Deceptive sales tactics, refund issues among complaints against spas, salons

SINGAPORE — Some customers had their personal belongings withheld while a salesperson pushed more products or services to them, while others had beauticians make harsh and critical remarks about their appearance, to pressure them into buying products and services. 

These are some of the tactics used by spas and salons, an industry that has seen the number of complaints lodged remain high across the years, revealed the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) on Friday (July 22).

A total of 1,525 beauty complaint cases were handled by Case between 2011 and June this year, and the grouses about the beauty industry have been ranked in the top five industry complaints it received for the past five years, the association said in a press release. 

Aggressive or deceptive sales tactics led the complaints (485), followed by unsatisfactory services (311), and almost 90 per cent of all complaints were lodged by female consumers.

Said Case: “Consumers complained that the beautician withheld their personal belongings while pushing more products or services to them, or that beauticians used harsh and critical words to make consumers feel self-conscious about their looks or body, or even making their sales pitch for hours in an enclosed room resulting in mental exhaustion by the consumers.”

It added: “Many of these pressure sales sessions occur when the consumer is undergoing beauty treatment or placed in a vulnerable position.”

As for unsatisfactory services, customers complained of “unprofessional, untrained or incompetent” beauticians administering the treatment or selling a beauty product to the consumer, and some had even caused injury to consumers and had acted unprofessionally during the treatment. 

The complaints Case dealt with are a fraction of the over 1,000 complaints and enquiries received by the association each year. 

Case follows up and handles those that are valid — about 10 per cent to 15 per cent of what is received — and negotiates with the business for an “amicable settlement”.

In some instances, Case has entered into a Voluntary Compliance Agreement against businesses engaging in unfair practices, with four businesses asked to cease their unfair practices, such as the adoption of pressure sales tactics against consumers.

Case president Lim Biow Chuan noted that the association’s CaseTrust accreditation scheme for spa and wellness businesses has been largely successful in implementing measures for fair trading in the industry.

Accredited businesses — there are 641 — pledge to provide a five-day cooling-off period and a “no selling” policy in the treatment room to deter the use of pressure sales tactics. 

Of the 1,525 beauty complaint cases lodged with Case, 129 cases (8.5 per cent) are against CaseTrust accredited businesses.

The association is holding a Beauty Fair on July 30 to reach out to consumers on what to look for when buying beauty products or services. 

The fair, to be held at the NTUC Centre, features a half-day educational seminar from 10am to 1pm. 

There will also be exhibition booths set up by its partners where consumers can learn more about how they can protect themselves. 

Visit https://www.case.org.sg/events.aspx to register for the fair. Admission is free.