5 weeks and a lot of fighting to get a refund!
I purchased a handbag from FreeSo in early July 2025. The quality was poor and I requested a refund immediately.
It took A LOT of messages and arguing before they would accept the very obvious issues. So much so that I had to open a PayPal dispute.
Eventually they SOLD THE BAG to another UK customer and asked me to return it to their address. Which I did.
The seller confirmed via WhatsApp that they received my return but refused to refund me, saying the PayPal account holder (apparently the acc holder isn’t the seller themselves but a 3rd party based in Vietnam) would not process it.
The seller claimed that they had no access to their own PayPal account and could not process the refund. What a red flag!!!!
The case dispute was closed in the seller’s favor, even though I provided evidence where the seller admitted receiving the item. Despite PayPal several requests for information from the acc holder that they had received the return, the acc holder failed to reply.
AS THE RETUN ADDRESS (provided by the seller) did not match the one registered on PayPal, paypal could not process a straight refund. Big failure of protection by PayPal here to confirm a direct link between the seller and the acc holder!
I informed the seller immediately they had ‘won’ and provided proof but they still did not refund me claiming ‘technical’ issues. Which they never bothered to contact PayPal about and sort it out.
So I had to appeal the case, but still the seller would not communicate with PayPal who again closed it in their favor.
This has taken weeks of messages, excuses, and delays. I have evidence of all communications and returns.
It was only after I started posting my experience on trust pilot and reporting the seller to various places that a refund was finally (and somehow very quickly) issued.
At some point in the conversation, the seller offered a $20 compensation. Which I refused 1- the dispute was still open it accepting ‘compensation’ could undermine the case. 2- $20 for weeks of time spent on messages, aggravation, disputes and stress is a joke.
In my experience, FreeSo does EVERYTHING in their power to delay their refund commitments once they have your money, is incredibly reluctant to accept responsibility for their low quality items and will attempt to drive you mad with unfounded reasons and excuses as well as some serious gaslighting.
Purchase at your one risk!