J.Crew's Shipping Method Change {upgrade or downgrade, you decide!}

"Thanks!" to many of you, including 312JCgirl & Silver Lining (in this post) who revealed some changes in J.Crew's shipping methods: J.Crew has included a new "economy" choice. The difference with standard is pretty significant, as shown below:

Economy (6-8 Business Days) Your order will ship UPS SurePost and will be delivered by USPS.

Standard (3-6 Business Days) Your order will ship UPS Ground.

Economy can take twice as long as standard to make it to the customer's residence. In part because economy is handed off from UPS to the USPS.

What is also interesting is if a customer meets the threshold for free shipping, they can choose between economy and standard. As long as they are aware of it before just clicking away. ;)

If you are below the threshold for free shipping, there is a new $5 flat shipping fee for economy. It will cost $8 for standard. Which is now a bit lower than the $8.95 they were charging before. (Hey, something is something!) :)

I am curious what made J.Crew decide to move in this direction with its shipping. I am aware that J.Crew Factory uses SurePost and a flat shipping fee of $4.95- was it just a matter of time to do the same at retail J.Crew?

I am personally not a big fan of SurePost, but I am a fan of lower-cost shipping. At least J.Crew provided more options for customers. That is a good thing.

Did you notice the extra shipping option? What are your thoughts? Is this an upgrade or downgrade?

J.Crew Email: Change is good: $8.95 flat-rate shipping (plus, free shipping on $175+)

"Thanks!" to Irina who shared the following email J.Crew sent today.

The email announces J.Crew's new shipping fee structure: free shipping on orders of $175 without a code and flat-rate shipping of $8.95 for all orders underneath $175!

The verdict is out whether or not JCAs are excited about this change. From the comments in various posts, some JCAs are concerned that (1) the new shipping rates will reduce the number of promotions offering free shipping with lower minimums; (2) the minimum for free shipping is still too steep; and (3) the flat shipping rate of $9 is high for low purchase amounts.

Personally, I was all excited for J.Crew to introduce a flat-shipping rate. But I was hoping to see free shipping with a lower minimum (maybe over $125?)

On a bright note, at least J.Crew's flat shipping rate is similar to ordering $60 worth of merchandise from their old shipping chart (which is a fair amount to order). They could have easily chosen a higher flat shipping rate. I am grateful they did not. :)

Also, J.Crew's standard shipping-delivery time is one of the best for online retailers. The turnaround from time of order to delivery at doorstep for me is very quick. (I cannot say the same thing for Gap, Inc., or Lands End Canvas, whose standard shipping times are much slower for me.)

J.Crew Updates Website with New Arrivals!

"Thanks!" to many of you, including Bourbon&Pearls, as well as GigiOfCa (in this post), c.angela (in this post), life as a cat (in this post), & Irina, who let us know that J.Crew had an update to its website today (click here to view online).

There are some new arrivals for men (click here) & women (click here). {wahoo!} It looks like Crewcuts (click here) has been updated, as did the J.Crew Collection (click here).

J.Crew has also updated their site with some noteworthy changes:

• Unfortunately, J.Crew is no longer posting their catalogs. (Although, we knew this from the last update. I just had hoped they changed their mind and included it again.)
• The upper right hand corner displays an option to change country (United States, Canada, Japan, and United Kingdom) as well as currency.
• You can calculate your state tax and apply a promotional code at checkout before logging in now.
  
• Free shipping on orders of $175 without a code. J.Crew is offering flat-rate shipping of $8.95 for all orders too! It is applied automatically at checkout, which is kind of nice. This will be a constant as they shared on the "Help-Shipping and Handling" page:
  "We're excited to introduce flat-rate shipping for $8.95 and free shipping for qualifying orders of $175 and up. Free shipping applies to jcrew.com online orders shipped via ground shipping and totaling $175+ after applicable discounts and before shipping, handling and taxes are added. J.Crew Gift Cards do not count toward the $175 order total. Orders of $174.99 or less will be shipped within the United States at a flat rate of $8.95. Qualifying orders totaling $175+ and including shipments to multiple addresses will receive free shipping. Orders of $174.99 or less shipped to multiple addresses will be charged $8.95 for each individual shipment."
  

There is also one massive update to the Final Sale section (click here to shop online). Over 1700+ items for Women, and 460+ items for Men.

I am off to check out the new Fall arrivals now... In general, this is one of their better Collections in recent years. I am loving the shapes (puff sleeves!), longer silhouettes (hello knee length skirts!) and colors (I kneel before heather majestic purple!) for Fall. This is what J.Crew does best and I am happy to see them return to it!

Loving! I own too many Winter coats, but that doesn't stop me from drooling over the Double-cloth Townhouse Trench (Item 49612; $350.00). {gasp!} It is gorgeous! And I am happy to see the return of the shirtdress with the Blythe Shirtdress (Item 47714, $178.00).

Could have been great! Oh J.Crew, you make the incredible Teddie dress (Item 47465, $198.00) and add an exposed zipper in the back. Why? Just when you started getting me again, you pull something like that.

J.Crew, you use to make pants that fit me. But in the past few years you and I have not worked out in that department. The Foundry Pant (Item 50160; $158.00) is a perfect example. What is up with the saggy crotch area? And the back view isn't that great either. You can do better than this. Much better.

Really? Who came up with the Sequin Fanfare Bag (item 49265, $498.00) over at J.Crew? Because I would like to know the back story on it. (You know it is probably good.) It looks like a hot, galactic, mess. The worst part is that it doesn't even look expensive! Maybe it looks better in person. Who knows, I might change my mind. But right now, no thank you.

What items are you most excited about and why? Which items are you surprised (or not surprised) to see? Which items did you hope would be included? Were you expecting a bigger roll-out today? Also, did you receive the latest catalog? :)

J.Crew In Canada: Back to Classics {please!}

"Thanks!" to J.Crew Guy In Canada, who let us know about an interesting article over at TheStar (click here to read in its entirety):

In tough times, J.Crew goes back to classics
By Dana Flavelle
August 14, 2011

American clothing retailer J. Crew Group, Inc. says it’s banking on its unique assortment of updated classics to overcome the current economic turmoil as it opens its first Canadian store in Toronto’s Yorkdale shopping mall.

“We’re obviously nervous like everyone should be today. So we’re being conservative,” Mickey Drexler, chairman and chief executive officer of the New York-based retailer, said Thursday.

The 5,000 square foot store, which will carry only women’s clothing and accessories, is slated to Aug. 18, the first of as many as 20 Canadian stores, including another five “in the next few years,” he said.

‘We know it’s going to be a reasonably promotional back to school period and holiday season. As always our mission is to offer unique products at fair value,” Drexler said in a telephone interview with the Toronto Star.

“We can’t control the macro-environment,” Drexler added, referring to a week that saw stock markets roil amid concerns high U.S. and European government debt loads could trigger another recession.

“We just have to play it best,” Drexler said, noting J.Crew’s fall lineup will play to its strengths, including bold colours, quirky mixes and matches, woven shirts, perfect and vintage tees, and expanded line of handbags and shoes.

Whether it’s the popular café Capri cropped pant, in wool for fall, for $118, or the classic Italian leather Mona pump, for $198, or the fully lined wool Schoolboy blazer (for women), at $188, Drexler describes J.Crew as catering to customers who want designer quality at less than designer prices. (All figures are in U.S. dollars. Canadian pricing has not been disclosed.)

The Yorkdale store is expected to do well, retail industry experts said. The iconic label, a favourite of U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, is already well known to Canadians who shop its catalogue, website and U.S. border stores.

‘They should do well at least initially, as the women’s wear market welcomes new stores with open arms if that new retailer comes with a reputation: Michelle Obama – need I say more?” said Ed Strapagiel, executive vice-president at market research firm KubasPrimedia in Toronto.

“Yorkdale mall, however, might present some challenges once they complete their expansion next year. We just don’t know what retailers are going in there,” Strapagiel cautioned.

Indeed, J.Crew is just one of a slew of American and European retailers set to converge on the Canadian market, making it their first stop on the road to international expansion as growth slows at home.

Drexler acknowledged that in the current climate the game will be about winning market share from competitors. “Whatever we do we take away from someone else. There’s isn’t a lot of growth yet,” he said, noting that’s how Apple Inc. has flourished. The 66-year-old seasoned retailer sits on Apple’s board.

In Canada, J.Crew’s are expected to take a bite out of broad range of competitors, from the Bay to Banana Republic, said Maureen Atkinson, a principal in the retail consulting firm J. C. William Group Inc., of Toronto.

“They’re a bit like Ralph Lauren in that updated classics are really the style. Price point-wise they’d compete with Banana Republic but Banana Republic is a little more trendy in style,” Atkinson said.

A huge J. Crew fan herself, Atkinson said the retailer is almost in a category of its own, particularly in the Canadian market, where most clothing is either so trendy it goes out of style fast or is well made but “dowdy.”

Drexler, who joined J. Crew in 2003 after 18 years with the Gap, where he grew the business from $400 million to $14 billion U.S. a year, has brought some much needed flair to the brand, Atkinson said.

J.Crew plans to open as many as 20 stores across Canada, including five in the next few years, Drexler said. Future locations could include Toronto’s Eaton Centre and Vancouver’s Robson St., he said, though no leases have been signed.

The prices in its Canadian stores may differ from its U.S. prices, the retailer said. “Price increase account for foreign exchange rates and other costs of doing business internationally,” the company said in a statement.

The opening of the Yorkdale store will coincide with the launch of a Canadian website where prices will be quoted in Canadian dollars, the retailer said.

Drexler said he expects the store and its online business will complement each other as they have in the U.S. “Online sales bring more awareness to our stores and stores bring more awareness to online,” he said.

I love that Canada will have their own J.Crew website!!! Totally makes sense now too (since J.Crew will be offering a flat shipping rate for its Canadian customers starting August 18th). My hope is that the prices won't be marked up too much.

What are your thoughts on the article? Any points you found particularly interesting?

J.Crew in the U.K. {soon. how soon? very soon.}

In the "J.Crew Spreads Its Wings Abroad" post, we learned that J.Crew planned to expand internationally by launching a U.K. online site in late August.

A big "thanks!" to Alexandra, who shared the following news & fantastic tips:

Very big news...my personal shopper at J Crew just told me that they are going to be starting to ship direct to customers in the UK on August 18th! It will be a flat rate of £9.95, which is an incredible deal.

For everyone who lives in the UK and loves J Crew this is amazing news. There was quite a lot of fuss about J Crew starting selling via Net a Porter last year, but the range was and still is very limited, with hardly any shoes or traditional J Crew classics like cashmere.This will allow UK residents to shop direct from the full range for the first time. ...

pass on these tips which I have discovered (the hard way) from six years of getting J Crew parcels sent via a US mail forwarding service.

1. Remember that you won't pay any US sales tax but you will have to pay UK VAT on all adult items (which is 20%) upon delivery of your parcel.
2. If the value of the goods in your order is more than US$200, you will be hit by VAT by the UK authorities, PLUS customs import duty levied on the entire total of the goods, shipping and VAT. This can add up to 30 or 40% extra onto the cost of your order.
3. If you want to buy more than $200 of goods, it almost always makes sense to divide your purchases up into separate orders, each worth $200 or less. You will save far more (by not being liable for customs import duty) than the additional £9.95 shipping fee for each delivery.

On a related note, "thanks!" to so many of you, including everynewday (in this post) as well as Aaron (in this post), who let us know that J.Crew will be offering a flat shipping rate ($9.99 via UPS) for its Canadian customers starting August 18th too.

Well this is super exiting news! I love that J.Crew will be offering a flat shipping rate for their international customers. Perhaps they are considering a similar offer for purchases in the U.S.? Well Aaron was told the following about that prospect: "I specifically asked if there would be a flat fee for the U.S. as well and the answer was no." Ah well!

Also, I am really happy for the U.K. chapter of JCAs getting their own online shopping site. Even though Net-A-Porter offered J.Crew, it suffered from limited selection and higher price points.

Are you excited about J.Crew's online move to the U.K.? Do you like the idea of a flat shipping rate?