In This Case
- Debbie Rivet ordered the same evening gown from London designer Safiyaa in two sizes, a total of $3,990, planning to keep the one that fit and return the other.
- The fitted style was wrong for her occasion, so she returned both under the policy in effect at purchase. She has FedEx receipts proving delivery, but the refund never came and the company stopped answering emails and calls.
- Her credit card dispute was reversed because too much time had passed, which points to a hard rule every shopper should know: the law gives you a limited window to dispute a charge, and waiting on a silent company can quietly close it.
Debbie Rivet buys two made-to-order evening gowns from London designer Safiyaa, returns them both according to company policy, then watches her refund disappear into an 8-month black hole of ignored emails and disconnected phone calls. Can anyone get Safiyaa to answer?
Question
I placed two orders with Safiyaa, a high-end London designer of evening gowns, earlier this year. I ordered the same dress — the Serendipity Pale Blue Long Dress — in two sizes to see which fit better. Each dress cost $1,995, for a total of $3,990.
When the dresses arrived, I realized the fitted style just wasn’t right for the occasion. I immediately requested a return authorization by emailing the company at the address listed on the company’s website. I got no response. I tried multiple times. I also emailed another address. Nothing.
Finally, out of desperation, I reached out via Instagram. Someone from Safiyaa responded and provided a return authorization. I shipped both dresses back via FedEx and have the tracking receipts proving delivery.
Then I waited for my refund. And waited.
I sent multiple follow-up emails requesting my refund. No response. I tried calling, but the phone line goes straight to voicemail and disconnects before I can leave a message.
I filed a credit card dispute with Capital One. They initially issued a refund, but later reversed it, saying too much time had passed. I had been trying to give Safiyaa time to respond, and that patience cost me my chargeback rights.
It’s been 8 months since I returned the dresses. I see Safiyaa advertisements daily on Facebook and Instagram, and I’ve noticed other customers commenting about similar customer service problems. I have FedEx receipts, email records, Instagram screenshots — a complete paper trail. But Safiyaa won’t respond to any form of contact. Can you help me get my $3,990 refund? — Debbie Rivet, Rosedale, La.
Answer
Safiyaa should have processed your refund immediately after receiving the returned dresses.
According to the company’s own explanation, you purchased the dresses under a return policy that allowed refunds. That policy was in effect when you made your purchase. The company confirmed both garments were received at its facility. At that point, Safiyaa had a legal and ethical obligation to issue your refund.
Made-to-order luxury goods come with special risks. These aren’t items sitting on a shelf. They’re custom-crafted for you. That’s beautiful from a craftsmanship standpoint, but it often means strict return policies or no returns at all.
Here’s what you could have done differently. First, excellent work keeping that paper trail! You documented every email, every Instagram message, every phone call attempt. That’s exactly what smart consumers need to do.
However, there’s one critical mistake: You let the window for your Capital One dispute close. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you must notify your credit card issuer in writing about a dispute within 60 days. Giving Safiyaa time meant you forfeited your right to a credit card chargeback.
The lesson? When a company is ghosting you and you have a valid chargeback, don’t wait. Push it through.
You can also escalate disputes by contacting executive customer service. I publish executive contacts for thousands of companies on my consumer advocacy site at Elliott.org. Unfortunately, Safiyaa wasn’t in my database before your case — this London-based made-to-order fashion house wasn’t even on my radar.
My advocacy team contacted Safiyaa on your behalf.
“We can now confirm that both garments were received at our facility and that a full refund has been issued to Ms. Rivet’s original payment method,” a representative told us. “We sincerely regret the delay.”
A company representative explained it recently overhauled its returns process after experiencing problems with worn garments being returned. While protecting the made-to-order business model is understandable, that’s no excuse for ignoring a customer with a legitimate return for eight months.
Safiyaa also noted it now operates under a no-refunds model in the U.S., in line with industry standards for made-to-order fashion. But the company honored the policy that was in place when you made your purchase — which is exactly what it should have done.
Before ordering custom-made clothing, it’s important to understand exactly what you’re agreeing to. And if something goes wrong, document everything and don’t let your credit card protection expire while waiting for a company that’s clearly not responding.
Bottom line: Safiyaa issued your full $3,990 refund.
Your voice matters
A company confirmed it received the returned goods and still went silent for eight months. The debate is over what a retailer should be required to do once it admits a valid return is in hand.
- Should retailers be legally required to issue an approved refund within a fixed number of days after they confirm the returned goods arrived?
- Should retailers be legally required to keep a working phone line and respond to refund requests within a set time, instead of routing customers to dead voicemail?
- Should the legal window to dispute a charge be required to pause whenever a company stops responding to a documented refund request?
What you need to know about refunds, returns, and chargeback deadlines
When a retailer goes silent after you return goods, your credit card protection can quietly expire. Here is how the rules work and how to keep your refund alive.
Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you generally must notify your card issuer of a billing dispute in writing within 60 days after the statement containing the charge was sent. Miss that window and the issuer can decline to help, which is why you should not wait on an unresponsive company. Yes. An issuer may initially credit you and later reverse it, including if it decides the dispute fell outside the allowed time window. A provisional credit is not final, so keep pressing your case and watch your statements until the refund is confirmed as permanent. It can. Waiting politely for a reply may feel reasonable, but the dispute clock keeps running. If a retailer is ignoring you and you have a valid claim, file the chargeback before the deadline rather than letting your strongest protection lapse. Once a company confirms it received goods returned under the policy that was in effect when you bought them, it generally has an obligation to issue the refund. The terms in place at the time of purchase are what govern your return, not a policy the company adopts later. Custom and made-to-order items are crafted for you rather than pulled from stock, so they often carry strict return rules or no returns at all. Read the return terms before you order, and confirm exactly what you are agreeing to in writing. Keep the shipping carrier’s tracking and delivery receipts, along with any return authorization the seller gave you. Proof of delivery to the company’s facility is powerful evidence in a dispute or an escalation. Here is how the consumer complaint process works. Escalate beyond customer service. A short, polite email to a senior executive often breaks the logjam, and outside pressure from regulators or a consumer advocate can help. Our executive contact database can point you to a decision-maker.How long do I have to dispute a credit card charge?
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How do I prove I returned an item if a seller denies it?
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