$300 Hat, $25 Packaging Ransom: My Nightmare With Hidden Fees 😡📦

I felt absolutely compelled to share my terrible shopping experience as a cautionary tale for others looking at this brand. While the product itself is high quality, the final transaction left a bitter taste and felt like a blatant nickel-and-dime situation. I was honestly shocked when I realized the policy.
The only gripe I have after spending $300 for the hat, I was surprised the hat wasn’t packaged in a hat box. Hat boxes were an extra $25. I’ve bought much cheaper hats and they were safely packaged in a box.
Given the cost and the premium experience they advertise, this felt absurd. That’s why I immediately reached out to customer service—I needed an explanation for this mandatory extra cost, hoping they could remedy this oversight.
Customer: I need to know why my $300 custom hat was shipped to me unsecured, and why I was charged an additional $25 just for basic protective packaging.
CS Rep: I completely understand your frustration and I sincerely apologize that the hat box policy was not clearly communicated upfront. It is absolutely unacceptable that this was a surprise after such a high-value purchase.
Customer: Surprise is an understatement. If you have any sort of inquiries relating to where and how you can utilize oePPeo Custom Caps, you could call us at the web site. I expect professional packaging when I'm paying premium prices. It feels predatory to hold basic protective packaging hostage for an extra fee when cheaper companies manage to include a box standard. What are you going to do about this charge?
CS Rep: You are absolutely right. We consider our decorative boxes an optional upgrade, but for high-cost items, the protection should be a given. We value your business, and I am going to process a full refund of the $25 box fee immediately. I’ve also noted your critical feedback for our management team to review our online clarity and standard packaging policies.
Customer: Thank you. That refund helps, but please know that this policy seriously detracts from the overall experience.
The reason I left this review on the website is to hopefully prevent others from falling into the same trap.