"Thanks!" to many of you, including Irina, who shared the following email from J.Crew this morning.First, J.Crew Factory (click here to shop online) is open for the weekend with new arrivals. Second, J.Crew is offering free shipping on Factory items (on any order & any amount). wahoo!
Third, J.Crew Factory now carries handbags!!! This is new line for the Factory label. Some new items include the Factory Campo bag (item 46139; $188.00; sale $150.00). Fourth, J.Crew is offering 20% off their handbags to entice customers.I don't know how I feel about J.Crew Factory having their own handbag collection. In a way its great to have a cheaper alternative or an alternative with a twist. It's also great to have a "second chance" if a bag I love is sold out.
On the other hand, I can wait for the regular version to go on sale for a great price. Also, I sometimes purchase J.Crew handbags online. Now I have to keep an eye out to see if its regular versus Factory (which is harder to tell for accessories, jewelry, and now handbags). This last part may not sound like a big deal, but sometimes sellers "forget" to mention that a J.Crew item is from the Factory store. This makes a big difference on how much one is willing to bid.
What are your thoughts on J.Crew's Factory Handbag Collection? Will you check them out?
I looked at the factory Campo and the leather doesn't look to be near the quality of the retail version, although it's not always easy to tell just by looking.
ReplyDeleteITA about resellers "forgetting" to mention if an item is from factory and it is frustrating. I've had one say that an item was retail when the two diamonds were clearly visible on the tag in the online photo of the item up for sale.
xoxo: I thought the same thing! The Factory Campo leather looks off compared to the original one from the photos. I am hoping that is not so much the case in person.
ReplyDelete"Grrr!" to selling Factory and not mentioning it! It's one thing if the seller truly does not know the difference. But it's another if s/he does. At least the clothing has the two white diamonds to tell. Jewelry and shoes do not, so it makes it harder to distinguish. :(
I saw a few bags at the Crewlet on Wednesday but wasn't in the market for a new one, so I didn't check them out too closely.
ReplyDeleteThere was a black satchel that looked cute from far away but perhaps a bit too "worn" for many people's tastes.
Sub :)
ReplyDeleteI went to a Crewlet on Thursday and for the first time in a long time actually tried on some things. I thought some of their spring clothes offerings were quite cute. However - the bags looks sort of imitation to me. I didn't touch them but they definitely did not look as luxe as regular J Crew handbags. On a related comment, my Crewlet NEVER has retail items any more. This winter they seemed to have quite a few but now it is ONLY Crewlet items. Blah.
ReplyDeleteWhat does J Crew say explicitly about the difference between regular J Crew and Factory? I find it more than a little wierd that the styles and even the product names are the same but who the heck knows about the quality or the fit. I'm not sure what to make of it. Thoughts?
ReplyDeletesub
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware of the two diamonds, I thought Factory had the beige labels and regular J Crew had green. I'll have to pay closer attention now!
ReplyDelete(Did anyone witness the update this morning? Was it good? I overslept, I probably missed it by well more than an hour.)
ReplyDeleteI'm crazy about J. Crew bags, but Factory, I don't know. I've had some major quality disappointments w Factory items, and I typically shy away unless it's a style I'm dying for that I missed the first time around and I'm willing to sacrifice. I don't think I will be interested in the bags, and I actually LOVE stalking retail bags and scooping them up when there's a good promo.
ReplyDeleteUnrelated note: I was absolutely pleasantly surprised by the Cammy Pant in Utility Green, especially after all the negative reviews. The legs are definitely slim, but I sized up and they are actually very cute and different from the 100 other pairs of pants I own. They fit me like the Trouper but the leg length is much shorter. I was not even going to bother trying them on, but for 19.99 I'm keeping them. There are so many sizes still left that I might even order another color! Who knew?
I never check updates without checking here first, so I was really unsettled this morning!
ReplyDeleteI doubt that I would buy a Factory bag. I stopped in to the factory store here last weekend to see if the quality level has gotten any better, but it seemed to be the same as it was when I went last year, so I think I'll be sticking with retail. (Not that retail is a whole lot better anymore, and that's the reason why I'm being extra selective with my J.Crew purchases these days.) However, there was one item I did find that is actually better quality than retail though. It's their white button down perfect shirt. It is thick and made like the retail perfect shirts were a couple years ago...not like they are now. It was marked at 40% off plus they allow the educator discount on top of that, so I got it for $22.
ReplyDeleteThe leather does look pretty terrible on the Factory Campo. I'm sure it's nothing like the original. Why does J.Crew do this???
ReplyDeleteInteresting. The front pocket on the J Crew Campo has a pleat, but on the Factory version it's just a seam. Also the factory version has more squared corners. And then there's the inferior leather of the Factory version. Still, buyer beware! It would be really easy for seller to scam a buyer who isn't knowledgable about J Crew products, and I think J Crew is making it easier for counterfeit bag makers, the Factory bag would be easy to reproduce. I too wonder why J Crew is doing this.
ReplyDeleteI doubt I will now start to buy factory bags. Unless I can see the item, I am done with JC online purse shopping.
ReplyDeletecousy - J Crew doesn't say anything about retail vs factory. It's this community that will tell you the difference in comments, reviews and pics on blogs. As FFM pointed out, quality is usually not as good in factory as it is in retail. And retail quality has suffered for at least a couple of years now. ITA that some factory items are better than retail. It's rare. I find it to be true in the basic v & crewneck tees (not tissue). Substantial cotton and not see thru at all, whereas my retail tees got holes on the first wear. I've decided there are just some things I won't buy from J Crew because the name doesn't always translate into quality.
ReplyDeleteGlee turns to disappointment. :( Why does JCrew tease us with their own knock-off handbags? I enjoyed the thrill of the hunt while stalking the Campo, and successfully scooped it up on sale. Love my bag, and want to buy another quality JC handbag, but will have to be very careful. Looking for a work-appropriate tote and thought the Classic Leather Tote would be it, but can't find a non-factory one now. Any suggestions JCAs?
ReplyDeleteAlexis - can you delete the spammer from Quiqq? It's annoying to see them keep spamming the comments for most of last week. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi, just thought I would post about yet another positive experience I've had with J.Crew: I ordered 100+ worth yesterday and applied the free shipping code, but on a second thought I thought that the order wouldn't arrive by Wednesday, which is when I'll be leaving for Europe for three months. In a haste I emailed J.Crew customer service, and they just got back to me (on a Sunday afternoon!) that they have upgraded my shipping as a courtesy and that the items should arrive by Tuesday! Kudos to J.Crew customer service, I am truly impressed.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
A Huge Fan
One more handbag note ... I received the Indio Hobo in Toffee yesterday and I (reluctantly) am going to return it. It's a nice size, I really like the woven detailing, but the leather is SO thin! Flimsy, I'd call it. I just don't think it will hold up well, and I'm bummed because I really like the color and style.
ReplyDeleteI had my suspicions when I read "summery" in the description ... which must be the leather handbag version of "featherweight."
Pansy: Definitely! Just deleted it too. Last time they had like 10 comments throughout posts on the blog with the same promotional comment. Really frustrating too! :(
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