A “USSOFEEL” charge on your bank statement is a purchase from Soufeel, an online retailer at soufeel.com that sells personalized jewelry, photo flipbooks, engraved necklaces, nesting dolls, magnets, and similar custom gift items. Because these are often impulse or holiday gift purchases, the descriptor can appear on a statement weeks after checkout, when the order is no longer fresh in mind. Before disputing it, check whether someone else in your household placed an order, and look at the amount: Soufeel adds optional fees at checkout that many buyers don’t notice.
Why the Amount May Be Higher Than You Expected
Soufeel’s checkout adds two fees to the cart by default. One is a $3.99 “VIP Service” charge, which the company describes as prioritized production. The other is a $2.99 “Shipping Insurance” fee.1Soufeel. What Is VIP Service / Shipping Insurance and Can I Remove It Soufeel says both can be removed by unchecking a box on the checkout page or by contacting customer service, but BBB reviewers have reported that the charges reappeared at the final checkout stage after being deleted from the cart.2BBB. Soufeel Jewelry Limited BBB Customer Reviews If the “USSOFEEL” total is a few dollars higher than the product price you remember, these add-ons are the likely reason.
Although the company’s website lists U.S. addresses in New York and Seattle, consumer complaints and domain-dispute records tie its operations to China, and some customers have been surprised to learn their orders shipped internationally.3BBB. Soufeel Jewelry Limited BBB Complaints4WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center. Case D2022-4236 That matters because shipping times can be longer than a U.S. storefront would suggest.
If You Didn’t Place a Soufeel Order
If no one with access to your card placed an order and the charge still appears, treat it as a potentially unauthorized transaction. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you can dispute unauthorized charges by sending a written dispute to the credit card issuer’s billing inquiry address within 60 days of the statement date on which the charge appeared.5FTC. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges Federal law caps your liability for unauthorized credit card charges at $50, and many issuers offer zero-liability policies on top of that.6Investopedia. Fair Credit Billing Act
If You Ordered but Want a Refund From Soufeel
Soufeel’s stated return policy allows returns within 90 days of purchase or delivery, provided the item is unworn and in its original packaging.7Soufeel. Return Instructions The carve-outs are significant. Made-to-order personalized items, which make up much of what Soufeel sells, are not returnable unless they arrive defective or damaged. Clearance and discounted items are final sale. On eligible returns, the company deducts original shipping fees, any discounts applied, and restocking fees on personalized products from your refund, and you pay return shipping. Refunds take seven days to process after the item is received and may need another billing cycle to post.
To cancel an order that hasn’t shipped yet, use Soufeel’s online order-tracking portal and choose the cancellation option.8Soufeel. How Do I Change or Cancel an Order After It Has Been Submitted Soufeel does not publish a phone number; all contact runs through online chat and an inquiry form, with the company warning that replies can take 24 to 48 hours.
Expect friction. Of 79 complaints filed with the BBB against Soufeel Jewelry Limited over three years, only 24 were marked resolved to the consumer’s satisfaction.3BBB. Soufeel Jewelry Limited BBB Complaints Complainants frequently reported being offered partial refunds as low as $3 to $6, or store credit, instead of the full refund requested for missing, late, or defective items. Multiple complainants alleged the company asked them to withdraw their BBB complaint as a condition of receiving a refund or replacement. Shipping delays of weeks or months on gift orders were common, and paid express upgrades reportedly made no difference.
Disputing the Charge With Your Card Issuer
If Soufeel won’t give you a full refund, or if the product arrived defective or materially different from what was advertised, you can pursue a “claims and defenses” dispute with your card issuer. This is separate from a billing-error dispute and has a longer window: up to one year from the first statement showing the charge. The charge must exceed $50, and you must first have made a good-faith effort to resolve the issue with the seller.9California Office of the Attorney General. Credit Cards – Dispute a Charge Keep a record of your messages to Soufeel; the issuer may ask for proof you contacted the merchant.
Once a dispute is filed, the issuer must acknowledge it within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days. During the investigation, you don’t have to pay the disputed amount, and the issuer cannot report it as delinquent.5FTC. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges If your issuer improperly denies the dispute or misses its deadlines, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.