'Everyone is chasing after the same unicorn,' she said. Pui noticed women posting about their latest purchases on Instagram and then tracked the bidding wars as other women tried to get their hands on a limited edition handbag. Her business is a niche market - and a glimpse into a world most people know nothing about.ĭesigner fashion houses like Chanel, Hermès and Gucci produce a limited number of exclusive handbags each year. (Mike Zimmer/CBC) 'I just felt a sense of shock'Įven though Pui's business was less than a year old, she says she's sold many luxury handbags during that time and never before had a problem. These designer handbags are hot commodities, says Pui, who hopes to sell some for more than $25,000. In a statement to Go Public, a spokesperson said she couldn't comment on another financial institution's request to recall the funds, but that when the bank receives these requests, it considers 'a variety of factors before making our decision.' It declined to specify what those factors are. 'And most people would say that doesn't pass any kind of fairness test.'Īfter Go Public got involved, Tangerine put $1,600 back in Pui's account, as a 'goodwill gesture,' but didn't say why or what had happened in the first place. 'When you don't know why the money's been withdrawn, that's incredibly frustrating,' said Jones. It's a problem small business owners are increasingly facing in the pandemic as more transactions move online, says Laura Jones, executive vice president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Pui fired off an email, asking what happened to her money. 'I was like … how can you do this without my consent? It's my money.' 'What do you mean you can't tell me anything about it?' 'Wait a minute, I'm out $1,600,' Pui remembered saying. Got a story? Email Erica and the Go Public team.When she called Tangerine, Pui says she was only told the payment had been recalled by a bank in South Korea.

She then shipped the coveted Gucci handbag, thinking all was well.īut in January, Pui checked her bank statement and saw that the money was gone. She checked her bank account with Tangerine - an online subsidiary of Scotiabank - and confirmed that her customer had transferred $1,600. The timing was good, thought the Vancouver mother of two - right before the Christmas holidays and the expenses that come at that time of year. Angel Pui was pleased when the business she started in the pandemic, selling luxury handbags online, made a sale in South Korea.

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