Long-Sleeve Stripe Captain TeeClick here for product page
Item 17262
Regular: $32.50; now: $19.99
Okay this post just might be the ramblings of an overly obsessed JCA, but bear with me...
A few weeks ago, I saw this long-sleeve tee at the store and fell in love. I just loved the material (which is this heavy weight cotton tee), the length (hitting at my low hip), and the style (toot toot! all aboard! I love the ship-chic look). I also remember that it was priced at $34. I visited three different stores which had the tee, but not in my preferred size of extra-small (although they did have a small).
So I checked online and found the exact same long-sleeve tee, but priced at $32.50! The product page also states: "Catalog/jcrew.com only." Say what?
I thought I got the wrong tee or misread the store's price tag so when I went back to my local store, I checked the tee out again. Sure enough, the tee was the same one! It was the same design, (even had the "epaulets on the shoulder with gold button detail"), and the price tag read $34.00. (I also think there was a different item number on the tag, but I did not write it down.)
This makes me wonder... does J.Crew sell the same item but with different prices & different item numbers depending if it's from the store or online?
Mini Update: This afternoon I received the *online* version of this tee. Indeed, the online tee is *not* the same as the store version. The store version is much better- the blue line is thicker and the weight of the tee is thicker. Oh J.Crew! ;)
Yes, it does happen. When I bought my Bella velvet Jacket it was priced differently in the store. I remember thinking, I would have gotten a better deal (just a few dollars) if I had bought in online or using the red phone. But I still love my jacket and I am glad I got it when I did.
ReplyDeleteMAJOR COMPLAINTS ON THIS TEE! I bought it in the gray a while back. Then I saw it went on sale online for $19.99 and sold out. Monday I ran into J Crew to do a return and saw the navy I have been trying to find, not in an XS like needed but a S but I can work with it. When she rang it up it was full price. I explained it was online on sale but she said there is no such style number online, I explained to her it was the same but she wouldn't give me the discounted price. Boo J Crew. I ended up buying it anyway but just because it irritates me so much they do this sometimes I'm thinking of returning it on principle. Or at least trying a different SA to give me the discount.
ReplyDeleteThere are three different shirts that look almost the same. There was a shirt that had no shoulder details with thin stripes in navy and gray stripes and it was in store only. The one pictured was online only at the same time but it has the shoulder epaulets. Now there is a different tee in store only with thicker stripes in navy and more of a cream and it has white/cream epaulets. I have two of the tees (the in store only tees) and do not have this one pictured). I can get style numbers for anyone who is interested. That's why prices were different - they are different shirts.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting discussion. Glaydies swear that the falling petals tank (18073) is $29.50 in some stores and $24.50 in others. It was $29.50 in my store.
ReplyDeleteIrl pic here:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rNKi_1cjR5c/SoZXfdsANDI/AAAAAAAAEUE/w1ivk-GJ2QY/s1600-h/corsagecardi-blk.jpg
This is an interesting discussion. Glaydies swear that the falling petals tank (18073) is $29.50 in some stores and $24.50 in others. It was $29.50 in my store.
ReplyDeleteIrl pic here:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rNKi_1cjR5c/SoZXfdsANDI/AAAAAAAAEUE/w1ivk-GJ2QY/s1600-h/corsagecardi-blk.jpg
This has been going on for years. I first noticed it around 2006 in my store vs the online or catalog item or pricing.
ReplyDeleteI had the same experience with a Jackie cardigan this summer. It was $39.99 on sale on line, but in store was still the regular price. I asked about (apparently former) policy of honoring website prices in store, and the sales associate (not the nicest one I've ever encountered--rare in my normal store) gave me a curt "no", they weren't doing that. I wound up getting the cardi online--it was still cheaper to do that, even with the shipping.
ReplyDeleteI've never had any trouble with my b&m honoring online prices as long as I have the pic with me or they can look it up online (which they do at the register at my b&m). That said, I've never had an item with different #'s but my guess is that they wouldn't price adjust in that case.
ReplyDeletei love that shirt!
ReplyDeleteThe Danielle flat sandals from the Spring - I don't have a store near me, so when I was in Chicago one day, I went looking for these sandals. Wanted to see them in person before I spent the $98 online. In-store, they were $125! And the store was promoting a 25% discount, making it seem like the discounted price ($93ish) was a steal. I was appalled.
ReplyDeleteBUT, happy story - eventually, when they started selling out online in the color I wanted, I called a rep, who had a store ship me a pair - for the online price PLUS the in-store discount. It was a total anomaly but I got a happy little deal.
But a $27 difference in price between online and store is the most I've seen.
I have always been surprised that is has been reported by many JCA's on the blogs that cataloq/on-line only items are in the stores.
ReplyDeleteI see it all the time! I did buy this tee last week and a button the shoulder flaps promptly fell of while at dinner. Thankfully I saw it and sewed it back on that night.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see this post. I know I have seen online items in the store before but always felt like I must be crazy and confused from too much website stalking. :)
ReplyDeleteYay! I finally snagged a Cotton contrast-stitch perfect shirt on pop-back this a.m.!! Sadly, I was just six short days away from my record of not ordering from JCrew for one month (and I wasn't even trying!).
The online Captain Tee is different from the one in-store. The Tees online have thinner stripes, and are not heavy cotton. So if you were wondering why it wasn't marked down at the B&M stores, that's the reason :) With that said, I bought both types of tees and I think the ones on sale online are great for the summer! The thin material is just enough to wear on a hot day. The in-store ones are heavy cotton, so I wouldn't wear them now but they are perfect for the fall.
ReplyDeleteI feel like retailers do this all the time. I notice a lot when I buy stuff for my house - like at Pottery Barn or Penney's. Macy's does it too. They often run different deals on the Web site than the store. As a shopper, I just accept this and move on.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. It is a pain in the ass, but I personally would not raise holy hell about it. I think because I used to sell shoes at Macy's for many years, and I feel for sales associates. They don't make the evil company's stupid rules.
Hi everyone - unfortunately I made the mistake of purchasing this tee online, and it is TOTALLY DIFFERENT! The quality is different, the material is much thinner, and the stripes are much thinner. I was SO upset because I had originally bought it in store, and then when I saw it went to $19.99 online, I purchased it online and then returned my unworn store one. When I got my online package however, the tee is DIFFERENT! It looks soooo similiar online but like I said, the quality difference is huge (much more see through, and the little capulets are much thinner and more flimsy). But I bought the online version on final sale (since it was $19.99) so now I'm stuck with this version, and I already returned the other version!
ReplyDeleteOh boy, this seems very deceitful. Sounds like they are manufacturing slightly different style numbers/names so people cannot ask for price match/adjustments. And yes, I have many times seen "online only" in stores.
ReplyDeleteAnd I feel bad for you, Kate. That just sucks and seems really stupid of them to offer something that looks so similar/the same but is really not at all!
Alexis, thanks for posting this article! I've noticed the price discrepancies at J Crew in the past; however, my thanks come for posting the link to this shirt in your article. I've been waiting for it to popback during this 20% off sale and haven't seen in in the sale section. It must be a hidden item, because I could link to it from JCA and they had it left in navy in my size. Scooped it up this morning! Yeah!
ReplyDeleteI noticed a price difference with the striped ringspun cotton cardigan. It was $49.50 at my B&M store, but $55 online. Not a big difference, but still irritating!
ReplyDeleteyes, i definitely bought the falling ruffles tank for 24.50, and it's 29.50 online! So sneaky.
ReplyDeleteMany retailers have different online and store prices. Gap is a huge offender of this, especially with their sale merchandise.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that a local J.Crew that is in a more "upscale" mall near me charges higher prices for some items - for example, the Jackie cardigans were $64, not $59.50, but they did honor the lower price in the end.
I guess it pays to know the online prices going into a B&M store, or even taking the catalogue with you! I agree -- very misleading.
ReplyDeleteI wrote J.Crew last year to complain about what I saw as unfair price differences (e.g., $39.99 at B&M for a 120s dress that was still $180 online). They explained that due to limited space in stores, B&M managers have a lot of authority to reduce prices to move items that aren't selling due to geographic or similar issues, like cashmere in Florida or whatever.
ReplyDeleteI understand that B&M and catalog have different inventory issues, and I know that a lot of companies are experimenting with "dynamic" priceing, but IMO customers who shop both online and in stores are going to expect seamless treatment and will view the company as a whole, not individual B&Ms as little fiefdoms. JMO. I got the adjustment after a big PITA but now I call the B&M (2 hours away with traffic) to check prices before making online purchases.
And now it sounds like JC might be going the Costco route and making sure that similar items don't have the same item number so that they need not honor price adjustments???
I, too, noticed the price difference with this shirt. The striped shirt without the epaulets was never even online, which I thought was strange.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post about this cute tee. I recently bought it in a B&M (the peach-y color) at full price, and I love it. The material is very substantial, and the shoulder epaulets appear to be well-made. When I saw what I thought was the same top for $19.99on the FS, I snapped it up in the mineral grey color. UPS hasn't delivered it yet, but I'm disappointed to hear that it probably won't be the same quality as the B&M version. I just looked at the web-site photo again, and the stripes are indeed much narrower! JC needs to stop playing around like this.
ReplyDeleteOT: Does anyone know when the update was today? I was waiting for a while but it didn't happen at the same time as y'day morning...
ReplyDelete^I think it just did and it was pretty lame:(
ReplyDeleteOT but I am seeing a huge JC influence over at both Old Navy (see their new arrivals) and the looks at ATL. If all of these places keep it up, we can find a knock-off for less and often after we have missed the boat at JC. Especially in some of those deeper colors.
Yes, I read somewhere that J. Crew does make certain items only for their on-line customers, maybe only slightly different, but with different tag numbers. I missed this on-line, $19.99 is an incredible price.
ReplyDeleteI have experienced this a few times especially with sale jewelry- almost always it is less expensive in stores than online. It is also the case with almost all crewcuts in the sale section -the majority of the time it is on sale in a B&M and not online or much less in B&M than online. Perhaps why they have taken crewcuts out of many locations- they can charge more online and it costs them less.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I also got caught up in the excitement of seeing this tee online for $19 and am now bummed as it should arrive today... bug! I am going to have to track down the 'real' one as I wanted the thickness. I have far too many thin j crew tees.
Alexis, I encountered this with the leather equestrian belt. It's listed for $45 online. When I picked it up at my B&M, I was surprised to have it ring up at $50. It has a different style number and a different name -- a "roller" belt -- but the belts are identical. And they didn't have the "leather equestrian."
ReplyDeleteThis just touches on my frustration with JC, lately -- mostly having to do with the rapidly falling quality of their sweaters. I was dying for the Anton and finally got to try it on at my B&M. Instead of the plush, weighty sweater I was expecting, it was thin and the button was falling off.
Does JC really want their best customers to have these types of experiences?
I too have noticed that there are pricing discrepancies. And I just bought that top at my store as well as what appeared to be the same one in grey. The grey one is 16864 (no epaulets) and the navy 17262 has them. The navy wouldn't come up at the register (online only item), so the SA just scanned the grey twice. $19.99 each. Love them so far....but not the no price-matching. Especially like Twiga said, for crewcuts
ReplyDeleteBTW, just found this blog and I feel at home! So relieved there are others who obsess about each new catalog and are regulars in their stores! :)
OT but does anyone have the refined silk/cashmere wrap or can comment on it? I am worried that it is paper thin based on one photo in the August catalog and am wondering if it is going to get lots of pulls/holes and quickly turn into a mess. TIA for any guidance.
ReplyDeleteOMG - they do this all the time with the Jackie cardi! The product is the same, but the price is different! So annoying! :)
ReplyDeleteI bought the falling ruffles tank too. It was $24.50 in my store.
ReplyDeleteI notice J. Crew does this all the time with tanks and t's. For instance, the boatneck painter t was on sale the last time I went to the Marlton BandM, but it was regular priced on the Web site. I guess it is rather sneaky, if you think about it.
ReplyDeletebugpin - I was sniffing around the Old Navy web site last night and really want to check it out. The sweaters and cords looked so cute online - of course, that may be a different story in person.
Well, for anyone who receives the online Captain stripe tee and wants to sell it, let me know. Size M please!
ReplyDeletedunc209@shaw.ca
The ON cords are awesome. I love them much better than J Crew's cords this year. The ink blue is dark and rich and I love the stainless steel grey. Fit is really nice.
ReplyDeletehttp://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?searchCID=26519&pid=675653&scid=675653052&vid=-1
The online and B&M prices are the same less than half the time for sale items. A couple weeks ago, I contemplated ordering the origami tank and didn't because of the price. A few days later some JCAs noted it's instore price as twenty bucks! I would have been sorely aggrieved if I'd paid sixty extra bucks for a tee. I never did get the top, but at least I didn't pay out the nose for something worth so little! (Kudos to all who snagged it at the discount price.)
ReplyDeleteIf there's an update to the sale and no online code available, I'll do a printout of a mock order and go to my local JC to see what's instore. I've gotten the best prices that way, and have also been dissuaded from purchasing certain things after seeing them IRL.
Hexicon, "little fiefdoms!!!!" I laughed so much at that, I gleeked on the moniter!
CheesyG,
ReplyDeleteThat's such a good idea to print out what you're about to order and take it with to the BandM. You get an A-plus for organization. My last online order from the Crew was such a disappointment. Nothing fit well. Their sizes are so inconsistant.
Gigi,
That is such fab news about ON cords. I tried on the J.Crew boot cut cords last week and wasn't feelin' it. I work best in city fit for the Crew. And you can never beat ON prices.
OT: I just received a 25-percent off card from the Gap for my next in-store purchase. You have to use your Gap, ON or BR card but it doesn't look like there's a minimum to spend. I'm so over paying 200 bucks for jeans these days. I'm definitely getting my next pair at the Gap. Love Joes Jeans, but they'll have to wait for better economic times. And I've never loved J. Crew jeans.
Corry - your feeling is right! I have one from last year, and it is full of pulls. It looks like a mess now, and I was very careful with it. Very disappointed in this product and I bought it full price.
ReplyDeleteHowever, J.Crew also makes nice washed wool woven scarves, I got one last year that has no problems, maybe they will introduce them for fall again later.
Aww, for all the ladies that did buy the online version of this shirt, I just wanted to note in my earlier post that I wasn't saying it was a terrible tee, it's just very different from what I was expecting after buying what I thought was the same top in store (thicker stripes, thicker material, better fit for me personally). Hope it works for you!
ReplyDeleteI think JCrew is being sneaky with today's FS update. If there even was an update, it wasn't much. I watched pretty closely until around 10:30 and then couldn't check again until 2:30. Only 550-560 items? I'll bet as soon as extra 20% off expires we'll see a huge update.
ReplyDeleteIn college I had friends who worked at the Limited warehouse. They talked about tagging the same merchandise with different prices for different malls. Sounds like a pretty common policy.
This is off topic, but does anyone have a NEW large metallic-leather gallery hobo in pale gold and would like to trade for a silver one? Please let me know.I REALLY prefer gold tones. TIA!
ReplyDeleteIf you do, please email me at:
mkt386 [at] gmail [dot] com
Bug pin,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the knockoffs being found at ATL and ON. Also, with the price being less the quality will probably be about the same as JCrew (soon if not currently) as JCrew quality is NOT what it used to be. I used to buy being assured of great quality. Now, I am excited if an items doesn't get a hole after one or two wearings and/or the sweater can make it through a washing! :)
Courtney Joy, thanks so much. You've saved me $75 and some heartache. I do love the mars color, though. So sorry to hear about your experience :(
ReplyDeletegals-
ReplyDeleteA few items not in the FS section, but are on sale and 20% applies:
Pearl Cluster necklace-on sale for $95
Camellia flower sandals- on sale for $14.50
happy shopping:)
If anyone sees this tee in a L in either color please let me know! I couldn't find it in my stores. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteCheck this wool cadet jacket at ON, I find it cute.
ReplyDeletehttp://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?searchCID=26519&pid=675612&scid=675612002&vid=-1
Hi everyone! Thanks for sharing on this topic. At least I wasn't the only one confused by the price difference. :)
ReplyDeleteThis afternoon I received the *online* version of this tee. As many of you correctly pointed out, the online tee is *not* the same as the store version.
The store version is much better- the blue line is thicker and the weight of the tee is thicker. If I had known this, I would have purchased the last small the Westport store carried. Oh well! :)
If anyone "needs" jeans, ATL is offering $20 off. I recently bought the modern slim leg jeans and love them. Plus, they offer petites (in store) and tall.
ReplyDeleteAlexis: Why don't you get J Crew do a search for the B&M version for you?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAlexis - I think Danbury carried this shirt. Did you try to get the XS there?
ReplyDeleteDESPERATELY SEEKING Cafe Capris in stone, british khaki, or black in size 2
ReplyDelete--I have size 0's in khaki and black that I am *MORE* than willing to trade!!
I am desperately seeking them, as I ordered the wrong size (2's were a bit big, but 0's are wayy too small) and I love these pants!! It would be *GREATLY* appreciated!
kocanez at gmail dot com
Kendra,
ReplyDeleteTry calling the Short Hills, NJ store. They had a lot of british kakhi and some other colors left at $19.99. Not sure about a 2, but worth a try...
jessie b & casual-crew: Thank you so much for the suggestions! I plan on calling Danbury, and if it's not there, I will do a "we will find it". :)
ReplyDeleteI did end up calling their customer service and asking if I could return the online version and they generously said I could. I am not sure why the website states the cotton is heavyweight when it really isn't.
wow, this was popular -- I had been looking for a striped fitted shirt like this and thought, ah-HA! Saved by JCA! But then, DOH! It's sold out online. That's OK. I will not give up the ship. I will find my ship-shape shirt at the store.
ReplyDeletewow, great post! I've always wondered if the stuff they put online is the same quality as the ones we see in the stores.
ReplyDeleteAs far as "catalog/online only" stuff in stores- I heard that the store buyer can order catalog only clothes for their store if they want to. I've seen catalog only stuff here and there in the stores and its always a nice surprise.
Every store is different- I guess it depends on the buyer. Unfortunately the one nearest to me does not carry cashmere... I'm dying to try on the V neck cashmere sweater for fit.
Alexis, I hope you find your tee shirt! I'm crossing my fingers for you! :)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIs the website updating the new arrivals tomorrow, or is that happening in the stores?
ReplyDeleteCan anyone comment on the fit of the perfect pencil skirt a.k.a. the Mia skirt? Are all sizes fitting the same? Is it TTS or should one SU or SD in a specific color?
Last year the bright blue was fitting almost a full size larger than the other colors. I'd like to order a couple of these skirts, sizing info would really help as I can't get to a B&M for a while yet.
TIA
OMGosh, thank you Bug Pin, Susan and others for suggesting Old Navy. I browsed online for a few mins, and found this, like that yellow sweater from the Sept catalog (don't have mine yet, so not sure of the number sorry)
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/m6j6jb
I would rather have the JCrew yellow color, but $40?!
This sweater, similar to the top that prompted this post
http://tinyurl.com/n28lwt
I swear I saw something similar in my JCrew store last week:
http://tinyurl.com/lzsmme
Need I go on? Looks like I'll be diversifying in my fall wardrobe buying.....
ok I now have both tees in my possession and they are different in several ways:
ReplyDeleteB&M tee $34, more light gray & slate blue with thicker stripes and much heavier fabric (item #18072 color code SHA)
Online Tee- $19.99, navy & white, thinner stripes and much thinner fabric (item #17262 color code NAV)
SO now what? I kinda like them both in some ways and might keep both! I am a big Navy blue fan and the thinner online one would be nice for cool Summer nights etc... whereas the other one seems like more of a transition piece for Fall.
I did manage to pop into my local B&M and a lot of the new Fall goodies were out and CUTE!!! Love the new Jackets (esp the Astrid looking gray one) cute silk floral perfect shirts and a new tiered ruffle cami- just not sure how flattering it will be having big ruffles around the middle-eek! Did not have time to try things on so will need to re-visit this weekend.
This happens all the time, with the exact same item. Except I'm usually able to get the item in the store for a lot cheaper than online. I'm really careful now before I buy something at Jcrew and I don't usually buy something on a whim. I'll sufficiently stalk it first online and in the B&M before I pounce.
ReplyDelete