This is the weekly "Looking to VENT with J.Crew" post, a place to share our not-so-stellar experiences with J.Crew.If you have recently experienced a frustrating situation with J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.
Please feel free to share your story on almost any topic— including poor experiences with purchases & orders, promotions/ offers, in-store visits, transactions with store associates, etc.
Chat feature is never available when I need it. When I don't need it, the box follows me around like a lost dog.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way!
DeleteI have found that if I click on three to four items, it pops up. Also, it pops us when I click on the J.Crew credit card link at the bottom of the page.
DeleteHow true!!!! I hate when it is following me, lol!! I did use it a few times for quick measurement s- and it's great for that!
DeleteI ordered the Cha Cha Dress in Modern Red, and it's a beautiful dress.... however, it had clearly been worn before it arrived at my door. The dress smelled of stale perfume and the seams around the pocket was ready to split and the covered buttons on the back were coming loose. Ugh. I immediatly called customer service and they were wonderful. They apologized, sent out a new dress and had me return the dress I received at their cost. I was pleasantly surprised, still, they should NOT send out a used item and try to pass it off as new. This could only work as a sale rack dress, and at a drasticly reduced price.
ReplyDeleteWhat is with J.Crew's policy on doing a store search for a sale item!? I spent 30 minutes on the phone this weekend arguing with a representative about how they would NOT do the search for me, which is probably more time than it would have taken to just do the search. If you have an item for sale and you have a customer who wants to buy that item, why would you not want to sell it to them!? That is your business and livelihood. J.Crew's online/phone customer service is awful, they are much nicer in stores.
ReplyDeleteI've had a PS tell me that too. It probably takes a couple of mouse clicks to find where the item is located, so I don't get it either.
Deleteseriously ridiculous. Nordstrom's has been able and willing to do this since, I don't know, 1995? (I may be exaggerating, but I don't think so)
DeleteApparently the new policy for the Help you Find feature, is only for full priced items. However, my in-store PS has done the search for me for sale items.
ReplyDeletelaceyan/Jacquie
ReplyDeleteGap and I think Talbots can do this from the register, why cant JCrew? I really don't understand, do you want to sell stuff or look at it.
Madewell can also find you an item in any store in the US at the cash register.
DeleteOf course JC can do it, they just choose not to.
I've had wonderful luck with SAs doing searches for me at the register over the phone. It definitely depends on what store you call and which individual SA you get, but I find the employees at the smaller, less busy stores to be exceptionally helpful when I'm looking for an item (full price or sale).
DeleteYesterday I was looking for the Blythe in Alabaster (back-ordered online in my size) and I called a store to look for it. The SA did a search for me, narrowed it down to stores with the most stock showing and that were closest to my shipping address, and then gave me all the phone numbers. Then she told me to call back if I couldn't find it and she would track one down for me. So nice!
I just have to say that I'm pretty much done with J.Crew. I posted here a few weeks ago about the pencil skirt that split up the back - and others mentioned the same problem. I contacted JCrew and they tell me they'll reimburse me for tailoring costs - it's at the tailor now, so we'll see. I was willing to forgive them, but then I put on my never-before-worn Monotone Beaded Necklace. By 10 a.m. that same day, it had broken and fallen off my neck. Ridiculous. It's a $43 plastic necklace that can't make it more than three hours while being worn around the neck of a woman who sits at a desk all day. I'm not a professional wrestler or a preschool teacher; no one was grabbing at the necklace or doing anything that would have caused it to simply fall apart. I'm not going to pay J.Crew prices anymore for inferior products.
ReplyDeleteI never thought it would happen to me, but my pencil skirt finally ripped this week :( I think it was the third time I'd worn it, and it's never been washed so I don't know what that's all about! However, mine was on the side seam on the waistband, so I was able to conceal with a belt. Still, I don't have time to wait for it to be repaired! What's worse, I *just* bought it in another color, but now I'm almost scared to wear it!
DeleteIs this a factory skirt problem (that's what I've noticed in the comments mostly)? Wondering if I should stop buying their regular store skirts...
DeleteMine was this skirt from this year only. I bought the same one last year and have had no problems, nor have I with any other factory skirts (and I have plenty!)
DeleteMine was also factory, but I've heard complaints about both factory and regular store.
DeleteI think it is a factory and retail problem. I stopped buying the No. 2 pencil skirt in double-serge cotton. Last year I bought one and within the first few hours of wearing it, it split in two different places...embarrassing since I was at a high profile conference. When I took it back to the store, they gave me a new one with out questions. That one split within the third wear. And silly me, I bought one this year hoping the problem was fixed and the seam split again on the second wear. These were all retail skirts.
DeleteIt has something to do with the design of this skirt...ugh. Never again with this particular skirt.
What's up with Net-A-Porter getting J. Crew new arrivals before the JC website does? This bothers me for some reason...especially when the Net-A-Porter stuff sells out in my size.
ReplyDeleteLack of promos and percentages off? I paid my last statement 3+ months ago and haven't bought anything since! Unusual for me to not get a rewards card...I guess the recession trained me to never pay full retail, and I won't ever again.
ReplyDeleteI recently emailed to ask for the educator's discount on an online purchase (of regular and sale priced items). They responded that they are no longer offering the discount for online purchases and it is now an exclusive in-store only benefit! Plus it sounds like it will no longer be available on sale items, with other promotions, or with partnership items. Bummer. That used to be my excuse for purchasing items without an extra promo!
ReplyDeleteThey have not been allowing the educator discount for online items for a while now. The only way I've gotten "around" this is to place orders through my online PS, who then applies the discount for me.
DeleteThey've flip-flopped so many times on this policy that I'm always surprised if and when I DO get it, even on something that is stated in the policy.
Flip-flopping aside (which is plenty annoying), I'm particularly annoyed at this policy because so many items are absolutely not available in-store, like petite and tall sizes.
DeleteI recently ordered the Gondola Strip Skirt online in a "wishful-thinking" size; I found the correct size in the store and requested an exchange. The associate started to ring me up and said that their price was 89.99 and mine was substantially different and asked if I would pay the additional balance (approx. 30 dollars). I politely asked if we could do an even exchange and he gave me such a hard time. In the end I had to pay sales tax on the item - which I don't understand because I paid sales tax when I placed the order online. I was too frustrated to argue with him anymore, paid and left the store. But, really, what gives? Could they not just do an even exchange and make the customer happy?
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I pay off my card, I am cutting it up and cancelling it. I've been a J.Crew card member since I was in college in the 90s and am done. Poor customer service and poor quality on items has finally done me in.
(Sorry for the long rant..)
Amy, that's not right, in fact, J.Crew could get itself in trouble if your taxing authority found out (and had time to investigate). I'm not sure if it will change anything, but you could send CS a copy of your receipt and explain that you requested an even exchange and still had to pay. I have sent my online ps a copy of a receipt when I've had a problem in store and she's rectified the issue without me having to return to the store.
DeleteTo add a thought to this--online does have a much lower tax bracket than in-store. In my case, online tax is about half as much as my local store. So if you exchanged a skirt bought online for a skirt in the store, they would have to charge you the difference in tax. Another thought I'll add (and hate) is that if you are paying shipping, it really jacks up your taxes! They are one of the few retailers (if not the only) that charge tax on shipping! That's another reason I refuse to pay shipping because it's a lot more money than the often too high shipping fee.
DeleteOut of curiosity, where do you live?!
DeleteI'm in NJ and there's no sales tax on clothing here.
Sweetsy, I'm not sure how online can charge a different tax amount than in-store, unless you have it shipped to a different state than the one in which you live?
DeleteAmy, I would definitely have balked at paying the difference--it's absurd that they didn't want to evenly exchange.
In NY, counties can charge different amounts of sales tax, from 0-4%. My county tax is less than my B&M county's tax. It is all silly and I would be furious if some dumb SA tired to tell me I had to pay more for an item just because the in store price was more. How ridiculous. Amy, I hope that someone higher up at J.Crew puts a stop to stupidity like that which this SA exhibited!
DeleteI stopped shopping JCrew a year ago due to plummeting quality and sky-rockting prices. I continue to check the reviews of items because I'm hoping for the company to right itself and return to their previous quality standards.
ReplyDeleteI wish more people who threaten to stop shopping JC would actually do it. They won't make any changes if they're still making sales at higher price points with garbage quality. Seriously. Let your money do the talking. There are SO MANY other options for high quality clothes with companies that actually seem to care about their customers and don't do anything to humiliate them if they politely request assistance.
Loyalty to a company that has begun to sell 'disposable fashion' (meaning it doesn't last for longer than a wearing or two) and treats its customers like they're disposable blows my mind.
I completely agree with you. I've been waffling about this (because their suiting and pencil skirts fit me so much better than other brands off the rack) but enough is enough. Complaining only goes so far when one keeps indulging JC's bad behavior by continuing to throw $ at them. I used to make myself feel better by refusing to pay FP for anything, but I think I'm done as a matter of principle!
DeleteVent #2: having "summer" items with poly/acetate lining. I mean, really...how much more $$ would it be to line a cotton/silk/linen dress in, I don't know, cotton?? These are the reasons I have a hard time keeping a straight face when Mickey/Jenna/whoever ramble on about quality and "thoughtful fabric choices"...
ReplyDeleteAmy-- that soooo does not sound right. if it was the same exact item just a different size, then you shouldn't have to pay anything for it: sales tax, price difference... NADA! and the balls on that SA for asking you to pay more!
ReplyDeleteTo add a thought to this--online does have a much lower tax bracket than in-store. In my case, online tax is about half as much as my local store. So if you exchanged a skirt bought online for a skirt in the store, they would have to charge you the difference in tax. Another thought I'll add (and hate) is that if you are paying shipping, it really jacks up your taxes! They are one of the few retailers (if not the only) that charge tax on shipping! That's another reason I refuse to pay shipping because it's a lot more money than the often too high shipping fee.
DeleteThanks Caroline and Miss JR.
ReplyDeleteThe whole experience was just so frustrating that I balked and paid the taxes. But, I will follow up with CS. It's a small amount but it's the principle.
I would note here that in New York, there's a sales tax on "Goods and Services." Delivery is a taxable service. An item of clothing that costs less than $110 is exempted from the sales tax, but if it's delivered to you in NY, you'll be charged sales tax on the delivery. It's taxation, it's not supposed to make sense.
DeleteI'm in Los Angeles.
ReplyDeleteI've done even exchanges before and have never paid any additional taxes. Oh J.Crew...
Funny that you have this on your blog and I was in JCrew today. I've had several frustrating experiences with my local store, but I went in today to buy 2 black dresses. I walked around the store with 3 in my hand and was never approached by a sales associate, although there was no one in the store. I finally had to go up to the cash register and ask if someone could help me by unlocking a fitting room. They asked someone to help me - who was in a convo with 3 other associates. She seemed annoyed, but opened the room. I needed another size and waited 15 minutes in the fitting room, but no one ever came to check on me. When I came out, there was still no one in the store and I asked to speak to the manager and told her what had happened. She apologized, but this has happened several times when I've gone into the store - so frustrating!! In addition the last time I asked for an in-store educators discount, I was told that I needed both an ID and something else that showed I worked for the school system. Seriously?? I'm done!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have any insight regarding the lack of JCrew online sales (like "20% off an order of $175 or more")? I haven't seen one since February. Have they gotten rid of this or what?
ReplyDeleteI agree!!! I'm so ready for a % off :)
DeleteI bought a pair of Mona suede pumps online four days ago after trying it on in a store. I took my usual 7.5. Today I received it and was happy to wear it, only it was not my size. Oh, it's marked as a 7.5 on the sole of the shoe and the box but it most definitely is not. It fits my sister, a solid 6.5 perfectly. I cannot be more annoyed. I don't know weather to go through my PS to return it, citing quality and standards issues or just let it go and return it to my local store.
ReplyDeleteWent shopping at my local BM store several weeks ago with my co-worker. She wanted to see if they had a dress that was on sale online that out of her size in the BM store. They did - but it was full price. When she went to pay she asked for the online sale price because they didn't have her size online. The guy smirked and said "we don't usually do that". He was semi-rude about it but ended up giving her the sale price in the end. Their quality and customer service is declining rapidly while prices continue to go up. What's going to give?!
ReplyDeleteugh. the rude customer service. I was in there today, and the lady who did my return was just plain rude and then passed me off rudely to another girl like I was an inconvenience. Hello, I'm not shopping at that location again.
ReplyDeleteI received the silk bow cami in stripe. The description says that it is silk; however, it feels more like a low thread count bed sheet. It is some sort of cotton-silk blend. The tag says silk as well but there is no way!
ReplyDeleteMy rant today. Why is there an order amount of $175 to get free shipping? I can order anything most places and automatically get free shipping. Yesterday I placed an online order it totalled $171, so I put another item in my cart and checked out. I have no intention of keeping it but did not feel like paying $8.95 for shipping. I am sure so many people do that unless it is Final Sale so J Crew is not making any money on having that minimum amount or are they?? My word verification 'Maceys' maybe I should be shopping at Macy's.
ReplyDelete