One of Australia’s biggest retailers enters into liquidation after several complaints
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The retail landscape has been shaken by the sudden collapse of a prominent online retailer known for selling sports and exercise equipment at discounted prices.
This unexpected downfall has left a trail of financial chaos, with millions of dollars owed to both creditors and customers, and raises serious questions about the stability and trustworthiness of online shopping platforms.
T&R International, which operated under various names including Sports Leisure and Bike Scooter Hub, has reportedly left around $7 million in debts to creditors and a staggering $4.5 million to customers left empty-handed, without the products they paid for.
The situation took a turn for the worse following an investigation by A Current Affair, which revealed a series of customer complaints and potential breaches of consumer law.
The investigation revealed that NSW Fair Trading had received 397 complaints about the three retailers under T&R International's umbrella, prompting a closer look into the company's practices.
The liquidators' discovery of a mere $18,000 left in the company's bank accounts is a drop in the ocean compared to the millions owed, leaving many to wonder if they will ever see a cent of their hard-earned money again.
When the staff of A Current Affair went to the company’s warehouse, there was no staff to be found, and its website was shut down. The company's warehouses in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane have been abandoned.
The programme also showed the company’s motto, ‘too good to be true’, was misspelled in some of the company’s merchandise.
Customers who trusted T&R International with their money now face the harsh reality of financial loss. They said they had been refused refunds and some claimed to have received defective products.
One customer who chased his order for months drove to the factory and said, ‘I don’t have much money to lose, $3000.’
The company's spokesperson cited 'cash flow challenges' as the reason behind the collapse, exacerbated by the negative publicity from the A Current Affair report.
‘We have lost almost everything we built over the past 14 years, and the emotional and financial burden has been overwhelming,’ a company spokesperson said.
You can watch A Current Affair’s coverage below:
Credit: A Current Affair / YouTube
Have you ordered products from T&R International? How was your experience, and did you have the same concerns as other customers? Share them with us in the comments below!
This unexpected downfall has left a trail of financial chaos, with millions of dollars owed to both creditors and customers, and raises serious questions about the stability and trustworthiness of online shopping platforms.
T&R International, which operated under various names including Sports Leisure and Bike Scooter Hub, has reportedly left around $7 million in debts to creditors and a staggering $4.5 million to customers left empty-handed, without the products they paid for.
The situation took a turn for the worse following an investigation by A Current Affair, which revealed a series of customer complaints and potential breaches of consumer law.
Sports retailer T&R International collapses after a string of complaints from customers. Credit: A Current Affair / YouTube
The investigation revealed that NSW Fair Trading had received 397 complaints about the three retailers under T&R International's umbrella, prompting a closer look into the company's practices.
The liquidators' discovery of a mere $18,000 left in the company's bank accounts is a drop in the ocean compared to the millions owed, leaving many to wonder if they will ever see a cent of their hard-earned money again.
When the staff of A Current Affair went to the company’s warehouse, there was no staff to be found, and its website was shut down. The company's warehouses in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane have been abandoned.
The programme also showed the company’s motto, ‘too good to be true’, was misspelled in some of the company’s merchandise.
Customers who trusted T&R International with their money now face the harsh reality of financial loss. They said they had been refused refunds and some claimed to have received defective products.
One customer who chased his order for months drove to the factory and said, ‘I don’t have much money to lose, $3000.’
The company's spokesperson cited 'cash flow challenges' as the reason behind the collapse, exacerbated by the negative publicity from the A Current Affair report.
‘We have lost almost everything we built over the past 14 years, and the emotional and financial burden has been overwhelming,’ a company spokesperson said.
You can watch A Current Affair’s coverage below:
Credit: A Current Affair / YouTube
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