It's a Case of Buyer Beware when it Comes to Home Shopping Network and Diane Gilman

In this economy, retailers should be doing everything they can to hold on to their customers. It could mean life or death for their companies. It is too bad that some - - like Home Shopping Network - - choose instead to take their customers for granted.

I have shopped at HSN for years for many reasons. First of all, it was convenient. I didn't have to leave the comfort of my home. I didn't have to travel for miles and waste time in search of what I wanted or needed. Plus, for the most part, the pricing was comparable. Additionally, flex pay made the purchase of big ticket items easy.

In the past, I have been pleased with most of my purchases, in spite of having to return items because the sizing was off or because they didn't do what was advertised. I hung in there because I was convinced that HSN would realize their mistakes and fix them.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. Instead of getting better, things have gotten much worse.

Now I rarely shop at HSN and may choose never to shop there again. I have no respect for a company that doesn't stand behind the products it carries. The 30-day money back guarantee is great, mind you, but not all potential problems are discovered within that timeframe.

In late October I purchased a sweatshirt from my favorite HSN designer, Diane Gilman. It was an expensive purchase for me at around $50. I still can't believe that I - - the original bargain basement shopper - - actually spent that much money on a sweatshirt.

However, it was a great cut to highlight my weight loss, the perfect color to set off my hair, and an animal design I just couldn't resist. Flex pay made the cost easier to swallow so I made the purchase.

I loved that shirt. It was all I hoped it would be and it made me feel pretty, slim, trim and on top of the world. I don't get much of that kind of thing these days at age 60 so it was a great bonus in my book.

I wore it sparingly, a couple of times for short periods, simply because I wanted to make sure it lasted a long time. I was bound and determined to get my money's worth. Consequently, there was no need to launder the shirt until recently.

Imagine my surprise when I pulled it out of the tub where I hand washed it alone only to discover the fabric had given way, frayed, and made a small hole right in the center of the shirt. I was flabbergasted, to say the least.

No one, and I mean no one, would expect a shirt that costs that much to fall apart the first time laundered. Now, maybe if I was a celebrity with lots of money to spare, such an incident might not bother me. However, all of you know how long it can take some time to earn $50 as a freelance writer. None of us spend that kind of money lightly.

So here I am stuck with a shirt that I have to patch just so I can wear it around the house or to bed. To say I am angry about the situation is a major understatement. I am furious; furious at HSN and furious at Diane Gilman for producing such a poor quality garment and charging a first class price for it.

I wrote to HSN and they were kind enough to inform me there was nothing they could, or would, do. Like I said, they aren't interested in standing behind the products they carry.

Had this been an isolated incident, I might have been inclined to chalk up to my own stupidity for buying a shirt I couldn't afford. I would have much rather have made another charitable donation instead, and will do so in the future.

Unfortunately, HSN and I have butted heads more than once recently, over lost returns, products that don't come close to performing as advertised and for other reasons. This latest problem is just another in a long line of bad incidents.

That's too bad because they have not only lost a once loyal customer but also a staunch supporter. I have written glowing articles about the company, their products, their customer service and their dependibility in the past. That isn't likely to happen again.

The worm has turned. Instead, I have notified all of my family and friends not to make purchases there anymore or, at least, to do so realizing they may well get ripped off.

Now, I am notifying you - - my readers and fans. Make purchases at Home Shopping Network at your own risk because if the item you buy doesn't work, falls apart after 30 days, or isn't as advertised, you will be stuck with it and the bill to boot. I guess that's just business!