For several years I have been a loyal customer of The 2 Tails. Those who have given them poor ratings I could not understand where they were coming from; my tails have never faded after short usage, only continued usage for years. The fabric quality has always been superb and in comparison to brands like FinFun and Swimtails, The 2 Tails has always been a staple in my mermaiding career. Quality, affordable, excellent communication.
Only, the latter is what has made this a low-rating. And while it breaks my heart to have to write and post this review, I believe in honesty and integrity and I feel like I have an obligation to my fellow merfolk to publicize this.
Nevermind the good experiences I’ve had with them over the years - too many to count, however recent experiences have led me to lose complete trust and faith in this company, hence why this is a purely negative review.
Incident #1 - Liquid Sun Curvy Tail
I live in Washington state but was on a road trip in California with some friends. We were staying in Fresno and I wanted to go to Los Angeles. Turns out, The 2 Tails headquarters in Burbank was on the way. My friends decided to stay in Fresno while I went exploring.
I called the store, said who I was (as I’ve said, I’ve been a loyal customer of theirs for years) and asked since I’d be in the area if I could stop by. They were very welcoming and let me explore the shop, where all the materials for the tails were made, and I got to meet the team. Ely, the CEO, gave me the tour and even offered to custom make a tail to my measurements. She also gave me a free friendship necklace. I did end up buying a tail, the Liquid Sun Curvy tail, and was told that it could be finished by the following Friday (September 1st, 2017) and shipped out to me then.
After I left and explored LA and met with some other mers in the area, I expected to receive an update on the tail’s tracking information. I did not. On September 5th, 2017, I sent an email to Ely about the update on the tail. Ely sent a message back on that same date saying that she does not remember when or how I purchased the tail, and asked for her receptionist, Vanessa, to look into it. I responded with a reminder that I bought it when I visited her store. Vanessa replied on September 7th, 2017, that it should be ready by that next week (September 14th, 2017). She said that she would send me an email before it is shipped. On September 20th, 2017, I had still not received an update so I sent an email requesting one. On September 21st, 2017, Vanessa said she’d check the status of my order. Having not heard back since, I sent another email requesting an update on September 25th, 2017. I said that if I didn’t receive a solid update that I’d be forced to dispute the charge on my credit card. Ely emailed back on September 26th, 2017, that the tail was delivered to my mail locker.
To make a long chunk of text short: It took nearly a month to receive a tail that should have been shipped out in 2 days. Communication was severely awful and uninformative. I was promised information on shipment and never received it. Having just applied to be an ambassador for their company, I felt worried that I’d lose the ambassadorship because I was standing my ground and defending myself and my order.
Incident #2 - Coin Purse
On September 30th, 2017 I bought 2 coin purses with my new ambassador discount for a total of $16.80. These were for presents for some visiting family. I received only one purse from them on October 5th, 2017; and when I found out that I had only received one, I contacted Vanessa via the website form and informed her of this. She had sent a response back apologizing, saying she’ll send out this missing purse immediately. I have not heard back from her whatsoever, have not received any tracking information, and even after requesting another update she still has not responded. It is now October 20th, 2017 and I have heard no update from the company whatsoever.
Incident #3 - Fire Coral Red Curvy Tail
My very first tail from them years ago was the Fire Coral Red curvy tail. I paid $155 for it at the time. Imagine my sheer happiness when years later, I find it being sold for $65 on the outlet page of their site, way after I used my first one to death! Excited, I bought the tail - on October 3rd, 2017. I couldn’t wait to use it at my next pod meetup! Plus, with my new ambassador discount, I got it for $55.25. Score, right? Well, that’d be the case if they actually sent me the tail.
I received a tracking number through USPS on October 4th, 2017. Happy with this bout of information, I check back on the tracking number a few days after. To my dismay, the package was still listed as a “pre-shipment”. For those of you who don’t know, USPS has this mail service where companies and individuals can pay for the shipping and receive tracking information before they even drop off the package. So a “pre-shipment” status means that the company is still in possession of the item.
I sent another email requesting an update about the tail. No response. Frustrated and unsure of what to do, I posted in my professional mermaids Facebook group seeking some advice. The responses varied, but key ones I received were things like “I’d definitely quit being an ambassador, communication is key to my trust”; “If they treat an ambassador like this how do you think they treat a normal customer”; and “I’d ask yourself if you really want your name tied to a company that has these issues” (I don’t, which is why I’m posting this review). One of the owners of the leading tail making brands suggested I contact the company before filing a dispute, try to reach out to them one last time. So I did that. On Ocotober 18th, 2017, with the subject title of “Purchase Dispute” to grab their attention, I requested an update by the end of October 19th, 2017, or I would file a dispute for the charges with my credit card company. Having not heard a peep, I did that the morning of October 20th, 2017, and sent an email stating my resignation from being an ambassador. I told them I cannot represent a company that has lost my trust and respect.
I sincerely wish this was not the review that I’d be posting for The 2 Tails. I wish it was a 5 star review saying how awesome they were. But that’s the key word, - ‘were’ - they have lost my trust, respect, and I am extremely disappointed in the company. As someone who’s never been a fan of the other fabric tail brands (to be fair, I want to like FinFun but they don’t do curvy sizes), I feel like a lost guppy trying to find a new home. I’ve been mermaiding for 8 years and have had terrible experiences with several tail makers, but I have never been more disappointed in any brand than I am in The 2 Tails. I strongly do not recommend buying from them - they can’t be trusted.
They say, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me; fool me three times… well, The 2 Tails has fooled me 3 times. They have just lost a lifelong customer.
1 review 