"This is a straight-up scam": Fans upset with poor quality of BTS 'Butter' merch

BTS might be a name synonymous with quality, but according to several fans, the official merchandise for their latest release, Butter, is not.

The Weverse Shop, a global fan commerce platform, is in charge of selling official merchandise for artists under Weverse, which happens to be operated by HYBE, BTS’ official agency. Recently, though, their merchandise has come under fire for poor quality control.

Many fans expressed their dismay on social media site, The Qoo, one saying,

"This is a straight-up scam"

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Fans upset over bad BTS Butter merch

Band merchandise is one of the most coveted items for any fan, and BTS fans are no exception. These items are often sold out in seconds and then resold sometimes for 10 times the original price. The poor quality, thus, comes as a surprising blow for fans who have waited months to lay their hands on the products.

On October 31, several fans got Butter merchandise delivered, and they were less than impressed. Several ARMY shared their grievances and criticisms for the poor quality items, all of which were the "official" merchandise, and were sold exclusively on Weverse.

Among BTS’ official goods sold at Weverse Shop, the Butter cassette is a product designed like a cassette based on BTS’ Butter. The received item was reportedly drastically different from the product description and the image. While there was no disclaimer stating that it would look different, the contrast was glaring.

The product came in the form of a cassette tape box with the cover of the Butter album on it and a tape with the track name, "Butter", on it. It's a one-of-a-kind item available only at Weverse Shop.

Fans on receiving the product, though, pointed out many defects.

The official image of the product was drastically different from the received item. (Image via Weverse Shop)

The received product looked old and worn out, disappointing fans. (Image via The Qoo)

The received product was not up to the mark. (Image via The Qoo)

While the official product image showed a bright yellow tape box with ivory-colored tape inside, the actual product looks like a dull copy of it. The tape is supposed to have a clearly displayed “Butter” logo on it, but it is blurred on the received version and is white in color. The poor quality of the materials used to make the items is evident.

One buyer said,

It's like a general merchandiser who takes stock of a company that went bankrupt on the subway and sells it in bundles. The types are also varied and low-quality like a general merchant. I think the company is going bankrupt and is looting inventory. I think the fans who buy this are also bad. With the company, the fans come forward and paint the singer's name together. Hwasa-ya, even if you sell cheap, even if you don’t refund or exchange, even if you do business, Hogu fans will buy you. The fans are the worst.

The fact that it took the merchandise over five months to arrive has disappointed BTS fans even further.

Many took to the social media site, Qoo, to air their disappointment, claiming they thought they had received a dupe. Reportedly, the product did not even have a BTS hologram sticker on it.

"I literally thought I got a dupe. It didn't even have a hologram sticker on it."

I'm tired now. How do you treat your fans like this every time? Please take good care of yourself while you are, treat me like a person

Some have said that they returned the products back in July of this year, and still have not received a refund for them.

"Lol you don't even get your refund on time even if you return the merch. I returned mine back in July and it's still processing."

Calling the official merchandise a scam, several pointed out that the reason might be YG Entertainment, since they are the main distributors.

While ARMY will always be behind BTS, the disappointing quality of Butter merchandise might discourage BTS fans from investing in these collectibles.