When the COVID-19 restrictions hit back in 2020, increasing numbers of people headed outdoors (when allowed to) to pursue leisure activities by land, air and water.
Two feet firmly on the ground was the most popular choice as we started taking longer walks or bicycle trips than normal. Some of us even took up jogging.
The brave ventured into the air. Kite-surfing has never been more popular. Even hot-air ballooning has been enjoying a renaissance.
And for a good compromise, many took to the water. Out of nowhere a heavy-duty surfboard, but with a paddle, became the must-have item in our beachside huts.
Few items have been in more demand since the start of the pandemic than a paddleboard.
Nothing cool about its service
Fortunately for those interested in buying one, the Danish company CoolSnow caters to all watersports enthusiasts.
Thousands and thousands, from across Europe, spied the company’s paddleboard adverts and placed orders.
CPH POST has been in contact with many of them: customers of CoolSnow who live in the likes of Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Sweden.
And a worrying pattern emerges: all of them are highly dissatisfied with the company. Either they are still waiting for the paddleboard to be posted, or when it has arrived, it has been in bad shape. Furthermore, CoolSnow hasn’t been receptive to refund requests.
In fact, it doesn’t reply to inquiries, period. While there are multiple versions of its website, there are no versions of an available contact.
The present that never arrived
On 2 June 2021, Mark from the Netherlands ordered a paddleboard well ahead of his wife’s birthday. Immediately after placing his order, he received an email: the delivery date (up to five working days) wouldn’t be met and had already been postponed by a few weeks. He reasoned that it might still arrive in time for the big day. But it didn’t, and then even more time passed, still with no news of his paddleboard.
Mark soughts answers, but his emails remained unanswered. Eventually he cancelled his order, but still no reply. The same was true of customer services in the Netherlands. Finally, after 90 minutes of waiting via the Danish number, he got a reply. By the end of the call, Mark believed he would get his money back.
But five days later, there was no money in his account. Furthermore, he received a notification from CoolSnow informing him that the product was on the way. During another call, Mark was told to refuse the package and that he would get his money after that. Days later an email told him the refund was processed. But again, it did not make it into Mark’s bank account.
Since then, silence. His calls are no longer answered, or emails replied to. He has even asked the conflict-resolver Naevnenes Hus for help, but it failed to get an answer and had to close the case.
It’s been nearly ten months since Mark placed his order. At this rate, maybe the paddleboard will turn up in time for his wife’s next birthday
Nothing express about delivery
Mark is not the only one who feels like they have been scammed by CoolSnow and its CEO, Anders Larsen.
Dorien (the Netherlands), Line (Denmark), Rachel (UK) and many others have similar stories.
Rachel bought a couple of paddleboards to go on holiday with her sons. She paid for express delivery but never got what she ordered. As her holiday approached – during which time, she did not get any replies from CoolSnow – Rachel chose another option.
She contacted her bank directly. After proving she did not receive her boards nor any news from the company, she got reimbursed. But the money came from her bank, not from CoolSnow.
Arrived but damaged
Fabrizio lives in Italy, and he bought some paddleboards in August 2021 for 460 euros (3,422 kroner). Given the circumstances, he believes it’s a miracle he ever received them. But there was a catch: they were in a very bad condition.
Early warning signs included PayPal not working, but he went ahead with another payment option and paid directly with his credit card.
Two months then passed, during which time he wrote countless emails, but only ever got an automatic reply.
When they arrived, he inflated them and quickly realised something was wrong: “Right away I saw that the texture around the valve was broken and the other one was full of bubbles.”
He immediately asked for a refund, and for once got a quick reply. He was asked to take photos and also for his bank information. Nevertheless, he did not receive his money.
The company blamed the payment system. As of this week, Fabrizio still hasn’t received payment.
Trip to the warehouse
CPHPOST has contacted CoolSnow and Anders Larsen on multiple occasions, but not yet got a reply.
That does not come as a surprise. In fact, none of CoolSnow’s social media accounts have posted anything for months.
If you’re lucky, the telephone number on CoolSnow’s website will eventually relay a message telling you to send an email. Other times, it will just hang up. CPH POST have spoken to many customers who have literally spent hours on the phone trying to get through.
Accordingly, CPH POST visited the company’s warehouse in an industrial estate in Viby on the outskirts of Aarhus, but it was not easy to find. Google Maps took us to a car dealership. It transpired we were not the first ones! The car dealership has even tried to change its address on Google to avoid future inquiries.
Finally we found the warehouse. CoolSnow’s name, marked in smaller letters on a metallic door, confirmed it was the right place.
The warehouse appeared to be full of boxes, but nothing indicated what might be in them. And, of course, nobody was there.
Finally an answer!
Also, on the door were two phone numbers: one for deliveries and the other for pick-ups.
The first one picked up quite fast. Unfortunately, it was “just an employee” who works at the warehouse preparing the packages. His only comment was that “he has nothing to do with this”.
He told CPH POST we might have more luck with the second phone number. We didn’t. It took us to voicemail, where we left a message asking to be called back. We’re still waiting.
However, the number did yield more information about Anders Larsen. It turns out that CoolSnow it not his first business, or even his last.
Between April 2016 and September 2017, he owned and managed an online shop called AL Investment, and then in January 2022, he opened a new business called Hand me Down. Despite having a physical address in the centre of Aarhus, it does not have a phone number! CPH POST has been unable to reach the new firm for comment.
But maybe the police will have more luck. Many of the CoolSnow customers who feel like they had been scammed have filed complaints with the Danish police.
At the time of going to press, the investigation is ongoing in Aarhus.
