SINGAPORE: An unhappy customer took to social media to share his experience with a hair salon. He had purchased a six-session package that cost $2,600 for services to combat hair loss, but after his fourth session, the salon closed for renovations.
In a post on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page on Tuesday (Dec 17), Vinz Ong wrote that after that, he grew suspicious when the salon would not inform him about his remaining sessions and the owner of the salon even sent him a message asking to borrow money.
Mr Ong explained that he had decided to buy the package offered by an establishment called Eden by Ethan Scalp Science Salon, located at Bukit Pasoh, after he had seen a friend recommend it on Instagram, though he did find it to be somewhat pricey.
The first four sessions went all right, and he noted that service at the salon was good, and the establishment itself looked “well renovated.”
When he attempted to book his next session for Oct 17, he was informed via text a few days earlier that the salon would be closed for renovations, but that Mr Ong would be sent updates. Though he was surprised by this, he took it in good faith.
After two weeks went by without updates, Mr Ong asked when he could book his next appointment, but was told the renovations were still ongoing.
However, on Nov 11, he received a phone call from Ethan, the boss at the salon, who told him he had lost his phone and wallet and needed Mr Ong’s help with transferring money. Mr Ong wrote that Ethan explained he only had his work phone that had the contact number of his clients.
Understandably, this was a red flag for Mr Ong, who asked why a business owner would call a client to borrow money when it would be more reasonable to do so from family or staff members. He also found out later that the friend who had recommended the salon received the same request to borrow money.
Mr Ong asked for another update by Nov 26, asking the salon for a refund if they could not let him know when it would reopen.
He felt that it was another red flag when the salon told him that its owners had gotten scammed by their renovation contractors.
He messaged the salon again on Dec 10, telling them he had gone to their location and had not seen signs of renovation works, and giving them an ultimatum to refund the remainder of his payments by Dec 15 (Sunday).
By the time he was preparing his post, he had still not heard from the salon.
However, in an update on Wednesday (Dec 18) he wrote: “Ethan the boss has contacted me and asked me to give him till end of the month to process the refund as his money has been scammed by the renovation contractor. Shall give him the benefit of the doubt and wait till end of the month.”
The Independent Singapore has reached out to Mr Ong, as well as to Eden by Ethan Scalp Science Salon, for further comments or updates. /TISG
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