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.
The prices are just going up, I may be wrong but I recall the collection italian wool dress from last year to be at $250 in the lime green color. Fall 2013, it is a pretty fuchsia pink...at $350! Then again, there have been more promotions, let's see if the dress will still be available once sales are up.
ReplyDeleteI think the collection dress was 298 last year. But piggybacking on your vent, did they make lie one in each size? Couldn't get last years' and now this years' sold out before I noticed they had it. Bah humbug.
DeleteMy vent today is also about this dress, although I feel slightly bad for posting it, because I managed to order it with the 25% off. I hope that they do have more of them hidden in inventory and that it goes on sale again so others can get it too.
DeleteLast year I found out that they made a navy version for retail only. I may be mistaken, but during one of my multiple WWFIFY attempts, I was told that only one or two were made in each size, for the larger Collection store in NYC. So I jumped on it, especially now that you can drop down in the quantity box and see exactly how many are in stock if the number is below 9 (when I ordered at 8 or 9 am, there were either 3 or 4 left in the sizes I checked).
In any case, if it is any consolation, the dress arrived in terrible shape. Apparently free shipping day means "Collection" dresses that should be sent on hangers and in boxes are just tossed in the old paper bag mailer to save time and cost.
I think Mickey should hire an intern to 1) make calls to customer service presenting a variety of situations (and have them experience the long hold times and variable attitudes from CS reps) and 2) make multiple purchases over multiple months and experience the condition items arrive in. Don't get me started on popbacks ;)
The Factory keeps making me sign in when I try to add something to my wishlist and it's driving me batty.
ReplyDeleteJust so annoyed about the situation with the Merino Tippi Sweater in French knot, ivory black grey color. I saw it in the catalogue, but it never appeared online in the particular color (only in navy). Called my local store, and they said they had none and it had not been released yet. Today I look online and there it finally is, but "sold out" in most sizes. How could it be sold out when it literally was just released online? Checked with a customer service specialist online and they said it is "sold out" nationally. But it was never released online until today, and the stores didn't have it! So how could it be sold out? Doesn't make sense. Why would they put something in the catalogue that we can't buy? And it was basically the only item in the new fall rollout that I was excited to get. So very irritating.
ReplyDeleteTHIS. That sweater was literally the only item in the entire catalog that I wanted. Thank you for the heads up that it's now available online (well, in one size...but at least it's my size). Looks like it's something I'll definitely have to pay FP for...
DeleteIt's online now in every size except large.
DeleteThanks Debby! Guess the two salespeople I spoke to were wrong. Oh well, just glad it's available now.
DeleteDon't know where to post this but went into store today and saw tildas marked down to $79.99 and the half placket dress in a navy tossed hearts print. Other markdowns too but the Tilda stood out.
ReplyDeleteDress was new to me - not marked down.
Deletercb.shops, thank you so much. I have wanted the Tilda for so long and finally broke down and purchased two weeks ago. But on sale with bounceback 20% off was a much better deal. Threw in the new toothpicks in dolphin grey to try out while also on promo.
Deletercb.shops - The blue tilda, white tilda or both are now on sale?
DeleteBoth colors marked down.
DeleteGigiofca. Only the petite is showing up online using search both colors are on sale.
DeleteFactory has hidden the excursion vests again. Available last night on promo, but completely removed from the website today. I'm done-if factory doesn't want my money, I'm not going to force it on them.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if they're "hidden". I think they are actually sold out at this point. I ordered one yesterday and every color and size was backordered until October.
DeleteWendy - The Factory excursion vests were on backorder and then sold out in most sizes as of early yesterday. I think the new promo + 20% wiped the inventory out. Incl the backorder option.
DeleteMaybe; I dunno... Late last night they were back ordered in the sizes I looked at; this morning, the search doesn't even pull up anything. A chat rep admitted they pull things they do not want to sell on sale. I caved and ordered from a store; they were super nice, but did charge me shipping...
DeleteI don't know if this qualifies as a vent, but I just received the Trench Dress yesterday and it did not come with extra buttons. I contacted J.Crew and they are going to look for some. I feel that a dress that expensive should come with extra buttons.
ReplyDeleteDo any of you know if your Trench Dress came with extra buttons?
Mine did not. I purchased it in-store.
Deletemine did not - to clarify, I tried on one size in-store, ordered another. Neither had extra buttons.
DeleteThank you. I guess I will just hope that none of them ever fall off. It just seems like they should really include extras on something at this price point.
DeleteVent 1: online photos. Why can't JC show a full side view? The "quarter turn" view that predominates provides little insight as to overall fit. As for the side views they do post, the model's arm is strategically positioned so that you can't see the back...
ReplyDeleteVent 2: Repeating retail styles and patterns at the Factory. Similar is fine. So yes to a French hen sweater in blue, no to a navy version. As the horse sweatshirt sells out are they already planning the factory version?
Muffy, the Horsey Sweatshirt will surely be knocked off at Factory.
DeleteAnd let's take bets on how quickly the Punk Floral print will reappear there in polyester. Spring '14.
I am super annoyed by the sizing inconsistencies. I ordered the excursion vest in stripe in my normal medium. It came and it is huge! More like a large large or small x-large. Now I have to go through the rigamarole of re-ordering and getting them to apply the free ship and 25% code.
ReplyDeleteI wish they would do product reviews on the site!
That is very strange. I have the stripe excursion vest in medium and it is exactly the same size (a bit longer but not wider) as the one from last year. Maybe you got one that is mislabeled. That has happened to me with all sorts of items, sweaters, pants, etc.
DeletePricing games are bananas. I bought the cap-sleeve crepe dress 2 weeks ago at full price ($188 I think) in store (SA told me it was "JUST in!"), and went today to exchange the size... marked down to $109. A huge reduction like that in just 2 weeks?? She gave me the new price which was great but it makes me feel like a sucker every time I pay FP for something.
ReplyDeletefrugalprepster - I tried on the cap-sleeve dress in the last week of July. But one month is still a short period of time for an almost 50% price cut. Thx for the price info. It's a great dress.
DeleteVery minor vent, mentioned it in another thread. The Marlie purse in tweed arrived carefully packaged in plastic, with tissue, in its dustbag, but it was shipped in a flat rectangular box so the black leather has indentations in it. I ordered this in both versions. The navy suede version was identically packaged within the dustbag, but it was shipped in more of a shoe box that did not crush the purse the way the rectangular box crushed the first purse.
ReplyDeleteMy Marlie in suede came in a 20x13x5 boot box, and the leather has a few light marks & indentations on it. I think the smooth leather is just going to show scratches no matter what. Also, there looks like a pinhole in the suede, next to one of the buckles. I can't see light throught it or anything, but am curious to know if it's a dig mark, or something related to the quality of the suede.
DeleteCate-did you notice the crossbody strap really *squeaks* when it moves on the hardware fastening it to the purse? Like fingernails on a chalkboard. Thankfully there isn't alot
of movement going on at those contact points!
I didn't notice the squeaking, but now I'm going to lol. My navy suede purse is in better shape than my tweed purse, but I think I would have chosen the tweed one to return anyway because the navy suede goes with more of my wardrobe. The navy suede is dark, I like that. The tweed is really nice too, but one of them has to go back. I hope J. Crew keeps this style and comes out with different colors over time, I really like it.
DeleteTry rubbing a piece of candle wax on the hardware to stop the squeaking.
DeleteThanks Genny!
DeleteI posted this yesterday in another thread but should be a vent. Although I am glad that J Crew added a wish list feature I am disappointed that out of stock items disappear from the wish list so quickly. I assumed that since the wish list had an "out of stock" category that it would keep those items in the wish list longer. Like I am sure many other JCAs who get up at the crack of dawn to stalk coveted pop backs, I was hoping to use that feature as a way to catch pop backs. Although I have a ton of gripes about Athropologie's website, their wish list feature is pretty good and allows you to keep out stock items and also allows you to list a wish list as public if you want for gift buying, etc.
ReplyDeletewhat she said.
Delete^ same here.
DeleteCan someone please explain to me why Factory is making the artist boatneck tee in every color EXCEPT black this fall? I check every day to see if black will finally be added to the color roster, but am disappointed - every. single. day. These have been my go-to t-shirts for the last year, but I am clearly going to have to look for other options this fall, just one more instance in which money I would have spent at J.Crew is going to go elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteThis is my go-to long sleeve shirt too. I have the retail black so I must have bought it a few years ago. I don't know why J. Crew skips the basic colors at times. I've been waiting for navy blue cotton/non-wool cafe capris for a couple of years, still nothing.
DeleteHi cate! Ditto to the navy blue capris. I would also love some capris in the neglected stepchild of the color wheel: chocolate brown. I have been waiting for those 3 years now.
DeleteI mentioned the lack of a brown pant option to an sa lat week. Mentioned I had a brown suit from 1998 wool gabardine thar I loved but can no longer wear because it is way too ally Mcbeal...short skirt, looooooooong jacket. The sa said that is the last time they did chocolate brown and they were unlikely to do so anytime soon. And then he tried to talk me into gray.
DeleteSo, don't hod your breath, lol.
I would be happy with full length pants in the regular colors: navy, brown, grey or black! When are they going to be done with the winter capris?!
DeleteI was pleasantly surprised at the quality of factory tee shirts. The Artist boatneck is great thick quality fabric (far superior to the retail version from a couple years ago) and they are $29.50-40% off at the factory store right now. Beautiful colors too, but unfortunately no black.
DeleteAnother vent- a catalog came to my Mom's house with a 20% off coupon on the back, for in store and online. The same catalog came to my apartment, sans coupon. Not sure what that's all about, but I find it pretty annoying. J. Crew should be working on keeping their loyal customers, not alienating them.
ReplyDeleteJackie It's funny because I usually get one catalog sent to my home (billing) address that says something like "Welome to J Crew, Take 20% of your first purchase" (I mean the irony in that statement!) and then I'll get another catalogue sent to my work (shipping) address with no discount code. It's a mystery to me.
DeleteI got the coupon too, but nobody else here mentioned it. I'm not sure what percentage of people got one. I was a regular buyer for about a year but backed off lately, so I wondered if that was why I got the promo...
DeleteIt's a mystery to me too! Yes, I get the feeling they sent it to customers who don't shop there very often, like my Mom, who basically never shops there. Meanwhile, I'm a cardholder and pretty much 70% of the clothes in my closet are J. Crew, and I didn't get the coupon. I guess they're trying to entice new customers but almost makes me feel I got penalized for being a good customer?
DeleteI have another. I don't get the catalog until the first week of the new month, weeks behind some other customers. I don't get why they can't put them all in at the same time, or at least a few day roll-out. I picked up the September catalog in store, and still haven't received the mail version.
ReplyDeleteI usually get mine a few days after the rollout is in the stores, but this time I still haven't gotten a catalog mailed to me.
DeleteI mean, I get that I'm not a cardholder and therefore, probably, not as important in their eyes, but it still sucks.
DeleteI'm a cardholder, but come to think of it, I haven't used my card much this last month or so. Maybe that means no catalog for me this month? I don't care that much because I always pick one up at the store, but if I couldn't do that I'd be unhappy. I guess if they were going to take someone off the catalog mailing list, I'm a good candidate. On the other hand, I'd sure like it if they mailed me a catalog early, that would be a nice perk.
DeleteI have a gripe about their Rewards card. It's stupid that there's an expiration date. What's really ridiculous is, the card expires the same month it was sent to you. By the time I get the card, a week has already went by. I'm a busy person, as I travel pretty often. I got a $75 rewards card which I was only able to use 1/4 of it. Since the expiration date was approaching near and I didn't find anything I liked, I asked the SA if I could carry my reward points over. She told me it wasn't a problem and I could call in CS and they would be able to note it in the system. I had done this previously and they were able to apply the points to my future purchase. Thus, I figured JCREW was very lenient with their expiration policy on the Rewards card. I called them today and was told they couldn't do it. I asked to speak with the manager because they were able to do this before. Did the policy/rules change? Needless to say, I was placed on hold for 20 minutes; which infuriated me more. I hung up and tried back. I got a different CS and explained the situation. She told me they wouldn't be able to do it but in the future I would get another Rewards card. Duh? I know that. The question is, what about the remaining points that I had---did I lose all that? I was so upset I decided to close the card all together. It's ridiculous. At least my Discover card let me accumulate points forever and I could redeem them anytime. Even with Nordstrom, they at least give you a year to redeem those points. I have been a long withstanding customer with JCREW and I honestly have to say, after today's experience, this left a bad taste in my mouth. One less customer in their book--that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteI often place orders with rewards card, then end up returning the items. When this happens, they issue a gift card that does not expire. I don't deliberately do this, but it often seems to end up happening (though I'm enough of a JC shopper that I never have difficulty using a rewards card in time).
Delete