Wednesday, June 8, 2011

"Looking to VENT" with J.Crew

This is the weekly "Looking to VENT with J.Crew" post, a place to share our not-so-stellar experiences with J.Crew.

If you have recently experienced a frustrating situation with J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.

Please feel free to share your story on almost any topic— including poor experiences with purchases & orders, promotions/ offers, in-store visits, transactions with store associates, etc.

36 comments:

  1. I bought 6 of the vintage tees recently. Every. Single. One. developed holes during the first wear. I have a vintage tee from a few years ago that is going strong after countless wears and washes. I just can't trust J.Crew to produce lasting quality anymore.

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  2. I just checked out with 4 sale items. I'm quite sure that these are all single popbacks, not items for which there are multiples available. Normally after I check out the items are removed from the sale section, but this morning all 4 items are still showing available. The order status is "submitted", all 4 items are present. I realize that J Crew can fulfill the earliest order for each item, but on the consumer end it's frustrating. Now I don't know if any of the items really are available, and people shopping after me will think they bought the items when in fact they're gone. J Crew web site developers, please reinstate the old immediate inventory adjustment.

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  4. By the way, I used a free shipping promo and I was just over the minimum, so if any of those items weren't actually available they'd better not strip away my promo because the order falls under the minimum! (Nothing like starting out the day crabby!)

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  5. tamara: Your code will still be applied even if they cancel any of your items. Also, I would check on the status of each of them once your order is no longer able to be cancelled. Perhaps they will be removed from the website at that point. :)

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  6. tamara-- i just had the same problem... i ordered two things that were obviously popbacks and i worried about whether the order would be canceled since i saw them still "available" even after i checked out... i got the shorts ok and the skirt will be delivered today so fingers crossed it's the right one... but it did take like a day for the items to disappear from the site. one of the items was even ordered through CS on the phone. i hope it all works out for you and nothing gets canceled. i hate having to sweat that stupid stuff.

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  7. I have been having problems with orders shipping out. They usually ship next day and I had an order sit for a week and now again it is happening. So I understand the "fear" you ladies have of items still showing up on the website after you check out. You are right; they normally disappear right away.

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  8. I am venting while waiting for a train in Brussels! I brought a never-worn cotton cardi along to go with 3 or 4 carefully planned outfits. Took it off after ONE wearing, and it has a HOLE about an inch below right shoulder seam in back. Unconscionable to market such cr#p.

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  9. Old news but I'm still annoyed about the Jane dress. It was the one thing I purchased from the spring rollout, full price no less, and had such high hopes for it. It was the longest dress I'd seen in a while on the site. Definitely work appropriate. They've changed it now, but it was listed as being silk when I purchased it. I hoped for something light and summery, and I got stiff, heavy tencel. I don't even know how they did that since tencel is usualy lighter. It's not a true wrap, it is sewn together at one side seam so it's tough to get into. THe fit is just off and the stiff fabric doesn't make it any better. My friend called it a military bathrobe.

    I wish they'd made some things I can wear to work. It's been ages since I bought anything but casual items. The skirts and dresses are all too short for me. In my field I cannot wear hems well above the knee. The jackets are always much too short in the torso with waist lines coming in at my high ribcage, just under the bra line.

    Wow, didn't realize I had so much to rant about! I used to buy so much at J. Crew, particularly during the fall rollout, and I've found other retailers to fill my work wear need. In the last year my J. Crew purchases have mostly been tees for weekend, belts and other accessories.

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  10. I purchased a merino cardigan (the dore I think with the gold buttons and front pockets) in November and have maybe worn it 6-7 times and yesterday I noticed that the seam that holds the collar to the right shoulder is completely gone. Awesome, another sweater to repair in the exact same place. Thanks J.Crew.

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  11. This is a silly thing to complain about but I have been waiting for months for the Maritime cotton blazer to go on sale. I think it came out in February and its no longer available in the B&M. I refuse to pay $118 for a cotton unlined jacket. A couple of weeks ago it was a part of the 20% off t-shirt promo but I still was not willing to pay $98. They obviously have plenty of them left given that all of the sizes are still available. I really don't understand how they decide which items to put on sale and which ones not to. (So if anyone has a size M they would like to part with just let me know).

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  12. Desert Flower, I still see silk twill listed as the fabric on the Jane dress. And that is my vent for today, the online/catalog product description and photos often do not match the actual item. The Rowboat does not have pockets and the alternating stripes are a very yellow cream, not the white it appears to be online. The No.2 pencil skirt is also shown with side pockets in the catalog (but not online) and it does not have them. There are more examples and it is very frustrating. Doesn't anyone verify the copy before it is released? Really annoying when shoppers can't verify the items in person.

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  13. XOXO, you're right! I didn't even go back to check after customer service told me it was being changed. The tag in the one I bought was definitely tencel, not silk. Also, this dress is sold on net-a-porter under the name aggie. There it is described as lyocell.

    I agree, it would be great if they'd double check all these things before putting them on the site. I know that items are photographed and produced at different times but it seems like retailer common sense to verify the details when making up the website.

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  14. WFF, I'm sorry to hear about your sweater but I hope you are having a good time on your trip! I would love to be abroad right now! Presuming it's not 100 degrees there, that is. :) I'm already sick of summer and it's not even summer yet.

    FFM, one item is still showing available, the rest are finally showing sold out. The one item that is still showing available is an item I have ordered twice before but suffered cancellations both times. It's the black merino Cielo, not sure why it keeps showing up as an available product. Maybe third time's a charm? The entire order is showing "released" now. I'll cross my fingers.

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  15. This is off topic, but just a warning. I have had a nightmare experience with a j crew purchase over ebay. I filed a case against the seller because the product is defective. The seller, "shevlinsara" been sending me threatening emails since then. She noticed I recently left negative feedback, writes again today with a threat, and opens a new account with zero feedback under robinsnestdreamin89 to buy an item from me. One minute later she leaves negative feedback against me because my item is "overpriced". There has been no shipping and no payment for that transaction. She had several negative feedback but I didn't care before. Please, make yourself a favor and stay away from that woman shevlinsara or robinsnestdreamin89.

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  16. OK, so has anyone else had a problem with the Marguerite suede wedges?? I ordered my first pair and on the first wear the little loop in the back that hold the ankle strap in place completely ripped. So, I ordered a replacement pair, had a decent customer service experience, and received the new pair a few days later. I opened the box, holding my breath to inspect the new pair before strapping them to my feet, and low and behold! The left sandal ankle strap loop was already ripped (although not completely ripped off like the first pair) and the shoes looked like they had been worn and returned, and then shipped to me, uninpected.

    My second call to customer service was WAY more accommodating, which was nice. Apparently the first woman I talked to didn't even credit my J Crew card and also didn't place a "quality check" on the replacement pair, which shouldn't have been resold to anyone.

    So now I await a third pair along with a fourth pair of the leather version of this sandal (they sold it to me at the sale price, which was awesome customer service).

    Sersiously, has anyone got the suede Marguerite wedges and actually been able to wear them more than once?

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  17. Wow, nobelle, thanks for the heads up! I hope eBay bans her. What a jerk! My sister and I are having enough bad experiences where we're almost afraid to buy J Crew stuff on eBay any more. We've received too many SNAD items. And my recently received and extortion-like threat from a seller who accepted a return but told my sister that if she didn't accept the request to cancel the transaction she (the seller) would have to send the item back to my sister. My sister should have just opened a case immediately. I'm trying to get her to report it to eBay. A few months ago I sent back an item to a seller that had a noticeable undisclosed flaw, the seller was gracious and accepted the return without hassle..... then immediately put the thing back up for auction without disclosing the flaw. Good luck to the next buyer, eh? Shameful. And yesterday while beginning a major closet cleanout I was refolding a cardigan I'd bought on eBay months ago, one with some chiffon trim sewn on the front and was never mishandled by me, and I found that under one section of the trim were two large holes! I was planning to remove the trim, the holes would certainly prevent that. The cardigan is now sitting in the wastebasket.

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  18. Nobelle, call eBay, they will remove retaliatory neg feedback. I was watching her item too, but I will not be buying from her now...what a jerk.

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  19. Wow Nobelle thanks for letting us know about that Ebay seller. I have been very reluctant to buy used items from Ebay. I have had great transactions with a woman under the name nyblackcat. I purchased two items from her, a blouse and a skirt and both were in excellent condition, brand new.
    My "rant" is regarding the shipping issue J Crew is having. I ordered a pair of pants on May 28th and I still have not received them. I sent an email to the contactus email address and got a reply saying my item will be shipped and they are having issues with items being shipped but don't know why. They are "looking into" this problem. So, I would recommend that you check daily to make sure your items have shipped. What a pain!

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  20. My complains have been the same.... I received the WRONG item again, time after time! Be it the color, or a completely different item. I feel like it would be better off to have the order cancelled, that way I don't need to go through returns and refunds. I also find holes in the tees that I wore just once or twice..... It's very disappointing....

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  21. Skester,

    Yes, I have reported last week and this week again about delayed shipping issues on two of my most recent orders. The best thing to do is call. They sent mine out after a week of waiting and overnighted it to me free.

    Also, had problems with returns via mail that has only happened twice before in my 10+ years with J.Crew and the last time was 2004. All items in my return box were from the one order and they did not credit me for two items that were in the box!

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  23. Received my summer stripe and my ticker stripe school boy blazers today. Both my normal blazer size 4. Ticker stripe blazer sleeves are nice and long...hit at the top of my hand. Summer stripe sleeves hit somewhere 1/2 way between elbow and wrist. REALLY?
    Grumble, grumble.....HATE the constant inconsistencies in fit/sizing. I guess I need to look on the bright side....they weren't final sale :)

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  24. Hi everyone, Thanks for your advice. I contacted ebay and as you said they will be removing the retaliation feedback and will be banning her. I am glad I kept copies of all her emails (she even contacted me to my personal email addresses). I didn't know whether to report it here, but I am glad I did. There was already one person biding on the defective item she sold me and I returned per instructions of ebay as part of my case. Christy, I am glad this saved you from the bad experience.

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  25. Wow, I just checked ebay feedback for shevlinsara and I noticed she created a new identity lawyerboy (0 feedback) to buy something from herself and leave positive feedback to herself. If you see the date of transaction and feedback is the same! which makes impossible that the buyer had received the item to assess the condition and leave feeback! It seems some unscrupulous ebay sellers like her manipulate their own feeback to improve it!! Well, 24 hours and she will be banned (at least one of her identities)

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  26. I called J Crew to ask if they could search stores for a size 0 of the Mirabel dress. The guy was super surly and said "well I can do it but I can guarantee it won't be found because I put in requests for it about six times yesterday and they all came back negative." He was such a naysayer that I didn't believe him - he just didn't want to do it - so I said to place the order anyway. The next day it was being shipped to me. It's too bad he made me feel like I was putting him out. It will definitely make me hesitate to ask again.

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  27. A little disappointed that they extended the free shipping high minimum promo through the weekend instead of giving us a % off something.

    Really disappointed to see Percheno say all her vintage tees got holes on the first wear. That is really inexcusable. When oh when will J Crew get with the program??

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  28. Nobelle, thank you- some people have multiple (bad) personalities! Glad ebay was there to help :)

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  29. The only issue Ihad with the Vintage Tees is with the Casablanca Blue one, it stretches out of shape the knot is very loose. I have 2 other colors and they are wearing fine without any holes.

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  30. nobelle, did you alert eBay of the lawyerboy bogus ID and transaction? You should. That might encourage them to deactivate the seller's main selling account.

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  31. I placed on order on 6/8 and as of today the status is still "released". What is this supposed to mean?! I fear an order cancellation may be forthcoming.

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  32. An item I purchased recently went on sale and I called customer service for the price adjustment. The CSR was unhelpful, admitting that he didn't understand the policy but refused to make the adjustment.

    Since I was going to the mall to return some other items (scratchy cashmere sweater??? Just poor!), I decided to return the newly-reduced item and repurchase via the red phone. I hate playing the games, but it was the principle.

    While ordering on the red phone, I was surprised to learn that I could not receieve free shipping (even though the sign by the phone said so!) on a sale item if I added one that was full price. When I asked when the policy change occurred this second unhelpful CSR told me that it had always been that way.

    I corrected him. He in turn, made the 'one time' exception and waived shipping.

    As I was returning items, I asked the store associate about policies. He explained and was sympathetic.

    It's just feeling like a lot of work to shop with J Crew lately. I have been a very loyal, very dedicated customer, and I feel nickeled and dimed for that loyalty.

    I think I'm done.

    And I hope the rest of you are having a FAR different experience!

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

And now back to J.Crew! :)