Melbourne mum Kelly Arvan had been excited to receive a designer-style dress she ordered online.
When the parcel finally arrived, it was nothing like she expected.
What happened next left her frustrated and outraged.
Arvan had ordered a $253 purple and yellow maxi dress, expecting the quality shown in the website photos.
Instead, she received a poorly made garment with shoddy stitching and low-quality material.
When she contacted Celina the Label for a refund, the company’s response stunned her—they told her to 'consider the environmental impact of returns' and demanded she ship the faulty item back to China at her own expense.
Source: TikTok/kellyarvan
Looking back, several red flags should have warned her.
Celina the Label stored inventory in warehouses in China and shipped most orders from there, with delivery times of 15-30 business days.
The dress Arvan bought thinking it was from an Australian retailer was actually drop-shipped from overseas.
Adding to the problem, the dress arrived without any care labels, which are required by law in Australia.
Australian Consumer Law mandates that all clothing and textile items sold locally must include proper care labelling.
'I ended up disputing the charge with my bank and the bank gave me a refund'
Arvan’s case is not isolated.
Customers frequently reported receiving items that looked nothing like advertised photos, with clothing of noticeably cheap quality.
Trustpilot reviews described the company as the 'worst worst worst company', with many paying almost $200 Australian for poorly made garments.
Some reviews said the dresses were of such low quality that 'fancy dress outfits' would be better, while the company ignored emails and social media messages when customers attempted returns.
Your consumer rights under Australian law
If goods are faulty, not as described, or do not match advertised photos, you are entitled to a full refund (not just store credit).
Refund of return shipping costs for faulty items.
Choice between repair, replacement, or refund for major problems.
Rights apply regardless of where the retailer is located.
Celina the Label’s environmental argument appears to be part of a deliberate strategy to avoid processing legitimate returns.
By framing returns as an environmental issue, the retailer made consumers feel guilty for exercising their legal rights.
Australian Consumer Law guarantees a full refund if products are faulty or do not match their description, regardless of where the item must be shipped.
Red flags to watch for
- Websites with no local Australian warehouse or contact address
- Long delivery times of 2-4 weeks
- Items shipping directly from China
- Heavily discounted 'luxury' items
- Missing care labels
- Difficulty contacting customer support
- Environmental guilt-tripping about returns
- Offers of partial refunds instead of full refunds
- Requiring customers to pay return shipping for faulty goods
- Only offering store credit for defective items
While Celina the Label may not be definitively a scam, its practices often left customers disappointed.
The environmental messaging around returns shifted responsibility from the retailer to the consumer.
Legitimate Australian retailers understand that processing returns for faulty goods is part of doing business, and using environmental excuses to discourage returns is deceptive.
Celina the Label was founded in 2020 and represents a growing trend of social media-driven retailers operating overseas while targeting Australian customers.
Arvan shared her experience online and disputed the charge with her bank, successfully receiving a full refund.
Meanwhile, the company blocked comments and ignored the incident—hardly the actions of a reputable retailer.
Protecting yourself from dodgy online retailers
Always check where items will ship from before ordering.
Look for local Australian contact details and addresses.
Be wary of heavily discounted 'luxury' items.
Use a credit card for online purchases (easier to dispute).
Screenshot product photos and descriptions before ordering.
Check review sites like Trustpilot before purchasing.
What has been your experience with online shopping from overseas retailers—have you faced environmental guilt-tripping when trying to return faulty goods?
What This Means For You
Australian shoppers have the right to a full refund if goods are faulty or do not match their description, and it’s important to remember this when shopping online, especially from overseas retailers.
Be alert to warning signs such as items shipping from abroad, no local contact details, missing care labels, or heavily discounted 'luxury' products, as these are often red flags.
Retailers using environmental arguments to discourage returns may be trying to avoid their legal obligations, so don’t let guilt stop you from exercising your rights.
Always document your purchases, take screenshots, and keep all communications, as these records can be essential when disputing a charge or seeking a refund.
For shoppers over 60, understanding and standing up for these rights ensures that years of experience and hard-earned money are respected, and that you remain in control of your purchases.
Celina the Label environmental customer complaint — Melbourne mum Kelly Arvan ordered a $253 dress that arrived poorly made and was told to consider the environmental impact of returns when requesting a refund.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15053195/celina-label-environment-customer-complaint.html
Celina The Label Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of celinathelabel.com — Customers reported that dresses looked nothing like advertised photos, with cheap material and shoddy stitching.
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/celinathelabel.com
Celina The Label Review: Should You Trust It? Our Take — The company avoids proper refunds by asking customers to consider environmental impact and requiring returns to China at their own expense.
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/celina-the-label/
Celina The Label Review: Should You Trust It? Our Take — Inventory is housed in China with standard delivery taking 15-30 business days.
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/celina-the-label/
Celina The Label Review: Should You Trust It? Our Take — Customers consistently report a mismatch between online images and received items, which often appear cheaply made.
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/celina-the-label/
Celina The Label Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of celinathelabel.com — Recent Trustpilot reviews describe the company as the 'worst worst worst company', with customers paying almost $200 Australian for cheap quality items.
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/celinathelabel.com
Celina The Label Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of celinathelabel.com — Multiple reviewers reported receiving dresses of such poor quality that 'fancy dress outfits' would be better, with ignored return requests.
https://au.trustpilot.com/review/celinathelabel.com?page=6
Celina The Label Review: Should You Trust It? Our Take — While not definitively a scam, the company exhibits questionable practices that leave customers disappointed or ripped off.
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/celina-the-label/
Celina The Label Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of celinathelabel.com — Founded in 2020 from a focus on style, creativity, and self-expression.
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/celinathelabel.com
Celina The Label Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of celinathelabel.com — After sharing her experience on social media and disputing the charge with her bank, Arvan received a full refund.
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/celinathelabel.com
Have you ever been guilt-tripped or blocked from returning a faulty item from an overseas retailer, and how did you handle it?
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