1) Nothing is set in stone. It actually says this in our training manual. We have the power to waive almost anything and everything. It doesn't mean that it will happen, but it does mean that you do not have to immediately "ask for a supervisor" to get something done; chances are they will tell you the same as what we have told you.2) Please don't be a bad consumer. J.Crew is a 1.3 billion dollar company, so they are going to be able to figure out if you have asked us to combine multiple discounts multiple times, or are generally scamming us. We have a dedicated group who's only job is to research customers, and classify them as VIPs, Frauds, Exceptional Negative, etc. We can usually tell if you are selling things on eBay; it's a pretty predicable pattern. It is pretty uncommon for someone to legitimately needs the same pair of clearance shoes in 5 different sizes and 2 different colors when they are on sale. We also notate every customers account thoroughly; if you have called in the past and combined multiple coupons, etc, and were told that it was a one-time courtesy, it will be notated on your account in big letters, and you will not be able to pull the stunt again. Also, don't go "rep hopping" if you don't get what you want. We may be a big company, but we are a pretty close-knit bunch inside the call center, and we do chat amongst ourselves and can usually pinpoint a customer that is calling in multiple times a night trying to get a freebie. Lastly, please don't say "I'm a great customer." If you are a great customer, we will know. You will get flagged as a VIP, and we will bend over backwards for you. A single thousand dollar order does not make a great customer. You need to hit close to five figures before you become a VIP at J.Crew.
3) The above being said; if we genuinely screw up, we will do whatever we can to fix it. We have had items hand-delivered to customers houses, sent an associate to meet a customer at the airport, and routinely send out gift cards to people that we have wronged. We even refund orders and allow the customer to simply keep the merchandise if the situation warrants.
4) If you are buying a full-price item that is not carried in stores (or your size/color preference is sold out), buy the item from physically inside a store. Let me explain: we have what is called a "red phone" inside every singe retail store. If you pick up that phone, it is a direct line to an associate in our call center. If you are ordering a full-price item from a retail store, we will waive shipping automatically. Also, if you live near a J.Crew store, just return your items to the store, and save yourself the shipping.
5) You should genuinely consider opening a J.Crew card. Complementary alterations, a discount on your first order, as well as genuinely exclusive promotions. In addition, if you are placing an order of more that $500 (a good third of my orders are above this amount), you are an idiot if you don't open the card. For every $500 you spend, you get a $25 "rewards card." Legally, we can't call it a gift card, but it is essentially the same thing.
6) J.Crew clothes are of very high quality. Our cashmere sweaters, for example, are from the Loro Piana mill. If this doesn't mean anything to you, look it up on Wikipedia. The colors are exclusive to us, but contractually, we are not allowed to advertise this fact. J.Crew actually is Loro Piana's second biggest customer; the first is the Neiman Marcus department stores. We also have a "mock store" in our call center; if you have a question about an item, just ask and we can go physically grab the item and bring it back to our desk and examine it for you. Our leather shoes and bags are from the same sources and factories as Gucci and Prada, and our costume jewelry is made by some of the same designers as the big names. J.Crew isn't the Steve & Barry's of upscale clothing...you get the same quality for a much lower price.7) Don't be afraid to pick our brains. We are put through a style "boot-camp" of sorts; if you have a question about whether something looks good, just ask. We also have access to all kinds of detailed measurements, including things as ridiculous as the circumference of buttons and the width of zipper pulls.
8) The website sucks if you are not computer literate. Just pick up the phone and call us; there is nothing on the website that we can't order for you. Regarding the big thing with the computer upgrade and all the glitches; it is pretty much all worked out. If something happens, we will take care of you. You honestly don't have to raise hell to get good customer service with us.
In closing, I want you to know that I am not one of those people that hate their jobs and are ranting about it. I love J.Crew, I genuinely think that the clothing is amazing, and I hope that they continue to do well. I really enjoy talking to all different people who call in, and I always have a friendly chuckle with the people in Texas who are buying goose-lined coats and cashmere sweaters before they visit friends up North next week because they think that 50 degrees is going to be insanely cold. (I am from Minnesota originally).
PS: Coupon code "JUSTASK" will always get you free shipping. And of course, if you call us and use a .edu email address, you will get a 15% discount. Otherwise, show your student ID at the retail store.
"Thanks!" again to Michael for sharing with us the inner workings of J.Crew. I value his input and appreciate his willingness to share with us. (I also learned a lot from his comments too!) :)
Michael also let us know that the code JUSTASK doesn't expire. (Which equals "awesome" in my book). ;)
Lastly, I have disabled the comments. The direction of the comments towards the end ceased being a discussion. Please stop the negativity and let's try to get back to discussing our love of J.Crew clothes. :)
WOW! Thanks, Michael, for the information and the code. And thanks, Alexis, as always for keeping us informed!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Alexis and Thanks Michael! Interesting intelligence for all of us. A good reminder that most if not all big stores are tracking our spending and building profiles on our shopping habits....
ReplyDeleteLove the 'justask' promo- very smart J Crew!
Twiga
sorry, i just had one more idea, since michael mentioned alterations.... Has anyone had experience with alterations that they can share? What can be altered (for free), and what cannot? Only pants, or can skirt hems or coat/shirt sleeves be taken up? and do i have to decide before purchasing whether i want it altered? or can i take it back to the store later in the week?
ReplyDeleteOh my god, so much fabulous information. Thank you Michael! This all makes me happy to be a J. Crew addict. No matter how frustrated I get at J. Crew sometimes, they always manage to win me back in about 5 minutes.
ReplyDeleteAnd I completely agree, there are CS reps out there who bend over backward. Before the Maggie jackets were online, I called to pre-order one, and the CS lady I reached pulled out all the stops to make sure I would get one.
I also love the idea of the mock store! How neat!
AWESOME post.
ReplyDeleteIt sort of upsets me, though, that I've pretty much diversified all of my purchases through two email accounts (one student, the other personal). Granted, I haven't come close to 5-figure spending, but I'm sure I will sooner or later.
Again, thanks a lot Alexis and Michael. Great info! :)
Thanks Michael and Alexis!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that justask is a promo! I thought that it was a reminder email--thanks!
btw, agreeing with the fantastic CS service. I've dealt with bad service there before, but for the most part, everyone has been amazing. One girl last night bent over backwards to find the maggie for me, after it was "lost" the first time.
From what Michael wrote, I felt he loved his job. Jcrew has been good in many perspectives, but Michael's writing carries a lot of pride.
ReplyDeleteJcrew is good, but not that good ... the quality of jcrew shoes is superior, but the comfort jcrew high heal is below average. the yarn of jcrew cashmere is from a world renowned mill, but some was dyed in hongkong.
I have no intention to post anything negative. We are here because we are jcrew fans. However, to be honest, jcrew is no prada and no chanel.
Rosie -- basic alterations are the hems -- pants and skirts. I asked about sleeves, and those are definitely not included (which makes sense, because they often need to be shortened by removing the sleeve entirely, so it's more complicated and takes longer).
ReplyDeleteI would also like to know how the alterations turn out. I recently took my green gingham shirt to get the side's altereted at some new tailor by my work and he ruined it. It turn into a women's blouse haha.
ReplyDeleteAnyone have good experience cause some shirts there run a lil baggy sometimes.
Is it possible for tailors to take the legs in of pants? For example, if the leg is too wide, can they make it a slimmer cut?
ReplyDeleteWhile I usually find Jcrew employees' postings to be informative, I found this post to be a bit condescending. Regardless of whether JCrew's sweaters are from the same company that supplies NM's cashmere, customers ARE experiencing increased pilling and general quality control issues with other items. I felt this message was a big eff you to the customers who in the past have voiced their disappointment in items that did not hold up as well as expected. I fortunately haven't had any problems with quality (yet), and I hope it stays that way.
ReplyDeleteAs for the 5-digit purchase requirement to reach VIP status? I agree with Anon at 1:17A.M. - Jcrew is nice, but not Gucci or Prada nice.
Thanks Michael and Alexis!
ReplyDeleteAny insight is greatly appreciated since JCrew has a lot of fans (I think thanks to this blog I knew more about new items and colors they come in than some of the SAs in the store)
Any updates on the inventory/website issues? Two of my orders were cancelled; hasn't happened with any other retailer in the past :(
Regarding the alterations - they only apply to full priced merchandise.
ReplyDeleteLet me outline this like our friend at j.crew did:
ReplyDelete1)I found Mikey talked down to all of us. "Rep hopping"? Well, geezus, maybe if they were all nice and friendly and cooperative like every 5th person we spoke to, we wouldn't have an issue not hanging up on the first 4. In this case, he's right. Nothing is set in stone.
2)No one cares how much you buy. Seriously. Don't justify your being nice by how many dollars we spend. Some people have bigger budgets, some have smaller ones. The customer is usually right. Sales 101. Don't change the rules, Mikey. J.Crew is not God, and you're not one of his Holy Disciples. In regards to Ebay Resellers. Duh, of course you know who's who. We know who's who. You can notate all you want, just remember that one person purchasing one thing is the same as one person purchasing 8 things. We should ALL be thanked. So go ahead and notate all you want, just remember when selective "gifts" go out, they shouldn't discriminate. I consider everyone on this board as VIP's. We're passionate and dedicate ourselves to this board.
3)Yeah, you've screwed up, you've apologized, and you're still screwing up. We get it. Just try to minimize the screw ups.
4) We all know about the Red Phone. Don't act like you invented it or are sharing a secret.
5)Some people choose to open the J.Crew card, others don't. Don't call someone who chooses not to, an Idiot, you idiot. Again, a person that buys one special sweater and is excited is by no means hard pressed to buy $400 worth of merchandise more to be part of your "Charge Card Club". Your card has no great benefits. Charge card members don't get anything faster or better than regular buyers. So don't paint us a unrealistic picture.
Your cashmere PILLS. Expensive cashmere of high quality does not. End of discussion.
7. How many times have I called, and your CS has READ me the general measurements and have passed it on as the ACTUAL measurements? More than, uh, once.
8."The website sucks if you are not computer literate." Oh, so my day/night job should be a computer programmer? "We'll be back soon"... Yeah, I would call myself and the other ladies on this board literate, as we can identify this as a system issue, not as a challenge on our intelligence.
You should be ashamed of posting, my friend. Your superiors would be quite upset if they found out you're talking down to your consumers, your buyers, your bread and butter. I wouldn't be surprised if someone from J.Crew contacts you, Alexis, with an apology that an insider would choose to give us his 2 cents and corporate jibberish jargon!
This is my first post, and this entry made me pretty happy. Although I can't decide if I should be more excited about the free shipping/call for 15% off, or upset that I've been missing out on it for this long!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know whether they can track customers around various email addresses if, say, the shipping address and name are always the same? I forget my passwords every so often and just end up re-registering as a customer. I actually hate to think that I'd be anywhere near VIP level, but I'm definitely up there.
Let's Dissect This - Well said! I wonder if the JUSTASK code will go away now that it's been made public - especially in such an open forum.
ReplyDeletePS- Mikey needs to remember that he is an low man on the totem pole, order taker from this billion dollar company. He is what we call an EMPLOYEE. This is his JOB.
ReplyDeleteLadies, I don't want to be negative, but I feel like if all the people in America ceased to buy J.Crew clothing based on this guy's insight, J.Crew would cease to exist. It's as simple as that. Our love for the company FUELS this company's success.
I'm sorry "mike", but I've recently worked as an associate, I won't say where, but this is just a whole bulk of boloney. Nothing you've said is a secret & we all know that. As for the reward program, it pales in comparison to many. Anyone with an independent mind would know that store cards are just minefields with the high interest rates. If you ask me, I'd say you'll be an idiot FOR signing up for it. Thanks for the "advice", but we're not kids & if anything, this interview only makes it seem like you're paid to say all this. Really, you sound like an employee's manual. Yes, I did read mine. Thanks, but no thanks buddy. Your words has been way too belittling. Who are you, Mickey?
ReplyDeleteThis is "Michael" aka the author of the above. This is obviously a pseudonym, in case anyone is wondering.
ReplyDeleteI in no way intend to be condescending to anybody or anyone. I am simply trying to provide insight into the way that J.Crew works. I have worked at J.Crew for several years now, and love my job immensely.
Regarding what "Let's dissect this" stated,
1) Every single one of us should be courteous at J.Crew. I can understand hanging up and calling back if you are getting someone who is not helpful or who is being a snot. However, if you are hanging up and calling back after we let you know that we cannot honor multiple discounts after we have let it slide multiple times, perhaps it is not the rep's fault that he/she cannot give you what you are trying to get. If a rep is not courteous, they will be/are fired. End of story. At least 1% of our calls are listened in on by somebody higher up than us, and we are graded quite stringently. Do poorly enough, and you get the boot. Mickey Drexler himself has been known to call in and pretend to be someone else, just so he can see how his reps are doing.
2) Nobody at J.Crew ever will change their level of "nice" by how much you spend. But, if you need a "find it" request done on a sale item (which we do not normally do), we are probably going to make an exception for our good customers even though it will mean that we will barely break even, or even loose money.
3) I'm not acting like I "invented it". It's a great bonus that many people, including a few of our retail associates, don't know about.
4) Perhaps idiot was too strong of a word. But the fact remains that you basically get an additional 5% off for using your J.Crew card (in the form of the reward).
5) Only the very best cashmere doesn't pill. All cashmere will pill the first time it is washed. The cashmere care kit is a useful tool, and includes a great comb that you can use to remove the pills. Wearing your cashmere under other items can cause pilling, as well as not washing it correctly. If cared for properly, our cashmere will last for years.
6) Nobody is saying that your day/night job should be that of a programmer. I agree that J.Crew needs to sort the site out. The way that the shopping cart works, with the weird price displays and the inventory disappearing out of your cart if it sells out is ridiculous.
It is getting better, but I still think that the best way to place an order is to pick up the phone and give us a call.
Nobody is talking down to you here. I'm trying to give you straight information on how J.Crew operates. At the end of the day, I do not benefit in any way from sharing this information, and I am only trying to be helpful. I neither asked for nor deserved "lets dissect's" abusive comments, and she should reconsider her policy on abusing and degrading people who are trying to provide helpful info.
In response to the post about multiple email addresses/accounts: you will simply be created multiple times in our system, and unfortunately, we do not have a way to combine profiles into one. This doesn't really matter if you have a JCCC, because the rewards are tracked on the card number, not on the user account used to place the order.
A reminder as well: if you pay off the card in full, you don't pay any interest and reap pure rewards.
ReplyDeleteThere is no such thing as a "rewards" credit card that is a good deal if you are carrying a balance. The interest rate will almost always eat up whatever the value is of the "reward" you would be getting, whether that would be cash back or airline miles.
As Let's dissect this... has already stated, I found Michael's shared "insight" very condescending. I have spent enough of my money on JCrew in the last year or so, and I am no where near considered as a VIP. And just because we shop sale here in AZ (because we DONT need sweaters or long sleeves) when it's hotter than Dante's inferno in October, doesn't mean I'm a sub-par customer. I also regret being called an idiot because I can afford to pay for my items cash-and-carry instead of piling my bills onto an unnecessary card; ladies who are 5'11" don't find the free hemming too tempting.
ReplyDeletePS. Your pseudonym, Michael, is only one more reason I find this to be ridiculous.
1. You're not all that courteous. 1% of the calls is not indicative of someone who is in a bad mood because he or she makes $10/hour while the caller is buying a $350 jacket. That's the reality.
ReplyDelete2. Doing a "find it" for sale merchandise only puts money in the company's pocket. Finding me a $99 sweater that was marked down from $250 still makes you money. I'm taking that item out of your inventory, off you floors, off your books. You charge me for shipping. How are you the loser? The sweater still costs a net $2.50 to make. You're not doing me a "favor" by typing it into your system. Try a better excuse.
3. I think all the associates know about the Red Phone. We all know about the Red Phone. It's there, it's red and it's not always the answer. Especially if it takes me back to point #1.
4. mickey@jcrew.com. Your main man is going to want to do some research in finding out who you are and which ip address you're typing from. Word to the wise, maybe your IT people can figure out who you are, since the website is completed and up and running. I don't think anyone appreciates you calling us non-cardmembers IDIOTS. I resent that, and I pay cash for all my purchases.
5. My cashmere PILLS. Quit saying that it doesn't and won't just because there's Jcrew label on it. Check under your arms. Before the garment is drycleaned. See it? That's pilling. My eyes don't lie, Mikey, so don't feed me your bs.
6. The site is fine. You're the one claiming that we're computer illiterate. Don't be an ass about things you have no standard mental grasp of.
You're not helpful, and you're the one that's abrasive and rude. I hope you get nailed for posting here. I've called your CS many times and the men and women there are in no way in your disrespectful league. In a rough time like this, I hope you realize that you're expendable and that someone like you clearly does not deserve to belong in a classy company like J.crew.
Thank you Michael for the insight and Alexis for posting it! Everything M discussed I have heard before, to varying degrees. I love that he is such an enthusiastic employee, he makes ME want to work at Jcrew :-) Maybe one day...but for now I will just enjoy being at VIP member :-)
ReplyDelete1) I apologize if you have had a bad experience. You have options to either ask for the persons supervisor, email us, or, if you really feel hurt, not buy our merchandise. I could honestly care less if you are purchasing a $300 jacket or a $20 pair of shoes; I will still treat you with the same level of professionalism and kindness. My job is to be courteous and helpful to you over the phone, no matter who you are.
ReplyDelete2) You have no concept of reality if you think that our sweaters cost a net of $2.50. "Find It's" cost us money on sale items because the majority of the time, we will not actually be able to find the item in any of our stores. It's not about doing you a "favor", it takes about a minute to fill out that form.
3) Moving on..
4) I'm sure J.Crew's IT will have a blast, considering that I am not posting from a J.Crew computer and have never accessed the blog from inside the company.
5) Agree to disagree with the cashmere then.
6) Things I don't have a mental grasp of...right. I run a computer consulting and repair business on the side, and make enough that I have no real reason to need to work at J.Crew. I work because I enjoy what I am doing, and the discount is nice too. I think I am more than qualified to say that the site's shopping cart is poorly designed, and the majority of our customers agree.
7) If I don't deserve to work at J.Crew, I would not have been hired, so evidently, someone in the company disagrees with you. At the end of the day, nobody forced you to read what I wrote. I have no obligation to kiss your ass on the Internet, and I don't intend to. Perhaps it is you who is the ass; you really shouldn't be getting all uptight over things that you read on the Internet.
Michael do you have to hit the 5 figures every year to be a Jcrew VIP or just once? I imagine you have to reach it every year?
ReplyDeleteflaneuse,
ReplyDeleteI am not 100%, but I do believe that it is every year.
1-7: Michael, your world is so tiny. I wish we could all read your comments with the same rose colored glasses you wear.
ReplyDeleteTaunt your company to figure out your identity all you want. You're a nasty little wart that J.Crew should remove. Perhaps the person who originally hired you isn't too keen on making good decisions, much like yourself.
If you have to take a second job to support yourself, I'm guessing you've made a string of bad decisions, much like thinking that your demeaning post could solve the world's problem. Again, the identify who the real ass is, I'm the one paying your 2nd paycheck by buying Jcrew merchandise. Now, who's the real ass?
Perhaps live by your own rules of being courteous, professional and kind by what you write, not just what happens when someone decides to call you over the red phone. Afterall, the members of this blog are BUYERS. If you have a problem, please print this out and hand it to your manager, as I feel you don't have the mental capacity to make heads or tails of our dismay with you.
"You have no concept of reality if you think that our sweaters cost a net of $2.50. "Find It's" cost us money on sale items because the majority of the time, we will not actually be able to find the item in any of our stores. It's not about doing you a "favor", it takes about a minute to fill out that form."
ReplyDeleteIs a minute too much to ask? You have to type in my name, #, address and cc#. Then you hit "search". Usually, I get an answer within 30 seconds that my item is not available. Are you paying the computers to do your work? Robots? Gimme a break.
I know your items don't cost much to make. Check the labels. Made in China using Italian Cashmere. CHINA. Know how much someone makes per day to work there? Pennies on the dollar!
Can't find an item in your store? Does J.Crew quit doing inventory on an item that has gone on sale? Seems a bit irresponsible...I don't know, but Michael sounds like a jerk...and to think that he probably took an oath and now he's spilling all the beans on how jcrew ranks us, etc...what a sellout.
LOL. Michael probably works for the Geek Squad through Best Buy or something like that. Don't they drive around in black/orange Halloween looking VW Bugs and fix computers and consult? I guess you'd want a second job if you did that for a living.
ReplyDeleteI hope he's just a "seasonal hire", and once the snow thaws, he'll be discarded like an outdated pilling cashmere cardigan.
I certainly hope you're kind and professional over the phone, because you certainly are rude and obnoxious here. I'd like to get your information and email Mickey too. It seems like workers that are as "passionate" as our friend Michael should get fired for thinking he's the company's spokesperson.
LOL. Michael probably works for the Geek Squad through Best Buy or something like that. Don't they drive around in black/orange Halloween looking VW Bugs and fix computers and consult? I guess you'd want a second job if you did that for a living.
ReplyDeleteI hope he's just a "seasonal hire", and once the snow thaws, he'll be discarded like an outdated pilling cashmere cardigan.
I certainly hope you're kind and professional over the phone, because you certainly are rude and obnoxious here. I'd like to get your information and email Mickey too. It seems like workers that are as "passionate" as our friend Michael should get fired for thinking he's the company's spokesperson.
There are people who spend 5 figures at J crew annually? Good lord! If I had that kind of clothing budget, I'd be buying out Barney's, not a mall store.
ReplyDelete*sighs*
ReplyDeleteWhile the tone CAN be viewed as condescending (didn't Alexis asked us to give each other the benefit of a doubt?), and he did repeat some information that some of us already knew (though I learned from the post!), I found the blacklash to be disproportionally pugnacious. He was helpful: he gave some of his own opinions (some of which I agree with, some of which I didn't)...but it really didn't warrant this sustained attack.
Michael: Thanks for the code, and thank you also for the reminder that we are being tracked. It's one of those things that I technically know, but often forget. :)
Michael thank-you for the information it was very useful, and I agree with Auryane about the backlash it was not deserved. The only thing that I would like to see is consistency among the CS regarding policies, "The parcel is on the truck" line is getting old, when inquiring about a parcel that has not shipped out in several days.
ReplyDeleteAgain thanks for taking the time to post.
Thanks for the info! I had some issues with an order (acutally a lot of issues) and you guys where great! I felt so bad for the call people I had to talk to the situation was so confusing :)
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if you can get the jcrew card in Canada or is it a US only thing?
alysa: US only. Are you from Canada too? Are you worried about the exchange, I am.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post. I agree that people got a bit harsh...
I guess the only word I found to be a bit stinging was the use of "idiot" but I got where you were coming from and just laughed it off.
Thank you for taking time to post and respond to the comments:)
I have never done a preorder before. Can you tell me how it works? Can I still use my educator's discount on a preorder?
Thank you.
J.
mmichael- i really appreciate your info. i have thought many times about how jcrew looks at all of this. having worked in service industries i think it's always important for customers to be courteous and not just always out to get a deal. i of course love saving money, and i have a strict clothing budget every year so i try to wait for coupons and sales. i think that asking for price adjustments and coupon combining is ok. it never hurts to ask, and sometimes the rep says no, and i'm ok with that. but your post is a great reminder that there is someone on the other end of the line trying to do a good job, and that at the end of the day jcrew is a company trying to make money and keep customers happy which is a difficult balancing act.
ReplyDeletemaybe you could post some info on how customers are viewed when they return a lot? i don't live anywhere near a retail store so i do order and return by mail, it's the only way i can try some things on. does this put a "black mark" on your customer record? (sorry if you have already answered this, i haven't had a chance to read all the posts yet). thanks!
Another Canadian worried about the exchange. I wish JCrew gave us store promotions. I've called CS a few times requesting a discount adjustment with mixed success. I don't think they realize that we now have to pay 15% more per order just because of our dollar exchange.
ReplyDeleteMelissa- you took the words out of my mouth! That was my exact question for Michael! : )
ReplyDeleteI too don't live near a J Crew and order A LOT of stuff online and return probably 75% of it : ( Of Course I wish the items would work out, but sometimes things just don't look as good in person.
Michael- thanks for your post. It was VERY informative. I think some people may feel a little "sensitive" that we are being monitored as "good" vs. "bad" clients when we all love J Crew clothing so much. We all expect the VIP treatment : )
What a condescending load of baloney. For starters, alterations of basics like hemming pants and skirts costs almost nothing at a professional tailor (probably around $10-12), so to write that up as a big value is a joke. Better to have it done by a professional, anyway, than rely on a sales person to correctly pin the item and then get it sent off-site.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, no, Michael, J.Crew's cashmere isn't on par with Loro Piana.
Seriously, how many J.Crew customers spend in the five-digits? I doubt very many. And while J.Crew may well have profiles on us because of our spending habits with them, well, Michael, as I am certain you are reading this, we, the consumers, also remember what company screwed up order after order after order. Read this blog: The website is not fixed.
Next time, J.crew employee, try less arrogance and more sincerity.
Hi Michael,
ReplyDeleteGreat Post. Thank you! The negative comments are undeserved.
I love JCrew and spend quite a bit of money there every year. I am generally very happy with the quality of merchandise and when I have had issues (very few) someone is always available to take care of me!
Any chance you can tell us when anything % off coupon will be coming or when the big fall sale will take place?!
I am anxiously awaiting (I don't mind spending upwards of $1,000 when I get a discount too).
Thanks So Much!
~Kelly
i agree with most on here - not very nice comments to read first thing in the AM.
ReplyDeletefirst of all i have worked retail (nordstroms all through college) and NEVER would we ever track someones spending and be more/less helpful based on it. today a customer might buy a $5 tank but if you treat them well they will come back to buy that $200 coat. and if they like you enough they come back and give YOU the comission.
and come on the "we will find it for you" on sale merch -- i have asked for the search multiple times been told there are zero, go to my B&M and see 5. in my size and color. thanks for all that help michael.
as for people who have bought in multiple sizes/colors of good deals? i am guilty. i have friends who wear your clothes. i ahve family who wear j crew. sorry i buy for them too. didn't know i was being punished. i will stop. promise.
this whole thing has left such a bad taste in my mouth. it will be a long time before i buy again (i think i will shop with those ebay sellers, they don't seem to track how worthy of their help i am).
I appreciate the Jcrew employee insight, I really do, but I did not appreciate his tone at all. I think Jcrew should be thankful for me, not the other way around - and lately Jcrew has very little consideration for their loyal customers (or any new customers).
ReplyDeleteI could have agreed with his ravings on Jcrew merchandise a couple years ago when their items were the best, but not now. Not when buttons are falling off, seams are ripping and cashmere is pilling - no way.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to use the 'JUSTASK' coupon code online, and then call and ask for the student discount?
I million thank-you's to Michael. It is so nice to hear from such a passionate JCrew employee. I am "over the moon" about that "just ask" code, hope it really doesn't expire. I can't tell you how many times I decided to not order an item because of the shipping costs.
ReplyDeleteThanks again to Michael for his insight!
Some of Michael's comments were interesting (especially the JUSTASK code!) and some were condescending, I agree. However, let's not be overly harsh towards him or anyone else. Alexis doesn't need or want her blog to be a wasp's nest of haters.
ReplyDeletePS and off-topic:
ReplyDeleteGAP, Inc. is offering 15% off $75 and 20% off $100 with the coupon code GETMORE through 10/22
As a guess, I think that many of the VIPs are people who buy JCrew for their entire family. I can see a family of 4 easily cruising into the 5 figure range via women's, men's and crewcuts.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that keeps me coming back to JCrew are the employees. I have found 99% of the people who work there to be nice, patient and willing to go above and beyond to make me happy (and make a sale). I could care less if I'm shopping at Prada or TJ Maxx. The clothes are what drew me in, but a nice sales person can make the difference between a purchase and a walkout.
I want to say thank you to Michael for his post...it was nice to see an employee's *take* on J.Crew. A lot of the information given we are already aware of, and have discussed in great lengths on this blog. I do agree that J.Crew Customer Service is usually FABULOUS, and have had absolutely wonderful experiences with the majority of the reps, even though my experience with my orders placed since the website upgrade have been absolutely HORRIBLE.
ReplyDeleteI completely disagree about the JCrew Credit Card and quality of merchadise, however. There really are no perks that I can see in owning one of the cards, and the quality of J.Crew merchandise seems to be decreasing, as the prices are increasing...quality control seems to be non-existent. Just saying that J.Crew clothing is of very high quality does NOT make it so, nor does claiming it comes from exclusive Italian mills...please don't insult my intelligence.
I take great offense at being told the website sucks due to customers being computer illiterate...the website still has numerous glitches and issues, and they are NOT due to user error...they are due to the disaster of the upgrade that took place nearly FOUR months ago. It does NOT matter whether you order ONLINE or OVER THE PHONE...there are STILL numerous problems...PLEASE DO NOT PRETEND THEY DON'T EXIST...that is just plain wrong.
J.Crew is very fortunate to have a loyal customer following, otherwise I don't think it would have weathered the Website Upgrade Fiasco as well as it has. Please remember that it is the members of this blog, as well as the other customers who don't post here that keep J.Crew in business...
Thank you again for posting Michael...I appreciate your passion and enthusiasm for J.Crew...I feel it, too! I do hope the current problems with the website and shipping that continue to occur can be honestly addressed and taken care of. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE JUST ASK CODE FOR FREE SHIPPING!!! THAT IS FABULOUS!!! :)
this is the most arrogant and condascending company...especially for a mall store!
ReplyDeleteLet me give you an example, 'Mike', of a real-life scenario that might prompt a customer to order multiples of one item in different sizes during a J.Crew sale:
ReplyDeleteTwinstigator delivers twins and discovers much to her dismay that after 38 weeks of gestation she is no longer a size 4 (even when factoring in the new 'vanity sizing'). Said twins are only a couple of weeks old, so Twinstigator isn't going to the mall much. So, despite the grossly overinflated shipping charges (btw, 'Mike', riddle me those prices if you will) she orders 3 pairs of chinos in a size 10, 8, and 6. Ever the optimist, she figures she can't be bigger than a 10 and she'll surely continue to lose the post-partum weight.
Fast-forward 8.5 months and Twinstigator is now a size 4 (but only in certain J.Crew items) while being an occasional 6 and 2 in certain other J.Crew items.
So now what, 'Mike'? Do I have to ask permission from J.Crew employee # 9876543 before I can order the same item in a few sizes? Really? Should I also submit a curriculum vitae and a resume just to make sure I'm granted the privilege of being a J.Crew customer in the future?
Perhaps J.Crew should just do away with the vanity sizing instead and label its sizes consistently.
And, here's another free insight, 'Mike'. Feel free to buy it or not: J.Crew isn't exactly Hermes --no matter how much delusional & paternalistic kool-aid the corporate headquarters serve you over there at your call center.
Does anyone know how they track purchases that you return as gifts? I regularly return final sale items as gifts without receipt (only if it JUST doesn't fit, or if it is defective), and they usually ask for my ID. I have a different address on my ID than my shipping & billing address so I think it's OK but now I'm paranoid. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAlso, sometimes the item rings up for much more than I paid. Occasionally it rings up for less, but usually if it rings up for a different price, I get more on a gift card that I paid. This is just one reason why I think their "final sale" policy hurts J. Crew more than it helps.
I could care less if Michael's message was condescending or not. I just don't want the JUSTASK code to go away. So, don't be snarky, peeps! J.Crew giveth the code, and J.Crew can taketh it away.
ReplyDeleteI am also curious to know how I score in J.Crew's customer ranking. VIP I am not, because I am not a full-pricer. But, I wonder if I am an Exceptional Negative or something awful along those lines?
I bet JCrew is going to be upset with this posting and I would also guess that the "JustAsk" free shipping code will soon expire now that it has been posted --- anyone agree?
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling that some of the information released, though interesting, would not have been approved by J Crew. I think "Michael" may find himself in a bit of trouble.
jenn7- you're scamming the company when you do this. hopefully they are keeping track of you. to return something for more than you paid and not say anything is theft. i'm sorry but customers who do stuff like this are the ones who make it hard for everyone else to get legit discounts. just mail it back in with the receipt if it doesn't fit, final sale or not. it's more honest this way.
ReplyDeletei actually didn't appreciate the undertone of michael's post. 'let me explain the red phone", give me a break. seriously, come on. Don't talk to us like that, just because we are smart enough to get around and get the best deals we can, it doesn't mean we are not intelligent, and i think anyone who visits this blog knows enough about jcrew to know the redphone. Actually, seeing his post turns me off jcrew more so than the bad customer service i've received in the past.
ReplyDeletemichael - first of all, I want to say thank you for taking the time to put together a well-thought out and organized set of suggestions. I really do appreciate your insight, and a lot of people on this blog do too. Please be assured that most of us here are really happy with J.Crew's design, quality, and customer service. Obviously no company is perfect, and there are bound to be negative experiences here and there that some people seem to want to express. We are your biggest fans though, and we will keep shopping in abundance.
ReplyDeleteI know I've said this before, but I again want to commend J.Crew's customer service. Rarely have I found customer service reps who are as personable, courteous, and patient as those at J.Crew. (I might add that they all speak English when they serve customers in the U.S., which is clearly not a priority for other companies.) They actually care - or do a really good job of pretending to care - about my little worries that something won't fit or look good or whatever. Honestly, I never encounter people who are obnoxious or don't care about the customer. J.Crew's customer service really goes out of their way to make every single experience as good as it can be. This is simply not the case when I deal with other companies' customer service. I've also received many, many exceptions when I didn't even know the rules pertaining to various charges or discounts.
As far as efficiency and accuracy, I personally have had mostly positive experiences. I've had very few packages that didn't arrive in a few days and almost no orders that were messed up. Maybe it is my luck. But I sure haven't had the same luck when ordering from other companies.
As for being a VIP, I always feel that I am treated as one. While I contribute a steady stream of regular purchases, I don't come close to 5 figures yearly. This does not, however, reflect on me in inferior service. I've never felt that the service is lacking. Sure, I am envious when someone gets a personal card from Micky Drexler along with a necklace. But I don't require these things to be satisfied with the company overall.
Now, Michael, I will say this about being a cardholder. I appreciate the convenience of being able to put all my J.Crew purchases on my card and having one bill to pay each month. I also appreciate receiving free alterations (which I take advantage of frequently for items that don't come in petite sizes). However, I am a little irritated that I am still waiting to receive my rewards from my summer spending in the 4th week of October. Yes, I have spoken with credit card services and they assured me that the rewards are being mailed this week, and that I can begin to use them this week even before the actual cards are received. But is it all all possible that our spending rewards could just get automatically notated on our credit card accounts after every $500 purchase? I mean, you guys have our account numbers, so why waste the money and labor to print and mail the cards when we would be happier to receive an instant reward? It's not likely that we cardholders would use another form of payment to shop at J.Crew.
I also want to address quality. Overall, the products are worth the price. J.Crew's materials, tailoring, and design are difficult to match in this price range. And while the vast majority of my J.Crew purchases have stood the test of time (and a lot of cleanings), every once in a while an item doesn't measure up. It's not your fault, Michael.
But Michael, people here do want to bring up valid issues of quality when someone from J.Crew is listening. For example, I adore cashmere! I've collected close to 30 cashmere sweaters over the past 6 years. Of the numerous cashmere sweaters I own, I've come to love J.Crew's as the softest and prettiest in terms of color and design. But I also know it will pill immediately, even before I clean it. Compared with at least 6 other brands that I own, I can't help but question how long my J.Crew cashmere is going to last. This is unfortunate, because J.Crew's cashmere has become my go-to. But I don't want to pay full price for a sweater that isn't going to last when I can either pay up and buy Ralph Lauren cashmere (incredibly soft) or pay down a little and buy Lord & Taylor cashmere (incredibly resilient).
let's dissect this... has some other very valid points as well. Why would J.Crew care how many pairs of shoes someone is buying in the same color when J.Crew is getting the same money regardless? Why doesn't J.Crew offer a "we will find it" for sales items when it will make you money for us to buy it plus get the inventory off store's racks? Those are just thoughts, not meant to be taken as criticisms.
As someone who has been shopping at J.Crew for over 16 years, I can make a fair claim of having watched the company grow and evolve over the years. Throughout all this time, the design has changed tremendously, and prices have changed (usually higher but occasionally lower). What hasn't changed in 16 years is J.Crew's commitment to make the best quality for the price and its exceptional customer service. As long as that continues, I'll continue to be a loyal customer.
Michael: Thank you very much for sharing information. I've learn more about J.Crew:). Although I am not a VIP, I found J.Crew sales reps in a shop nearby are incredibly nice! This is one of reasons why I love J.Crew and buy there. Also I love J.Crew cashmere - especially honey color! I worried about pills but probably it depends on how we care for cashmeres. Even high quality clothing is damaged without proper care (my Lolo Piana shawl got pills because I scratched with my bag...) I love J.Crew and each piece are my favorites. After reading your post, I will try to keep them with more care.
ReplyDeleteAlexis: Thank you very much for sharing Michael's post. It is always exciting to read J.Crew employees' comments:)
Now that the "JUSTASK" promo has been made public, there's NO WAY it's going to last! By the way, has anyone tested it today? Better get your orders in soon!!
ReplyDeleteMichael, I appreciate your candor --thank you so much! Most of us really do appreciate it, even if does seem that you've "drunk the JCrew employee koolaid" regarding the quality issue.
ReplyDeleteMichael, I have a question. How does JCrew track the spending of customers who shop in the B&Ms and use either cash or their non-store credit cards (MC, Visa, etc.)? I am one of these people. Are we "untrackable"?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, J.Crew does accept returns on defective or wrongly-shipped final sale items. They will also reimburse your shipping. If the item does not fit you because of a mistake they made, they will also take it back. Last season I got two corduroy pants. Both were the same size; one fit, one did not. The representative took my word for it over the phone and allowed me to return the item. There is no need to lie to the company in these situations.
ReplyDeleteI have to say for all the whining about J.Crew, I find their customer service super. Especially when compared to other companies. (But I also never pay full price or even initial sale price. So I do feel I am getting value for my buck.)
As someone who DOES spend in the 5 figure range, AND who is unafraid to complain if unhappy (which, in terms of clothing quality coupled with the website fiasco I have been doing frequently as of late) I must wonder how they are marking my info? Chronic negative or VIP spender. At any rate, I will be calling J Crew today to find out how indeed I am being "labeled".
ReplyDeleteAs a former JCrew employee, I can say that J Crew will not be happy with Michael's publication of certain policies, regardless if people are already aware of these policies. Though they might "rank"customers, they certainly do not advertise this.
ReplyDeleteAnd the "justask" free shipping code never expiring, after being publicly posted, probably now findable by a quick google search for 'jcrew free shipping code' ... will soon be gone.
Boy, oh boy - what an aficionada fiasco!
ReplyDeleteIf we were all at a party, (wearing our fabulous JCrew frocks, no doubt) and Michael came up to us, introduced himself as a JCrew associate and proceeded to tell us all he did in his email VERBATIM, we would just say, "What a nice young man! Sure, he's dipped quite a bit from the JCrew kool-aid punchbowl, but he's passionate about his company. How adorable. And thanks for that code!"
Let's not get youthful excitement confused with arrogance. It is obvious that Michael's intent was to be helpful when he wrote in. Posters have made his experience here unpleasant and that is a pity.
I am, however, trying to not be paranoid about the tracking. Yes, I admit I spent in the high 4 digits worth of $ this year (shame on me) and didn't receive jack. Maybe I got an X mark when I called to complain about my shoe order that got canceled? Maybe because I order mostly sale stuff? My nicely requested price adjustments? I fear, Michael, you've inadvertently opened up a can o'crazy with that one. But I do think that the not-so-undercover eBayers are ordering lots of merch in bulk consistently, as opposed to a few items in a few sized a few times a year, so rest east, aficionadas.
Michael, what is an "Exceptional Negative"? I'm very curious...
ReplyDeleteThanks Michael. I appreciate the insight. I <3 J.Crew too. :-)
ReplyDeleteGee, Jen, thanks for putting everyone in place who disagreed with "michael" - who, you know, was the one who called people "idiots." How do you know how old "michael" is? You have no way of knowing if he's young. It's an anonymous post, OK? And many of us found it arrogant and condescending, not to mention plain old factually incorrect.
ReplyDeletejcrewjunkie,
ReplyDeleteYou are very kind and helpful to people on this site and I honestly do appreciate the help you have given to others as well as myself...but I have heard enough about the amount you spend at JCrew...please stop....
Thank you:)
jcrewjunkie, Please let us know how that phonecall goes - I think many of us would love to hear if there's truth behind this "labelling" stuff...TIA
ReplyDeleteI am a Seinfeld junkie. This post reminded me of the episode when Elaine realizes that her doctor wrote the word "difficult" in her medical chart. The doctor says that he will erase the notation and pretends to, but Elaine knows that it is written in pen! She even tries to steal her chart. I can just see some J. Crew customers with little notations in their "permanent" J. Crew file. This made me giggle.
ReplyDeleteanon @ 10:10: My mentioning spending is in reference to a comment that "Michael" made. He said something about five figure spenders being VIP and negative comment people being EXCESSIVE NEGATIVE and how people are "tagged" and I was simply referring to that...which category I would be placed in (neg or spender). I am so sorry if it offended you as that was surely not my intent. Additionally, please do let me add, that I only buy clothing from J Crew and do not spend anywhere else, which is why my $$$ amount seems so high (but I am also someone who returns anything that I don't absolutely love so I never buy just for the sake of spending). I am in a TINY town that doesn't have b&m anything (well, WalMart) anywhere close so I have no choice but to pay FP for most items if I want them before they sell out which also accounts for my having to spend more than someone who lives near a b&m. Again, please accept my sincere apologies.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteIf you have access to measurements, then can you please tell me why size 0P is too big on me? According to your charts, a 0P is 31-23-33 and a size 2P is 32-24-34. My actual measurements are more 2P than 0P (I had to measure myself for a bridesmaid dress), yet 0P is HUGE!!
Michael, you're a real toolbag. Why don't you pass out our rankings like you do your free shipping codes? I would love to hear how the company identifies with my shopping history.
ReplyDeleteDo they hate ebay resellers because they make more money than you do in one transaction compared to your grueling one hour on the phone (keeping in mind that your post will now punish the rest of the CS reps because we're ALL pretty much pissed)? You'd think the company welcomes a big spender...no? Do you want us all to stick to the business model of buying $500/month?
It's all the same. At the end of the day, it's all money in jc's pocket.
You're a real genius. I can tell that's why you're a CS rep, not the big guy running the show.
All I have to say is that I just purchased a chiffon rosette cardi and they only gave me a 10% student discount. I practically had to argue w/ the SA to get my extra 5%. My BF whipped out his i phone and pulled up the webiste to show the SA that it was 15%. Michael, what kind of cutomer service is that?
ReplyDeleteplea for common courtesy :)
ReplyDeleteWhile I appreciate the promo code Michael, I could certainly do with out the condescending tone. I also have to disagree with you on a number of points:
ReplyDelete1. The website issues are most definately not fixed. The website still "sucks" as you so delicately put it even to those of us who ARE computer literate. Orders are STILL getting cancelled and old items are still showing up on the web site.
2. JCrew cashmere pills and pills BAD. Before you clean, after you clean it, pretty much as soon as you put it on. I've tried less expensive department store brands (Lord and Taylor) and experienced far better quality. If you could combine the quality of the other brands with the color /styles of JCrew you would find your sweaters selling out at full price. Note to JCrew: find out what mill Lord and Taylor uses.
3. Aside from the quaterly rewards cards the JCrew card does NOT offer much in the way of perks. I don't think I've ever been offered any additonal promo just because I have a "silver" card. Case in point: The e-mail I received last week about being able to preview the new roll-out as a cardmember...the e-mail was received AFTER the JCrew site was updated with the new items. JCrew card benefits are a joke.
4. There is NO such thing as a bad customer, some may be a bit more high maintenance than others, but if they are spending they most certainly aren't bad.
5. I own high end shoes and I have purchased JCrew shoes and let me tell you JCrew shoes are NOT on the same level as Gucci and Prada. I can't speak for the men's shoes, but Michael unless you wear women's shoes you can't make the comparison.
Alexis, you have to realize what kind of person we're dealing with. Of course, I didn't see his post riddled with :)'s so that I would understand his tone. He's not some kind of deity just because he works for a company you and I love. He's just another Joe Schmoe that thinks it's ok to berate your readers with his holier than thou viewpoint!
ReplyDeleteI've been a great fan of you, Alexis, but I think you're dividing your readers with this questionable post. It would be interesting to see what jcrew has to say when I email them today. I will cc you on it.
Plea for common courtesy??? You have this guy calling us noncardholders "idiots", and that we're computer illiterate, and you're pleading for common courtesy? Whose side are you playing for, Alexis?
ReplyDeleteNo need to be nice to the bad guy just because he's giving you inside information. This is one post of yours I don't agree with you and I usually side with you 99% of the time.
I dont really understand the big deak with Alexis posting this--if you dont like it, then don't come on the blog!
ReplyDeleteHi Michael, Thanks for the great insights.
ReplyDeleteDon't take the negativity too seriously. Spending 10,000.00 or more a year at J Crew isn't that hard when hubby and wife both make well over 6 figs. And for people comparing that to shopping for clothes at Barney's-Honey. $10,000.00? That's one or two trips to Barney's, please.
I think it's kind of you to post these realities, but some will fight to the death to maintain their made up version of reality as it exists in their head. Logic, facts, rational thinking, and business knowledge mean nothing to them. They just want to rant.
Did anyone else get the vibe (and I say this sarcastically, not literally) but that J Crew has the "secret" file of shoppers who are "deal" shoppers ... like ohhh this custmomer always uses a promo code or a student discount on each transaction ... Negative Mark!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with whoever stated that, Any customer spending money on a favorite tank or a cashmere sweater, is a good customer.
it worries me how much we are attacking this guy. yeah, him saying people who don't have cards are "idiots" isn't nice... but he admitted that and apologized. i think we need to appreciate the fact that employees are willing to come on here and explain how things work. i don't care if jcrew ranks us! that explains why some people get free gifts and some don't. i think it's important to remember to be a conscientious consumer and not demanding all the time. if you don't like the quality of a certain product, don't buy it. i pretty much hate jcrew shoes because i find them uncomfortable, but that doesn't mean everything else they make is bad quality. you have to pick and choose and if something you buy is defective or doesn't fit you well, they are very accomodating with returns.
ReplyDeletei think if we want to continue to receive good info from employees, we need to be nice to them when they post here! i appreciate alexis posting this and michael taking the time to write it.
Seriously, what a jerk...
ReplyDeleteGuys, I think everyone should just take a step back and calm down! Alexis posted the post from "Michael" because she believed it was true and was worth a read. Whether or not you choose to believe "Michael" is who he says he is, or whether he's being helpful or condescending, or whether he's being detrimental to the company, or whether he's calling you an "idiot" is your own interpretation. If you disagree with the post, his tone, or what he says...you're entitled to your opinion; just move on to the next post. What you should be careful of is firing back about something you know nothing about or reading into a post something that may not have been the originator's intention at all. You don't know if he really works for J. Crew or not, you don't know if the info he passed along is true or not. Why get so riled up about it? Just use the free shipping code if it works and let the rest go. If you hate the J. Crew card benefits, don't carry one. If you think the cashmere is subpar, don't buy it. If you have trouble with the website, use the phone. If CS ticks you off, email Mickey...he's been known to listen and respond. It's not a life or death situation and the whole thing seems so trivial in light of the current political, economic and world unrest. I'm sure some of you will email/call J Crew to find out if your account is flagged, if you're a VIP, if "Michael" is for real, etc. It wouldn't surprise me if there was a backlash to Alexis from the company for posting what "Michael" wrote as well as the JUSTASK code being disabled (if it indeed works in the first place, I haven't tried)...eventually, it would not surprise me if Alexis gets sick and tired of dealing with all of this nonsense and just shuts down the blog, which would be a shame as I thoroughly enjoy reading it and get great ideas on how to put together outifts and real reviews on items I'm thinking of purchasing. This blog community should be a fun place for those of us who love J. Crew and instead it's often like reading a catfight between 2 high school girls who hate each other. Just my opinion :-)
ReplyDeleteW-O-W! I hate responding like I am about to, but this has been happening a lot lately.
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me say, that when I posted this- I never imagined that it would be another "controversial" post. If I did, trust me, I would not have posted it.
Second, I did not agree with everything Michael wrote (especially the comment around being a card member). However, I did find his overall take on J.Crew interesting.
Third, I have no issues with comments questioning Micheal's take on policies and what not. BUT I do find it unnecessary for comments like "You're a nasty little wart that J.Crew should remove." How does that help the conversation? Why would another J.Crew employee ever want to share his/her opinion on this blog again if they will be personally attacked?
Fourth, I have learned a super valuable lesson: I will keep the posts at a "fun" level.
I can totally see where and why J Crew and I'd assume most any other retailer, "tracks customers" shopping habits etc -- from a marketing/business perspective it makes complete sense.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is not negative to this particular posting or in the business practice in general, but just made me think of what my individual tracking could reveal across the retailing world. I guess it is that whole "big brother" concept that I find unsettling (again not specific to just J Crew I am just talking about the concept in general).
To everyone complaining about Michael's tone: if you were working a mediocre job answering phones, wouldn't you also try to go online and try to find some affirmation from the only people you may be willing to give it to you? Michael, I know you feel great about the exquisite quality of Jcrew cashmere and the exclusiveness of such a fine company, but remember that JCrew is nothing more than a mall store with an online store -- it is no Barney's or Hermes. If I am going to trust anyone's opinion on the quality of cashmere or any other clothes for that matter made in Asia, I will not turn to a low-level phone answerer making $10 an hour. Get a life and go somewhere else if you are wanting to feel important.
ReplyDeleteJ.Crew probably labels most of you trolls anyway...how does that feel knowing that you're a bunch of passionate ladies trying to know all the workings and secret details of their company, even befriending a disgruntled employee like this?
ReplyDeleteAlexis, employees aren't attacked when they are respectful, wouldn't you agree? Anyone with that kind of attitude is just asking for backlash from all of us. That's the reality of life.
ReplyDeleteI think the "We Will Find It" service was much more useful before the website went to crap. I tried to do it on the Merino Lady Jacket when it was 40% off in my store and the company told me that they couldn't find any. Two days later, the jacket was online in final sale in my size in that color.
ReplyDeleteAlexis.
ReplyDelete1. You need to take this post down. I love you, and I love this blog, but everyone is right. Now that JUSTASK is publicized, it's going to be deactivated.
2. Originally, I said no to disabling anonymous posts, because even if their mean, I'm kind of amused by how vindictive people get over the internet. Now I'm just annoyed. You should disable everyone without a blogger ID (I know 60% of the people that don't post under an ID are fabulous, but the rest are just juvenille (I seriously sometimes feel like middle schoolers are commenting) or extremely negative) Seriously it's not hard to make an ID.
3. You need to make a listserv for this website. That way when we want to communicate sensitive material about discounts, etc. to each other we can do it via a mass email to all the members of the listserv, as opposed to publishing it were any J. Crew employee can see it. They're not hard to make, just google it, there are thousands of websites that host listservs.
To Everyone:
1. Having worked in the service industry since I was 16 (I'm a college student now), I can tell that some of you have unrealistic expectations (let's dissect this..., I'm talking to you). The world does not revolve around you ( "We should ALL be thanked"= possibly the most arrogant statement every made in the history of the English language). I'm a firm believer that if a customer is being exceptionally rude to their SA (CS, waiter,etc.) , they should be asked to leave the store (restaurant, etc.) or hung up on. (Thank god all of my supervisors have also been firm believers in this). J. Crew CS & SAs are wonderful, but they are not your doormat, stop treating them like they should go against company policy for you.
2. On how they track your spending in stores. If you have a J. Crew account online, then you might have saved your credit card information. If you did, when you use that credit card in a store, they know.
3. If you are going to be needlessly negative, at least be clever about it ("Don't change the rules, Mikey. J.Crew is not God, and you're not one of his Holy Disciples."= WHAT!?). Or even make a coherent argument ("You can notate all you want, just remember that one person purchasing one thing is the same as one person purchasing 8 things."- again, WHAT!!?) Or even just use proper English, otherwise you look stupid. I'm not saying that everyone who makes a typo is an idiot, what I mean is that if you are going to be negative at least make a sound proof argument.
4. It's the internet people. Sometimes the exact tone of someone's statement comes across wrong. Let's give Michael the benefit of the doubt. (However, IMHO I don't think anything he said sounded very condescending, I think some people are just looking to start fights)
Sorry for the rant, but I get frustrated sometimes by people who think that people in the public service industry should not only be helpful, but should also wipe their a** when they go to the bathroom.
P.S. It is probably the most arrogant thing every to make assumptions about other people's financial situation. (ANON @ 4:30AM & Let's dissect this... ("If you have to take a second job to support yourself, I'm guessing you've made a string of bad decisions")) Seriously, grow up. I'm assuming you're both grown women/men, you should know better.
Let me say--my account must have a HUGE BIG BLACK X through it even though I have spent a RIDICULOUS amount with J Crew in the last year (not 5 figures). I am an avid shopper and only spend at J Crew but I will tell you that I ask and get a discount in some fashion with EVERY order. I cringed when I read michaels suggestion that they follow each customer and make notations because given the above mentioned--my name ain't looking too good. BUT the bottom line is (now that I have had time to think about it)I don't give a sh*t what they think of me. Money is money and how I BUY (BUY being the operative word here) is how I buy.They don't treat me ANY different. All the CS reps are generally VERY nice to me and I have no complaints. I am kinda like-WHO CARES-if my name has an X or whatever--my money is a as good as anyone elses and it is JUST THAT--money spent at j Crew!! I cannot be so insecure to be concerned with what they think and neither should anyone on here. I am actually SHOCKED at how personal people took michael's post. Get a life people--you can tell it was innocent--albeit not the smartest release of info. He's trying to feed his ego by giving out info he wasn't sure we already know. I shudder to think of the sales associates at stores that don't know what the red phone is?? that one made me laugh:) People we are not dealing with a rocket scientist--just take from what he has said that is helpful and leave the rest. Don't waste your time arguing the ridiculous! DO NOT BLAME ALEXIS PEOPLE-THERE ARE THINGS IN THIS POST THAT ARE VERY INFORMATIVE TO MANY!!
ReplyDeleteRIGHT ON HEATHER--WELL PUT!
ReplyDeleteanon @ 10:54 - great idea on finding out what mill Lord & Taylor uses. I can honestly say that my Lord & Taylor cashmere has lasted longer - through years of cleanings - than any other cashmere in my closet. While I prefer the softness of J.Crew and Ralph Lauren cashmere, I agree with you that L & T has durability figured out. I would also pay full price for J.Crew cashmere if they would figure out how to make it more durable.
ReplyDeleteI also do agree with you that cardholders should receive a little more in the way of actual benefits. I want my rewards to come sooner, and I want to know about promotions/new arrivals before everyone on the planet hears about them. Currently, I am actually the last person to receive catalogs in the mail and my emails always come one day behind.
You're also right in that there's no such thing as a bad customer. Any customer who puts money in a retailer's pocket is a good customer, period. Short of customers who purposely try to cheat the company or who call only to vent all their frustrations about the world in general, all customers should really be treated equally.
To paraphrase anon @ 7:34 am, today's customer may buy a $50 sale sweater, but if you treat them like royalty, they may come back and buy a $300 sweater tomorrow. Or, someone who shops occasionally at J.Crew may be compelled to buy more often if they are treated with the best care and attention. When I shop at Nordstrom - which in my opinion has the absolute best customer service I've ever experienced on a regular basis - I feel that the salespeople are just as grateful for my business as they are for the business of those who shop in the couture section. I am treated with equal attention and I walk out feeling like a million.
That's what all retailers should strive for, and I believe J.Crew usually does. That's one of the reasons I keep coming back to J.Crew. I'm only making this point because I think good customer service does not depend on the final cash value of the receipt but on the regular care and maintenance of customers.
Constance, I've been a public servant as well, but I wouldn't talk down to my customers. Maybe it was his awful delivery that set off a bunch of people. When I worked, I was always gracious to my customers. They paid the bills. Perhaps Michael, being the lowest member of the Jcrew family doesn't realize it.
ReplyDeleteI love shopping and I love this blog, but we should remember that when you choose to attack another person's post, just like you did in response to "let's dissect this", you too are asking for it. I would choose to just back away from this shitstorm.
mike: great, you run some company on the side, now we all should apologize. After all, we don't run companies on the side like Donald, I mean Mike here. What do we know. Glad to hear that you enjoy folding clothing by the way. :).
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, no one thought you came here to butt kiss. It seemed more like, you had the intention to have your butt kissed. Smooch smooch mate.
constance,
ReplyDeletemake note there are more nice anonymous posts and more negative posts WITH ID's...anyone can make an id. It won't stop the nastiness as you can see by this post....
Michael: thank you for the information and opinions. I'm curious about the various customer designations. Does a VIP just spend a lot, or also give the company a lot of profit? E.g., if someone spends $10k on a truckload of clothes at 80% off, are they a VIP or a problem customer?
ReplyDeleteAlso, is there any way I can check my own designation? :)
OT, could I just say that I paired the Fog Lydia with the Charcoal Lady Jacket today and it looks stunning? I am leaving for my volunteer job as the elementary school librarian feeling very chic! :)
ReplyDeleteI was just reading along determined to keep my mouth shut - but I couldn't. I have to whole heartedly agree that J Crew cashmere pills terribly. I have at least 20 J Crew Cashmere sweaters and a few from Saks, Barneys, Bluefly (CeCe and Cullen), White and Warren and Nordstrom. I love the softness and colors of J Crew but it pills worse than all of the others. They all pill a little but J Crew is by far the worst. I'm starting to look seriously at other sites for sweaters. If they had the great colors, I wouldn't buy another J Crew cashmere sweater again.
ReplyDeleteRoxy - I totally agree with your statement--> "The clothes are what drew me in, but a nice sales person can make the difference between a purchase and a walkout." Very well said.
ReplyDelete3-Penny Princess - I agree with your point that we get English speaking reps when we call in. I cannot imagine trying to ask someone -- giving his American chosen name of 'John' -- with a thick accent, about the fit of a blouse. This is not a slam about people with accents. There are just some huge cultural barriers that show up when calls are outsourced. Most of the reps I've gotten cannot accurately describe fit or color, whether they have access to the mock store or not.
As far as the phone reps. I have had mostly good reps. However, the reps that are on fire and seem like they are trying to meet a quota scare me. The guy I got the other day couldn't pronounce half of the items I ordered was sad. And then I got a rep who went on and on about her kids and husband. So I think service quality is excellent overall, but the product knowledge is *not* always there.
I think J.Crew cares how many items someone is buying becuase they don't want the brand devalued on eBay. So I agree that it's money in their pockets, but I don't think it's just a matter clearing inventory.
jcrewjunkie - You're going to call and ask how you're labeled? Do you honestly think they are going to tell you? I bet if any one of us called in we'd be told we're a valued customer. And yes, I agree with Anon @ 10:10a. We have heard multiple times about the amount you spend. Regardless if you live in a town with only a saloon and a barbershop it's a bit much to keep repeating it. And it's telling that many of us have remembered this information over the span of months. If you'd like to discuss this further feel free to email me because I am not trying to start a fight. I'm just being honest. Of course I could have ignored the post but I also don't want to hear it again.
As far as the post from Michael. I tried to ignore what I felt was a condescending tone, but the punch words like 'idiot' were hard to ignore. It's hard to tell the intent because I don't know him -- or her! -- as a person. I don't have to agree with what he said and I'm glad that Alexis chose to post it. Who knows what Banana Republic has thought of me since I often buy multiple sizes of items and often end up returning both! They went through some sizing issues and they know it. Although I can't help wondering if the designers sit in meetings and complain that sizing is the customers' fault for putting on muffin tops. Just trying to throw some humor in there. I agree that we should all take a step back. We can disagree, but it doesn't have to get ugly. Even if someone else threw the stone 1st.
Thanks Michael and Alexis!
ReplyDeleteI do think every custom should be entitled as VIP. It is smart of JCrew to appreciate every business it has and “bend over backwards” to every single custom. Also I have not purchase at JCrew for a few months and have not plan to use JUSTASK. However I just do not get why JCrew has a secrete code. If it dose not mean to be public use, who this code for?
alexis - I want to stress that you are not inviting strife and nastiness simply by posting anything on your blog. It seems that people start fights about the merits of Bella jackets, or the economic status of a person who buys too many pairs of pants, or which personal life events are considered worthy of sharing with other readers.
ReplyDeletePeople who want to take things out of context will always do so. People who want to be purposely nasty will do so too. It simply doesn't matter what the subject is. Disagreements are bound to arise.
What matters is the manner in which we address each other's comments. Even if we disagree with each other, we just need to be courteous and respectful in our speech. That goes for people who post as well as people who respond.
We also need to take more responsibility to 1) not attack a person when our problem is really with a personal experience gone wrong, 2) not attack the whole company when our problem is with the quality of one item, and 3) not make snap judgements about people as a whole when we really don't know the whole picture.
I agree with Alexis's plea for common courtesy. I disagree that Alexis needs to censor the type of material she can post to her blog because some people here aren't mature enough to handle any conversation more opinionated than what the code of a weekly coupon is.
QUESTION FRIENDS!!
ReplyDeleteJust out of curiosity ... does anyone know or follow any blogs similar in nature to this one -- however devoted to another store? I know there are obviously tons of fashion/style blogs for top designers etc., but any for stores like this? Stores like Banana Republic, Anthropologie come to mind ... just curious!
And one other things -- I was wondering what kind of volume of readers this blog gets, Alexis do you have any figures as to the daily number of readers?! Just curious!
3-penny princess: Yep, disagreements is what makes us human. So keep on blogging. Thanks.
ReplyDelete1) You cannot check your own designation, because for 99.99% of our customers, you won't have one.
ReplyDelete2) Exceptional negatives are reserved for people who call in and swear at our associates, or for people who are sexually explicit towards associates over the phone. For the most part, it has nothing to do with your orders.
3) VIPs are reserved for people Mickey knows personally, including celebs, high-rollers, etc. I'm not sure why people get worked up over this; every sales/service industry does it.
3) The reason J.Crew doesn't like people buying and reselling things on eBay...look at the Rose Chiffon Graphic Tee. That tshirt sold out ages ago, and we still have people looking for it. It's all over eBay now at a high price, but it completely sold out all over JCrew. This doesn't make us look good.
4) We are not "more/less helpful" based on people's spending. We will be courteous to you regardless. I don't even look at the information unless you give me a reason too.
5) Nobody gets "black boxed" for calling in with coupons. It takes much more than that.
I'm sorry I even sent this in.
I appreciate the post and the inside information from Michael (and, as always, I love this blog and all the posts therein).
ReplyDeleteMichael's tone was sometimes not ideal, but, it is what it is, and his post was about the message , not about trying to make anyone feel bad.
That said, I did feel kind of bad reading it because I don't have a ton of shopping money, but I spend pretty much all of my shopping money at J.Crew. I make many orders, mostly from final sale and with discounts, and I feel like maybe J.Crew doesn't appreciate that. It almost feels like they discriminate based on finances or something, which would be an icky thing to do. But, I guess that's a part of the world we live in. I'm not criticizing Michael, just the general policies it seems like J.Crew has.
Aside from that, the info was great and I really appreciated it. I wish there was a B&M store in my state (MT), because I could use even more of the info to my advantage!
Michael, why'd you tell us about the labels/designations if probably none of us have them?
ReplyDeletemichael- please don't be sorry! thanks for responding even after the virtial beating you got today. some of us really appreciate these insights. come back any time.
ReplyDeletesorry- virtual, not virtrial
ReplyDeleteFYI - Neiman Marcus has a ton of cashmere sweaters on sale, and no final sale limitations!
ReplyDeleteI posted the ratings thing because there are people out there who feel it is acceptable to berate/abuse people over the phone, simply because it is not "in person" and in "real life", thinking that they are not going get called on it.
ReplyDeletePeople think that because we are working in customer service, that we must be idiots who couldn't cut it (and this is evidenced by a few of the comments here). I have a Bachelor's degree, and am working towards a Masters. I assure you, I am not an idiot.
Thanks for clarifying, Michael. I definitely don't think J. Crew employees are idiots. (Victoria's Secret, on the other hand...)
ReplyDeleteMichael - I am shocked you came back, but thank you. Don't apologize anymore, you were trying to be helpful.
ReplyDeleteMichael, I really am miffed that you didn't specify things more, for example, 99.99% of the people have no designations. I spent time that I could have put to better use calling about both of my accounts today as I DO care what people think of me! Also, why did you say that people are designated VIP who spend X amount of dollars? Another example is your VIP designation. Why didn't you just say that celebs, dignitaries, personal friends of Mickey, Jenna, etc. are the VIP clientel? Geesh...if you are going to take time to give info (which IS appreciated) then please give it ALL and don't "hold back".
ReplyDeleteTo Anon @ 11:40 AM:
ReplyDelete1. While I personally don't think Michael was being very rude (he may have had some questionable word choice, but overall I felt that the message wasn't condescending), I'm going to assume that he probably wouldn't talk like this over the phone to a customer. This is the internet, not a J. Crew store or the call center. He wasn't posting from a J. Crew computer. Therefore, he isn't required to sugar coat everything, sorry.
Just because I'm a waitress at a fancy restaurant where a meal for 2 doesn't come to less that $100, doesn't mean that if I see a customer at the grocery store I'm going to go over to and push their cart for them (I wouldn't ever be rude, but I don't need to accommodate them outside of work) . But, if they're a regular and I happen to like them a lot, I might just go over and tell them about a free wine tasting we're having next week. This is essentially what I see Michael doing. He just informed us about a few details that some might not have known about (JUSTASK, anyone?), though I have to echo the general sentiment that everyone knows about the red phone).
Also, the other moral of that little story is that if you make nice with your SA, CS, waiter, whatever, they will be nice to you. EX: secret sale, I'm going to guarantee that if you actually know the name of your SA, you're more like to get informed when the cashmere (or whatever) is on secret sale.
2. You're exactly right. I shouldn't have called out someone, if I want to avoid a fight on the internet, and usually I wouldn't. But in this case I felt it was merited, there were people actually agreeing with her juvenile comments. However, I'll even admit that some were valid complaints (i.e. the pilling cashmere), but what I was saying is that she could have said the EXACT same thing with out personally attacking Michael. I don't take back anything that I said.
To Anon @ 11:44 AM:
I did say that most anon posters were lovely. Also, what I said to do was to get rid of all posting outside of Google/Blogger IDs (i.e. no anon, no Open ID, no Name/URL), because it seriously isn't hard to make a google ID. So yes, if someone is truly motivated to login to their google ID and post something negative, then there will still be needlessly negative posts on the board, but a least there will be a name to match to the comment.
jcrewjunkie--if you dont like that he has to say, then LEAVE! Stop complaining!
ReplyDeletemichael:
ReplyDeleteI also worked in customer service (retail, and a coffee shop) between my master's and my current ph.d program. Customers can really make or ruin your day, and I've sure that you've already learned to have a thick skin. I had a customer point to me and tell her daughter that she should stay in school because she wouldn't want to "turn out like me." It took a lot of restraint for me to hold my tongue when her daughter later showed up in the class that I was teaching. Making these harsh and negative assumptions about the livelihoods of those of us who work in CS. We do what it takes to pay the bills, and we often love our jobs even if they're not career-oriented. Many of us on these boards (and I'd hazard a guess that many more who were not comfortable posting after all the negative replies) really do appreciate your input, even if we disagree with some of it. There's no excuse for the incivility.
jcrewjunkie you are a piece of work. Unreal.
ReplyDeleteAbout this discount thing... Of course I use my student discount for every purchase! If you're going to have a policy why keep track and black mark users who use it! Of you don't like those customers as much you don't have to havethe policy in the first place!
ReplyDeleteAlexis,
ReplyDeleteI echo the sentiments of others. I respect you and Michael both so much, but in the interest of our community, I think you should
TAKE THIS POST DOWN.
You don't want to new code to be google-able, and wouldn't it be awful if you got yourself or Michael into any kind of trouble with J.Crew Corporate.
Even Michael himself has said he wishes that he hadn't written in, so I think the right thing to do is to take the post down.
Thanks.
This post needs to come down, the rude, arrogant, responses from regulars and anons to Michael is absurd!
ReplyDeletePeople complain about the shipping costs JC gives us a code, people still complain.
of course they lable us and it's not just celebs that get labled VIP. He's saying that only 99.99% of us get labled now to do damage control. Of course they don't want us to know they do this, which is why alexis was asked to take the necklace post down.
ReplyDeleteI honestly am do disappointed in how many responded to this post from Michael. I actuallyt enjoyed reading it and thought he sounded enthusiastic for us and loyal to his employer. My goodness - why has this blog taken on such a negative persona? It's so frustrating to me. Thank you Michael for the info. I don't care if JCrew catagorizes me or not. I know I'm a good customer. I get just as much satisfaction from buying and wearing J Crew as J Crew gets from adding my purchases to their bottom line. Period.
ReplyDeletewhoops SOOO disappointed!
ReplyDeleteI also think this post should be removed. Believe me, this post will cause more trouble if stays. Also the comments about the coupon, think about it, the coupon just won't last.
ReplyDeleteMichael, by informing everyone that you have a second job in computer consulting and that you are working on a Grad degree, you've made it super easy for J Crew to identify you quickly. I appreciate your comments, and I hope you don't get into trouble.
ReplyDeleteI have spent more then 10k at Jcrew and never received a Christmas gift (people got journals last year?) necklace or random gift card. I guess because I use a student discount!? Which they TOLD me to use?!
ReplyDeleteDidn't anyone else notice that Alexis already posted the JUSTASK code on Sunday? While we can appreciate Michael sharing the promo, doesn't seem to be any big insider secret.
ReplyDeleteI was able to get the free shipping with the coupon. But, when I tried to get the 15% student discount, this is the email reply I received from "David":
ReplyDelete"We are delighted to see that you were able to take advantage of another offer on this order, however, our Education discount cannot be combined with other promotional offers that involve the use of a coupon code. Our apologies for any disappointment."
To Constance: what's a 'sound proof argument?'
ReplyDeleteIs it structurally similar to the tree/forest age-old question: namely an argument you make and if no one hears it, you can legitimately claim that maybe you didn't make it in the first place?
If so, consider sharing this rhetorical device with Michael as it might make it easier for him to backpedal on definitions such as that of the J.Crew VIP!
This is one of the best posts about J.Crew, period. I found it very informative and really gave me insight into how the company functions.
ReplyDeleteMuch of what he said really reflects the experiences I have had. The gal who is looking after me is amazing. She really makes me feel valued and special. The level of care and attention is impressive. I know that some will say that the service is just so so, but that is not what I have experienced. I continue to buy J.Crew, the clothing is great and totally works for me and my lifestyle and I find the quality to be great as well.
I wonder what my account would say about me? It would be fun to sneak a peek at it.
raj> email them again.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly why people DO call 4 or 5 different people.
FYI: The Free Shipping code was actually posted by another blogger on Friday.
ReplyDeleteRaj, this is one point J. Crew actually IS consistent on - you CAN'T use the student discount if you already used another code. The student discount combines with "automatic" promotions like the 20% off FS in stores, but not promotions that require coupons. I don't know why this "insider" told us we could use both the discount and the coupon...
ReplyDeleteWhat difference does your JCREW classification make? (if you a classification)! Can you put it on your resume...no, can you share it with friends and family...yes but kind of lame! It doesn't affect your buying power so it doesn't really matter. Also Michael said that some of the classifications are VIP, reseller, etc....I bet the vast majority of people are classified as...wait for it...A CUSTOMER.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't Amazon display different prices to different customers, or at least they used to? If J. Crew started doing that, I would care about my classification.
ReplyDelete"The reason J.Crew doesn't like people buying and reselling things on eBay...look at the Rose Chiffon Graphic Tee. That tshirt sold out ages ago, and we still have people looking for it. It's all over eBay now at a high price, but it completely sold out all over JCrew. This doesn't make us look good."
ReplyDeleteThat is simply a jcrew's failed pricing decision. If you price this item higher earlier, not many ebayers were willing to take the risk. You will have plenty inventory to supply those willing to pay a higher price.
Ebay jcrew resellers are products of jcrew's ridiculous morning update operations. No other online retailors have the same operation. Who can get up every morning for jcrew updates? I would rather pay extra $10 to ebay resellers for an item and have them shipped promply."
It is the market. Don't complain others. Jcrew should be smarter and more honest.
LOL- that's so true anon. At the end of the day, we're all "CUSTOMERS". I would have to say that jc may frown upon Michael's posting. You don't put a carrot out there, unless you want us to chase you down.
ReplyDeleteWe are all tracked by companies who we shop online from, just like Visa tracks how much we spend each year what is the big deal!
ReplyDeleteIf you are not rude and treat the CS as dormants there is nothing to be concerned about.
Off Topic- The Rock Store had the "perfect fit flower tank" on sale for $25
ReplyDeleteEbay items priced higher than J.Crew's doesn't "devalue" the item. It just drives the value up. If I bought something for $25 at the Gap, I would doubt I could get rid of it for $35, rather more like $10 + free shipping. J.Crew should be proud of how well their items hold up. I don't agree with this (nor would I pay for a shirt triple in price) in practice, but I can't change the law of economics.
ReplyDeleteWow, people have way too much time on their hands. Michael, thank you for posting this. I found it interesting. Everyone, if you dont like what was posted, why continue reading on? Dont like it--stay away then. Alexis spends a lot of time on this blog and she should be given respect for it. Grow up everyone!
ReplyDeleteTo Ebay Reseller Poster:
ReplyDeleteJust a question, you spoke about J Crew's morning update operations, I was wondering if you could elaborate on why this is such a different practice then other online retailers etc.
(I guess I should preface this by saying that this is truly and simply a question, no negative, argumentative tone attached, I am just curious as to what this practice is and how/why it perhaps causes customer frustrations)
Michael, thank you for posting your insights. I appreciate it very much.
ReplyDeleteRe. customer service, awhile back someone sent this to me (my previous life was in sales) and I found the points interesting. I (and my company, as my employer) didn't always take to this perspective, but it's a good read:
"The Top 5 Reasons 'The Customer is Always Right' Is Wrong"
http://tinyurl.com/q7hd6
My quick 2 cents about ebay reselling: it seems to me that half the people selling J.Crew on ebay are selling stuff they personally bought from J.Crew that doesn't fit. It's because they can't return it after the final sale. The final sale policy is really ridiculous and needs to go. It's not like most of this stuff has been sitting for months on end unpurchased. With J.Crew, anything that goes into the sale section (online anyway) becomes final sale. This is such an unfortunate policy. I can't think of any other retailer that automatically makes all sale items final sale. Sure, I've seen some sale items that are on clearance become final sales items, and I've seen as-is items be offered for final sale. But almost every retailer out there will offer at least some return period, however short. Even some ebay resellers offer returns or exchanges.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I had to comment on this.
Man, this comment thread has made me mad. It is not cool to be rude to someone just because they get paid by the hour.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the ranking/VIP stuff: that is done at every call centre. If you don't want crappy notes on your account, then don't be rude to people. That's a good rule for life generally.
And while it would surely be wonderful if we were all treated the same - customers who have a lot of money have absolutely no desire to be treated the same as you. They want special treatment. And will often mention how much they spend in an attempt to get some. It would be nice if we lived in an equal, classless world, full or rainbows and stuff. But we don't.
But I get paid by the hour, so what do I know.
3-pp, don't apologize - you are so right. I've bought stuff on final sale and had to re-sell it on ebay because of J.Crew's idiotic policies - policies that, like you pointed out, no other company has. Why aren't items offered at regular sale for a period first? J.Crew doesn't stand behind what it sells in these cases.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, it's ridiculous that people come on here and berate those who have questioned michael's post. Hello people. it's called discourse! Not everyone agrees with everyone, and that doesn't mean we can't post our thoughts on this blog.
Other online retailors do not update strategically as jcrew does.
ReplyDeleteJcrew updated items in the sale section almost every morning. After a couple of hours, they hided some of them even they were not sold out. Jcrew used to store its webpages in a methodological way. I figured out jcrew's method and was able to order from those hidden webpages items which jcrew only made them public earlier in the morning. I guess I am too computer literate?
Jcrew is also the only website I know of that kept updating every morning for just a small quantity of items. Although it is nice to have frequent updates, however the unique way jcrew chooses to do it in every early morning for such small qualities makes customers feel jcrew is keeping playing us ... On jcrew website, every morning is the morning of black Friday.
Why not keep the inventory transparent to us? Why not update like other retailors do such as BR/Anthropologie do?
Wow, what a long and informative read!
ReplyDeleteMy biggest concern at this point is that negative remarks will preclude most of J Crew associates from EVER posting here in a future.
Well done scaring them away!!!
You know, there is a difference between constructive criticism and unproductive spitefullness.
What started as a more or less a civil exchange of opinions quickly turned into avalanche of personal attacks. Too sad! Esp. because valid points were presented on both sides. Do not take me wrong, I do not necessarily agree with everything Michael said ( cashmere issue and JC card perks for one), but I do appreciate him posting here. I do appreciate his passion and enthusiasm for the wonderful company, 'coz that's why we are here, right? So it's really sad to see the turn this post took at the end.
I really do not know how to make people be polite and civil.
for the quantity of items, I did not mean the number of items, but the the quality of each items.
ReplyDeleteSlastena wrote "I really do not know how to make people be polite and civil."
ReplyDeleteHere's a hint: Don't call people idiots!
How pathetic that you fawn all over michael, conveniently overlooking he was the first to name-call.
Well, he meant it rhetorically.:)
ReplyDeleteI do not think it was a personal atttack on anyone. Why did some people think it was applicable to them? Hmmm... Just a thought.
I don't think you understand what rhetorical means. It doesn't make sense in the way you apply it.
ReplyDeleteThe only problem I've ever had with J.Crew is the vanity sizing which is highly frustrating.
ReplyDeleteSome people are tactful and some people aren't - who cares? Who cares if you're labeled with a big X or blacklisted or goldlisted? As long as you can still purchase stuff, use the same coupons as everyone else and get the same discounts, does it really matter? It's not like this kind of stuff goes on your credit report or if the quality of your life is determined by whether you're a VIP or a serial returner.
People who say they don't like the condescending tone Michael used turn around and use that tone on him... don't you think it's a little hypocritical?
And Michael, you honestly could do with a little more tact.
jc employees shouldn't be posting here, end of story. it's against their contract to do so. sure, every company has industry secrets. they're called secrets for a reason. like i've said before, getting employees to post here is just putting them at risk of getting in trouble. i hope you ladies don't think this is a slam against you, i enjoy the information but wouldn't want some one getting nailed for things that should be kept on the down low! Loose lips sink ships.
ReplyDeleteTime for Michael to go back to work fixing computers or taking our orders. Smile, Michael! J.Crew probably has their feelers out for you. :)
ReplyDeleteThe fact is that Michael spoke down to all of you. I'm surprised there are still some people wearing their "Go Michael!" buttons. I know that regardless of how tiny Michael has chosen to make me feel, I'm still the customer. He can' keep me from buying crappy cashmere. Sure, I've been irritated by J.Crew, but not once have I taken it out on a CS employee. NEVER. So, for him to come around parading his generalizations about customers, it's so very wrong. Sadly, I am a bit turned off by Michael's words. Perhaps he should have thought about his poor choice of words, prior to putting it on a public blog. I too, will be writing to J.Crew about this.
ReplyDelete--JCrew's Idiot Child
can' = can't, correction.
ReplyDeletePeople must be really angry at the economy or their own lack of money therefore posting angry/negative comments directed at Michael/J Crew. No one can be this angry at a retail store, get over it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the hyprocritical posting i.e. Jeff.
I feel like Michael's last comment was contradicting almost everything in his first post. Shall we start taking bets as to when this post gets a request for removal by J.Crew?
ReplyDeleterhe·tor·i·cal (r-tôr-kl, -tr-)
ReplyDeleteadj.
1. Of or relating to rhetoric.
2. Characterized by overelaborate or bombastic rhetoric.
3. Used for persuasive effect
4. Stated merely for effect
See 3 and 4.
I don't think anyone is mad at J.Crew, but they're mad at Michael for thinking he is the poster child for J.Crew. It's one thing to experience negativity when you place an order, or buy something via the B&M, and it's another thing to have someone personally email Alexis this post, and watching Alexis stand behind this post. I'm finding it unreal. Just a clarification.
ReplyDeleteCasual-Crew, yep I hail from ON and I'm dissapointed in the dollar, it just means I'll order less for now though. It's hard to find the quality up here at the price regardless of the exchange rate (What is it with Canadian stores being anti-preppy lately? lol)
ReplyDeleteTo all the people who are dissing the cashmere. Cashmere pills. Period. Regardless of quality, Cashmere will pill. Any super soft fibre will pill, from acrylic to merino to alpaca to cashmere. It's in the fibres nature, not a manufacturers defect. Just get a sweater stone and you'll be find (Don't use the combs, they thin out the fabric if used wrong)
then you're contradicting yourself, slat. If he used it for effect, obviously the effect was to call people who don't use the card idiots. Again, please be more careful before you post.
ReplyDeletejenn7 - why do you think they take your id card when you make returns without a receipt? it is so they can input your information into the computer, regardless of what the address is. if your name pops up enough and they find out you are up to something, they DO have a "do not return" list reserved for fraudulent returners. if you return a lot, you're not on it, just if you consistently return things without receipts and something appears suspicious.
ReplyDeleteOn a positive note, can I just say that I am thrilled to learn of the JUSTASK code!! Too bad you cannot combine with the student discount.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of one's feelings about the post, one thing to take away from it is to be kind to sales associates. Sales associates do not make policies, do not set prices, and do not come to work with the sole intention of making customers' lives more difficult. And if sale associate is being rude, tell a manager, leave the store, and write the company. Shop where the people are kind and helpful ~ that has always been my approach.
Auryane - I can sympathize with your experiences! I am currently working on my PhD (PhD = zero time for outside employment). I worked at another pricey retailer while studying for my master's, and had some real doozies ~ including one individual who slammed my fingers in the dressing room door (long story), a women who told me I was an idiot because her card kept coming up declined, and numerous individuals who loved to remind me of the "preferred" credit status (oh mind you I had the SAME status!) The world of retail is never dull.
I heard cashmere with longer fiber will less likely to pill as cashmere with shorter fiber. Although jcrew's cashmere is from the same mill in italy as some higher end brands's cashmere, jcrew's cashmere is of shorter fiber.
ReplyDelete"J.Crew clothes are of very high quality. Our cashmere sweaters, for example, are from the Loro Piana mill. If this doesn't mean anything to you, look it up on Wikipedia. The colors are exclusive to us, but CONTRACTUALLY, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ADVERTISE THIS FACT."
ReplyDeleteMichael, it looks like you're going to score some major points with your legal department...
"The website sucks if you are not computer literate."
ReplyDeleteOuch. I is no dummy.
I used the word "idiot" for effect. I'm not going to call a customer an idiot, not now or ever.
ReplyDeleteI am saying that it is silly to pass up on what is basically a $25 gift card for free if you are placing a big order, in addition to the 20% off (we are pushing this hard for the next week or two) and if you balk when we first offer it, we can throw in shipping too. As I have said before, perhaps "idiot" wasn't the best word choice. But I have a feeling that you all know that I am not personally calling anyone an idiot, and are just trying to stir up a non-existent hornets nest.
Anon at 3:13: This is exactly right. I'm not sure how many here shop at WalMart, but they take your drivers license information and track how many returns without receipts people make; you have a limit of 3. At J.Crew, if you make enough returns sans receipt, we'll start to notice and it will be investigated further. I am in no way saying that if you return something without a receipt, you are a fraudster. I am saying that a large chunk of fraud comes from the no-receipt returns, which is why places like Target have stopped the practice all together.
Michael wrote:
ReplyDelete"We have a dedicated group who's [sic] only job is to research customers, and classify them..."
So does this group really comb the customer files to find the .01% that are Mickey's friends, etc?? I find this hard to believe.
Anon @ 3: 13- Stastena's use of rhetorical is completely correct.
ReplyDeleteMichael's use of the word 'Idiot' was used for effect.
The 'effect' can be interpreted many ways.
The fact that you interpret the 'effect' as negative has nothing to do with Slastena's correct use of the word rhetoric.
Thanks for the insight / the shipping code michael and alexis!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLet me clarify:
ReplyDeleteIf we suspect some kind of fraud is going on in an order, we can place a fraud hold on it, and we have a team that researches it.
If we have a customer continually ask for ______, and we look back in the notes and see that on every singe order they have placed that we have told them we are going to do _______ as a courtesy, we send it to the same team.
If we see a pattern of huge orders that a customer has placed, we send it to the same team so they can get flagged as a VIP.
I would imagine Drexlers send along the name/info about people he personally wants as VIPs to this team, in addition to giving them a "Friends of J.Crew" card.
One more thing, I think Jcrew associates are generally very nice and helpful!
ReplyDeleteDude, quit digging yourself a deeper grave. You're just feeding the curiosity here, and its going to be your downfall.
ReplyDeleteYeah, we know you're not running for Congress. Jcrew doesn't hire politicians to answer their phones in the call center...
ReplyDeleteMichael quit responding to the trolls, they are just here to stir the pot! They are not true customers.
ReplyDeleteflaneuse- I totally agree with you. IMO Michael completely contradicted himself in his last.
ReplyDeletealysia- Yes, all sweaters pill but cashmere shouldn't pill after just one wearing (not just under the arms either they pill all-over). I usually only have to "de-pill" my "better" sweaters, once or twice a season.
anon, what's a true customer? i find it hard to believe that those that write negative comments in response to michael's initial post are consumers like the rest of us.
ReplyDeletefriends of Jcrew card? Can anyone elaborate?
ReplyDelete"Friends of J.Crew" is like the Amex Centurion card of J.Crew.
ReplyDeleteIt is very, very, very rare, and it is handed out by Drexler himself. It is valid for a year, and it gives you a 30% off discount on anything and everything (and no, you can't use it with any coupons or any promotions).
Hmm. There seems to be a great deal of confusion here. Michael used the word "idiot" for effect - the effect was to refer to customers who don't use the card as idiots. Nothing rhetorical about that, slutstena.
ReplyDeleteLegal beagle wrote: "J.Crew clothes are of very high quality. Our cashmere sweaters, for example, are from the Loro Piana mill. If this doesn't mean anything to you, look it up on Wikipedia. The colors are exclusive to us, but CONTRACTUALLY, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ADVERTISE THIS FACT."
ReplyDeleteMichael, it looks like you're going to score some major points with your legal department...
Bravo for pointing this out. Yes, explain this one away, Michael. Unless you think we're too technically inept or idiotic to understand. I hope you're learning something about "effect" here.
i am former jcrew employee and saw a "friend of jcrew card" once. its navy blue and looks similar to a credit card -- i believe it entitles holders to 20% off -- and i am also pretty sure these are very rare and very limited in distribution. I recall asking the girl using it about it, and she said she was a friend of Mickey's. So calm yourselves and don't get in a tizzy because you spent 12 million dollars at j crew last week and don't have the special card. And if this sparks a new outrage that Mickey likes his friends more than you ... well ... your issues are far beyond this blog (that was a joke people).
ReplyDeleteanon @ 3:41. whoa, you are way out of line.
ReplyDeleteAlexis, can you please just delete this whole post? I think this has gone on long enough.
As much as I hate to say it, I think it'd be best just to disable comments entirely.
God, this blog is so wrong, in so many ways. Leave Slastena out of this...she didn't do anything wrong. Name calling to the innocent bystanders of this blog is just wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong!
ReplyDeleteMichael, please don't make it worse for yourself and the company. You really don't need to be divulging this information to us. Somethings are better left unsaid. Really, just walk away and quit trying to start a riot here. We're a good group of people and it hurts when we know what others are getting, especially when the goal to do so is unobtainable in my respects.