May 24th, 2026Just sayin’…

Gee, the scammers are out there. Or a ghostly tale.
I came across a website that piqued my interest the other day. A store called Hartley Daylesford was having a closing down sale – while they move to bigger premises. This was from their “about” piece.

“Hartley Daylesford started as a small dream on Vincent Street — a cozy (sic)shopfront where we could share the pieces we love with the community we call home. No big plans, no grand ambitions. Just a genuine love for beautiful clothing and a belief that Daylesford deserved a place where style felt personal, not rushed.
“In those early days, we hand-picked every single piece ourselves. We wanted everything on the rack to feel like something we’d wear — comfortable, thoughtful, and made to last longer than a single season. It was never about chasing trends. It was about finding pieces that make you feel like yourself, only a little more put-together.
“What happened next took us by surprise. Regulars turned into friends. Weekend visitors became loyal customers who’d message us asking to hold something before their next trip down. Word spread beyond Daylesford, and soon, orders were coming in from Melbourne, Sydney, and places we’d never imagined reaching.
“Three years later, we’ve outgrown that tiny shopfront (in the best way possible). The racks are full, the stockroom is bursting at the seams, and we’re finally making the move to a bigger home where we can do what we love — even better.
“This Moving Sale is our way of celebrating that milestone with you. Up to 70% off our most-loved collections, because none of this growth would have happened without your support. Thank you for shopping with us, believing in us, and being part of our story from the very beginning. We can’t wait to welcome you into our new space. With love, The Hartley family.”
Hmmm. I spend a lot of time wandering Vincent Street and have never seen this store so I wrote to them.
“I am going to Daylesford on the weekend. Is your store still open there as well? I read the story about it opening. I would love to meet the family.”
I was surprised when “Emma” wrote back.
“Hi Donna, How exciting that you’re visiting Daylesford this weekend — it’s such a beautiful part of the world! We would have absolutely loved to welcome you in person, but unfortunately our physical store is temporarily closed. We’re currently in the final stages of signing contracts for our brand new location and things are really coming together — so it won’t be long now!
“For a short period, we’re operating online only while we finalise everything behind the scenes. We truly can’t wait to open our doors again and welcome customers like you in person!
“Once our new location is confirmed, we’ll be announcing it on our website and socials straight away — so keep an eye out, you’ll be among the first to know!
“In the meantime, why not have a browse through our collections online? You might find something you love! We hope you have a truly wonderful weekend in Daylesford — it really is a special place! Warm regards, Emma | Customer Support.
“Op dinsdag 12 mei 2026 00:05:37 +02:00, schreef Donna Kelly.”
That last bit is Dutch for Tuesday, May 12, wrote Donna Kelly. Hmmm.
Now I am not implying anything, and I love small businesses, I have one myself, but last year the ACCC warned consumers there are businesses misrepresenting themselves as local businesses, also known as ‘ghost stores’.
“They make false representations that they are local Australian businesses, imminently closing down, and selling high-quality clothing and footwear products, when they are instead based overseas, not imminently closing down, and are drop-shipping low-quality products.
“The ACCC is also aware of complaints about ghost stores refusing to provide refunds, or only offering partial refunds, to consumers who have complained about the inferior quality of the goods compared to the advertised descriptions, or not responding to complaints at all.
“Often ghost stores will share an emotional story on their social media or website that they are a small, locally operated business, needing to close for financial reasons.
“They will claim they are having a ‘closing down sale’ as a result, with all stock heavily discounted and available on a very limited basis. This conduct preys on the empathy of consumers who have a genuine desire to support local businesses, as well as creating a false sense of urgency.”
Wow. This is next level with someone ready to write back to queries. Although the Dutch bit was a little sad. Maybe I should write to them and let them know. Maybe not.
We have fantastic stores and businesses throughout Hepburn Shire, and it would be terrible if people were preying on their passion for their products and serving the community. Don’t stop shopping but please be careful. Just sayin’…