Imprint.com Product Flaws, Hideous Customer Service, Draconian Returns Policy Stafford, Texas

Imprint.com messed up my order in every possible way and in the end refused to make it right. They do not care about their customers, even if they pretend to, and don't believe anything their customer service people say.

On 8/19 I tried to place an order for patches with a company that turned out to be Imprint.com--apparently they operate a lot of websites, not all under that name. I followed up with a phone call a few days later because I had not gotten a proof, and I was told that they confirmation code that I had was "impossible" because they don't use that numbering system. I started to work with a human being, by email and phone, who kept sending me quotes for the wrong job. Not a good sign. Still, I was happy with the quote and the proof I received on 8/23, and the order was finalized on 8/25.

I didn't receive it until 9/14, which was rough because I was in a timecrunch. Worst, the patches looked NOTHING like the proof. The typography (font) had been changed, and all the letters were attached with ugly threads. The border was a skinny, jagged single seam. They were embarrassing. Still, I had a contract for an art show where these would be displayed, and I had to ship them.

However, on 9/16 I wrote to Imprint expressing my dissatisfaction and sent photos to show what I meant. On 9/20, I explained that I would ideally like a refund but wouldn't have all the patches back for a number of weeks, and that I may not get all of them back. I was told that was fine, that they'd issue me a refund for whatever I could return. I was instructed to send what I had on hand immediately and then ship the rest when I got it. This all sounded great to me.

When I printed out the return form, I noticed that they wouldn't pay for shipping, so I decided to wait to sent everything back in one shipment. I did that last week, and they received it today. I immediately got a message saying that too much time had elapsed and they couldn't issue me a refund but only give me a store credit. I told them I wanted a refund because I didn't like the quality of their product and didn't want to purchase any more from them. They said the accounts system wouldn't "allow" them to refund me beyond 60 days. I said it was less than 60 days since I received the shipment. They said it was 60 days from the order being placed (meaning the 21 days it took them to get it to me was counted against me!). I said either write me a check or remake the order however was necessary to make it look right. They refused and insisted on store credit.

At no point in my extended back-and-forth with Imprint.com workers about my return case did ANYONE tell me that there was a deadline on returns or that I was in danger of missing it. This only became an issue after they had BOTH my money and my product. I am incredibly angry because I'm being conned into spending more money on their worthless crap in order to get my money "back." This is a mafia tactic and does not belong in a responsible business. They need to stop hiding behind their 'system' and figure out how to actually work with their customers.

I have never complained about a company online before. I usually take responsibility for misunderstandings with merchants and am the first to pay for my mistakes. This was just one trainwreck from beginning to end, and I feel misled and cheated.