Audrena's International Bazaar

[daphnec]

How long after placing a custom order and not receiving information from the vendor should you wait before taking further action?

I have called and left messages regarding the status of my order and have had no response. I tried email recently. Does anyone else have a way to contact her?

[ChristinaRizkallah]

Audrena was recently in Dallas, TX for the Fifi Abdo event. That may be why you have not heard from her. I ordered two costumes from her a very long, long time ago. The only contact information is whatever is up on her web site. Just keep calling and e-mailing. In my experience, her customer service is terrible and yes, she does take a long time before responding back. Write back to her and threaten to cancel your order if you don't hear from her in a timely manner, perhaps that will get her to respond sooner.

[haleemachandani]

That's strange for her not to respond. I've ordered from Audrena for the past 5 or 6 years with no problems. You've tried calling? I've called twice in the past week and gotten directly through - one time Joanie answered and the other time Audrena answered. I noticed you posted this a few days ago. Have you heard from her yet? Sometimes the custom orders take a while, I think the longest I ever waited was 6 months - and I know she said it's been busy lately. But it's strange for her not to return a message.

audrena has always been fabulous. she must be out of town. i've been ordering from her for years and never have had a problem. i would definitely call again.....

[mmouse1534]

I talked to her ont he phone yesterday. I have ordered from her many times. Just recently ordered 10 costumes for my troupe with minimal issues. Strange she can't be reached!! I would say, like everyone else, try calling again!

[daphnec]

I just spoke with her today after calling her. There was a little glitch in the costume color so I had to change the color; the order should be ready by mid-July.

[Khaleela]

I love Audrena. I always custom order from her and have never had a problem. Usually my custom orders take about 3 months and I'm never disappointed. She also keeps me updated on my order. I do know that she's had a busy vending season and has been out of town a lot. Good luck with your costume.

[weese17]

I've only ordered from her once and will never do it again. I ordered my costume in May, and got it in December. I kept having to call and call and call and ask her where it was - I think she had completely forgotten about me. In August, I called for a status update and she told me that she had just found out that she needed all my measurements again. I originally had wanted the costume for a show in September (and I told her that), but that came and went with no notice. I kept hearing that it would be in the next shipment, but it never was. When it finally arrived, it was totally the wrong size. I was so frustrated that it's been sitting in my closet almost ever since. I just don't even want to deal with it.

I got the feeling that because I had only ordered one costume, I wasn't worth her time. I bought two costumes on the spot at the same time I ordered the other one, and I would have bought more if I had been happy w/ the way the order had worked out. Instead, I buy straight from Dahlal now.

Lucy

[vron]

I've heard a lot of good things about Audrena too...

[daphnec]

Originally Posted by daphnec

I just spoke with her today after calling her. There was a little glitch in the costume color so I had to change the color; the order should be ready by mid-July.

Mid-July has come and gone. I called yesterday to cancel my order and receive a full refund. I receive a call today saying that it should be on the next shipment arriving in the next two weeks. So, now I must decided if it really does arrive, do I want it or not.

If I take it, I would expect a discount on top of the returned "rush order" fee and the "direct to my house from Egypt" shipping fee. Considering I ordered in January, is this an unreasonable expectaction?

I am waiting too for that shipment. I have a dress coming in that shipment.
I think I would ask for a discount on top of the returned rush order and direct to my house shipment.
I don't think that's unreasonable.

[petgecko]

I have just spoken with Audrena, and she has asked me to relay the following:
•All undelivered costume orders that were previously charged the "direct from Egypt" fee, will be refunded this fee, -and- receive Free Shipping. Shipments direct from Egypt have been opened in the past month, due to Homeland Security when arriving in the US, and the costumes have been ruined by them. Audrena wants to prevent this in the future. She apologizes for any inconvenience.
•Audrena has been assured that all previous costume orders to date will be completed before Ramadan. She will also be getting more details about which costumes will be contained in the next shipment on Monday, 13 August.
You may contact her by phone, and get a live person, M-F 9am-5pm CDT. If you get voicemail, you may try back. There will be someone there to take your call.
•In specific response to Lucy (weese17): Audrena was unhappy to hear you have such a gorgeous costume in your closet, not being used and enjoyed by you, and would like to offer you the opportunity to order a replacement. Contact her with your current measurements, and specifications. She has told me that she will send you a new costume, the same or -any style- you choose. When you get it, just return the current costume to her, in the box the new costume came in. She will include a return shipping label for you so there will be no expense to you.

I have been Audrena's webmaster for nearly 8 years, and I know that she is very concerned with making sure that you are delighted with your purchases, and, if you conatct her with any concerns, she will do her best to make sure you feel fabulous in your new costume, or work with you to fix any problems you have.

[mmouse1534]

I always order my costume from Audrena as well! I expect however to have at least an 8 month waiting period. This isn't because of Audrena, there is only so much thats out of her control having to deal with overseas and all that goes along with it.
So I have learned when ordering a custom costume to not order for a specific show in mind. You just never know what snags might come along the way. Stuck in customs, Egyptian holidays where people aren't working, that happens more often than you might think. Communication is hard with an 8 hour time difference. Its very easy to forget all that goes into this when we aren't the ones that are doing it!
Pharonics made my skirt 6 inches too long and Audrena is going to put a rush on one so that I have it correctly. She has been nothing but accomodating!
If anyone has had any issues at all just call her! She is a very sweet lady and will make sure you are happy!

[zahena]

I have heard that ordering customs from anyone you can expect such glitches. I know people who have ordered from other vendors who never recieved them or received them wrong. It's just part and parcel of the game.

I've ordered several costumes from her and sometimes the orders get messed up and you have to start over. I would NEVER base a performance upon the arrival of a costume I don't have in my hands. I learned that lesson the hard way once.

Audrena is always fair and reasonable. She'll try her hardest to make it right by you if you are unhappy but once you have ponied up the dough for a custom costume, you won't see it back. or at least that has been my experience with her.

[ChristinaRizkallah]

I ordered one costume from Audrena about 6 years ago. It was my first Pharaonics. It took 9 months. I have never since then ordered another costume from her. I think her service is terrible. She never returned my e-mails or voice mails and when she did, it was days and days later. Also, when I saw her Ahlan Cairo Nights in TX in August 2006, she said something very personal and insulting to me. So as a vendor and a person, I do not care for her. But this is just my experience.

[daphnec]

Originally Posted by daphnec

Mid-July has come and gone. I called yesterday to cancel my order and receive a full refund. I receive a call today saying that it should be on the next shipment arriving in the next two weeks. So, now I must decided if it really does arrive, do I want it or not.

If I take it, I would expect a discount on top of the returned "rush order" fee and the "direct to my house from Egypt" shipping fee. Considering I ordered in January, is this an unreasonable expectaction?

So, I received it in October and had to send it back due to the fact that it was completely off base from the design we had discussed. The final version should arrive on December 26. If it does not meet expectations two weeks short of a full year after placing my order, I will Bhuz it.

PS. I am receiving $200 off any further orders I place with her.