A regular Victoria’s Secret customer in Wisconsin says that she was surprised when she brought her merchandise to the checkout at her local store, and they served her with what she calls “divorce papers,” banning her from shopping at the lingerie chain. What? What right do they have to do that? It turns out that she wasn’t just any customer.
While Victoria’s Secret and the customer disagree on some facts about their relationship over the years, they do agree about some things. According to a story on the case that local TV station WMTV ran, the two sides agree that:
- The customer shopped at the chain online and at her local mall.
- The customer bought lots of items at Victoria’s Secret.
- The customer used coupons, some of which she obtained by buying them on eBay.
- The customer re-sold some items that she purchased at Victoria’s Secret on eBay.
- The customer had some disagreements with employees of her local stores.
Her problems with the chain date back to 2006, when she claims that the retailer began canceling her online orders and required her to sign a special form for a large cash sale when making a purchase in person.
The company served those “divorce papers” in 2014, later allowing her back in their stores. Yet the manager of the local Pink store, a Victoria’s Secret sub-brand that sells lounge and athletic clothing, still won’t allow her inside.
The question remains: is she running a small business built on large purchases and counterfeit coupons, or is she just someone who really likes a particular brand and sometimes sells online to make a little extra cash? Victoria’s Secret claims that she has taken in $180,000 by selling their merchandise on eBay, and she disputes that figure.
She filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Department of Consumer Protection, but they weren’t able to get the customer and the lingerie seller. It might be impossible for the sides to come to an agreement when she sees herself as a loyal customer, and the retailer sees her as a reseller leeching off their business.
Local woman “divorced” from her favorite store [WMTV]
by Laura Northrup via Consumerist