Rihanna‘s Savage x Fenty lingerie company has been accused by consumer watchdog group Truth in Advertising (TINA.org) of “deceptive marketing and illegal business practices” and is urging the Federal Trade Commission to take action.
According to TINA.org’s investigation into Savage x Fenty, the web-based lingerie company has been deceptively promoting “product prices that are only available to consumers who are bound to the company’s membership program.” But, the watchdog group says, this information is not clearly disclosed in its marketing materials.
As well, TINA.org claims that, by default, customers are enrolled into “a negative option offer” called the Xtra VIP Membership “without clearly and conspicuously disclosing all the material terms and conditions” — such as that consumers must opt out of the membership to avoid recurring monthly charges.
TINA.org also contends that customers are told monthly charges can be used as store credit “whenever” they want when, but that “in reality, the company prohibits consumers from using store credit unless they spend $49.95 or more, which they said is not disclosed in the marketing materials.” When customers try to cancel their memberships, the watchdog group says they “encounter unnecessary difficulty.”
It also alleges that Fenty Savage x influencers fail to adequately disclose their connections to the company.
Fenty Savage x is a joint venture between TechStyle, Inc. (f/k/a Just Fabulous, Inc.) and music icon Rihanna (née Robyn Rihanna Fenty).
TINA.org says it has “determined that such actions not only violate federal law, including the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA), but also a 2014 California Stipulated Judgment against JustFabulous, Inc., now TechStyle, Inc.” The watchdog group sent complaint letters to the FTC and California District Attorneys urging them to take action.
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