Last week we heard from a reader called Sarah who shared a story that is very, very familiar.
Sarah bought clothes from a company that was trading as Sinclair Dublin after seeing an ad for the site on Instagram.
“The clothes arrived and were nothing like the photos, and terrible quality,” she says. “I emailed them back and forth and they kept trying to offer me a discount and deter me from returning the clothes because it would cost so much to ship them to China, even though the website says they are based in Dublin.”
She sent us the full email exchange she had with “Emma” from the company.
RM Block
It started on May 19th, with Sarah requesting her refund.
“I would like to return my order for a full refund - how do I do that,” she asked.
“Thank you for your message,” responded Emma almost immediately. “I’m happy to help you with your return. Before we start the process, could you let me know the reason for your return? This helps us understand what went wrong and ensures we take the right next steps for you. Once I hear back from you, I’ll guide you through the options right away. Warm regards, Emma, Customer Support Sinclair Dublin.”
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By return, Sarah explained that the items were “much too big for me and lobster shorts and shirt outfit does not look like the item on the website - the pattern and shape are very different. The photos are completely different to the items received. I want to return them.”
Not long after that, Emma was back.
“Thank you for reaching out to us. I’m really sorry to hear that the item didn’t fit,” she began. “That’s definitely not the experience we want you to have, and I’m here to make this as easy and comfortable as possible for you.”
All going well so far, right?
Wrong.
“You’re of course welcome to return the item to our overseas warehouse, but the return shipping costs would be at your own expense and can be quite high, as mentioned in our terms. I completely understand that this isn’t ideal, so I want to offer you a more convenient alternative as well,” Emma continued.
“If you prefer, you’re welcome to keep the item you received, perhaps you can make someone else happy with it, and we can arrange to send you the correct size at no cost for the item itself. To ensure the replacement reaches you as quickly as possible, it would be shipped directly and expedited from our supplier. In this case, the shipping cost would be €10 per item. Just let me know which option you’d feel most comfortable with, and I’ll take care of everything for you right away.”
Sarah couldn’t imagine making anyone else happy with the ill-fitting lobster shorts, and said as much to Emma.
“I want to return for a full refund please,” she said in her response. “ I can organise shipping - send me the details. How long before you process refunds when you receive the items? The items are not like their photos, the quality is very poor and the sizing is not right at all. The business is not based in Dublin like your website says - and I now have to pay shipping costs to China.”
Hours later, Emma was back.
“Thank you for your message, and I am very sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment this situation has caused you,” the mail said.
“I completely understand that you would still prefer to return the item. You’re of course welcome to return the item to our overseas warehouse, however, please note that the return shipping costs would be at your own expense and can be quite high, as mentioned in our terms. I completely understand that this isn’t ideal, so I would like to offer you a more convenient alternative as well,” she said.
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“If you’d prefer, you can keep the item – perhaps you may be able to make someone else happy with it – and we will provide you with a 30 per cent discount code to use on a future purchase from our website. Many customers find this option easier and faster, as it avoids international return shipping costs. Just let me know which option you would feel most comfortable with, and I’ll take care of everything for you right away.”
‘You do not need to take any further action. If you have any questions or need any updates, please feel free to contact us at any time’
— 'Emma' to Sarah
Sarah was getting understandably exasperated at this stage. “I have made myself clear. Send me the shipping address for my return. I do not want to shop with you again,” she told Emma.
Soon, the unflappable Emma was back. “Thank you for your message, and I completely understand your frustration,” she said. “I want to reassure you that I am genuinely trying to help resolve this issue for you and not to complicate the process further. While we unfortunately do not provide return labels, if you would like to proceed with a return for a refund, please find the return details below.” The mail included an address in the Chinese city of Ningbo.
“Before sending your return, please make sure to confirm with us first so we can notify our warehouse. Once confirmed, you can proceed with the return,” Emma said. “Please ensure that the parcel is shipped within 14 days of receiving your order. Returns sent after this timeframe may no longer be accepted. Please also carefully keep in mind the following conditions, as previously communicated.”
What were those conditions you might well ask?
Emma had more.
“A valid return tracking number is required. Without tracking confirmation, we are unable to process the refund. The return must be shipped to our overseas warehouse. Once tracking confirms arrival and the parcel is inspected, only the product cost can be refunded. Original shipping fees are non-refundable. Any customs duties, taxes or clearance procedures are the responsibility of the sender. The declared value on the return shipment must be kept low. If customs charges are applied and charged to us, a refund cannot be issued.”
But wait! Emma had still more to say.
“I do completely understand that international return shipping can unfortunately be expensive and inconvenient, depending on the courier chosen, and customs fees may also apply during the process. Because of this, I have reviewed your case once again and, alternatively, our offer of a 20 per cent refund while allowing you to keep the items still remains available. This means you would not need to deal with overseas return shipping costs or customs procedures. Please let me know how you would like to proceed, and I will assist you straight away,” her email concluded.
Sensing she was fighting a losing battle, Sarah decided to haggle, and asked for a 50 per cent refund without the need for a return.
Emma was quickly back to her.
“As an exception and as a gesture of goodwill, we will proceed with your request for a 50% refund without the need to return the item.
“I have now arranged this for you, and the refund has been processed to your original payment method. It may take a few business days for the amount to appear in your account, depending on your bank. Typically, this takes three-five business days, though some card providers may take slightly longer.
“You do not need to take any further action. If you have any questions or need any updates, please feel free to contact us at any time.”
Sarah got back to Emma when her refund landed, expressing her extreme displeasure and warning that she would be leaving negative Google and Trustpilot reviews “so others don’t fall for it. I’ll also send it on to a journalist. I’m still getting ads for your faulty items, so I don’t want others to fall for it.”
The last word went to Emma. “We are glad to hear that you have received your refund. I’m sorry to hear that you feel this way, and I acknowledge your feedback.”
We had a look at the Sinclair Dublin reviews on Trustpilot and words like “awful” and “shocking” and “abysmal” kept coming up, with one reviewer saying if they could give the company minus stars, they would. All told there were 23 reviews, and all of them gave the company one star.
Weirdly, when we went to the Sinclair Dublin site itself, there were loads of reviews – and all of them were glowing.
The About Us section said: “Sinclair Dublin was founded with a simple goal: to create versatile, elegant clothing that fits seamlessly into the everyday lives of modern women. What started as a vision to design refined, comfortable pieces has grown into a curated collection of women’s fashion designed for different occasions and lifestyles. Whether it’s for work, leisure, or special moments in between, Sinclair Dublin offers clothing that looks sophisticated and feels effortless to wear.”
We decided to contact the company ourselves asking how it responded to accusations about the nature of their website, and looking for more information about the company and its links to Dublin.
At the time of writing, we had heard nothing back.
