Little Lace Box

[Jayrob Goldsaf]

But I also don’t want to be like those people who brush off injustice when it happens to others and not themselves.

Nicely put and a very nice concept. 

 

[DianeER]

...  I paid more than $300 for an annual sub. I don’t know what would happen to that if I cancel or get cancelled (which is why I created a new MUT identity for this thread)

This one statement is very telling. A customer who paid $300 to this company was so afraid of the company representative possibly cancelling her subscription and keeping the rest of her money if they could identify her, that she had to create a secret identity just to post on an Internet forum?

Shame on the company who made her feel that way.

 

[All the Lippies]

Oh ffs, has anyone who had their sub cancelled not had their money returned?  

This is exactly why I don't blame them for cancelling people who are making borderline libelous comments on public forums.

I suspect they aren't cancelling those who merely make negative comments.

I don't blame them for cancelling people who are accusing them of cheating subscribers, or for those who use multiple emails to get new subscriber discounts. In fact, I respect them.

Their tone could be a heck of a lot better, but I don't blame them for getting rid of people they see as threatening. The customer ain't always right. 

They're running their business as they see fit, and time will tell if it works. Maybe they'll fail, but at least they will have done so on their own terms, without sucking up to those who are trying to game them, or outright make false accusations against them.

 

[NotTelling]

@@All the Lippies Let me be clear.... I don't know what's happening with cancelation of annual subs. I would assume they would do a pro-rated refund, but I've yet to hear from anyone with an annual sub that has cancelled. I have asked the question and have not received a response. It was not my intention to make a “borderline libelous comment”



That being said, I agree with much of your post.

 

[raisin]

I don't think they'll fail. Some people will stay loyal no matter what.

 

[biancardi]

Oh ffs, has anyone who had their sub cancelled not had their money returned?  

This is exactly why I don't blame them for cancelling people who are making borderline libelous comments on public forums.

I suspect they aren't cancelling those who merely make negative comments.

I don't blame them for cancelling people who are accusing them of cheating subscribers, or for those who use multiple emails to get new subscriber discounts. In fact, I respect them.

Their tone could be a heck of a lot better, but I don't blame them for getting rid of people they see as threatening. The customer ain't always right. 

They're running their business as they see fit, and time will tell if it works. Maybe they'll fail, but at least they will have done so on their own terms, without sucking up to those who are trying to game them, or outright make false accusations against them.

actually one of the posters that did get cancelled is one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of knowing via online - she runs her own blog.  She didn't ask to be cancelled and made no threats.  She posted an honest review of a box she purchased. 

 

[kitkat3]

Oh ffs, has anyone who had their sub cancelled not had their money returned?  

This is exactly why I don't blame them for cancelling people who are making borderline libelous comments on public forums.

I suspect they aren't cancelling those who merely make negative comments.

I don't blame them for cancelling people who are accusing them of cheating subscribers, or for those who use multiple emails to get new subscriber discounts. In fact, I respect them.

Their tone could be a heck of a lot better, but I don't blame them for getting rid of people they see as threatening. The customer ain't always right. 

They're running their business as they see fit, and time will tell if it works. Maybe they'll fail, but at least they will have done so on their own terms, without sucking up to those who are trying to game them, or outright make false accusations against them.

I don't think they'll get anything back. They paid upfront for a service and agreed to it. So long as little lace box is fulfilling their end..

If you buy season tickets for a sports team... You can't get a refund if you don't lime the way the team is playing. Or they aren't playing how you want them too.

 

[Geek2]

I'm not a subscriber to LLB but have enjoyed reading what people have received in their boxes and their take on the boxes both good and bad. I find the behavior of canceling accounts just based on what someone put on the internet very bizarre behavior by LLB and I don't think I've ever heard of any company doing that before. How can they be so certain that these are the people whose accounts they are?? Almost feels like a violation of privacy. how do they have so much time finding the indentities of the people who post negative comments? Do they have an investigator whose sole job is to do that? And to talk about other customers to a customer in an email is bizarre as well. They can think whatever they want about their customers and they can have a wall of shame in their office if they really feel the need to have something like that or that is how they want to run their business but to put such a thing in writing is just odd.(not saying to treat their customers like that behind the scenes is a good thing) Running a business usually isn't personal it's just business but it looks like they have chosen to make this a personal issue which is a very odd behavior for a company. There are many haters and critics of many different companies and people post reviews both good and bad daily about various products and services but they don't get companies going after them online writing emails and seeking a revenge. I'm just not sure what to think of all this. I'm finding it to be such odd behavior for a company. The behavior sounds to me more like this is a hobby for them not a business. I could be wrong though. This is just very odd.

 

[biancardi]

I don't think they'll get anything back. They paid upfront for a service and agreed to it. So long as little lace box is fulfilling their end..

If you buy season tickets for a sports team... You can't get a refund if you don't lime the way the team is playing. Or they aren't playing how you want them too.

If I purchase season tickets, I have the choice to go to the game or not.  I have the choice to sell my tickets to someone else.   The sports area isn't going to cancel my seats. 

What LLB is doing is wrong.  If they are cancelling subs for no reason other than the imagined slights on a chatboards, then they do need refund the money back.  The customers aren't asking to be cancelled. 

I've been reading their FAQ's and their about their company pages on their website.  The whole tone of that website is unprofessional.   I was taken aback at some of their comments towards the USPS service!  It just strikes me as that they like to blame others and not take responsibility for their service.

 

[biancardi]

I'm not a subscriber to LLB but have enjoyed reading what people have received in their boxes and their take on the boxes both good and bad. I find the behavior of canceling accounts just based on what someone put on the internet very bizarre behavior by LLB and I don't think I've ever heard of any company doing that before. How can they be so certain that these are the people whose accounts they are?? Almost feels like a violation of privacy. how do they have so much time finding the indentities of the people who post negative comments? Do they have an investigator whose sole job is to do that? And to talk about other customers to a customer in an email is bizarre as well. They can think whatever they want about their customers and they can have a wall of shame in their office if they really feel the need to have something like that or that is how they want to run their business but to put such a thing in writing is just odd.(not saying to treat their customers like that behind the scenes is a good thing) Running a business usually isn't personal it's just business but it looks like they have chosen to make this a personal issue which is a very odd behavior for a company. There are many haters and critics of many different companies and people post reviews both good and bad daily about various products and services but they don't get companies going after them online writing emails and seeking a revenge. I'm just not sure what to think of all this. I'm finding it to be such odd behavior for a company. The behavior sounds to me more like this is a hobby for them not a business. I could be wrong though. This is just very odd.

I agree - I have never seen such behavior from a business before.

 

[All the Lippies]

Now, cancelling someone's sub for giving a review they didn't like is definitely BS. I assume there wasn't anything especially nasty in the review, but even if there was, they need to suck it up already! 

As far as season tickets go, you can't get a refund as far as I know, but I think if a person made themselves obnoxious at the ballpark, the team could absolutely revoke their tickets. Hell, they can kick you out for reaching in the field of play and grabbing a foul ball. (As well they should) Their business, their rules. They would surely have to give the money back, though?

 

[Addictedtomakeup]

It sure seems to me that if they are the one canceling a customer that they would have to refund them at least the remainder of their. If the customer didn't want to stop the service I just don't see how they could justify canceling and keeping the money. Otherwise what would prevent them from intentionally or "accidentally" canceling subscribers that are under the older less expensive rate and just try to replace them all with new subscribers at the higher rate?

 

[lraien]

I read this thread and I kept seeing Veruca Salt in total tantrum meltdown and daddy with his money coming in to fix it for his precious darling. Society girls with a hobby. I can't imagine anyone who's entire livelihood is built in a business being so flippant.

I'm not in favor of groveling or ass kissing but a generic thank you for your feedback would do just fine. It's very short sighted to cancel subs as retaliation for negative feedback. Someone doesn't like an item one month, they say so and then the majority of them will like the next month and forget all about the box they didn't love or if they have two months of not feeling it - they cancel and move on. Both options have the comment a blip in history - but when the company cancels and the company sends nastygrams - they give people a reason to be angry and something to talk about well after they would have forgotten all about the one box they didn't like or a sub they don't even have anymore.

 

[smartinoff]

Whoa this whole thread just blew my mind. I would be so creeped out if a company hunted me down in order to berate me for my honest opinion. I don't think a company should ever do anything that loses them money like stalking, insulting customers, preemptively canceling accounts. That's just bad business sense. Even when a customer tries to use two accounts they should be emailed and told is not okay not just kicked out of the club. I've been around subs long enough to realize that certain people would burn a business to the ground over a broken lipstick. So I can see how they'd want to prevent that but you'd think with all their experience they'd know how to do it with much more tact. And it's even easier than knocking mud off my shoes to cancel cause boom I save money and they lose it.

 

[Samantha Lading Marwick]

I didn't think I would but I'm going to chime in here but make a general statement overall. Sub boxes are supposed to be fun and exciting! They are my entertainment and I have learned which ones I really enjoy over the past two years. If you're not enjoying a sub box anymore for any reason then forget about it! This is supposed to be fun! Personally, I have had only wonderful correspondence with LLB. I'm sad others haven't had the great experience I have had because it really has been my best sub experience to date and I've tried pretty much all of them. I have a feeling that Darth was getting defensive over his business and family and had taken negative comments to heart. I would too if I was in business with my family so maybe that's why I'm not in business with my family! Anyway, most of my correspondence via email has been with Kat Taylor and she's been great. So many people have complained on multiple forums about general automated email responses from sub companies when they have a problem (cough cough, popsugar October debacle) but complain when they get an actual response from a living person, no matter what it may be...

 

[LaneySt]

So many people have complained on multiple forums about general automated email responses from sub companies when they have a problem (cough cough, popsugar October debacle) but complain when they get an actual response from a living person, no matter what it may be...

I would never complain about a professional email from a living person,  but I do have a problem with a living person sending an email insinuating a customer was a vile person and comparing her to the mud on his shoes.  I agree with you that if you are not enjoying the subscription box experience, then simply cancel.  There are many other options.  I think that is what some are doing.  Personally, I do not think I could enjoy being in a business relationship with LLB.  

If we remove the whole creepy element of being tracked down on a blog, I think there would have been a more appropriate way to handle the situation.  For instance, "We noticed a comment on MSA that indicated you were not pleased with an item in the latest box.  Although we have posted an explanation about the item in question on our website, we understand that you still may not be satisfied.  If that is the case, our company believes it would be best if we part ways.  That way, you can subscribe to another box with items that you enjoy more.  And, then we are able to offer our box to another subscriber who is on our waitlist.  If you agree, please let us know so that we may process a refund for the amount remaining on your subscription." 

 

[lauradiniwilk]

. how do they have so much time finding the indentities of the people who post negative comments? Do they have an investigator whose sole job is to do that?

I do think it's kind of interesting that they are so good at figuring out people's identities and that their other main business is a direct mail service (http://dmsorlando.com/) which specializes in compiling data for mailing lists.  I really want to know what their privacy policy is (I looked for it and couldn't find it, not sure if you get a full set of terms and conditions when you sign up because I'm not a member).  Like, do they use customer information they gather from LLB to populate these lists?  Do they use these lists to help figure out alternate email addresses for LLB customers posting on message boards?  I don't know, but it makes me wonder for the reasons Reija pointed out - they sure do seem to be able to get ahold of people with little information.  I have seen at least 15 separate accounts of people saying LLB contacted them (rudely) after posting on MSA, their blog, or other forums. 

Not trying to get too "witch hunty" here, I just think these are fair questions given the lengths this company has gone to when attempting to contact their customers.  I totally understand if people find their behavior ridiculous and want to cancel, or if they find it ridiculous but love the curation and don't want to cancel, or if none of this bothers you at all.  But I think that the conversation is interesting from a business perspective and because it shines a light on the inner workings of sub box companies, a subject that is near and dear to many of our sub box junkie hearts. 

 

[kkat]

On the issue of cancelling, it is worth mentioning that they did give subscribers a way out when they introduced the big changes. I don't see a time limit on this, so who knows. This was part of the long email they sent on April 3rd:

"For annual subscribers this means your remaining subscription is now twice as long.  However, we realize this is not what you envisioned when you purchased the annual subscription, nor did you think we would be forced to remove the review points, so if any of you would like a refund for the remaining boxes in your annual subscription, we completely understand.  You don’t even have to say why.  Just send us an email ([email protected]) and we will process a refund and place it back on your credit card.  We wouldn’t make the change to bi-monthly, if we didn’t think it would lead to an improvement in the overall customer experience."

Either way, it sounds like they would rather have unhappy people leave, but I think it would be unfair to LLB (mainly the vendors who fill their orders based on subscription numbers) to wait too long before taking advantage of their offer to cancel.  

If anyone with an annual sub DOES decide to cancel, I am guessing that everyone would love to hear about your experience. 

ON A POSITIVE NOTE!

I used the Ancient Olive Milanese Gremolata olive oil I got in the April box....sauteed garlic in it and tossed with some angel hair pasta and an egg yolk. Boy, was that oil wonderful!  So light and fresh!   Their St. Augustine store is about two hours away from me...I may need an excuse to go get more oil and hit the outlets, lol.

Have a Happy Day, ladies!   B)

 

[All the Lippies]

One last thing I keep meaning to add....quit using your real names on the internet, peoples! You're lucky it's just some vigilante business owner tracking you down!

 

[PA Anna]

Has anyone received their full size bottle olive oil/vinegar yet?