Would not buy from Illume again
Would not buy from Illume again — cancellation and refund handling
I bought one kit for $97. A discount prompt immediately afterward made it look like I was adding another kit at a better price, but the second checkout was actually two kits for $161.97.
That left me with three kits across two separate orders. I immediately asked Illume to cancel the separate $97 single-kit order so I could keep the two-kit order.
Illume first told me the $97 order could not be canceled because it had already shipped. However, the package that arrived was the two-kit order I wanted to keep. I sent Illume the packing slip showing two kits and repeatedly told them not to ship the separate $97 order.
They shipped it anyway.
Illume later wrote: “We apologize that your order was shipped despite your cancellation request. Once the package is returned to us, we will process a full refund.”
Their refunds team also confirmed that a full refund would be issued once the product was returned.
The unwanted kit remained sealed and unused. When I later asked how to return it, Illume told me they would deduct a $9.99 return-label fee from my refund.
If a company admits it shipped an order despite a cancellation request and promises a full refund, I do not believe the customer should then have to pay to return that same order.
I am currently working this through both Illume and PayPal.
One other thing PayPal users should know: after checkout, my PayPal account showed an automatic-payment/billing agreement with Illume. I canceled that authorization. I am not claiming that this proves a monthly subscription, but anyone paying through PayPal should check Automatic Payments or Linked Businesses after purchase so they know what authorization was created.
I have kept the full email chain, packing slips, shipping notices, and Illume’s written acknowledgment.
This is not a review of the product itself. It is a review of how the order, cancellation, shipping, return, and refund process was handled.
Based on my experience, I would not purchase from Illume again and would not recommend them.
One more thing I wish I had checked before buying: Illume states that there is no warranty on these orders. For an electronic toothbrush at this price, that matters.
I did not vet the warranty, return fee, PayPal billing authorization, and replacement policy as carefully as I should have before buying. I am sharing my experience so other customers can check those things before they place an order.
Before purchasing, I recommend reading the return policy, checking whether there is a warranty, understanding any return-label fee, and reviewing your PayPal Automatic Payments or Linked Businesses settings after checkout.
I learned that lesson the hard way, and hopefully sharing it helps someone else make a more informed decision.