Read the low-star reviews of almost any premium beauty device brand and the pattern is remarkably consistent. It's rarely the product on day one. It's what happened on day ninety.
Ten emails, no reply. A charger that failed and a replacement that took six weeks. A warranty claim that went into a portal and never came out.
If you're in that position, you have more standing than you probably think.
The consumer guarantees
Australian Consumer Law gives you guarantees that exist regardless of what a brand's warranty says. They can't be signed away in terms and conditions.
Goods must be of acceptable quality, fit for purpose, and last a reasonable time given the price. That last one is the important one for expensive devices. A $600 mask that dies after nine months has arguably not lasted a reasonable time, whatever the twelve-month warranty says, because the guarantee is about what a reasonable person would expect from that product at that price.
For a major failure you can ask for a refund or replacement, and the choice is yours rather than the seller's.
What to do, in order
Write once, properly. One email with the order number, the date, what went wrong, and what you want. Refund, replacement or repair. Vague complaints get vague responses.
Use the words. Say "consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law". It signals you know the framework exists, and it often changes the tone of the reply.
Give a deadline. Ten business days is reasonable and stops the thread drifting.
Then escalate. Your state or territory consumer affairs body, or the ACCC. Free, and a surprising number of stalled cases resolve the week after a brand hears from them.
Keep everything. Screenshots, dates, order confirmations.
What to check before you buy anything expensive
Whether there's a real person to contact. A named address rather than a form. A phone number, ideally. Some indication a human is at the other end.
It sounds minor next to wavelengths and percentages. It's the thing people end up caring about most.
Where we stand
Our address is founders@inspiredlumiere.com. There are two of us and one of us will answer.
That's easy to promise when you're small. We're writing it down so you can hold us to it when we're not.
General information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, your state or territory consumer affairs office is the right place to start.