Heather A.

I placed an order on December 17th for a coat from Catherines as a gift. I received 40% off by signing up for emails but paid $13.98 shipping. The order confirmation arrived with a "free shipping" offer if I joined their VIP program, which stated I'd receive this free shipping in the form of a rebate within 3 weeks. This language misled me to expect money back. Emailing customer service proved unhelpful with vague, inadequate responses over 11 days and 14 messages. Their online chat vanished after one attempt.

The coat was the wrong size, requiring exchange. Lacking a packing slip initially complicated this. Exchanging online meant returning through Happy Returns, getting store credit, losing my discount, and re-purchasing the product at full price as well as paying another shipping charge. Only by calling them did I finally get a paid return label to hopefully enable an equal exchange, which I was assured of. However, this exchange process also supposedly takes 3 weeks.

Today I learned the "free shipping rebate" would arrive in the form of a January 15th gift card applied to my rewards account, not money. Their documentation severly lacks clarity on this. After replying I wouldn't shop there again and that I needed this to be a monetary refund, I was denied, being told "we do not send our members money."

I find the handwritten forms and weeks-long wait for exchanges and refunds unacceptable in 2023. The limited and unsatisfactory return options through Happy Returns are ridiculous. I can pay a $10.99 fee to return the item for credit to my credit card. Or I can return it for free for a store credit I won't ever use.

My dissatisfaction is fueled by numerous negative online reviews exposing questionable Catherines business practices. I've submitted this to the BBB and also posted on their Facebook page, trying to warn people to never shop here.