which I have done successfully to revitalize a "good" old curly sheital. My curly sheital was permed and 5 years old and was revived nicely.

I think there is some kind of industrial product they put on these sheitals. Perhaps they use a plain silicone or something similar which is stronger than you would use on a person.
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 6:36 am
I bought a Yaffa sheitel online, that was advertised as 100% human hair. At such a low price I was expecting it to be color processed, not great quality, and made in China. The piece did arrive with a sewn in label stating that it was 100% human hair.

Guess what? The first time I tried to heat style it, it melted! Mad It was entirely made of the cheapest synthetic you could imagine. I've seen Halloween costume wigs with better quality hair.

No refunds, no returns. Mad Mad Mad
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 9:37 am
Squishy, were you the one that had a thread a couple years ago about buying a Milano at a sale that they refused to let you return, and they finally responded because of the thread?

I have to say I spent $300 a few months ago on a sheitel I knew was only worth $300 and I am so pleased. I didn't have high expectations but it holds its style very well and is comfortable and I'm probably most pleased because of the cut I got (which makes or breaks a sheitel). I'd be second guessing myself if I spent any more money if it was worth it. This way I know I'll be happy for the time it lasts me (I was guessing 2 years, but the talented woman who cut my sheitel said she thinks it will last longer, and this is before she knew I don't wear sheitels daily.)
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debsey




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 10:08 am
Someone should start a website where people could post photos with reviews, showing that companies are being deceptive.
It's why I stick with Shevy's. They stood behind their product when I had a problem.
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Chayalle




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 10:10 am
Glad to read this thread because my sheitelmacher says I should start thinking in the direction of a new wig. My two Kikis are 7 and 8 years old respectively, and have been great, but I guess at this point they are starting to go, holding a setting less.

I keep wondering if I should try to go for one of these deals, or save up for another Kiki.....I think save up is what I'll do (though how, is another question....)
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 10:50 am
debsey wrote:
Someone should start a website where people could post photos with reviews, showing that companies are being deceptive.
It's why I stick with Shevy's. They stood behind their product when I had a problem.


I agree, but this will not end well. Soon, you will hear a chorus of:

Loshon Hara!
Informing on another Jew!
Hurting their parnossa!
Judge favorably!

So, some of those points may be valid some of the time, but I can promise you two things:

1. People will be afraid to speak up because of the above reasons.
2. People will continue to get ripped off, because sellers depend on #1.

Buyer beware, and get EVERYTHING in writing. If a seller won't give you a written guarantee, then keep shopping somewhere else.
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MaBelleVie




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 11:02 am
debsey wrote:
Someone should start a website where people could post photos with reviews, showing that companies are being deceptive.
It's why I stick with Shevy's. They stood behind their product when I had a problem.


Unfortunately, almost every brand is deceptive to an extent. Not consistently with every client, but enough that you can't trust any of them.
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33055




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 11:03 am
Hashem_Yaazor wrote:
Squishy, were you the one that had a thread a couple years ago about buying a Milano at a sale that they refused to let you return, and they finally responded because of the thread?

I have to say I spent $300 a few months ago on a sheitel I knew was only worth $300 and I am so pleased. I didn't have high expectations but it holds its style very well and is comfortable and I'm probably most pleased because of the cut I got (which makes or breaks a sheitel). I'd be second guessing myself if I spent any more money if it was worth it. This way I know I'll be happy for the time it lasts me (I was guessing 2 years, but the talented woman who cut my sheitel said she thinks it will last longer, and this is before she knew I don't wear sheitels daily.)


I would not mind buying a $400 sheital for$400. I wouldn't have a single complaint about the hair being too sparse. I resent the whole charade and marketing deception of saying these are discontinued sheitals.
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 11:07 am
The difference is I do believe Freeda has discontinued wigs. They are no longer making weft caps (which these are) and most of the discontinued sheitels have mono parts, not multidirectional. I think people buy and return (which they allow, and I did myself) which is why things go in and out of stock. They might also get back from sheitel machers who have had their stock for a while. But you can imagine these sheitels have been around for a long while.

Was the hat fall very thin? I don't know much about hat falls, but I assumed they're the type to be.

The full sheitels I tried from their discontinued line were too full for my taste honestly (because I myself have thin hair and have a hard time with something with a lot of body).
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debsey




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 11:18 am
FranticFrummie wrote:
I agree, but this will not end well. Soon, you will hear a chorus of:

Loshon Hara!
Informing on another Jew!
Hurting their parnossa!
Judge favorably!

So, some of those points may be valid some of the time, but I can promise you two things:

1. People will be afraid to speak up because of the above reasons.
2. People will continue to get ripped off, because sellers depend on #1.

Buyer beware, and get EVERYTHING in writing. If a seller won't give you a written guarantee, then keep shopping somewhere else.


It is actually NOT Lashon Hora to prevent someone from being ripped off. It's "lifnei Eever".
The only thing companies will respond to is economic pressure.

Here's my story with this. I was ROYALLY ripped off once by a well known upscale boutique. I bought an outfit for a very important occasion. I scrimped and saved - it was really important that I look just-right, and this store was several LEAGUES above my usual shopping venue back then.
Well, they knowingly sold me something deceptive (long story how I found out). After spending more than I could afford on the outfit, more than I could afford on the alterations, it was truly not possible to wear it.

Little do they know, little nebby me has this thing called "friends". And one of my friends is one of their best customers (how did I even know about this boutique, right?) Well, she and I were chatting, and she asked about the outfit. I told her the story.
(Just to put it in context, it's the kind of store where when she buys clothing for her kid's weddings from them, they send a gorgeous flower arrangement to the vort)

She called them up and said - I will stop shopping in your store AND I WILL TELL ALL MY NEIGHBORS THE STORY.

Let's just say - the very snobby, not so nice saleslady who basically told me in very polite terms to go to you-know-where called ALL APOLOGIES and I ended up with a non-defective outfit, all alterations paid for.

Economics is the ONLY thing that will motivate this type of business.
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Nov 14 2014, 11:27 am
debsey wrote:
It is actually NOT Lashon Hora to prevent someone from being ripped off. It's "lifnei Eever".
The only thing companies will respond to is economic pressure.


Like I said, I totally agree with you. We need a version of the Better Business Bureau, but I just don't see it happening. Some kind of rating system like Ebay feedback would be super helpful.

Just saying that especially in the Jewish community, people are going to be hesitant to speak up. Heck, if people are still willing to cover up and protect child molesters, how can we expect to be informed about bad sheitel sellers?

I'm very happy that your situation turned out OK. It would be great if we all had connections like that. Maybe what we REALLY need is proteksia, and some enforcers to go around and make sure that things are made right! Banging head Feeling beat up
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