Online Retailer StalkBuyLove Has Unhappy Clients And Influencers. We Suggest Holding Off On Orders Right Now!

Popular online retailer StalkBuyLove is going through a major PR disaster right now and the drama behind it is scintillating! We suggest you grab some popcorn and a beverage because this got very interesting. Though it is still just about simmering, the whole thing is already a big mess, with the owners of the brand looking very bad for it. A tale as old as time, the brand and its owners have been accused of defaulting on payments to collaborators and order fulfillment to customers. The clothing and accessories store has managed to remain relevant in the Indian retail space with its many influencer collaborations and a buzzing online presence. And because that’s how business works, it was payday and the owners are not ready!

I have been an occasional customer of StalkBuyLove as well, shopping their affordable but stylish dresses. Full Disclosure: I myself have never faced any issues with the quality of their products or the delivery of the same. But turns out, other people have.

It all started with a slight buzz on social media about customers and clients facing issues with the website. This buzz was picked up by fashion pages, like Diet Sabya, which people took to and shared their own stories. This was followed by influencers like Komal Pandey and Roshni Bhatia chiming in about not being paid for their collaborations with the brand.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvfwHGzjeMn/

A big part of all the drama surrounds Shikha Ahluwalia, who is the co-founder of the brand. She owns the brand with brother Tushar Ahluwalia and both were featured in Forbes 30 under 30 Asia, way back in 2017. StalkBuylove has also been part of many collaborations with some of the most influential bloggers in the country. Their size-inclusive collections garnered a lot of praise in the online space and the sudden nastiness against the brand has come out of nowhere. The biggest allegations against the brand have been unfair practices towards their employees…

…and defaulting on deliveries to their customers:

The whole thing did take a turn for the worse when co-founder Shikha took to the brand’s Instagram handle to share some very degrading views about her collaborators. Calling influencers like Komal and Roshni “money-making machines”, the tone of the whole issue became personal.

Every online retailer in the history of fashion has faced issues with delayed payments. The logistics of this industry is bound to cause some problems. But these are supposed to be road bumps, a sticky situation that you can overcome with professionalism and a sense of responsibility. Which is exactly where StalkBuyLove has fumbled! Netizens have shared proof of the brand being negligent towards coming with a response or being paid on time.While it might be too soon to gauge what actually went down with the brand and its operations, the current situation remains complicated. But we cannot ignore the complaints from customers about not receiving their orders either. Being a retailer, it is your duty to fulfill the promise made to customers. All the advertising and promotions are secondary. Till then, we suggest holding off on your orders placed with the brand. We also expect a proper statement from the owners explaining this misstep. When you run a business, you need to be liable for your actions. So will the owners, please step up?

Update: Co-owner Shikha Ahluwalia took to Instagram to say this about the controversy:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2R_omMhkKO/

Give us your thoughts on what you think of the brand’s response!