Wednesday, September 11, 2013

"Looking to VENT" with J.Crew

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.

23 comments:

  1. Is anyone else experiencing incorrectly filled orders recently? I have had 2 in the last 2 weeks. I returned the most recent one to a local store (after a subsequent customer service to OK it). I was "questioned" by a SA for stealing. Seriously? A note to Mickey in the morning.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's terrible. I know they have a store theft problem, but they also have online fulfillment problems. They had better be 1000% sure before they accuse a customer of stealing.

      Delete
    2. I work at a retail clothing store and you are never, never to tell a customer you suspect them of shoplifting. Even if they are the habitual lifters. This situation happens,where cust gets wrong item. You wouldn't believe the amount of retail theft that goes on. They are proffesionals. Also on a side note they say internal theft is higher than external at our chain...hard to believe.

      Delete
    3. I've only had that happen to me once where they sent a belt instead of a pair shoes. The customer service rep told me to keep the belt and sent me the shoes which fortunately were in stock. I recall shopwithmn on her blog discussing how she got a wedding dress in one of her packages!! And another JCA got someone else's bridesmaid dresses. That is horrible that questioned you for theft. I too worked in retail for many years and a store associate cannot question someone about suspected theft. Even if they see the person taking the items there are a lot or rules around this stuff!

      Delete
    4. The stealing accusation was in line with the item that was returned, not something that happened while in the store. Just thought I'd clarify.

      Delete
    5. Barbara yes I think that was clear. I was trying to say that an SA can't accuse someone of suspected theft even in some cases the most blatant of situations let alone a situation like yours where there was no reasan or evidence to believe the item was stolen. Sorry if that wasn't clear!

      Delete
    6. In the last two weeks I received two wrong items and both for the same item. I was supposed to get the tartine pebbled purse. First attempt I got the trench dress. Second attempt I got the woven brompton hobo. Frustrating. I said to the CSA when I called maybe it's a sign I shouldn't get the bag she didn't find it funny. She told me that my package would be inspected to make sure I get the tartine bag. I do wish she offered to expidite my shipping but I forgot to ask.

      Delete
    7. Barbara, that's terrible! I'm sorry they mistreated you -- especially when you were kind enough to be honest.

      I've had an order ship twice but only charged once. I've also gotten random Madewell stuff mixed in with my JCrew order. I've never ordered from Madewell.

      Delete
    8. I can top that. I once a scarf from Target in my JCrew factory package! I think it was actually the fault of the post office. The only explanation I could think of was the packages somehow mangled at post office and they shoved the scarf in my box. The skirt looked like it was run over by a tractor. Factory sent a replacement but there was no name for Target scarf so I got a free scarf and it was of those fancy expensive designer collaboration items from Target.

      Delete
  2. I have gotten many wrong items over the course of several years. I always use the prepaid label to return the items by mail as the customer service rep makes notes in the order and the return fee is always waived. Problem solved. Just leave package out for the mail lady to pick up. You can request a package pick up free of charge to your home or work address at usps online. Problem solved.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have you ever had an issue with getting the original item sent to you? I think that's more of the problem than retuning the wrong itrem. Also it's more of a pain for me to mail back items than go to the store. I live in a dense urban area and if I left a package out for pick up it would stolen within 60 seconds. It's easier for me to go to Jcrew than UPS or USPS.

      Delete
    2. A few years ago, I ordered the Belstaff leather moto jacket after the price had dropped to about $700. Just wanted to try it out. The jacket ran very small and the leather was very, very stiff so I decided to send it back. At that time, there were two separate return labels to choose from - USPS and UPS. The tracking # on the UPS label was always copied on the customer copy of the return form; however, the USPS label did not offer that service. Needless to say, I sent the package back via the post office and, having been used to the UPS tracking # always provided, I did not write the USPS tracking # down. When I had not heard back from JC via the usual e-mail regarding my return, I called CS and inquired about the package which, apparently, they never received.

      First, I must say that CS was GREAT. They did ask me for the tracking #, but after I explained my confusion with one label providing the tracking # and the other not and me not writing it down because I guess I'm a doofus and just didn't think of it, they gave me a full credit for the purchase.

      I guess my point is, it's never that easy.

      Also, I live in a fairly small college town, in a good neighborhood (never had a package stolen), but personally I would not leave my package out for pick up. Perhaps it's my mistrusting nature; maybe I just want to have a peace of mind; or it could be that it's a combination of both of these plus experiences such as the one I described above that force me make the trip to the post office or UPS store every time. Only now I make sure I jot down the tracking # every single time! ;-)

      Delete
    3. Ivanka - That's good info about thet tracking#. I assumed that they had the UPS/USPS labels associated w/the package it goes out in. I should've figured that's not the case.

      Delete
    4. Ivanka I am the same way. I am like Sally in When Harry Met Sally. I have to check all of my envelopes multiple times before putting them in the mailbox and need to actually hand my package to a human being!. One of my friends actually had a UPS package stolen off her front porch that had her wedding dress in it! UPS was not supposed leave the packaged unsigned but she had to find another dress due to timing constraints.

      Delete
    5. Gigi, I thought exactly the same thing until CS told me otherwise that time. Before then, I never even asked for a receipt at the post office or UPS. That, of course, changed when I thought I would be responsible for $700 worth of nothing. Now I always ask for a receipt. :-)

      312JCGirl, that's horrible about your friend! I am actually kinda glad when UPS leaves my packages at the front door as both UPS and the post office is quite a ways from my house. But I have to admit I'm always uneasy on the day of delivery until I get home from work.

      Delete
    6. Ivanka - You should look into UPS My Choice. I sometimes have packages held for pick up. Instead of wondering when the UPS guy is coming and if he's going to hold the package for signature or throw it over the fence, I put it on hold. I'm able to pick it up at a UPS Customer Center. I'm not sure how common those are, but I think there are other pickup locations. There's also an option to pay $5 to have a delivery brought during a specific time window. I've never used it, but it's good to know it's available.

      Delete
    7. Gigi, thanks for the info, I'll look into that. Sometimes I have an order shipped directly to my work place when I'm especially antsy about it lingering on my doorstep.

      Delete
    8. I don't live close to a store. Lucky me I have always lived in great sub neighborhoods in Illinois, Minnesota and North Carolina. I always copy the USPS tracking number down. Request the package pick up. You have the choice of leaving it outside your door or they will ring your bell and pick it up on a Saturday even if you are not home during the week. I love the service. Never had a problem in over 12 years of doing this. USPS also gives you a confirmation number online and when they pick up your package you get a confirmation too. LOVE this:)

      Delete
  3. I have an issue with the J.Crew credit card. I scheduled a payment recently and then realized I had picked the wrong day. Instead of being able to reschedule it myself in 30 seconds online (as you can easily do with Visa and MC), I had to call and waste 5 minutes on the phone talking to a service rep. Is this the biggest deal in the world? No, but why must J.Crew make things so difficult? My time is valuable, as is the customer service rep's, who surely has better things to do than cancel online payments.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz - The credit card holder for the J Crew card sucks. Plain and simple.

      Delete
  4. Boston's Copley store is usually terrific - very orderly and good service. But a recent visit was a turn-off. The clueless SA (seriously, he seemed high) had no idea whether there was any sale jewelry and made no effort to look. I discovered the sale jewelry on my own - the necklaces and bracelets, some quite delicate, all without packaging, were thrown into a plastic container by the registers. I couldn't even disentangle the items, some of which seemed to be damaged. Yikes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have a vent about rewards cards.

    I made a purchase from Factory with 4 items -- two different items, each in two sizes. I don't have a Factory close by and didn't know what would fit. I spent about $150, and $30 of that was rewards money.

    I returned the two sizes that didn't fit and kept the two that did, thinking that the reward would go toward the items I kept. Nope. Just got an email saying that a gift card is being mailed. I called CS, and they say that the reward money is always refunded first, then credit goes back on the credit card.

    So silly! I feel like they've tricked me into buying $60 worth of stuff AND won't even let me use my reward. I can't rebuy because the Factory prices on those items has gone back up.

    (On the upside, at least they process the gift card right away unlike Gap does with rewards.)

    Ok, rant over.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Last week I bought the tile sweater with my rewards card, and one day later it was $60 cheaper. I was able to call and get a price adjustment, and they did credit the amount to my J. Crew card account rather than giving me a gift card. So...I think it just depends on who is checking you out and helping you as to whether or not you can get the return as a credit on your account.

      Delete

Dear J.Crew Aficionadas & Aficionados: Please feel free (and encouraged) to share your thoughts and opinions. :) However, please note that this is still a personal blog. So comments that are considered inappropriate (e.g. obscene, racist, homophobic, personal attacks, rude, and just plain mean) will be removed.

And now back to J.Crew! :)