I’vre ceases operations amid customer complaints, refund issues

I’vre CEO Christian Kwok / Image credit: Tech in Asia

High-end fragrance service I’vre has shuttered its perfume subscription business. This comes amid a police inquiry into complaints of wrong charges and uncompleted orders.

I’vre co-founder Christian Kwok told The Straits Times that the company has fulfilled all remaining orders and refunds. However, some customers have told the publication that they are still waiting on repayments.

In December 2023, the company started being investigated by the police due to customer complaints about unfulfilled orders and refunds. At the time, I’vre had stopped taking new orders to focus on honoring existing ones, according to Kwok.

Questioned about these incidents, the co-founder said that internal issues like staff shortages made “the entire process” for this “messy.”

Despite this, the company was selling roughly 100 luxury perfume bottles at US$55.4 each in March 2024, The Straits Times noted, citing an email from I’vre to one of its customers.

Last year, Tech in Asia also reported on the issue. At the time, Kwok acknowledged that some customers were overcharged due to human error.

Tech in Asia also reported that several ex-employees were not paid salaries for October and November 2023. Kwok, however, said that I’vre would pay out the salaries it owes.

Amid issues with investors, the exec also said in his interaction with Tech in Asia that I’vre was acquired by an unnamed entity. However, a search on Singapore’s business registry at the time found no information on the acquirer.

See also: Perfume startup bids ‘goodbye’ amid whiff of customer, investor complaints