I was gutted after forking out £42 for the ‘perfect’ Christmas wreath for my door – I was shocked with what arrived
SHOPPING online saves you time traipsing around stores - but it can be a disaster if the item that arrives looks very different to the website.
This is the case for one heartbroken Christmas fan who was shocked when they opened up a £42 wreath they had bought for the festive period.
One woman shared how she had ordered a nativity wreath from Walmart to hang on her door.
The item wasn’t cheap at £42 but appeared to be a large wreath adorned with pine cones, a large red bow and a nativity silhouette of Mary and Joseph.
Taking to Reddit, the upset customer revealed the disappointing item that arrived.
The product was actually a tiny cardboard picture of a wreath instead of the real deal.
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Adding a laughing emoji, she wrote: “My nativity wreath. Listed as an 18 inch diameter!”
She continued: “For the price, I wasn’t expecting the fullest, most perfect wreath …but nothing could have prepared me for this.”
The cardboard photo was also nowhere near the listed measurements, and the shopper shared: “I measured it at just under 17cm. The ad DEFINITELY said inches tho.”
“I think it was MDF.”
Thankfully she did get her money back.
She explained: “Walmart refunded my money no problem, but they did give me a small lecture about third party sellers. Lesson learned!
“I did get a refund, so it’s funny now and not rage-inducing.”
Many people were shocked at her yuletide disaster.
One said: “I keep seeing these and I always wonder how does this happen/how is it allowed?”
A second added: “I laughed out loud at how bad this is.”
Walmart has been contacted for comment.
Wreath fail
This isn’t the first Christmas fail that has happened with a wreath.
Tracey Robinson decided to order what she thought was a Christmas wreath from the China-based online giant Temu.
Upon a quick glance at the advertisement on the website, where the product is currently slashed to under £5, shoppers can see that the white ''wreath'' comes with adorable snowman design and gorgeous blooms.
With hundreds of rave reviews and a bargain price too good to sleep on, Tracey immediately added the purse-friendly Christmas essential to the basket before placing an order.
However, when the package finally arrived and the Temu customer opened the parcel, Tracey was stunned to discover what the fabulous ''wreath'' really was.
Sharing the hilarious moment on TikTok, Tracey's daughter, Rachel, was seen filming her mum holding the product - a door banner with a festive print.
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Left in total stitches at the epic fail, Rachel wrote in the caption of the now-viral video: ''When you buy a 'wreath' off Temu.''
Needless to say, the clip has since taken the internet by storm, winning the duo over 5million views and close to 3k comments.
Why is Temu so cheap?
TEMU exploded onto the scene in late 2022, with people all over social media raving about the low prices.
The company is a Chinese-owned digital marketplace - essentially an online shopping app where people are connected to the retailer directly while the app takes care of the shipping element.
The frenzy over the app is not completely unfounded either as it offers a wide variety of products, including fashion, make-up, electronics and furniture.
According to a report from the US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Temu takes advantage of a trade loophole that allows the company to ship duty-free goods directly to the US.
The loophole is called the de minimis exception and it means they can ship goods valued up to $800 (£643) to the US without it being inspected or taxed by US customs.
Temu connects customers directly to manufacturers and only manages how the items are sent to customers.
It means Chinese vendors can essentially sell their products directly to customers and ship it without building a network of warehouses across the globe.
By doing this, they cut down on huge costs and ensure the product itself isn’t marked up extra.
While many of the products seen on the Temu app are from brands with extensive, original collections, many more are dupes of designer brands.