A Tauranga Crossing beauty business has abruptly closed down, leaving pre-paid clients hundreds of dollars out of pocket with no option to refund.

At the same time, another Tauranga beauty business is fulfilling "thousands" of their outstanding bookings, with little compensation as an act of good for those impacted.

Nude Skin and Laser Clinic Tauranga was located at The Crossing until its sudden closure on Monday, November 21.

Shape Studio, based in Brookfield, is taking on their outstanding appointments.

Since the closure of Nude Skin and Laser Clinic, SunLive received reports from clients who were complaining the company had 'cut-off communication” after sending an email stating it was closing, without any prior warning.

The closing email, which was sent out to the businesses email database of clients, says the impacts of Covid-19 and the 'cost of doing business in the current economic climate” forced the Tauranga branch of the studio to close.

The email also states there would be no refunds issued, and clients who wish to take up their appointments will have to travel to Hamilton.

A section of the letter sent to customers, stating no refunds will be available. Supplied.

'We completely understand this decision may cause frustration and come as a surprise to many,” the email reads.

For former customer Michelle Wells, frustration is an understatement.

Michelle says she alone has 'about $300” paid for in treatments which she cannot receive after the abrupt closure.

'They then sent an email saying the services would have to be redeemed in Hamilton with no option to refund.”

The empty Tauranga Nude Skin and Laser Clinic store. Photo: Supplied.

Michelle adds she was blocked from Nude Skin and Laser Clinic's social media after 'trying to message them, and commenting on a few posts” as her and 'many others” could not find time in their schedules to travel to Hamilton for their booking.

'I was trying to raise some awareness. Plenty of people I have spoken to did not receive their email, and only got given it once they had asked them what was going on. It's like they were trying to pull the wool over our eyes.”

Tauranga Crossing centre manager Janet Vincent is disappointed with the actions of Nude Skin and Laser Clinic. Photo: File/SunLive.

Tauranga Crossing centre manager Janet Vincent says the shopping complex is 'disappointed with Nude Skin and Lasers actions to date, with particular reference to customer service”.

'We are largely unable to comment regarding Nude Skin and Laser as the matter is with solicitors,” says Janet.

A Consumer NZ spokesperson says it is 'not reasonable” for the owners of Nude Skin and Laser Clinic Tauranga to expect customers to travel to Hamilton, and suggest applying for a bank chargeback through their bank.

'Customers are well within their rights to expect a refund if the company cannot provide the service they advertised,” says the Consumer NZ spokesperson.

'If the business has vanished, customers could apply for a chargeback through their bank, assuming they paid by a credit or debit card. There is a time limit on chargebacks so they would be best advised to pursue this option sooner rather than later.”

Shape Studio managing director Jorgi Lee, right, with her husband Simon Lee. Photo: Supplied.

Shape Studio managing director Jorgi Lee says she and her company decided to fulfill the outstanding bookings as a good deed to the Tauranga community.

She adds the idea first came about as one of Shape Studio's clients was a staff member of Nude Skin and Laser Clinic.

'The Nude Skin and Laser staff member came in for an appointment and told us she was having a staff meeting the next day, which she thought was about Christmas hours and that sort of thing,” says Jorgi.

'She came back to us the following day, handed us her CV and informed us she had been made redundant.

'The staff member had no prior knowledge of the business closure and the plans they had set in place, and was just devastated that she had been kept out of the loop. She was also really upset for her clients and thought she wasn't going to be able to say goodbye to any of them.

'She then informed us the clients would not be able to apply for any refunds, and had to travel to Hamilton for any bookings owing to them.”

Jorgi says she was 'really sad” for the ex-staff member and her clients.

Shape Studio is fulfilling "thousands" of the pre-paid bookings, as an act of good for those impacted by Nude Skin and Laser's sudden closure. Photo: Supplied.

'I know personally I would be devastated if I'd paid good money to a clinic to have a treatment locally, only to be then told that it would be no longer available to me, would not be eligible for a refund, and would have to travel out of town to have the booking fulfilled.”

Jorgi says Shape Studio had been considering expanding into laser hair removal for 2023, and now was a good sign to start it early.

'We decided to see if we could offer a solution to the staff member who was looking for employment, and all of these clients who were going to be out of pocket.”

Initially, Jorgi and Shape Studio were prepared to fulfill Nude Skin and Laser Clinic's outstanding bookings with no compensation, but have since 'reached an agreement”.

'There is now help with some of the wages, but there is still a huge liability on us. But as a business, we wanted to move into laser hair removal. It was going to happen one day, but now we're going to do it sooner.”

Jorgi says the community response so far has been 'fantastic” and the Shape Studio team is very excited to be fulfilling the bookings.

'The emails we have received in the past 24 to 48 hours have been overwhelmingly positive, and the phone has been off the hook all morning.

'We're working diligently to make this right, and to get all our systems in place to make sure everything goes through as seamless as possible.

'I know there are a lot of people who are really disappointed, so hopefully we can put a smile back on their face. They don't have to take half a day off of to travel to Hamilton, they can just pop down to a small, family owned business and be met with good customer service and lots of smiling faces.”

Once Shape Studio receives the Nude Skin and Laser Clinic customer data, Jorgi says they will get an updated email confirmation of their booking. People impacted by Nude Skin and Laser Clinic's closure can also visit the Shape Studio website.

SunLive has made numerous attempts to contact Nude Skin and Laser Clinic but to date have had no response.