A disheartening incident involving a woman’s ghd hair straightener has prompted both frustration and a delayed response from the renowned haircare giant. Preferring to remain anonymous, the woman recounted a hair-raising experience in which substantial lengths of her hair were seemingly singed due to a suspected thermostat malfunction in her ghd hair straightener. However, her dismay was compounded by the initial lackluster reaction from the company.
In June, while attempting to curl her hair, the woman was met with a scalding appliance that not only burnt off a significant portion of her hair but also caused burns to her fingertips and left scorch marks on her dresser. The unexpected catastrophe left her exasperated and disheartened.
The woman swiftly contacted ghd to express her concern about the safety of the product. Despite a couple of initial offers from the company, she claimed her subsequent attempts at communication were largely ignored. A 15% discount on a replacement pair of straighteners, initially offered, seemed redundant given an ongoing sale on the company’s website. Subsequent correspondence, including an Instagram post, appeared to be met with silence.
Upon being contacted by media, ghd swiftly reached out to the woman, extending an apology for her ordeal and acknowledging their failure to provide adequate support and empathy. The company promptly requested the malfunctioning tool to be returned for diagnostic testing at their expense, aiming to comprehend the cause and prevent future occurrences.
In an effort to rectify the situation, ghd offered the woman the chance to meet with an expert to assess the condition of her hair and gifted her a new-model replacement tool. The company recognized the necessity to improve internal processes for managing customer feedback and pledged to learn from the incident.
Consumer advocate Abby Damen from Consumer NZ emphasized the consumer’s rights in this context, asserting that products marketed as top-of-the-line should guarantee safe and reliable use for an extended period. In light of this, the woman’s right to request a full refund or replacement, as well as compensation for any incurred losses, was affirmed.
This incident serves as a reminder of the significance of responsible consumer relations and the necessity to address product concerns promptly and empathetically.
