Chapter 1The Price of Arrogance

I dropped twenty-five hundred dollars on a dress for a review, and I couldn't even get it on.

I checked the sizing chart on the product page again and again. I hadn’t made a mistake.

Defeated, I initiated a return.

I never expected the seller’s response to send a hot rush of blood to my head.

[To process your return, you must upload a video detailing twenty flaws in your own body. Then, strip completely naked and get on your knees and bow to the camera in apology.]

[Each bow must be audible. As you bow, you must repeat, “I’m sorry, Mr. Designer. The problem is my body.”]

I was furious. This was a flagrant violation of my dignity. I told them I was filing a formal complaint.

The customer service rep couldn’t have cared less.

“Go ahead. I’ve seen plenty of women with crappy bodies like yours. It’s just a few bucks in fines. We can afford it.”

Unfortunately for him, he’d picked the wrong target.

As a fashion influencer with over ten million followers, I was after a lot more than just a few bucks.

* * *

The zipper was stuck fast, halfway up my back. No amount of straining would budge it. Sweat beaded on my forehead, and the fabric around my waist and hips was so tight I could barely breathe.

Finally, I gave up.

With my last ounce of strength, I wrestled the dress off my body. It took a few moments to catch my breath before I picked up my phone, opened the shopping app, and navigated to the customer service page to request a return and refund.

Before I could even carefully fold the dress, my request was rejected.

[Your return/refund request has been denied by the seller.]

I paused, realizing I probably should have messaged them first. That was likely the reason for the instant denial.

I quickly opened the chat window.

[Hi, the dress I ordered doesn’t fit. I’d like to process a return.]

The message was marked as read almost immediately. But the same customer service that had denied my request in seconds now met me with a wall of silence.

I tried initiating the return again. Again, it was instantly rejected.

[Your return/refund request has been denied by the seller.]

Frustrated, I sent another message. After another long wait, a reply finally came through.

[We do not offer a seven-day no-questions-asked return policy.]

The bluntness of the message stunned me. I was used to customer service reps starting every message with a nauseatingly sweet "Hi, sweetie!" This was a first.

But that wasn’t the important part.

I quickly pulled up the product page again. Sure enough, tucked away in the fine print, there was no mention of the standard seven-day return policy.

Fine. My mistake for not noticing. But refusing a return on a product that was clearly defective was another matter entirely.

As an influencer who had reviewed thousands of garments, I knew I couldn't back down now. This was a twenty-five-hundred-dollar dress. I wasn’t about to let it become a very expensive decoration. Nobody’s money grows on trees.

I opened my browser, screenshotted the relevant consumer protection laws regarding online sales, and sent them over.

[Hi there. By law, most goods sold online are subject to a seven-day return policy, and women's apparel is included within that category.]

[Even if it’s not a quality issue, I have a valid reason for the return. I didn't order the wrong size, nor did I misjudge my own measurements.]

[The fact that it doesn't fit is a problem with the dress itself. Do you require any proof from my end?]

I kept my tone professional and polite, simply stating the facts without aggression.

This time, the reply was swift.

[Send pictures.]

[Make them clear.]

The clipped, impersonal tone was grating, but a request for proof was standard procedure. It was a breakthrough. A return was possible.