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4:58 pm EDT
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Attached is a screen capture from the above referenced page. They are posting private email addresses which violates community policy. We would like the email addresses indicated in the screen shot to be removed ASAP! Please confirm by emailing me - [protected]@antoniasaintny.com

While this page has been defamatory against our company to the point of harassment, we stand by the fact that there is freedom of speech in this country, however posting personal information is and has always been off limits. We need to have our email addresses removed to prevent further harassment.

Thank You!
Chris

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9 comments
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LOLatASNY
, US
Aug 26, 2019 9:05 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

For anybody else who comes across this page: Antonia Saint New York, LLC is the absolute worst company I have ever had the displeasure of doing business with.

If you'd like to read 2, 000 complaints about them, grab some tea because it's all spilled here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/antoniasaintny/high-tech-heels-and-flats-that-feel-like-sneakers/comments

To summarize, their "High-Tech Heels & Flats that Feel Like Sneakers Inside" were a failure. They were so uncomfortable that everybody wanted a refund. They realized their mistakes (though didn't admit to it) and had to do a version 2.0 before the Victoria Heels 1.0 were even sent to everybody, and before the Jane Autumn Flat was sent to anybody. The problem was the shoes were not properly fitted to their customers' feet, despite a customization process, and they were also extremely uncomfortable even if they did properly fit.

So many people agreed that the company was overwhelmed with customers wanting a refund. Realizing they couldn't refund anybody, they just stopped. Stopped refunds, stopped answering customers, stopped being a decent company, you get the idea.

This is what they said in their Kickstarter FAQ regarding returns:

"If your measurements fall within our standard sizes in the three different widths we offer, and they are returned unworn, or only worn inside and on carpeting without any marks, we will easily be able to offer a full refund within 30 days of purchase.

If however, we hand-create a customized shoe for you, we have a 100% fit guarantee where we will take your shoes back and re-make them if the fit isn't quite as you'd like.

If for some reason, you decide the shoes simply aren't for you, we would be able to process a partial refund or exchange the heel for a flat. We are working on a way to have the partial un-refunded amount saved in your account as a credit towards a future order of another style."

In a comment they clarified that the "within 30 days of purchase" was within 30 days of delivery since one cannot return an item they never received. But they made several policy adjustments after the campaign was over, and once they realized they were screwed. Here's a sample:
- A few people received a full refund early on (lucky them!).
- Then ASNY extended the 30-day window for return because they couldn't keep up with all the emails initiating a return before the 30 days were up.
- They initially sent out pre-paid shipping labels, then they stopped doing that and said customers had to pay for return shipping.
- Then they began claiming that nobody in the Kickstarter was eligible for a refund since all Kickstarter shoes were customized. However, that clearly goes against their own words: "If your measurements fall within our standard sizes in the three different widths we offer...". Helpfully, their campaign lists standard sizes. Most customers' "measurements" fell within standard shoe sizes and widths, so even though customers provided measurements, they are supposed to qualify for the full refund. Only the people with two different sized feet, or shoe size smaller than US 4 or bigger than US 13, or whose widths were exceptionally narrow or wide, shouldn't qualify for the full refund since those shoes really would have been custom made, and therefore not re-sellable. But ASNY refuses to acknowledge this point; it's literally like talking to a wall when asking them about it.
- After a while they moved on to the "partial refund." What ASNY failed to state is that the partial refund was only 50%. That's higher than what a reasonable person would assume a partial refund would be. But ASNY doesn't care. They were so far in the hole because everyone wanted their money back and they failed to secure outside financing. So they had to keep their unsatisfied customers' money to stay in business, even though it meant changing their return policy or making it excessively cost-prohibitive for the customer.

Anyway, had their failure to provide decent shoes been their only fault, all would be forgiven. But their customer service is the worst in the business, repeatedly blaming customers for ASNY's own failures. They'll also go months without replying to customers, and then when one complains on the Kickstarter page, they casually reply with some basic line and end with a snarky "please follow up when you can!" AS IF the customers were the ones not following up enough, LOL! That irks me to no end. I mean it's actually laughable at this point, their audacity.

So where are they now? They did a 2.0 version of the heels, which customers STILL hate because they're uncomfortable and also don't fit. But since it's been years, customers are so tired of going back and forth with this company that many of the ones who couldn't get refunded by their credit card companies have just given up. I could go on and on, but this is long enough.

Basically, stay away from this company! They don't know what they're doing but they'll blame you for their own failures anyway.

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LOLatASNY
, US
Aug 26, 2019 9:06 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of LOLatASNY

Antonia Saint NY, LLC*

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Worst shoes EVER!
, US
Aug 07, 2019 7:11 pm EDT
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Gloria,

How long have you worked for AS?

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GloriaT
, US
Aug 07, 2019 5:18 pm EDT

Sounds like you were one of the people who found this company early on when they were just starting out. Lots has changed since then, and their shoes are by far the most comfortable heels I've ever owned or worn. Three girlfriends have pairs also, and we all swear by them.

Sorry you have had such a bad experience, but if you reported them to BBB, and "want them to go out of business" that shows that it's people like you who make it very hard for business owners to survive and make the products we actually want them to make, ie, products that make our lives better.

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IreneBeO
, DK
Aug 08, 2019 10:46 pm EDT
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Replying to comment of GloriaT

Gloria, I'm gonna go ahead and assume you're an employee of ASNY?

The thing that is working against ASNY is ASNY itself. The product is subpar. The service is rude and condescending. The reason people are complaining is because they way ASNY have been treating their customers/backers, that is the people that helped get this failure off the ground in the first place.

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LOLatASNY
, US
Aug 26, 2019 8:07 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of GloriaT

Oh hey, Antonia or Chris! You do realize that this is a very random website and the only people who have this URL are you (an employee of ASNY) and a few dissatisfied customers, right? Meaning there is literally zero chance anybody else—like one "GloriaT"—wrote that rebuttal, despite your pathetic attempt to make it look otherwise. I mean you literally wrote the reply immediately after Irene's comment was posted, which makes sense if you (Chris) get email alerts when someone comments on your original complaint. Furthermore, I like how you think this is some kind of website that can control what is posted on Facebook (LOL!). Who did you think you were complaining to, Chris? The Facebook police? This is just a website for people to complain about anything, nobody has the authority to do what you're asking. Once again you just made your own company look even more pathetic by displaying how dumb you are. And you're the one who just *publicly* posted those email addresses, which may or may not have been posted in a *private* Facebook group. Also, those are not private email addresses, those are public email addresses, so your entire point is moot. For the love of God get someone more competent at your company!

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LOLatASNY
, US
Aug 26, 2019 8:20 pm EDT
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Replying to comment of GloriaT

Aside from your pathetic attempt to pretend you aren't an ASNY employee (Antonia or Chris), let's address your messaging:

1. Making excuses and not accepting responsibility for your shortcomings. "[We] were just starting out..."

2. Lying about the comfort level of the heels, and lying about "three girlfriends" having pairs also. Because nobody who isn't an ASNY employee swears by them. Anyone can look at the Kickstarter comments to see that. People could also see that from the comments on your social media, except you delete them almost immediately. They are authentic comments, too. But I'm sure you'll use some bs excuse like you always do.

3. Not being sorry. ("Sorry...but...").

4. Perhaps the worst of all: victim-blaming/customer-shaming. You turn your OWN failures around on your customers and make them seem like the enemy here. The BBB isn't anybody's first stop; it's a LAST resort measure after years of going back and forth with your god-awful customer non-service. You (Chris) also lied to the BBB regarding complaints, and I have paperwork to back that statement up so please, challenge me on that.

5. Playing the victim. ("It's people like you who make it very hard for [me] to survive...") The only victims here are the thousands of women who are out a couple hundred dollars (or more) and have nothing to show for it. Your shoes flopped. Almost everybody hates them, which is why you're in such a bad position. I know it must be hard to accept what a big failure ASNY is, but really, how long are you going to go on denying reality? Just close up shop. You failed. Refund your angry customers and do something else.

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IreneBeO
, DK
Aug 07, 2019 11:46 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

You do know that your business emails sew not considered private, right? I mean, everyone can google them.

I was a Kickstarter backer and thought this was such a great project, but I have never been so disappointed in a product and a company before as I have been by ASNY.

The following is what I wrote on Kickstarter after accepting a 50/50 refund. (50% money/50% store credit, which I have received now after asking more than once.)

"I finally caved and accepted the 50/50 option. I just can’t be bothered with these people any longer. I have received the money, but no store credit. Not that I will ever use it, but it is a matter of principle.

It has been immensely frustrating seeing some people receive a near full refund. ASNY’s claim that these shoes are custom made is completely unbelievable and it is their excuse for not refunding more than 50/50. This company, its founder and employees are beyond belief when it comes to atrocious customer care/service.

I joined the Facebook group and some of ASNY staff actually spied on this group. And because I was a member, they no longer felt it was safe to add their names when communicating with me via email. They said it was because they had received threats from the FB group members (I highly doubt that), and they feared for their safety. They also claimed what was being posted were lies, defamatory, slander and so on. Nope. All posts were stories about the lack of empathy and care ASNY has for their backers who helped get this monumental failure off the ground.

People were/are frustrated and needed a place to vent and get advice on how to proceed. They are also actively deleting ANY negative comments and blocking people from commenting on their social media pages. Who does that?! Except for fraudulent companies who have things to hide and refuse to hear the truth.

I have never in my life been treated so badly by a company and I have done nothing to warrant such disrespect from ASNY. All I can say is: Karma is a c***! And good riddance to bad rubbish."

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Worst shoes EVER!
, US
Aug 06, 2019 9:48 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Antonia Saint NYC is the worst online shopping experience OF MY LIFE. Their customer service rep threatened me with legal action for reporting them to the BBB. Antonia Saint attempts to silence their customers by disabling public comments on their Facebook page and advertisements, and now, attempting to troll and report the Facebook page for dissatisfied customers. WHY DO YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE FB PAGE FOR DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS?! I hope you go out of business.