The luxury tights and lingerie brand Wolford has apologised after heavy criticism from customers over delays to orders and refunds, admitting its delivery services were overstretched.
Shoppers have taken to the reviews site Trustpilot to warn others against making orders, with some saying they had waited for more than a month for their goods to arrive and had been unable to obtain a refund.
Almost 90 percent of the 460 reviews of Wolford give the Austrian brand, where a pair of tights costs from £25 to £200, just one star.
In a review posted this weekend, one shopper said they had not received items paid for in November: “Was suppose[d] to wear tights for Christmas party and then New Year’s Eve still haven’t received my order. What the heck.”
Another wrote: “Ladies, DO NOT BUY from Wolford the[re] are so many great tights with amazing quality that really gives us better service and will value [customers] like us.”
The company, which is part of the Chinese-owned luxury group Lanvin, told the Guardian that “unforeseen complications led to longer-than-expected delays” after it switched to a new delivery provider last year to “improve efficiency.”
“First and foremost, we sincerely apologise to our customers for the challenges they have faced with our online shopping platform in Europe and the UK. We deeply regret any inconvenience caused by issues related to orders, payments, and refunds,” Wolford said.
It said it had now set up a “a dedicated taskforce focused exclusively on assisting customers, clearing backlogs, and improving our service levels” and remained “fully committed to ensuring all affected customers receive their refunds.”
However, a note on Wolford’s website warned on Monday: “Due to the high volume of orders, shipments may be delayed.”
The latest problems follow the replacement of its chief executive in June. Régis Rimbert, who previously held senior roles at Prada and Dior, was brought in to replace Silvia Azzali with a brief to lead “international development, enriching product lines, and innovating technology.”
A month earlier Wolford revealed a near-27 percent slump in sales for the first half of the year, which it partly attributed to unexpected delivery problems resulting from a switch to a new logistics provider.
Wolford said then it expected the resulting backlog to be eliminated by September 2024 and was restructuring as it faced “deep-seated challenges within our operational and distribution networks, exacerbated by external macroeconomic pressures.”
Half-year losses at the brand widened to €25m (£21m), from €16m a year before. The company said it had received €5m in shareholder loans to support the group between July and September.
Also in July last year, Lanvin issued a “letter of comfort” pledging that it would provide financial support to enable the company to meet its liabilities as they arose and “ensure the company’s continued existence for the foreseeable future.” The guarantee cannot be revoked until the end of July 2026.
Wolford was founded in 1950s and became known for innovations including seamless nylon stockings.
By Sarah Butler
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