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Beauty Industry Received the Most Number of Complaints in First Half of 2021

2021-08-07 , 1:38 pm

Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) has recently released a press release detailing the number of complaints they have received in the first half of 2021.

There has been a 19.5% decrease in the number of consumer complaints received from January to June 2021.

There were 9,013 complaints received within the same duration in 2020, while there were only 7,260 complaints received this year.

From the total of 7,260 complaints, 627 of them are related to the beauty industry, which afforded it the “coveted” number one spot.

Oh, the parents of this industry must have been so proud!

However, it also topped the list of consumer complaints back in 2018, and reports of unfair practices go back to 2013.

Note that the beauty industry is still in the top five despite losing out to the travel industry back in 2020 when the pandemic first hit the nation.

Back then, the first and second places went to, understandably, the travel industry due to the huge influx of cancelled trips and travel packages; and the medical and medical consumables industry due to the sudden increase in the need for masks and an equally sudden increase in masks-related scams.

Two Common Complaints About the Beauty Industry and Ways to Deal with Them, Courtesy of CASE

Unsatisfied with the services rendered

According to the report, one-quarter of the complaints received is related to the consumers being unsatisfied with the services provided by spas and beauty salons.

This may include cases like treatment being ineffective, and treatments causing even more problems.

CASE advises consumers to always check the terms and conditions before accepting any offer as most salons have disclaimers like “the salon is not responsible for any failure of the treatment” and that “payments made are not refundable”.

It is also wise to have any verbal agreement to be put into writing.

Health should always be your number-one concern as well.

Hence, it might be wise to consult a doctor before committing to any beauty treatment.

After all, some issues, such as skin problems, might actually be a medical issue and should be treated as such.

Consumers should also inform the beauty salon if they have any pre-existing conditions prior to paying for the treatment.

If ever in doubt, it’s always advisable to get a doctor’s opinion first.

Last but not least, do your research.

As much as you want to believe in it, there’s no such thing as a “miracle treatment” that can turn you into the ideal “you” that you want.

It’s important to know the limitation of beauty technology so you won’t fall for false promises and feel cheated of your money when the “miracle treatment” failed.

Aggressive sales tactics

Approximately 157 complaints (or a quarter) received by CASE were about unfair practices, specifically aggressive sales tactics that add undue pressure onto the customer, forcing them to sign a contract for treatment before they have properly considered their options.

If you’ve encountered scummy beauty outlets that do this, CASE has a few tips for you.

For a start, you should know your rights.

Don’t let a beauty salon pressure you into entering a contract.

If you do feel pressured, overwhelmed or intimidated during a sales pitch, just say “no” politely albeit firmly and leave.

If the staff tries to stop you from leaving, call the cops.

You should also take note that some beauty centres use “free gifts” or “limited time offers or discounts” as bait to lure you into signing onto a treatment plan before you’re ready.

And if you do plan to get the treatment after thinking about it, make sure to have the “free gifts” or “limited time offers or discounts” written down in the contract, lest they renegade on it.

The CASE report did not reveal what the other half of the complaints were about.

CaseTrust Accredited Spas and Wellness Businesses

Called “CaseTrust”, this “white list” of CASE-accredited spas and beauty businesses can be very useful to consumers when considering any beauty treatments.

CaseTrust businesses are committed to fair practices.

Plus, these companies also offer a five-day cooling-off period in case a consumer decided that they do not want to continue with the spa or beauty package they have purchased.

You can browse the list of CaseTrusted companies here.