The New LuLaRoe Return Policy
The Home Office call from LuLaRoe was live at noon central today, and in this video, LuLaRoe handled some big announcements. The one everyone feared prefaced yesterday only by a quick email about how consultants should accept this news with 'open minds and hearts' was the new return policy. The LuLaRoe "Make Good Program" is a new policy in place to give customers either a full refund, exchange, or merchandise credit within outlined timeframes. Immediate fire burned from consultants contacting MommyGyver, and feedback from customers varied from pleased to disappointed that LuLaRoe is seemingly once again putting the burden of defective garments onto an already heavy load on the consultants' shoulders. Consultant feedback included worries about losing money on shipping fees and supplies to the less than speedy way LuLaRoe is known for issuing damage credits to retailers in many instances. The fire already blazing was fueled further today when a screenshot of a quote from Mark Stidham in today's article from Business Insider started circulating regarding the refund policy. Mark feels that he and LuLaRoe doesn't owe anyone an apology. Generally speaking as a businessperson, it's commonplace to issue an apology to a customer, or group of customers that have felt betrayed and improperly served by a company. No, not LuLaRoe. It is my opinion that this issue doesn't bother the Stidhams because the end customer is not, and has never been a customer of LuLaRoe. This is evidenced in the new return policy, as well as the company's response to complaints with the Better Business Bureau- instructing complainants to file a complaint on their independant retailer, but they are not responsible for a customer's poor experience. All this talk of LuLaRoe having the consultant's backs over and over again seems overshadowed by the knives that seem to be relentlessly plunged into them at every turn. As a now outsider, my thoughts on what would be announced today would have included the halting of production of leggings until the damage and defective issue could be rectified. However, I remind myself that would be the action of a company that is taking responsibility for its actions, and not asking the already weary consultant to yet again step up to the plate to hold LuLaRoe's best interest up before their own. Sad is the day when consultants are speaking up in large numbers, worried about how they can front an influx of full returns, and why that responsibility is theirs.
The Business Insider article also cites the complaints on the BBB pages as "statistically insignificant". There haven't been enough complaints to warrant an apology to the masses yet the group of 26,000 in LuLaRoe Defective on facebook is full of angry customers and gaining hundreds of members every day. Maybe they don't seem to be resonating loudly enough to the company who claims on their webpage that social media feedback has spoken to them, and this new system is in place to make them happy. I guess I'm lost as to how trying to hunt down an invoice from a rep you purchased from three months ago and then pray she's still in business doesn't sound like an extra slice of birthday cake to anyone. Rather, it seems LuLaRoe wants to make the customer happy by minimizing their complaints in validity based on statistical number versus production, refusing to issue an apology about the poor experiences and products, and sticking the mess on the consultant to clean up. Here's another kick for you while you're laying there, doll. A few LuLaRoe agents spoke to me positively, stating that this policy is no different than what they have been doing on their own already- including eating the shipping fee. (I'm shopping with these guys from now on.) Where I think that is commendable for a consultant to offer of their own volition, I'm of the firm belief that if the company is going to bend you over- at least offer a little lube. If you feel this simply isn't good enough, perhaps a Twitter Message, Facebook, BBB, or FTC complaint would be in order? Or maybe reaching out to those die hard coaches, mentors, and trainers would be a better option than burdening the average consultant scraping to get by? ***4/26/17 Update- Mixed information is being given as to if the Make Good and Happiness Policies are mandatory. Most recent information suggests that Make Good is mandatory, and Happiness is optional.***