“Our money is just gone:” Customers waiting months for products/refunds from West Fargo business

WEST FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – A local, small business is under fire after several women have come forward claiming they haven’t received the products they paid for, or a refund, in months.

Curvy Divas, located at 1201 13th Avenue in West Fargo, specializes in plus-sized clothing, and what was once a business that empowered women, is now frustrating them to no end.

“I purchased $350 dollars worth of bras on July 15th. I gave it some time, and on September 1, I started thinking, ‘hmm, what’s going on?’ I tried calling her multiple times, no answer, and no way to leave a voicemail. That went on for a while and that’s when I started calling daily,” said Brandy Beaton, of Park Rapids, Minnesota.

It’s now October, and still, she and several other women have said they haven’t heard a thing.

“I’ve found at least seven other women who are still waiting for their purchases with no communication. We have no idea what’s going on,” Beaton added.

According to the owner, Rhonda Goulet, the problem lies with the companies and suppliers she receives her products from. She posted on Facebook explaining her side of things:

“Good afternoon all,

It has been brought to my attention that there are people talking to the news because it is felt I am being fraudulent. This will no doubt impact us even further. Unfortunately some people love to gossip and focus on other peoples vulnerability. It will no doubt depict us as being dishonest. I understand the frustration, anger, distrust. All of it. I assure you; we were not taking orders “knowing” that supply was a problem. Going back to Covid, post covid, the UK went through Covid after the US opened up, literal pirating in the ocean of 10s of thousands of dollars gone in the ocean, losing most of their warehouse staff, the most recent issue of being cyber ransomware attacked, setting us back, yet again. This is all truthful, accurate information. I have severed ties with that vendor. I had too. I can’t run a business with all of this going on. All of this has greatly impacted my business. In fact it’s crushed me. This is why I am closing my doors and going strictly online. At this point, I may just shut down online as well. This has been a horrific experience. I’ve worked so hard over the past 8 years to create this community and it in the end, it’s destroying me as well as the community I have built. The problem with this is that since I severed ties, they are now refusing to send me the product I paid for. They are refunding what I paid for, which, as you know, is not the price my clients paid, and it is not sales tax. I do have another company that I am getting a few from, same products, just not the entire stock is available. I have refunded many orders, but I have a lot to go. This means a lot of refunds are coming out of my own pocket. It is what it is. I could be a selfish and just file it under a bankruptcy or discharge in some way and I’m not willing to do that. That is not who I am as a person. I am and always have been, dedicated to my customers. This whole thing has crushed me as a human being. To be honest I’ve not stepped foot in the store lately because it’s killing me. I’m doing all I can from home. So many of you know me, have met me, know my integrity and dedication. I would never be dishonest, never set out to purposely hurt anyone. I have always been an open book whether it be personally or professionally. Today is no different. Recently there have been reports of business owners fleeing the area, filing dismissals, doing everything they can to get out of taking care of their customers. That will not be happening here. I have morals, I owe it to my public to follow through on rectifying all of this, and I will. I couldn’t live with myself doing it any other way. We are going to tear the store apart, racks, rails on the walls, everything. We will be selling everything but pinky, the pink couch and the counter and it will all be available Friday and Saturday. We do still have leggings and tanks coming to fill the current orders. Again, I assure you, I am going as fast as I can to refund or supply the product ordered. I am being as transparent as I can be, so if you feel the need to go to the press, oust us publicly, blasting us on social media, I can’t stop you. I am doing the best I can under the circumstances I have been handed.

With love and gratitude, The Diva.”

With no product, many women are left wondering where their money is.

Valley News Live went to Curvy Divas today, October 23, to speak with Rhonda, but the business was closed. A sign on the door reads, ‘We’re closed. Please visit our Facebook for updates.’

We messaged Curvy Diva’s Facebook page, and received a generic, automated response.

Anna Ballweber messages to Curvy Divas(KVLY)

Other women online suggested Rhonda contact Valley News Live to explain her side of things, to which she responded via her business page, ‘Nah, they have no morals and are not journalists,’ despite appearing live in Valley News Live’s studios over the years promoting her business.

Curvy Divas business page comments(KVLY)

Rhonda Goulet on North Dakota Today(KVLY)

We contacted the Better Business Bureau (BBB) who said they can’t get ahold of Rhonda, either.

On the BBB website, Curvy Divas has an ‘F’ rating, the lowest possible grade a business can receive.

“It’s just gone. Our money is just gone. At this point, all we can do is try and get the word out so other women don’t go and spend hundreds of dollars and have nothing to show for it,” said Beaton.

In the midst of this, several women on social media have commented on Curvy Diva’s posts supporting the business, and leaving various messages of positivity.

A GoFundMe was created to help finance the business back in August, which raised over $5,000 dollars.