A London woman has successfully secured a full refund for a bespoke wig after a dispute over the chargeback timeline was resolved in her favor. The customer, who commissioned a wig for £3,077 from Raoul, a wig maker, in August 2025, paid a deposit of £1,455. She received the finished wig in November but found the color and fit unsatisfactory, stating it was not as promised.
Despite the salon making three adjustments, the wig remained ill-fitting and the wrong color, prompting the customer to request a full refund. When the salon declined, she returned the wig in May and initiated a chargeback through her bank, NatWest, using the debit card used for the purchase.
NatWest initially refunded only £1,622, stating the original deposit was not eligible for a refund because the deposit was made in August of the previous year, which was considered too long ago by the bank, with a typical time limit of 120 days from the transaction date for chargebacks.
The customer argued that the delay was not her fault, as the wig creation and adjustment process had taken an extended period. The dispute was escalated, with the argument that there can be leeway on when the chargeback clock starts when goods are paid for well in advance of delivery. NatWest subsequently reopened the dispute, acknowledging that the claim was refused in error.
The bank then refunded the remaining £1,455 and offered the customer a hamper of goodies as an apology. A spokesperson for NatWest stated, "We are very sorry that, on this occasion, we fell short of the standards that our customers expect and rightly deserve. We have now refunded Mrs S in full and have taken steps to address the issues identified and strengthen our processes to help ensure this does not happen again."
Raoul, the wig salon, expressed disappointment that the customer ultimately found the wig unsatisfactory. A spokesman said, "Throughout our bespoke fitting process, we check the fit with the client at each stage and would not knowingly allow a client to leave with a fit that we felt was inappropriate. The purpose of the multiple consultations and fitting appointments is specifically to ensure that the client is happy with the product and that any necessary adjustments can be made before the process is completed."
The salon added, "We are therefore disappointed to hear that Mrs S ultimately felt that the wig was unsatisfactory. However, we believe we made reasonable efforts to address the concerns that were raised with us and offered a further opportunity to return to the salon, which she declined."
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and match their description. If an item is not as described, it can typically be rejected within 30 days. After 30 days and up to six months, the retailer must be given an opportunity to repair or replace the item before a refund can be requested if these attempts fail.