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CHICAGO (CBS) — We’ve heard lots about cancelation insurance policies and confusion associated to COVID. Now we now have a brand new one — a vendor cancelling, bailing, after which refusing to supply a refund. That’s what occurred to a suburban couple planning an enormous birthday bash.
Alessandra Gallo had large plans for her husband Michael’s fortieth birthday to convey again recollections of the nice previous days.
“We grew up on the North Side of Chicago, so Harlem Avenue was a big thing back in the day, and that’s where he did a lot of his hanging out,” Alessandra stated. “It just was loud and that’s exactly what his personality is.”
To convey her imaginative and prescient to life, Gallo employed CBA Balloons on Instagram to make her a flashy balloon arch, after seeing the gorgeous shows the corporate created for birthdays, weddings, and graduations.
“Her page was pretty legit, and had a good amount of followers,” Alessandra stated.
CBS Ballon’s Instagram account has 300 posts, virtually two thousand followers, and a promise to rework “your space into a world of imagination.”
But an imaginary world is simply what Alessandra received for the $250 bucks despatched the corporate through Zelle.
“It’s frustrating,” she stated.
Let’s backtrack. Three days earlier than the massive occasion, Michelle, the proprietor of CBA Balloons, despatched a textual content titled “Emergency Attention.” It stated her whole workforce had been contaminated with COVID, and so they couldn’t service ANY occasions that weekend.
The message additionally stated prospects may get a credit score in the direction of a future occasion, however no money refunds.
“It’s not right,” Michael stated.
The reserving kind Alessandra crammed out on Instagram stated, “In case of cancelations or and or unforeseen issues we offer a reschedule/full credit/no cash refunds.”
“I think that could really be a huge misunderstanding,” Alessandra stated.
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Alessandra by no means thought she’d be out $250 {dollars} if the SELLER canceled, and when she tried to textual content CBA Balloons in regards to the coverage, she stated, “my number was blocked.”
“So I tried calling. I went straight to voicemail,” she added.
On prime of all this, CBA Balloons can also be linked to the corporate FHG Floral Event and Design. That firm has an F score and a slew of comparable complaints on its Better Business Bureau profile.
And one other purple flag, considered one of Alessandra’s co-workers texted CBA Balloons as a check to see what would occur if she ordered a balloon association the identical day Alessandra’s arch was canceled.
“She texted back within minutes, saying ‘Yeah, no problem we can take your event,’” Alessandra stated.
Again, this was the identical weekend CBA Balloons canceled on Alessandra and stated it couldn’t service any occasions.
“Be cautious,” Alessandra stated.
Luckily, Michael’s fortieth was nonetheless a hit, due to some last-minute decorations.
“Party City came in real clutch at the end of the day,” Alessandra stated.
But when you’re contemplating shopping for considered one of CBA’s Valentine’s Day packages, be sure you think about each your coronary heart and your pockets.
The proprietor insisted her coverage isn’t any refunds, even when she’s the one who cancels.
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The Gallos keep they by no means imagined that included if the balloon firm canceled there could be credit score however no money again, although the reserving kind they signed stated precisely that.
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