Harper & Wells Boston

At first glance, Harper & Wells Boston may seem like a legitimate online store. But looks can be deceiving.

After receiving a tip from a reader, TINA.org found that many of the images on the website – including one of the purported Boston shop (see below) as well as several items of clothing – are likely AI and that the actual operator of the site is a Chinese e-commerce company with no apparent ties to Boston.

Claims that the company offers a “30-day money-back guarantee,” where customers can return products for a “full refund,” are similarly deceptive. And while the website features a number of five-star reviews from satisfied customers, the vast majority of the consumer reviews on third-party platforms like Trustpilot and the BBB are negative and report a range of issues with the company, from problems getting refunds to misleading product images and more.

Here’s what you need to know about Harper & Wells Boston.

The money-back guarantee

According to the return policy, which is linked at the bottom of the website, customers are “responsible for all return shipping costs.” The policy doesn’t disclose the destination or cost for returns but according to the website’s terms of service (similarly buried at the bottom of the site):

All our products are shipped directly to the consumer from our supplier in China. Any charges such as customs duties, import duties are the responsibility of the consumer.

Our reader’s complaint sheds more light on the so-called money-back guarantee and the potential cost of return shipping.

After rejecting an offer for 10% cash back (or a store credit) for a pair of shoes she was attempting to return, she said the company bumped it to 30% and provided the following explanation:

To be fully transparent, because our items are shipped from our international partner, returning a product involves international shipping, handling, and processing. In practice, return shipping typically costs around $30-$50 USD per item, is paid by the customer, and requires additional transit time before any refund can be reviewed and processed.

The return policy requires that the item be sent back in order to process the return. Yet with many of the items on the website priced below $50, the cost of return shipping may exceed the cost of the item.

In fact, based on a plethora of consumer complaints (see below), the company’s arduous returns process seems designed to back customers into a corner and make them accept whatever refund they can get.

Consumer complaints

Our reader’s experience is not an isolated incident.

On Trustpilot, consumers report encountering a myriad of issues – from shipping delays to receiving low-quality and ill-fitting items that look nothing like the pictures on the website to excessive return shipping costs and difficulties obtaining refunds despite the company’s stated money-back guarantee and claims of “easy” and “hassle-free” returns. A sampling of Trustpilot complaints follows.

As of this writing, the company has a 1.1-star rating on Trustpilot (based on 321 reviews), which is only slightly better than its 1-star rating with the BBB (72 reviews) where similar complaints can be found.

Boston ties?

AI image detection tools put the likelihood of the store image above being created by AI between 97% and 100%. (A purported image of the company’s unnamed founders on an About Us page also appears to be the product of AI, as well as several clothing items.) Meanwhile, there is no business registered in the state of Massachusetts under the name Harper & Wells Boston or Harper & Wells.

Furthermore, at the very bottom of its website, under “Company Info,” there is a “business address” – 73 Greenwood St., Boston, MA 02121 – that traces to a multifamily residential home in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. Above this, the “company name” is given as Zhang E-Commerce LLC.

So does Harper & Wells Boston have any actual ties to the Massachusetts capital? The evidence points to the answer being “no.”

Harper & Wells Boston did not respond to a request for comment.

The bottom line

Fueled by AI, online shopping scams are getting harder to spot. Such scams appear to be on the rise so consumers need to remain vigilant. Just because an e-commerce site seems legit doesn’t mean it is not using AI or misleading refund claims to ensnare consumers looking for deals online.

Before trusting a company with your money, make sure to read the terms of money-back guarantees and check what consumers may have to say on a variety of third-party review platforms. And if you are struggling to obtain a refund from a company like Harper & Wells Boston, consider documenting your experience and reporting it to your bank or credit card company to potentially reverse the charge.

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