Children’s shoes from the company Monkey Feet USA had scores of loyal fans. Customers say the shoes are cute, unique and affordable. Demand for some pairs was so strong that they needed to be pre-ordered with a six or eight-week wait time.
But some customers told NBC4 Responds they began to have issues with orders not being fulfilled starting in March. Jennifer Williamson said she still hasn’t received an order she placed in November. Customers said they’re out $300, $350 and more than $600 each.
They started contacting the company by email and on their Facebook page. Others joined “buyer beware” Facebook pages with thousands of followers.
“I’m hoping that the people who have been impacted can also get resolution because it's been a very large community of people who've been disappointed,” customer Megan Delossi said.
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The company’s website was taken down, and the phone number for owner Rachael Dalfonzo was disconnected. When NBC4’s sister station in Philadelphia visited the address listed on the company’s New Jersey business license, no one answered.
The New Jersey attorney general’s office has received 841 complaints about Monkey Feet since last August. Of these, 677 remain open and under review.
The company previously had a business license in Florida. The state’s office of the attorney general there says it’s actively reviewing 58 complaints.
The Better Business Bureau put out an alert on Monkey Feet USA that it’s “received a pattern of complaints concerning non-delivery and refund issues,” and according to the BBB’s files, the company is no longer in business.
Here’s what you can do if you’re a dissatisfied customer or someone who ordered a product that was never delivered:
- Dispute the charges with your credit card company. If your request is denied, try again and show proof of your tracking information, showing that nothing was delivered.
- Write a review. Companies read them and most respond.
- Post your complaint on the company’s social media accounts.
- File a complaint with the attorney general’s office where the business is located.
Monkey Feet customers who NBC4 spoke with said they just want to see someone take accountability.
“I want to see them be held accountable. Certainly. I think all of us do. But really, I want to understand, what happened?” customer Katie Barrett asked.
Monkey Feet has not filed for bankruptcy, meaning, according to the BBB, that they’re still obligated to fulfill your order. Losing a business does not relieve the owner of that responsibility.
