A big "thank you!" to Blumre who shared with us J.Crew's latest email. J.Crew is announcing that their J.Crew Collection Store will open for business next month, October of 2008. The store will be located on 1035 Madison Avenue at 79th Street (in NYC).I am very excited to see that this store will be opening soon. To be honest, I was wondering if the store opening would be delayed with an unknown date, considering the issues J.Crew has been experiencing (related to the system upgrade). I definitely plan on visiting the store during November to see what they have "in store".
Are you excited about the J.Crew Collection Store opening soon? Do you think you will visit the store (if you are in the NYC area)? :)
Will definitely stop by. I live just a few blocks from the store. I wonder why I didnt get the email though... since my billing address indicates its right in my 'hood.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 2:21PM: It is weird that they did not let you know since you are in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI never understood how J.Crew emails work either. :)
http://fashionista.com/2008/09/at_first_we_thought_the.php
ReplyDeleteJ. Crew on Fashionista
I'd go if I didn't live in NC. FYI - the Wilmington, NC store opened on Tuesday and it's fantastic. There is a "Men's Shop" that takes up the back half of the store. I went in and walked around and it was like heaven! I've had to shop online for so long because the closest store is 2 hours away; now they built one less than a mile from my house! YAY!
ReplyDeleteOT: has anyone had any luck handwashing the Joelle blouse or cami? ( I know this does not work on the Piper tanks!)
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Clare
I live a few blocks away, so I will definitely stop by! So excited! Although I did not receive an email about the opening.... hmmmm. Was just at the Seaport store, all sale items are an additional 40% off there. They have the dream chiffon cardigans, cords, tees, ecole blazers, cashmere stripe vests, hair accessories....
ReplyDeleteGood, the Collection should have its own store, hopefully its prices will stop infecting the rest of jcrew's items which haven't gotten better in quality, IMO.
ReplyDeleteI miss being able to buy jcrew jeans for $58, regular price. And it wasn't even that long ago. My shetland wool sweaters from years ago have way less pilling than my dream sweaters from last season.
I live right near the store too and I didn't get an e-mail.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely visit if I lived near by! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly will be in this store? I work close to the store so I will visit
ReplyDeleteIsn't anyone worried that our economy is on the verge of a MAJOR meltdown?? Am I the only one freaking out here?
ReplyDeleteJenG.
Does the Piper tank not hand wash? I just got one and was hoping it would. Grrrrrr.
ReplyDeleteSeeing all these new stores open and their problems with the online system, I'm wondering whether Jcrew is moving towards local stores only and planning on getting rid of their online portion. Is there any news about Jcrew shifting their business focus to local stores?
ReplyDeleteAficionadas, I need your help! I am eBay seller and I am totally BAFFLED over the J. Crew Hunter Wellington boots' sizing....Hunter Wellington's are unisex sizing and women are supposed to order one size down from what they normally wear.
ReplyDeleteHere's my problem--let's say I have a pair of boots that say 7M/8F (7 male, 8 female)...what would you have to order on J. Crew's site to receive those--a 7, an 8 or a 9? I just don't know! PLEASE HELP!
heather,
ReplyDeletei frequently agree with your posts and please keep up the good work with your keen eye and pricing data.
a question: i'm new, so, was there a recent blog on jc's denim? re fit, colors, length, etc. (i'm particularly interested in the "bleached" matchsticks at $125 (rather pricey) a pair)? if so, where? if not, how do i go about suggesting one? . . . thanks
Waaaahhhh...another b&m store that I am missing out on. I guess that I will just have to add it to my itinerary when I got to NYC shopping in November.
ReplyDeleteEh I'll stop by, but since it's the "collection" store, the prices would be up there somewhat.
ReplyDelete. . . Wait, they do have a collection for men right?
I've looked into it a bit & it looks like the cramped liquor store is all we are getting. No such thing as a collection for men . . .
ReplyDeleteLooks like I won't be checking out this store after all.
Not sure why people are still complaining about the website and inventory problems. I think people on this blog have a skewed perception because the posters that are likely to pipe up are the ones with the worst issues.
ReplyDeleteIn contrast, I have placed 7 orders over the past 2 weeks for a total of 38 items. 3 orders were placed by phone, 4 online. Most of the items are very old, hard to find sale pieces that have been out of stock on the website for months and I am sure were available in very low quantities. At the time I placed the orders, 34 items were in stock and 4 were waitlisted. As of this moment, I have received 23 items, 10 are on the way and will probably arrive tomorrow and 1 is still waitlisted. 4 items were cancelled, but I was able to find and reorder 3 of 4 and I am confident that if I check every day, I will be able to find the 4th. Of the 6 packages that I have received, everything was correctly picked and charged. I had free shipping on all orders. Shipping has been super speedy - I have received several packages the day after they were shipped. I have not had to wait on hold at all for any phone call I have placed regarding any of these orders.
I do understand that when there are very low quantities of an item, multiple people could place orders at the same time for 1-2 items and not all would be able to be fulfilled. I am disappointed, but it is not devastating. One alternative would be for J. Crew to take items off the website if stock dropped below a certain level, but I would rather have them list everything and take my chances.
Just as a comparison, I ordered a mere 10 items from Garnet Hill (a company I think has fabulous service) during their sale this summer and 3 were cancelled - a much worse proportion and Garnet Hill was not in the middle of a web upgrade. (I was later able to find all 3, of course.)
I also just received a duplicate package with about $200 worth of free merch from another web retailer, also not in the midst of a web upgrade.
My point is that logistics and fulfillment for a multi-channel retail operation are pretty complex and in my fairly extensive and recent experience, J. Crew is doing just fine.
Anon at 9:47 - I agree with you. I have had very minimal problems since the web upgrade. I have placed probably 7 orders or so, received all of my items except the one I am waitlisted on but it was one that I wasn't too concerned if I got it or not for the price. It should be here in early October if I do get it.
ReplyDeleteOT, I finally got my October catalog and there is a $25 for any purchase of $150+ for the grand opening of the store at The Shoppes at Farmington Valley in CT. I thought this was interesting since I believed the previously $25 off coupons for grand openings were sent via email. The card has a barcode on the back. I might use it, but the store is 45 minutes to 1 hour away and I would have to borrow a friend's car.
ReplyDeleteAlso, has anyone had issues with the dream tie cardigan? I've only worn my twice and one of sashes is already coming off the sweater. It's not like I pulled it really hard or tied the sweater very tightly. I love the sweater and I was sad to see it already needing repair.
I put my Joelle cami in a front load machine on delicates, in a delicates bag. I haven't tried it on yet, but it def shrank lengthwise I think. It ironed out easier than I thought it would, though - I was nervous about getting all the pleating to look right, but I did it inside out and it came out looking fine.
ReplyDeleteWebsite has an extra20 off final sale. I hope this doens't mean in store will go down to 20 off..
ReplyDeleteI feel that Jcrew extends the best customer service as possible. I've had issues with my orders, but it's not anything that can't be fixed. So I'm a happy camper, and not one that claims, it's not here, it's not right, it's not enough...I love you JCrew! :)
ReplyDeleteFYI there is an extra20 code online now! For an extra 20% final sale purchases.
ReplyDeleteyippie- Not only 20% off, but the Merino Rose cardigan in plum is in stock in Large & XL:) (runs small so I would size up)
ReplyDeleteTwiga
Just to clarify- 20% did not apply to the Rose cardigan- I wish:)
ReplyDeleteTwiga
Has anyone tried the snow-leopard shirtdress? I LOVE the print, but @ $149 FS (+20%) I want to make sure I am going to like it. OR does anyone know if any stores carried the dress?
ReplyDeletethanks-Twiga
Jen G. Yes, I am worried about the economy as well. My husband works for an international, large company and we live internationally this last year...but they just let all their contract people go at their one location...his job is not in jeopardy but things are bad everywhere....
ReplyDeleteJust thinking about this kept me from placing a large order yesterday.
Today, I donated some money to charity instead:)
Mary, Do not wash your piper tanks. Alexis and others have not had good results...had to have a dry cleaner fix their tanks....I was hoping to hand wash too but now that I can't I will wear mine sparingly...
ReplyDeleteAnony@11:01 Thanks for letting my know about the Joelle's and washing them:)
ReplyDeleteclare
I wish I lived nearby so I could just go in and dream...not buy anything...just try on and dream.....:)
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly happens to the Piper tanks when you wash them?
ReplyDeleteanon 10:09- In the last 2 weeks web ordering has improved (at least for myself), but to be fair and realistic the ongoing problems have been happening since the upgrade began, and they still are experiencing inventory and warehousing issues, just speak to any JC CS rep, they will tell you.
ReplyDeleteJC upgrade problems have been well documented not only on this site but in the news as well, it even affected their earnings. So it is not just the worst cases being posted on this blog.
rtceclare- i have washed both the piper tank and joelle blouse with woolite on the gentle cycle with cold water, and it turned out fine with both!
ReplyDeleteI understand that there were problems with the J. Crew website/IT upgrade. The point was, I think a lot of orders do not have any problem, but reading this site sometimes you would think that J. Crew majorly screwed up every order and that they were the only company to ever screw up an order because "shipping is so easy" as someone on this site once said.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to relate another perspective for balance.
You will always have cases where 5 people are vying for 1 item and only one of those 5 orders is going to be fulfilled.
That's true; people are more likely to vent about a bad order than rave about a good one. We should do a poll if we really want to know how many orders are flawed.
ReplyDeleteDo NOT wash piper tanks! I was stupid enough to do it after reading that some people did it. What a mistake! I handwashed it, in woolite in cold water and air-ried it. It came out so wrinkled that nothing, i repeat NOTHING could help me iron out all the wrinkles. I suspect that people who say they washed their pipers and they came out fine like sloppy looking clothing.
ReplyDeleteI repeat: do NOT wash piper tanks. It is not worth it. Take to drycleaners instead!
Yesterday I received in the mail a rather large envelope from J.Crew... inside was a letter advising of the Madison Ave store opening, and a catalog of J.Crew items, except it was in newspaper format.... big and colorful, but unfortunately all of the items shown were repeats of what I have seen in their regular catalogs. It was nice to receive the mailing, though, and it would have been even better if there was a coupon inside that could be used for visiting the new store!
ReplyDeleteIn regard to the comment about "venting" about mistakes. In light of the recent upgrade, I think the loyal shoppers such as myself have a right to vent. Many of us have had a problem with almost every order since the upgrage. In about the past 6 or 7 orders over the last 2 months, EVERY ONE has had some sort of error. Some of them requiring me to call and or email which resulted in me wasting about one full days work so as to be sure I would get correct items and not be double or triple charged. Now website is down again, so, its not been very enjoyable as it has been in past with all of the errors and inconveniences. Its one thing to have mistakes, but for 2 months and in many cases, without compensation, that is unacceptable and yes, people need to vent so they get their act together. Its only fair, if they want to raise their price point and act high end, they need to treat their clients with high end service. I am sorry, but this has not been the case as of lately! Don't mean to be rude, however, I think its a bit of a rush judgement to jump on someone for feeling they need to vent! Its been super frustrating for a lot of us.
ReplyDeleteTo a comment above, if they go to brick and mortar emphasis, they may have to rethink business. Read: regularly offer 14 and 16 misses in the stores, something I think they don't do because of image issues, along with other "special sizes" for men and women.
ReplyDelete