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What's Going on With eShakti?
I needed to write this as a PSA/warning to those who are considering a purchase from eShatki. I have recommended this online retailer for years for high-quality, size-inclusive fashion that can be customized to your specific body and needs. But in the past few months, their service and communication has been spotty and orders severely delayed and I cannot in good faith continue to recommend eShakti until things improve.
eShakti is still sending out promotional emails, but they haven't updated their social media profiles in a month. But it has been months prior to that where customers are sharing they have been charged for orders that have never been received, or returned items and not gotten their money back.
I have shopped eShakti for almost a decade and all my experiences have been positive.
The quality has exceeded the price, the fit has been consistent, the products match the images on the website. I've ordered custom, standard sizing, and placed returns. Since the items come from India I understand it can take a few weeks to arrive and a few weeks for a return to be processed. However, in the past few months not only are shipments and returns extremely delayed, lost, or never processed, eShakti isn't answering the phone.
A scroll through the keyword “eShakti” on Twitter and you'll find angry customers, old posts on eShakti's Facebook page have dozens of comments from irate individuals waiting on orders or their money back. eShakti is sold on Amazon, but none of the styles are currently available for purchase. I felt the need to write this eShakti PSA after a discussion in the Wardrobe Oxygen community on Facebook about the brand disappointing many members.
One member of the Wardrobe Oxygen Community shared that a respiratory illness is wreaking havoc on India with so many hospitalizations it's halting suppliers. That could be a reason why eShakti is still sending out promotional emails and some individuals are receiving their orders, albeit late.
Per The Independent, a new variant of Covid-19 named “Arcturus” is behind a fresh surge of infections in India.
India's Health Ministry launched mock drills to test if hospitals are prepared to deal with a possible influx of patients. Last week alone, case numbers in India rose by 3,122 in a single day; the country's Ministry of Health recorded 40,215 active Covid infections on the 12th of April.
I've read that a few irate eShakti customers have reached individuals by phone, but it is at random times of the day and often after trying for several days prior with no luck. When reached, staff apologizes for the backlog of orders and says orders will be going out soon.
Delays may be due to reduced staff, but we don't know because eShakti isn't updating any of its social platforms.
eShakti's return policy was updated in March; there are also a few replies to comments on the eShakti Facebook page that were as recent as two weeks ago. However, those replies are scattered and usually answer very easy/standard questions with a standard/form reply.
eShakti has been known to send an email letter from their CEO, B G Krishnan, throughout the pandemic to keep customers informed on any delays or changes in business practices. However, as a customer, I haven't received one of these emails since 2021. The eShakti CEO has been active on LinkedIn as recently as a month ago, so he is still involved with the brand and likely in good health.
Going through the comments on the eShakti Facebook page, I saw comments stating that fabrics were destroyed causing orders to be canceled and delayed. I've searched but haven't been able to find any news about fabric damage or factory issues for eShakti. However, this could also explain the reason why some orders are being fulfilled and others are not.
I will be sure to update this as I learn more, but for now, I recommend you pause shopping eShakti until they respond with what is going on and current customers are cared for. If you have had recent (past six months) issues with eShakti, feel free to share them in the comments. Also, if you have been able to resolve recent issues with eShakti, do share your methods for success in the comments!
I posted this as a response to someone above, but it appears they are responding and taking action on complaints made with eth Better Business Bureau.
https://www.bbb.org/us/ny/new-york/profile/online-retailer/eshakticom-llc-0121-164035/complaints
I ordered a dress on 4/19/23 which should have arrived by 5/8/23, still waiting. I was hoping to wear it to my daughter’s graduation next week, but glad I found a backup at Old Navy! 😀
I’ve left 2 messages and emailed twice with no reply. Never had this happen before over the last 5 years of ordering from them.
I finally ended up making a complaint to the BBB today for a similar issue from an order I placed in February. It appears that eShakti is addressing complaints made through BBB. I hate to resort to that, but I’ve waited for my refund long enough.
https://www.bbb.org/us/ny/new-york/profile/online-retailer/eshakticom-llc-0121-164035/complaints
My order was supposed to arrive May 4. It is now May 28 and I have received nothing. I ordered 4 dresses. The hope was to wear them to events surrounding my sons graduation.
The events start in 5/30.
I’m upset and disappointed.
No answer to emails sent to customer care.
I can see in my order status that 2 dresses are complete, but 2 have yet to be started ~ looks like they don’t yet have the fabric.
Horrible~
I so wish I read your article before ordering from eshakti. I have loved my purchases in the past years, and have not had issues until recently. My order was supposed to arrive a month ago. I have left several messages on the website portal, emails to the customer service email, and multiple voicemail messages. No reply except for the automatic general reply. No call back or explanation. I am very concerned that I lost all of my money or that I won’t be refunded.
I’m sad to see that I’m not the only one going through this! I ordered two beautiful dresses to choose from for a wedding I am going to. Ordered it in April and was supposed to receive them by May 14 .
Now for someone who is short, with a larger bosom, I need to try to find something to wear!
I have ordered a month a go and nothing has been delivered. My attempts to contact has been unsuccessful…. i wish I would know better…. Money lost!
Same story here! Something is going on with the company but they should still communicate! Good news or bad news! An investigation needs to take place.
Same thing. Ordered 3 items on 5/4/23 with an expected delivery date 05/23/23.
In this order, I used the credits Eshakti had given to me due to not receiving orders placed Winter 2022. Eshakti wouldn’t issue refunds-only credits. And I had to pay additional money for shipping on this order.
Despite 3-4 phone calls where I left messages and one message through their site, no response has been received. Note: order status on the site shows the 3 items haven’t been through production yet.
Previously I was a satisfied Eshakti customer who loves the jumpsuit and formal dress I received earlier in 2022.
Me too! I ordered on may 6, was supposed to be delivered “before may 25”, but the progress status still shows “kit & fabric creation”. I have written twice through their contact form and only gotten the automated responses promising getting back in 3-4 business days (long gone) and once thru instagram messages, with no reaction.
Came back to give an update – today on ig i received two messages, one was specific to my order and some form of apology for the delay and a promise that it will come… i think the second one is of more general interest, i am copying it here:
Dear Customer,
We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to sincerely apologize for the recent lack of communication.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have experienced a shortage of staff members, which has resulted in a delay in addressing customer concerns and providing timely updates. We understand the frustration and inconvenience this may have caused you, and we want to assure you that we are working diligently to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.
Once again, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our customer support team, who will be more than happy to assist you. We truly value your business and look forward to serving you again with an improved experience.
Thank you for your understanding.
Best Regards
Team eShakti
I ordered in April so I would have my stuff when I arrived to the US in May. I’m here, it’s May 21, and nothing. I leave the States Tuesday… I doubt I will have my dresses. Dammit.
Have you heard anything else about what’s going on? I’m still getting daily sales emails from them, and I saw today they launched a new bridesmaids collection. How are they able to still take so many orders if they aren’t fulfilling them? (I’m waiting on three dresses that are two weeks late and I can’t get ahold of anyone via phone, email, or order page. I swear I have had a dozen fabulous dresses from them over the years, so this is a very surprising turn.)
I haven’t heard anything, sadly. I too got that bridesmaid email and was so horrified to think that a wedding party will order dresses and possibly not get them in time for the big day. I’m glad folks are finding this article and hopefully, I can save someone some heartache.
That’s what I was thinking, too. It’s been my go-to place for dresses for YEARS, too.
I’m in the same boat as several others here and wish I had seen your blog post before I ordered. I ordered over a month ago a dress for a wedding and now I’m looking for other options. I have contacted them several times via e-mail with no response and the 1-855 contact phone number they have listed is “out of order.” This is so disappointing! The previous two times I’ve shopped with them I had a great experience. I don’t know if I’ll ever get the dress or get my money back… so disappointing!
I just got a “mailbox is full” message today when I tried to call. A week ago I was able to leave a message, though.
I wish I found your blog sooner lol not just for the eShakti news but for the content too. I also ordered 4/24 and ordered a dress for my cruise, not a word, and my order status has not changed in 3 weeks. Oh well I guess maybe for stuff next summer if i ever see it. If this goes on long enough I will be filing a dispute with my bank to get my money back
I’ve been waiting for an order for over a month. They haven’t replied to my emails or phone calls. I’ve challenged the pre-payment with Pay-Pal, which has been a learning experience. I’ll probably stop using Pay-Pal and stick to credit cards in the future, since they are being less responsive even in the face of a complete failure to deliver the merchandise paid for. Like the author, I’ve had great experiences with Eshakti for years so this turnabout is really shocking. This is so disappointing, but I’ll never take a chance on them again.
Wow, found your post a bit too late. I ordered one dress from eshakti in 2019 and it was a good experience. Now I’m post wfh, post baby, and wanted to resuscitate my professional wardrobe. Made an order April 8th, originally because I thought I had a conference to attend this week. Thank goodness I was not chosen to go and can wait. It looks like 3/5 of my garments are completed. Fingers crossed they used the right measurements!
I ordered 3 items in March and they are now about two weeks past the promised arrival date. For a while, the status of the order was “in progress” but now it just shows as not even being started. I’m not sure whether to cancel as I really want the items!
I am so sorry you’re experiencing this. I have heard some folks have no issue, and others struggle. My fingers are crossed for you!
Thanks for the heads up! I have a few desses in my cart that I am considering for a graduation in July. Pitty, I was really looking forward to trying their customizations and love the idea of having pockets! Are there any similar retailers?
I was just talking to a friend who orders frequently from eShakti and has been for years. She recently had an order of 5 dresses (same dress, different fabrics, customized sizing) show up late and several measurements were completely off. When she sent a note telling them that, they automatically remade the dresses — without asking which measurements were off — and the new dresses were in the same wrong measurements.
So, just leaving this here as a “one person’s similar story.”
Lol! I read your post, now I’m getting ads for eShakti on IG. Like I’m going to buy from them after your & the WO2 community’s warning.
I just received two dresses I ordered last month and they are perfect. Been ordering from Eshakti for over a decade. I’m sorry so many have been disappointed but things happen.
Alison,
Thank you for sharing this information. I have purchased from them in the past and loved, loved the fit and quality. I no longer wear a dress of theirs but keep because it’s an amazing dress. However, it is helpful to know the difficulties the retailer is experiencing and the reasons why. As, always you are thorough and speak from a place of concern.
I am bummed about this because the vast majority of my favorite clothes are from eShakti (in fact, I’m wearing one of their dresses at work as I type this.) I too had a recent experience where an order took slightly longer than I expected to arrive and had less communication, although I wasn’t tracking it closely enough to say if it was really super late. The items were of the quality I expect, with the typical bra strap keeps, deep pockets and everything we love about the brand, but unfortunately I felt the sizing was running much larger than I expected. I was using custom measurements that I last used with them about 6 months ago, and I may have lost a few pounds but all the dresses were way longer than I had expected. I have also noticed they are running promotions almost constantly, which did not use to be the case, and while it may be good for customers does not seem like a good long-term sign. I really, really hope they can turn this around because their quality to value ratio has always been fabulous and they fill such an important niche.
Thank you for sharing this information. I have been look at some dresses to order. Glad I read your article first
I am in fact wearing a new dress today that I ordered from eShakti at the beginning of March and just received last week. About 2 weeks after I placed my order I started checking it’s progress (ordered 3 items in custom sizing and with design modifications). And I looked up recent reviews on Facebook and got so nervous. The My Order information on EShakti’s website tracks progress through the production phases, so without any direct communication from the company it was very useful in soothing my apprehensions. It was very frustrating not getting any other updates from the company on my order and no indication that production was taking much longer than the website quotes (c. 3 weeks) but then I also may have more realistic expectations of how long a custom-designed and sized article of well-made clothing SHOULD take, being a sewer myself. All in, my order of 3 dresses took 5 weeks to arrive. But when i ordered, eshakti was offering free/discounted customization fee and free shipping. So I feel I got a bargain, but I was frustrated by the lack of communication. Had the progress tracking not been available on my order I probably would have freaked out and tried to contact the company. I LOVE the dress I’m wearing today and like the other 2 very much. All in all, I’m satisfied but I would hesitate to order again until eshakti is in a better position to follow through on its quoted production times. Whether it’s due to current or previous covid ravages, or both, or to supply chain issues, or all three, it’s very unfortunate and I hope the company can get back to its full capacity. It’s so hard to find cute well-made dresses that are both plus sized AND proportioned for petites. So few brands offer their full design collection in inclusive sizes. ESHAKTI’S custom sizing service is so valuable.
See mine has shown production was completed 4 week ago. It was supposed to be here three weeks ago. No answer to calls or messages. Filed a dispute with PP.
Oh no! Thank you so much for this update. I’ve been very happy with EShakti, but it’s been a while since I ordered from them. Good to know so that I don’t recommend them to others.
I ordered three potential MOB dresses from them last summer (for an October wedding, allowing plenty of time) and was launched into a 6-month nightmare that was finally resolved by my credit card company in December (with a full refund). The dresses were delayed, then backordered, then canceled, then sent. I rec’d two of the three dresses, months late, but they were not the fabrics I’d requested and the custom details and measurements were not accurate. Over these months, emails were never answered, nor were phone calls to their US number. I don’t do social media, but found via Google a FB group dedicated to eShakti complaints — it’s since been closed as defamatory, I think.
The whole thing was a really disappointing, to say the least — I’m glad I realized what was happening early so I could find dresses elsewhere — and I’m glad you posted an update because I wondered all these months whether to say something here.
PS. The timing of my experience and that of hundreds of other US women and many more international customers says eShakti’s problems are not related to the destruction of fabric or the new COVID strain or some upper respiratory issues in India. I think the company was decimated by COVID and never recovered. Much of what I’ve read indicates stalling techniques — ignoring emails, not answering phone calls, shifting dates, promising items a few weeks later, not answering phone calls, having customer service send delaying emails promising action soon, delaying shipping, delaying refunds, etc. I assume they hoped they and their supply chains and their employees would recover, but apparently, it snowballed instead.
I’ve only ordered from them once. The dress wasn’t right for me so I returned it for a refund. That was in February. I know the dress was received by them because I called and did get through to someone. She said it takes 3 weeks to process a return. Have unsuccessfully tried to get in touch with someone there multiple times to check status of refund. I’m still awaiting my refund.
Don’t wait too long, as there’s a time limit on credit card cases. For my cards, it’s 90 days. Better to file a claim now and then retract it, if needed.
I’ve been wondering what’s going on with them! I ordered several dresses on Black Friday. The dresses all arrived, but one of them was super late, and the communication about it was spotty. I ordered a few more dresses recently and I received one. The second never arrived and I emailed multiple times, with no response other than a form letter saying I will hear from someone within 48 hours. That never happened. I called them, and the woman who answered said my dress was cancelled at the production level because of lack of fabric- but no one refunded me or communicated this until I made this call. I have bought from eShakti for years- I love their dresses- and this is very disappointing to hear.
I ordered once from E Shakti years ago and I was very pleased with the custom dress I ordered. I was very large busted and they tailored to my measurements which were spot on. My only issue was being I am in Canada, they charge duty on the items because they come from India and they are not part of the free trade agreement. I havent ordered from them since, but hope they figure out their issues as they are a great option for people who have troubles with ready to wear clothes.
Really sorry to hear this, they’re a great brand! I ordered from them (one standard, one custom) about six months ago and everything was fine…I hope their staff is just briefly overwhelmed & they get back to normal soon.
Thank you for posting this! I have been thinking about placing some orders and this saved me a massive headache.