Christyn (in the "A Light at the End of J.Crew's Ordering Tunnel :)" post) suggested a dedicated post about all the positive experiences with J. Crew recently. As she mentioned, "it'd be a refreshing twist to compliment what is going right with this store that we love (and sometimes love to hate, right? ;)"Although many of us have shared positive experiences with J.Crew throughout this blog, I agree that it would be nice to have a dedicated post about it. :)
Have you had a positive experience with J.Crew recently (whether it be an excellent CSR, a store associate, all items ordered were receive, a discount being offered, etc.,)? If so, please let us know! :)
I was at the Walnut Creek JCrew today and had great customer service. I bought the Kelsey tank dress which is on sale for $89.99. There was an extra 20% plus they let me get me education discount of 15%. So I got the dress for $61. They gave me water and let me play with all the lovely jewelry. It was great and reminds me of why that's one of my fav JCrews. Too bad the Valley Fair JCrew is closest to me and they never greet me, offer me water or let me combine sale discounts with my education one. So all Bay Area ladies support the Walnut Creek JCrew when you can.
ReplyDeleteHrm, positive experiences . . . Honestly, their in store service is probably one of the best you could ask for. You feel welcomed in their store. Well, I'm mainly speaking of the store at Prince St specifically, but the rest are not far behind.
ReplyDelete. . . Actually I take that back, the one near Union SQ gives off that pushy vibe on certain days. Other than that, service is superb. The atmosphere definitely has something to do with it. I've only seen better at Banana Republic. Additionally, J.Crew is also one of those stores that doesn't usually have some guard at the door. It's provides a much more welcoming experience.
Since I'm speaking about service, I'd like to add that shopping Club Monaco & Kenneth Cole feels like visiting a prison.
By the way, anyone know if they're still serving cookies & giving out water bottles during the holiday season? That's the earliest memory I have of shopping at J.Crew.
(posting during "Mad Men" commercials)
ReplyDeleteFirst, I'd need more time to be specific about what I like in the clothing. Briefly, I like having one-stop shopping for everything from bikinis to business suits. No other retailer offers me that (I am really off Nordstrom).
Second, the B&M customer service is very good. I just had a PS go the extra mile and ship me something from the store that's back-ordered online. (Shopping B&M is not at all convenient for me, unfortunately, but it is the only way to get the deals, it seems.)
Excuse me, but what is B&M? Too many abbvs.
ReplyDeleteB&M = brick and mortar. Physical stores...;-)
ReplyDeleteInteresting . . .
ReplyDeleteI think the customer service in the b&m stores is great--just the right amount of attentiveness--they don't ignore you or cling to you like glue, as you might find in some stores. They give you bottled water, for heaven's sake, and that's almost all the time at my store. And certainly I've never encountered a rude CSR, at least in store.
ReplyDeleteWhy do I love J.Crew? It comes down to the right clothes at the right price. I wore items from J.Crew every day last week, and received compliments on how I looked every day. So I'll deal with the website problems, dig through the sometimes bombed out sale section of my store (hey, when it ranges from an extra 20%-50% off, people get a little nuts), suck up the "unstackable" codes, stuff orthotics in my painful ballet shoes. It's just a great store, at least a the moment. Let's hope the changes don't price us out.
i love that i can always count on the items i want going on sale ;) i have shopped jcrew pretty much exclusively since discovering their ongoing sales on pretty much everything. i have learned to be patient!
ReplyDeleteas far as the clothes go, i love the color selection and the fit on pants and sweaters. they don't stretch out of shape like some others (gap!). can't say i love the fit on some of the tent-like blouses, but i just stay away from those. like hex said, having a one-stop shop is awesome.
I love J.Crew for a) making amazing clothes and shoes. Last week I wore my "Emerald slippers" (green Liv ballet flats) and I got tons of compliments - from friends to my french teacher to the real estate agent. When I told her they were from J.Crew, she said one of her customers owns/manages some of their factories in China.
ReplyDeleteAnd b)customer service that is, in general, above the level of other retailers. My mother ordered 4 items last week and she was notified that 3 were out of stock - she called the CS rep to make sure she wouldn't be charged for them and the rep offered to credit my mom for the remaining item (t-shirt.) My mom said no thanks but she was surprised at the offer.
J'adore J.Crew!
melissa, you must be really lucky b/c the things I want always sell out before they go on sale....I have learned if I really want something I buy it straight away b/c it won't be there....Like the Simone snow leopard coat...I got mine very early and it is sold out in my size now...(no backorders...it's gone.)
ReplyDeleteI have worn J Crew exclusively for about two years now, and I really do believe that it is the ONLY clothing for me. With J Crew I can honestly say that there isn't a day that goes by that I don't have someone stop me to tell me how nice I look. I love it! :)
ReplyDeleteLike Hexicon, I love that J. Crew wares run the gamut from bikini (not that I can wear one!) to boots, and from classic (Kelly and Jackie) to Collection (Studio Ball Skirt). J. Crew gets the VAST majority of my clothing dollar and then some.
ReplyDeleteI also get wonderful service at the stores. Caroline at 900 N. Michigan, Zach and Byron at North Avenue Collection, Laura, Heather, and Javier at Woodfield, I love you all!!
anon@7:23- i think it's because i really like the basic items, like the merino sweaters, cashmere, etc. i don't normally go for the jackets (too boxy) or specialty items because i don't wear prints very well. i find that the basics at jcrew, while i love them and would be willing to pay full-price if there's a color i really want, are usually still around at sale time.
ReplyDeleteI don't think J.Crew customer service is any better than other stores, and I've been in a lot of J.Crews. And they tend to be snooty about returns.
ReplyDeletei agree about the returns- i usually end up paying to ship mine back because i feel embarrassed to return stuff there. the jcrew closest to me is frontenac in st. louis, so maybe it's snottier overall. i actually don't shop the B&M very often, but when i do i can't say i'm overly impressed. i also visit the store on north avenue in chicago on visits there, and it hasn't been great either.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things to love about j.crew. I have never (knock on wood) gotten a rude CSR. Whenever I call or email about a problem, they are always accommodating and go out of their way to make sure I'm happy with their company. For example, a few weeks ago I emailed them with an issue. Not only did someone email me back, but they CALLED me as well. I ended up randomly receiving 2 gift cards in the mail. Plus, while I was on the phone with them, I was asked about an order I had recently placed and if everything was okay with it. Turns out I had 2 buttons fall off of a cardigan within 20 minutes of getting it, so the CSR immediately refunded me for the entire cardigan.
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that they offer educator's and student discounts. I'm sure many of you teachers and students may agree, but it's difficult to support your j.crew habit with teaching salaries and college tuition (as a teacher AND a grad student, I can surely relate!) and it is wonderful that jcrew recognizes this and helps out just a little bit.
Also, I constantly get compliments on outfits from j.crew. The quality is unbeatable for the most part. I can tell a definite difference between the material in clothing from j.crew and that from other companies. The clothes I have from jcrew last so much longer than clothes from elsewhere.
I certainly don't disagree teachers provide a valuable service, but so do tons of other professionals who also don't make big bucks - and they don't get a discount. I find it an unfair practice on the part of J.Crew.
ReplyDeleteI am more of an online shopper and I have always had great experiences with jcrew.com but also in the stores. One of my recent (of many) purchases was during the website transition and they weren't as speedy with the email order and shipping confirmations. I had chosen expedited shipping and so I sent an email... of course 20 minutes later the shipping confirmation came so I sent another saying please disregard. They replied anyway, apologizing, refunding the entire shipping cost. They shipped it 2nd day air to compensate for the delay on their part as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat service and stylish clothes keep me coming back again and again.
The associates at the Orlando store are always fantastic, and I have also received great service from the majority of the CS reps over the phone. I adore J.Crew clothing, and the customer service I have received has been excellent. This is the reason I have *stuck it out* through the whole *upgrade* fiasco...I truly hope they get everything back to normal soon! :)
ReplyDeleteMy sister shops at the N. Ave Michigan and she says the clerks are always to busy to help her much.....if she can track one down she is lucky.
ReplyDeleteI think JCrew's customer service is average.
I haved ordered over 20 times since the "downgrade", had multiple order problems, and I never received a free gift card of any kind, or items "free" as other have said, plus, my calls to figure out problems were not free as I live overseas. I went from spending about $1,000a month to about $100 a month.
I did have a positive B & M experience b/c the sales associate did give me 10% off my one full priced item b/c I had not recieved any commensation for all the messed up orders I had to deal with. However, I had to remind him 3 times while in the dressing room to bring me a blouse and jeans b/c he kept forgetting and it was not busy!
I have two awesome cs stories:
ReplyDelete1. I bought the Bubble necklace in turquoise this summer. On my first wear, I noticed a bead fell off. For $150 I was a little stressed! I emailed CS to see if they could ship me a replacement bead. They offered to exchange the necklace, but it was low in stock and I was worried that I would lose it. They couldn't promise to find a bead, but they would try. Two weeks later, I received TWO replacement beads in the mail and I fixed my own necklace in less than 30 seconds. Yah!!
2. I used to live in Mission Viejo, CA and my SA Sharir was AWESOME!!! He was like my PS, withouth officically being a PS. Always offered water, offered to get my two kids set up in the corner with a book/coloring. I moved away last summer and stopped by this past August. He was there and IMMEDIATELY came up to me with a "Hey, Leslie!! How's Albuquerque? How are the kids?" and so on. Phenomenal SA!!! I think he is moving to San Fran, so look him up if you live near there.
I'll deal with minor online issues for now. J.Crew, overall, has awesome customer service in store and online.
I agree with everyone else...the CS is for the most part very helpful when needed. I have been a customer for years now and have only once gotten someone who didn't know what they were talking about.
ReplyDeleteAnd as far as the teacher discount goes, I can understand why jcrew wouldn't open the discount up to just everyone who was in the public service profession. It could end up getting mucky as to where the line is drawn. I understand though why others who are in professions who provide a valuable service would appreciate the discount, but it'd get hard for jcrew to delienate which jobs are under that umbrella...just my thoughts.
LOVE LOVE LOVE jcrew...here's to many more years of looking fabulous :)
I also love the fact that when I email them, I actually get a response from a real person. Not an automated reply. And the responses usually solve the problems or answer my questions fully.
ReplyDeleteI have been very fortunate in that I have received all of my online orders in full since the revamped website. Additionally, I love the J.Crew store at the Seaport, the CS associates there are so friendly and helpful. I only wish that the store was bigger! The one at Rockefellar Center also rocks! :-)
ReplyDeleteWow, bottled water?! Awesome :) Makes me wish EVEN HARDER that I was closer to a b&m...
ReplyDeleteWhen I do get the chance to get inside a real store, I've had nothing but positive experiences. I understand that it's part of their job, but the salespeople are so polite and never pushy. They are very attentive in the dressing rooms. And they do their job nicely...I usually buy more when they recommend items I hadn't seen or compliment what I've tried on :)
To Leslie - I am in Albuquerque too and wish that they would open up a J Crew at the new Uptown! I never make it to Santa Fe (plus I don't like having to go into the Plaza, so I only shop online).
ReplyDeleteBack on topic, I love that J Crew has comfortable, basic clothing and fancier stuff too that gets to be affordable once on sale.
I haven't posted for a while, but read everyday Alexis :)
I love my educator's discount, and I'm grateful to have it, but it does help J.Crew to have people wearing their clothes. I teach a hundred kids a day and probably come into contact with hundreds more on a tangential basis. They see me, they like what I wear, they go to J.Crew, they spend money. So it's not just a one way street--the company gets free P.R., and kids are a real driving force when it comes to fashion. So it's smart business.
ReplyDeleteI love the range of colors that they offer each season, and of course their casual clothes.
ReplyDeleteWhen I do get to a store (which is 1 a yr) I love their CS. They give me bottled water and help me with my packages.
I will second that, casual-crew! Their color choices are amazing! Nothing drab or ordinary there. It makes my wardrobe so vibrant!
ReplyDeleteOT:
ReplyDeleteElena M....I was at the Santa Fe store about 3 weeks ago and I was venting, yet again, on why there is no store in ABQ. They would do so much better, with a larger general population AND a university near by. The manager overheard me and said that his District Manager had called him that week because they are "revisiting" the ABQ area, especially since they will be tearing down Winrock soon. I suggested that they would have decent space in the old Sharper Image location at Uptown. Originally management at J.Crew didn't feel that Uptown was the right location for them. My jaw fell to the floor...if Anthropologie can survive, I'm sure JC could as well (and more so!!). Keep your fingers crossed!! BTW...where are you located? I'm in the NE Heights.
Honestly, if they act snooty when you're making a return, make a comment about it. There's no need to get aggravated. Just say something like, "You don't seem too happy with accepting my return", or ""Do you have a problem with me making a return". As harsh as that sounds, it'll straighten them out. I'm doing them a favor by shopping at their store, I shouldn't be put down about it.
ReplyDeleteHmm, what do I love about Jcrew? ooh, too many reasons. First, I love that Jcrew has gotten me to "color" my wardrobe. I used to stick to the basic colors of navy, black, grey, khaki, white with an occasional color here and there. Of course I still will continue to love those colors. But now I have lots of green, orange, pink, purple in my wardrobe from J crew. The styles are classic with a twist. So I can wear a cashmere sweater in a bright bold color and its still "me".
ReplyDeleteProbaby the main reason is really the fit, the fit, the fit. Without good fit, it doesn't matter how nice the clothes are. Pants are usually very hard for me to fit into. City fit, favorite fit pants fit me well so I will always be a customer!
I am also love all their sweaters and sweater jackets!
The B&M I go to always has nice sales people and they are not pushy at all. When I go into the B&M, I love the set up of the clothes. Everything is so colorful and pretty. I feel a sense of OOH and AAH and I'm in shopper's heaven...
i had a wonderful experience with j crew! I accidently ordered the wrong size online and realized just when i confirmed the order. I immediately called and they deleted my order and submitted the correct one. it was a final sale too so that made it even better!! and p.s. i get tons of compliments on the dress i ordered. rockin the J Crew every chance i get!!
ReplyDeleteEveryone: It was great reading the wonderful reasons why we love J.Crew so much.
ReplyDeleteI think that overall the customer service (as many of you have described in one way or another) is one of the best in the business. Textbooks often refer to Nordstrom and J.Crew as examples in the field. :)
I also think that J.Crew offers the right mix of fashion, style, and classic offerings that make me come back to shop some more. ;)
Leslie, Thanks for the info about speaking to the manager in Santa Fe. I am glad you got to voice your opinion - I hope he passes it on to upper management! We just moved back to ABQ from the east Bay Area in CA and I would say that Uptown is very similar to the malls out there. I will cross my fingers with you!
ReplyDeleteI am in the SE corner of town in the Four Hills area. Good to "meet" you here!
I also had trouble with buttons on a cardigan. I just received the order last week, and I wore the cardigan for the first time this weekend. Two buttons fell off in the first hour. This should not happen with an $80 cardigan. (It was the dream brass-button cardigan - buttons that you can't easily replace on your own.)
ReplyDeleteI emailed customer service and they said they will send me 3 buttons in the mail, in 4-6 weeks. I'm glad they can try to track down some extra buttons. But I admit, I was hoping for a little something more than that. A token amount off on the price of the sweater, or an offer to exchange the sweater, maybe.
elena m: I am happy to hear that you read everyday! :) Also, feel free to comment anytime. :)
ReplyDeleteI have had wonderful service in my b&m - too many different things to mention. But, I must mention Billy - he's wonderful! And, for the most part, I've had good CS. I love their pants - I can't find any others that fit me as well. It's also nice to have color choices year round instead of having to shop the color of the moment, as other retailers do.
ReplyDeleteI love how J Crew takes classic pieces and makes them special...I ALWAYS feel good on the days I wear J Crew clothes. Like today- I'm wearing the yellow primrose cardigan, and I've gotten so many compliments. :) I love it...except for the fact that the little flowers keep getting crushed :(!
ReplyDeleteWhile I haven't been in a store for over a year; the stores I've been to have been great. San Diego, Salt Lake City, Vegas and the Mall of America have all treated me well. But the gold star goes to my PS, man I need to send her flowers, she has been outstanding.
ReplyDeleteThis gal is the silver lining in the website down grade. Because of the issues from this summer I was hooked up with her and she's exceptional. I even wrote Mickey a letter praising her.
Oops, I forgot the most important thing about J.Crew. Washed favorite shirts and merino sweaters. I also like the ties, pants, other sweaters and shoes but the two best as the washed tailored shirt and the merino sweaters.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know it sounds like I'm thrilled with everything and well I am. With the exception of this summer and the odd rarity that doesn't pan out I'm pretty pleased with this company.
I'll echo all the wonderful comments previously stated. I think no matter what kind of screw up j.crew may be going through, I'll stay a loyal customer. No other clothing company has such exciting colors and styles that are for the most part affordable. Companies that I used to LOVE have started to bore me, and I've since dropped them (I won't name names!) but I continue to come back to the crew.
ReplyDeleteI bought my first jcrew piece when I was 16, and just got rid of it last year ONLY because my husband made me (i had just lost a bunch of weight and he made me get rid of everything that was too big). It still was adorable and I still got compliments on it, even at 2 sizes too big :)
Yes Yes Yes to everything mentioned here! I LOVE the people at my b&m and they have never seemed snooty or annoyed at my returns. They are always very down to earth about it and I think they realize that when I return something or get an adjustment, it just means I'm going to spend more money there!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite thing about the b&m in my area is how they make everyone feel like they are VIP. Employees always compliment my outfit when I'm in the store (even if it's not J Crew ;) and they will always sugggest a size down in the items I'm trying on, which, I don't care what size you are, as a woman and a new mom, that just makes me smile! Even if it's crap!
One more thing - COLOR! I used to never want to spend a lot of money on bright colors, thinking I would never wear it ... turns out, I wear it even more!!!! Thanks to the PS at JC, my wardrobe is way "happier" than it used to be!!
here's a negative turned into a positive... Even tho I'm not anywhere close to a b&m, I love that I can walk around my town not wearing the exact same thing as the next girl. Jcrew has figured out just the right amount of store placement, give or take a few :) it makes the clothes I wear feel unique. Also anytime I go into a store it is a more special experience!
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteI have had so many buttons fall over JCrew sweaters over the years...esp. the beaded seahorse cashmere sweater I bought a couple of winters ago. Almost every was loose on it in the store when I saw it! One button was missing and I took the extra one that was sewn into the side seam and had it sewn on by the JCrew tailor (free of charge) and had him sew all the other ones on...this was a very expensive sweater to begin with...and this is one of MANY JCrew button stories I could tell!
This summer, just trying on the seahorse Dylan tank a button fell off and the same thing on the sleeve of my white Frances blouse!
Does anyone shop at the Jacksonville, Fl St. Johns Town Center b&m location? What are you experiences with the customer service?
ReplyDeleteI just received a phone call from a J Crew customer service rep, saying they're sending me a $25 gift card to be used in store, catalog, or online! This is in addition to one that I received in the mail last week. Definitely a reason to love them.
ReplyDelete