Date: 27 June 2011
Deal: $28 instead of $233, 88% off 95-Minute Anti-Stress Back Massage + Spa Refreshing Facial + Relaxing Eye Treatment for Men & Women by Fresver Beauty. Walk Away with a Free Elastic Q10 Eye Mask (Worth $58)
How did it go:
Booking an appointment took a few tries. There was a centralised system where you called 1 number instead of the branch you wanted. My calls were ignored for 1 day, then I tried calling another 6-7 times before someone returned my call. My preferred time was 7pm on 27 June 2011, at the Hougang Bus Interchange branch because it is near where I currently live. It was changed a total of 3 times (not by me) before I ended up going for my treatment at 6.30pm. Strange location, not necessarily bad but I’ve never seen shops (save for little snack kiosks) at bus interchanges. Took me a while to locate it because I went there by MRT and I didn’t know it was literally in the bus interchange in front of some bus bays.
It was decent inside the salon but there was definite suburban shoppe vibes. The massage therapist was chatty and it wasn’t really relaxing but she had great technique. Once I found the will to ignore her questions about my tattoos and what I did for work, I managed to relax (only for a while because the massage was only 20mins long). The rooms were a little tiny and the walls were thin. I could hear people laughing and some banging on the partition walls. The facial was not bad but nothing to rave about. I fell asleep because I generally do fall asleep at facials.
I had facial at True Spa, Beyond Beauty and Amore Day Spa prior to this and I was used to that level of comfort, privacy, service and dare I say, luxury. I didn’t particularly think they were luxurious till I went to Fresver. Price-wise, Fresver tried to sell me packages that were in the price-range of what I’d have paid at Amore (without the frills or the convenience) but because I am genuinely shopping for something, I ended up buying 6 sessions at $188 (with GST, it came up to slightly over $200).
At less than $35 per session, I’d say that’s a little under what I’d pay for such services at a small operation like this. To be honest, I was prepared to pay up to $50 per session but I didn’t have $960 (which was the minimum 20 sessions x $48 package) upfront and I think she was desperate to make a sale. There came a point where she offered to pay part of the package for me, only to pay her back in installments. She literally asked me what I could afford and magically pulled out “promotions” from 3 years back just for me… dedication much?
Was the coupon really worth $233. Nope! They didn’t even give me that whatever elastic eyemask (not that I wanted it). I’d say it came up to slightly under $100 at most. They weren’t even using the Dr. Grandel products that she raved about being the sole distributor to. Just generic ones. Also, it’s a bus interchange shop, yo! It was quite small and they were a little bit messy inside (plastic pails along the corridor).
An Exercise In Trivial Pursuits 
I went to Fresver Hougang in 2008 after receiving a flyer that indicate facial at only $38.00. At the end of it, I signed up for a package. The next time I went there, they told me that the package I bought wasn’t as good so they ask me to add on Diamond Peel. I signed up for that package as well. Subsequent visits were nightmares. The package deals are good but the consultants are so aggressive that I cannot walk-out of the place without signing up for further package, even though I haven’t use up the previous 2 packages. The reason they gave me was that the facial package I took up wasn’t suitable for me. Immediately, I ask them why in the 1st place they recommended me to sign up the 2 packages when they are not suitable. Their reply was my skin condition changes as I age. So they recommended a 3rd package but I refused. This goes on for few times.
Yesterday, I was there again. I have 9 courses left and they ask me to use the 9 courses to upgrade for a special treatment plus removing skin tag. I agreed. But when I was about to pay and I told them I am late for work but they still refuse to charge to my credit card. They told me that my condition is very serious and I have to come back to keep removing as much skin tag as possible as they will spread to other areas. My reply that was the skin tag was there for the last 10 years and it hasn’t spread to any other area so far. Only when I agree to sign up for unlimited Melia treatment for 3 mths, do they let me off. After work, I went back to ask for refund. They said it is a bit hard cos it is charge thru credit card. I told them that according to Singapore law, I am entitled to refund within 5 working days. Furthermore, it was charged within the same day. They relented but continue to persuade me. This will be MY LAST TIME there cos it find it stressful everytime I go there which is why I only go there once a year or I ask my mum to go on my behalf.
I would like to take this opportunity to warn anyone who wanted to try out the service there NEVER to do so as you DEFINITELY cannot walk out from the place without damaging your wallet. The package deals are just to entice you to try their services. But trust me, you will NEVER to able to finish your courses as you will be made to sign up more courses EVERY TIME you utilise the courses you sign up. This is which we say in Mandarin “Black Shop”.
I’ve never really had problems with that. I’d buy if I need to. If I can’t afford it and I don’t want it, I seldom get pressured enough that I will plonk down money. I’m quite skint myself. But I have an existing package with Fresver now and they work for me. Quite nearby and the facial package is within my budget. Works out to about $35 per session.
I should have checked them out before going for the “free” facial but I did not expect to experience such hard selling similar to certain direct marketeers. They offered the diamond peel facial for free but when I went in the consultation room, they checked my skin and said due to my sensitive skin, will not be suitable and recommended another type of facial. I asked for extraction and had to pay $40. The therapist was nice and gentle but she did not do a proper extraction which i discovered much later. She did not even bother to extract a pimple! After the session, the consultant and therapist talked me into buying a 3 facial package cost $295 incl GST. Having seen my face still with the white heads and pimple and looking back at their sales techniques, I felt coerced into paying for the package. I called and then went down asking for a refund. I was told that any request for refund or exchange of treatments are to write in to an email to Karen… what rubbish! After a few emails, she still did not grant me the refund but gave me options to exchange for other treatments. Now I am not happy to go there anymore and yet can’t get my money back! What should I do?
Anyone got suggestions? Maybe I can only go back to finish the package but with a change of therapist. Not sure if it’s possible. I will not hesitate to continue telling everyone not to go to this salon.
For those reading this post and have received a call to go for free facial, PLEASE DO NOT GO TO FRESVER BEAUTY SALON!!! They will hard sell you until you buy something which you may not be confident of. They are dishonest and unethical, unprofessional and not customer oriented. They will rebut anything you say and give all sorts of excuses to make you buy something.
So REMEMBER, DO NOT GO TO FRESVER BEAUTY SALON!
Do not ever ever go the fresver at hougang! I got the same package for $188( exclude gst) for 6 sessions and into my 2nd session, the therapist keep persuading me to add on an ampoule just after she finish cleansing my face. After repeatedly inform her that I do not want to top up $48 for an ampoule, she try to convince me that she will get a discount from her manager. In the end, i agreed to top up $38 for an ampoule. After the facial ended, as usual, the manager set me down in a room and persuade me to buy 5 ampoules and when i find the price too high, she kept on trying to hard sell me. Telling me how bad my face was and how good their ampoule was. In a last ditch, she come up with a price of $96 for 3 ampoules after deducting the service points from her account. She informed it will be used between alternate sessions (2,4 &6). Which I finally agreed and it was a mistake! On my fourth session, i was told i only purchase 2 ampoules at price of $48 each! Really disgusted with their sales technique and when I tried to reason with the manager, she told me the original price was $68, $48 is already the discounted price! I wanted to complain to their management, and they too gave me Karen’s email address and told me all complaints go to her. No phone contact, only email. What a ridiculous excuse is that? But anyways i email karen, and she only replied with a standard template that she will investigate and revert by XX date but in the end she did not replied as promised. This is the kind of company and staffs working for it, totally no integrity at all!
I recently oso got “cheated”..was persuaded to sign up a $900 plus package for 12 months installment. .i was told confirm can pay instalment but was rejected by bank..called for refund and same thing was directed to this karen (so called director who represent management)..she told me no refund, she say will try her best to help..guess wad? Her try to help is ask me to pay the bank in 3 instalment and settle the interest myself..totally no empathy for customers at all.. terrible after service..