In case you haven’t noticed, online women’s clothing brand Missguided’s website has just… disappeared.
The sites’ servers are down and angry customers have taken to the internet to beg the company for updates on their orders.
Well, it turns out Missguided has fallen into the dreaded clutches of administration after it failed to secure a rescue bid that would have saved it from the brink of collapse.
Boohoo, Asos and JD were all looking into buying the company but none of them could reach a deal. So, until it finds a buyer, Missguided has had to call in administrators from Teneo.
The UK company still plans to trade until it finds a new buyer.
According to The Guardian, Missguided has made 80 staff redundant and owes suppliers millions of dollars.
Some of Missguided’s suppliers said they haven’t been paid for months. Others said they were asked for a 30 per cent discount on orders already agreed on, which put them in a pretty precarious position.
Well, Missguided has dissolved with 84 immediate redundancies. Guess that’s what happens if you don’t pay your suppliers. And it won’t be the well-off leaders that will suffer, it will be the factory staff. Factories will close overnight because they can’t pay anyone.
— Sturdy Blonde 🌞 (@NDread93) May 30, 2022
“This is completely unethical,” one factory owner said, claiming he hasn’t been paid since April and is owed more than $3 million AUD.
“I am absolutely disgusted.”
Multiple factory owners told The Guardian they’d had to send workers home or make them redundant because they could no longer afford to pay them.
It’s not just Missguided’s suppliers that have been left in the dark. Customers have complained online that they haven’t been receiving refunds. Others claimed they paid for next day delivery but still received late packages.
Anyone else having major issues with @Missguided @Missguided_help at the moment? Refunds taking weeks, next day delivery’s not coming next day? What’s going on?????
— Bev👑 (@Bettttyjo) May 28, 2022
https://twitter.com/NicoleSegussx/status/1530936055385444352?s=20&t=EO4KcDejyzqxVSHEt9wlMQ
#missguided robbing people of their money at this point. Ordered on Thursday with Friday am delivery, parcel is still sat in the warehouse, messaged on Friday was told Saturday, messaged Saturday was told Sunday/Monday. Messaged today to be told Tuesday.
— Heather mcloughlin (@the_weird_human) May 29, 2022
Can’t cope that @Missguided have gone into administration and I’m still waiting for a £160 order 🤨🤨 paid next day delivery 5 days ago 🥲 @Missguided_help
— chlo💋 (@chloeauton2) May 29, 2022
https://twitter.com/courtneypettyh1/status/1531356052309938176?s=20&t=EO4KcDejyzqxVSHEt9wlMQ
While things are looking pretty dire, Teneo’s managing director Gavin Maher reckons the brand can still pull out of this.
“The retail trading environment in the UK remains extremely challenging,” he said, but Missguided has “a high level of interest from a number of strategic buyers”.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
