I have a story for you on the high end jean brand HOT Skinny Jeans.I ordered a pair of jeans from them that cost $184. When I received them I realized they weren't exactly the wash I wanted but tried them on for size to see if I liked them. After wearing them for about an hour inside my apartment and trying them on with different shoes, I decided they weren't for me. But wanted to exchange for a different size and color. Followed the directions online for return and didn't hear anything back for 2 weeks after sending them in.
Received a package that included the jeans and a note that said the jeans had obviously been worn and "how can you not realize that you ordered black jeans," in response to my request to exchange the wash. No signature.
Called the company to see if that is really how they wanted to do business. First person I talked to, Christine recognized that there was a snide tone in the note and said that she didn't have the authority to change anything, so she put me on the phone with the owner, Katherine. Katherine said they couldn't take back the jeans because they had been worn and then asked "what have you been doing on your knees, i don't want to know." No exchange was offered.
Not sure if high end jeans is something you usually write about. But I thought the idea of a company sending rude notes when consumers try to return items, followed by the owner of the company asking "what have you been doing on your knees," to someone that was just trying to exchange a product for a different size and color after trying them on was interesting.
"Interesting" isn't quite how we'd describe it. Maybe a company with a sassy name like Hot Skinny Jeans has to have sassy customer support too. Since you've already gone to the top of the support chain, we'd suggest getting in touch with your bank about a chargeback if you want to get your money back.
(Photo: stirwise)
]]>"We have a liberal return policy and will take back jeans for any reason but state clearly on the website that we will NOT accept merchandise that has been worn."
Okay, could you be any more contradicting? Which is it?
"I returned the jeans to her with her packing slip explaining that the jeans were worn and could not be returned and asked, you ordered black jeans, how could you not realize they would be black??"
That is unnecessary and unethical even and of course...unprofessional.
]]>The website does clearly state the items cannot be returned if "worn", but 2 lines down says they can be exchanged or refunded for any reason.
Considering the statements about the quality of the product, such as "the jeans never stretch out, bag out or lose their shape" there seems to be no way to tell how something is "worn" or not.
As a woman, I have purchased jeans that I tried on in the store, and taken them home to try out with different shirts and shoes and whatnot. An hour doesn't seem like that long to try the jeans out with various other items of clothing...IMO.
Possibly she was planning on going out that night in her new jeans and maybe sprayed some perfume on while trying on her outfits? Or if she is a smoker and had one while wearing the jeans. Those are the only reasons I could think of to "prove" the item was "worn"....since obviously the jeans "don't lose their shape" that was not the reason.
Still a piss poor customer service experience, she should have gotten a concrete reason for how they knew it was worn, not a snarky note or a sexual insult from the company owner.
I'm not sure how the knees would be worn out/dirty by wearing the jeans for an hour, but in regards to stretching them out:
From the companies website (http://www.skinnyjeans.com/html/shop.html):
Patent-pending SkinnyJeans® are made of classic, velvety-soft stretch denim with 'Memory' derived from its nylon-elastane content which never 'grows' or loses its shape.
So if the jeans do look stretched out then it's because the product was misrepresented o r lacking in quality. Also, I would expect that these jeans are meant to be worn somewhat on the snug side, otherwise how can the "tummy flattening panel" do it's job?
As a side note, the companies original note was very sarcastic in response to the wash: "how can you not realize that you ordered black jeans,"
When I read this I imagined plain, jet black jeans, when in fact the jeans are described this way:
SkinnyJeans® have a shaded and faded pattern that creates an optical illusion front and back that makes you look thinner and your legs look longer
Maybe she didn't like this shaded and faded pattern so much.
]]>We all looked at the jeans and everyone agreed that the jeans had been worn and could not be resold. We have a very liberal return policy and will take back jeans for any reason and state clearly on the website that we will NOT accept merchandise that has been worn. As I couldn’t sell the jeans and as the customer had OBVIOUSLY worn the jeans, I simply mailed the jeans back to her with the packing slip and a note that “we cannot accept jeans that have been worn” and with a question- “you ordered black jeans, how could you not realize they would be black?” So she has her worn jeans back.
I am a business owner who will not be blackmailed -- I think a lot of online retailers cave into pressure in situations like this for fear of being lambasted in a one-sided feeding frenzy in the blogosphere, but it’s not right. Overwhelmingly our customers are decent and fabulous but every so often someone like this shows up and tries to cheat you (and worse, doesn't know how to take a joke!) What would you do?
$80 for a pair of Levis is borderline unreasonable as far as I'm concerned and I have a sneaking suspicion that designer jeans aren't nearly as durable.
]]>Oh.
]]>If this is the right company though, the letter is especially funny considering the website (http://www.skinnyjeans.com/) has this to say:
Do a plie’ in your SkinnyJeans to get them on right and tight!
hello! SkinnyJeans never get droopy and bag out!!
Even if the jeans weren't these ones, I'd be very suspicious of jeans that show obvious wear in about one hour although I can see the knees being affected by trying on shoes. I figure that sitting or kneeling to put on the shoes rubs the knees but this still shouldn't show unless the denim is extremely cheap.
]]>Interesting. A member of a gender known for carrying a portable storage system with them wherever they go is asking why members of a gender for which such storage systems can be socially problematic is asking why they would want more pockets.
Fascinating.
]]>@Jacob Schumer: So does that mean that all I have to do in order to be found correct in every argument is to be the biggest douche-bag possible? I think I can manage that!
]]>Uhh, the jeans are called hot skinny jeans. It's reasonable to assume that stretching did occur based solely upon the label name.
]]>I'M ready to pop, but FLIPPY isn't fully-cooked until May 29. So I've got 5 weeks to go!
]]>They only sell very good jeans and the "consultants" will really work with you to get the right jeans for what you're looking for.
]]>What would be great is if, since the OP has the jeans back, they could send in a picture and let us compare it to the picture of the jeans from the web site she ordered from.
]]>Also those stores have really cool shoes (the men's dress shoes are very comfortable and stylish the woman's are very sexy) and other clothing (again the unique sort of decoration on shirts, skirts, and dresses) as well. The Brazilians have great fashion of good quality that can be found for little money.
]]>@kaptainkk: Perhaps it was a long-saved-for luxury. I hate overpriced fashion as much as the next chick but you know what it's called when you hate someone for having something you don't? Jealousy.
]]>Why would an owner make a statement like that unless its obvious the customer was trying to play her? Gotta look at it from both sides :)
That said, as a business owner you sometimes have to eat the costs of dealing with a scammer to maintain your company's reputation.
]]>And personally I think she never should have mentioned that she wore them for any length of time. That is why the company is being an ass about it. She told the truth and now they are throwing the policy at her. Tis their choice as you said, but they are defeating customer service.
]]>As far as wearing them, she claims to have worn them for over an hour. When you try something on in the dressing room, you wear them for what, 5 minutes? If the owner could tell they had been worn, they probably either stretched from the wear or she did get something on them.
]]>There needs to be something similar for rich designer snobs. Call it "conspicuousconsumerist" or something like that.
]]>Actually, when I sold designer denim, I would often tell my customers to wear the jeans around the house for an hour or two after purchase. Many styles have a highish spandex or elastin content so they will stretch to conform to the wearers body, but they need more time than anyone would want to spend in a fitting room to reach optimum fit. I would advise customers to get the smallest size they could zip up if the elastin content was 3% or greater then send them home to wear the jeans for an hour or two and invite the customer to bring them back if the jeans were still too tight after that. I had very few returns and didn't hesitate to take a jean back that had been worn in house for an hour or two. Quality jeans should return to their original shape after a few hours anyway with that little wear - it's no worse on the merch than being tried on by 5 people in store.
]]>If she wore them for a while, spilled coffee and other shit on them, she would be completely wrong. But for asking for a new pair with a different wash/size I personally do not see why the company would be such a ass about it.
]]>Just to keep this close to the topic at hand, I will also sing the praises of the Old Navy return policy. Everything came with pre-printed and pre-paid return labels, just in case (at least stuff that's only available online - if you order regular merchandise that is available in stores you can return it to a store, which is also convenient).
I do love Old Navy. That article (was it here?) the other day about brands that will disappear or fail in the next year included Old Navy. I hope it's not true!
]]>Wearing skinny jeans for an hour is like wearing normal-fitting jeans for a whole day, because of how tight they are.
Now, if the OP wore them for "an hour," so much so that the knees were stretched out already (based on the comments from the owner), that's bad on her for trying to return already-worn jeans.
The note was snarky, to be sure, but let's see the company's return policy to see if the OP is in the wrong here.
]]>Oh snaps, my first (?) disemvoweling.
1) There's no need to discuss branding - I'm aware of the concept, my point is: cost ≠ quality. People paying for a name does not a high end product make.
2) This is an internet discussion, there's no room for data. Plenty of stores accept customers acting ridiculous in the name of good service. CostCo does this and basically accepts returns on everything other than half-eaten food. That's not good customer service as much as it is coddling people with a false sense of entitlement.
If someone tried returning a used item of clothing to me I would have most likely reacted in a similar manner, other than the note. Running a small business yourself cuts down your free time to deal with people acting unreasonably - I don't want to deal with those people as they're taking away time from other customers.
3) One persons rude is another persons funny. I wouldn't do it, but I can certainly laugh about it via the internet.
]]>check out Jean Therapy in Boston, they'll find the Jeans that are right for you and even tailor them to the right fit, included in the price...even then NOT cheap and they'll last you for a long time.
]]>I see this on here almost every day, people typing without using the most basic of written communication. We talk about how education fails us, how sad it is that the illiteracy rate is so high in this country, and yet we have (I assume) grown, educated adults who refuse to spell words out fully. Does it save time? Does it make you giggle that people have to work a little harder to read your words?
I'm not trying to pick on you specifically, I see it all the time on here, and this is the one I just had to comment on.
And before anyone feels the need to point it out, I logged on with my FB account. Not sure why this makes someone a Consumerist pariah these days, but apparently it does.
]]>A little OT, but I found the following site with examples of pricey skinny jeans. In this example, it looks like $184 is the low end. And, judging from the photos, ripped or worn knees add to the price. The most expensive pair of skinny jeans I saw was $1,971.00!
Skinny jeans may be the new snake oil. Cures everything except knee problems.
The cost isn't that excessive, a coworker buys jeans around that price all the time.
]]>n yr kns jk, blm th p, rd cmmnts, xpnsv jns, wst f mny, ths str scks, bd cstmr spprt, hh
@SMSDHubbard: ITA -- Zappo's has great customer service. Nothing this tacky would ever take place there -- or, if it did, that employee would be fired in a heartbeat.
I think she should do the chargeback. Technically, I think the seller was within its rights to reject the jeans as worn (though an hour is pushing it there), but I think the seller forfeited that right by its behavior.
]]>@jmv2000: Lks lk mst f th clths r frm Zpps wth fw xcptns (Styl Rckt). Th wnr f HSJ s nmd Jck ccrdng t th 'bt' pg. wntd t s wht th rtrn plcy s t th str th P rdrd hr jns frm. Zpps rtrn plcy s wy bttr thn th thr strs lstd n tht blg, s t llws rtrns fr p t yr fr ny rsn. 'm thnkng tht n th cs f th P (bsd n hr spkng drctly wth th wnr nd tht vryn smd t b vry fmlr wth hr rdr), sh ws prbbly dlng wth smllr str...s pssbly Styl Rckt?
]]>I know that when I wear dark jeans in my house I inevitably get cat and/or dog hair on them, even if i don't sit down. Maybe that's how the company realized they were worn
]]>1. $184 jns d nt qt t "hgh nd." Jns r frly tltrn pc f clthng nd cn't s ny ct r ncrs n qlty tht jstfs pyng thr tms mr thn n vrg pr, s spndng mr, spclly frm ml rdr cmpny, dsn't mk m thnk smn s dsrvng f bttr thn vrg cstmr srvc.
2. Bth my fthr nd wn r wn nrltd bsnsss, mn bng clthng cmpny. Mr tms thn nt ts cstmr wth sns f nttlmnt mkng nrsnbl rqsts nd smn wh wld spnd tht mch n pr f jns dsn't mk m ssm dffrntly. 'm sr thr's mr t ths stry.
]]>Why does the price of the jeans have anything to do with this story? I'm really tired of the "why would anyone pay $184 for a pair of jeans?" comments.
We're all free to do whatever we want with our money.
]]>@dako81: For some reason I think if the jeans were $18.40 and the seller was named "Walmart" the tone of the comments would be much different. Just because somebody spends more money than others would on a pair of jeans does not mean they should be treated like the OP was. Quite a depressing set of comments on a consumer-friendly site.
]]>I'm really careful with how I spend my money...I don't like spending a lot because I don't have a lot, but because I don't spend a lot, I want the things I buy to be of good quality, even if it's coming from Target. I've spent an hour standing in front of the mirror examining the stitching on a dress. I'm especially critical of shoes because I can fix some clothes on my own...I can't fix shoes on my own, and painful feet can ruin anyone's day.
I've found $10 jeans that have lasted for years, and $50 jeans that haven't. But likewise, my favorite brand of jeans are on average around $50 and the oldest pair lasted four or five years before I couldn't wear them anymore - not because they tore, but because I lost weight.
]]>If it's a 100% satisfaction guaranteed then they should exchange the product. If it clearly states that once worn they can't be returned then it's another.
OTOH, for $184 dollars you would expect a little more give in the policy. Customers stu... good customers are hard to come by.
]]>Do they insult their PROSPECTIVE customers? "Screw you, now buy something!" I think not. That makes it somewhat HYPOCRITICAL, don't it?
The fact is when I'm buying things from exclusive/hi-end retailers, I EXPECT PREMIUM SERVICE. My father bought a polo shirt at Nieman Marcus for over $100. Took the tags off, wore it for a day and asked someone about it, they said they didn't like it, and he returned it, no receipt, for cash, no questions asked.
I learned in retailing that it's a LOT easier to keep a customer than it is to get a new one.
Word of mouth can make or break a store. We'll see how HSJ does when word such as this gets around.
]]>I never heard those words in any classroom. And it's quite fun to deconstruct fallacious arguments at parties. At least until the other person gets pissed and tries to start a fist fight.
]]>" Miss send back the jeans, once I have the jeans I will send you another wash/size/ color because we want your business and you did pay the same amount as my car payment for them. I think as a decent company this is the least we can do."
If she still is not happy with the jeans after that then it might fall on her, but the company is completely wrong.
]]>PS....of course they are worn, how else would she try them on?
]]>The attitude of the owner was snobby and elitist, not to mention downright nasty (what was she implying with the "knees" comment, hmmmm?) and uncalled for. In a crappy down economy, she ought to be thankful that there's someone out there willing to shell out $184 for a pair of jeans. Instead, she acted as if the customer ought to be thanking her for allowing her to purchase them. Shameful.
]]>@Eyebrows McGee (on Twitter: LPetelle): I say a man who is overexcited about the fit of a women's jeans, is just a man.
]]>@Hate_Brian_Club: How can you be sure of something you have zero proof of?
]]>@Esquire99: "She wasn't in compliance with the return policy".
You did not mention that you work for this store, nor did you provide a link to the store policy.
Are you sure you're not really Corporate_guy?
]]>@Phil Johnson: Nope. It's the OP that said "the high end jean brand HOT Skinny Jeans".
Maybe the name brand is just "HOT"? I don't know, I think the OP should clarify this.
]]>@Jacob Schumer: Your company would FAIL.
]]>I can't find the company online (have you tried googling "hot skinny jeans"?) so see their return policy, but I'd try one more time:
Send back the jeans and a copy of the note, receipt-requested, with a note saying, "I tried to exchange these for another size and wash, and you declined to let me exchange them and sent them back. Unfortunately, that now means I must return them for a full refund. If I do not see a refund on my credit card in 14 days after receipt of this package, I will issue a chargeback.
P.S. Your company will not have me on my knees."
]]>Old Navy had (has) extremely generous return policies and extensive sizing charts (with measurements, not just size numbers). $7.95 shipping any size order, no cost to return (it all comes with labels), and frequent sales that more than cover the shipping cost. My first order I made just a small order and ordered the same shirt in two sizes, etc. Once I knew what fit, I haven't had to return a single thing, and I've had fast shipping, good customer service, and great clearance sales on basics.
And, incidentally, I've gotten lots of compliments on my "normal-looking" maternity clothes that are cute without being sacks. Old Navy is apparently of the opinion that if you like V-neck T-shirts in normal colors and comfy khakis before you're pregnant, that's what you'll like when you're pregnant ... not sacks and muumuus in freaky florals and babyish prints.
I've never been more than an occasional Old Navy shopper, but hereafter I'm definitely singing their praises, especially for their online shopping.
]]>Just like when I called John Deere earlier this week and the CSR told me that I should pay someone to mow my lawn if I was too small to trip the safety switch in the seat of my brand new lawn mower! Later figured out how to re-wire it though ;) hehe
The owner of that company really needs to brush up on her customer service skills. She obviously doesn't know how to gain a repeat customer.
My husband had to do that with work boots a couple times while he was working in a factory and the companies were always happy to take them back. He'd wear them to work for a day and if they hurt his feet (with and without his custom insoles) or just weren't holding up to 12 hours of walking around a factory, he'd return them. Its completely normal for people to do that with expensive clothing items and the owner should be well aware of that. I've bought jeans from Wal-Mart.com that didn't look quite right after I put them on and wore them for around the house for a couple hours and still returned them to the store.
Completely unacceptable!
]]>Ah, old-fashioned sexist laws. How rarely you turn out to be useful.
]]>I don't see a problem with the woman wearing a pair of jeans for an hour to see if they get more comfortable. And I'd have to guess that "hot skinny jeans" are often purchased by people that are not as hot or as skinny as the delivered jeans require, so returns might be necessary.
But $184 for jeans? Seriously? What's wrong with a good pair of Rustlers or Faded Glory from a good American company like Wal....... Never mind.
]]>@TEW:
I am sorry I did not see that she got back the jeans. I thought they just sent the note. My post is now pretty much worthless. :)
Since you claim to sell clothing but have no idea what makes one pair of jeans different from another, you might want to educate yourself.
]]>They can take the hit.
]]>I doubt the owner gives a rip about bad publicity.
]]>I've paid more for jeans that turned out to be so low low-rise you'd have to do extreme pubic landscaping. I was too lazy to return them, so they went to Goodwill.
Online return policies have to be more flexible because of 1.monitor color distortion 2. non-standardized sizing and 3. time gap between purchase and tactile evaluation.
OP should return the jeans and notify the seller of a charge-back. Then she should never do business with this seller again.
]]>Company's response was inappropiate, but I kinda laughed.
]]>Though the sizes don't change every year in women's. There's just little consistency from brand to brand, and it's pretty common to order two sizes and return one.
]]>But it's still a weird setup.
]]>$184 isn't "high end."
I'd like to see what the jeans look like, for some jeans, an hour usage WILL be shown, especially tight raw dry selvage jeans (with a $184 price tag, I highly doubt they were selvage, but may have been raw or one-wash).
I still don't know what brand "HOT Skinny Jeans" is.
It really seems like the consumer was confused, but the company's response wasn't the best.
]]>1) Um, it's called branding. Citizen, Rock & Republic, True Religion, Sevens, etc all sell for triple digits, while Wal-Mart private label doesn't. Why? Sometimes quality, mostly because they're a popular brand name. New to retail much? PS - *If* OP is telling the full story, she's not asking for "better than average customer service", she's asking for AVERAGE customer service without being insulted.
2) Oh really? Could we see some data regarding frivolous or false returns based on something besides your anecdotal evidence? If not, I'll give you some of my own. I'll wager, at most, 1-2% of all the returns I've processed or overseen in 9 years of retail have been the type you refer to as unreasonable. And you know what? We still do 'em, more often than not (to use your phrase). Why? Customer service. See: Nordstrom, etc. Most companies factor this into their cost of doing business, and budget for it. But you're in the clothing business, and I'm sure you knew that.
ALSO, your straw man argument against people who would spend "that much" on jeans is a fallacy, which I'm assuming you knew. Am I likely an unreasonable customer because I'll spend 2-5x as much on clothes as you will? No more so than if I spent 2-5x as much on art or food than you do. By your logic most people who shop at Whole Foods instead of Bargain Rainbow are probably unreasonable customers.
3) It's rude, and while that joke may be made behind closed doors or away from the customer, it's inexcusable to make *to* a customer. At least if you value customers or the rep of your company. I'm assuming you don't run your business in the same way, but maybe that's an unsafe assumption.
]]>...this story.
]]>It must be either the Hudson or Radcliffe Denim brand, from what I gather.
]]>Some clarification would definitely be appreciated.
]]>Can anyone clarify?
]]>Yes, that's the link I clicked, which led me to believe that Michelle bought her hotpants from a sketchy off-shore drop-shipping retailer who's now giving her the runaround.
]]>She wasn't wearing them to see if they fit. Read her statement. She was wearing them for an hour while she tried them with different tops to see if she liked the wash, which she realized she didn't. THAT was why she returned the jeans. She doesn't say anything about returning them because of fit.
]]>The company's web domain matches their name. No need to drum up their google trends.
]]>Click on any of the links. Something's real fishy here.
]]>Am I the only one who finds this a bit...fishy?
]]>Part of me wants to bash you for paying that much for a pair of jeans. Still, I would do a CC chargeback. This company is obviously a rip off outfit.
]]>On your knees?
If the wear pattern is that specific, one must truly wonder.
Oh, and has anybody heard of "renting" clothes? The bigger the price tag, the more it happens.
]]>If I were her I would threaten with a lawsuit if the chargeback won't work. Most business would cave to that threat to avoid the bad publicity of a faulty product let alone a slur from the owner. If she does not have the jeans and they have her money than they will either have to give back the jeans or her money. If they don't do either than it is a simple case of fraud. One more thing, did the OP use the United States Postal Service? If she did than you can contact the postal inspector since it might be mail fraud. Anyway the company needs to die because of the remarks.
]]>Never did get the "washed and torn" look either. All my jeans are washed and torn, which is why I'd be buying new jeans in the first place. To wear something not washed and torn. It's like buying $150 new jeans that you can claim you found in the trash.
]]>@jmhart:
That part is a little fishy. Why an hour?
Nevertheless, the remark made by the owner was unacceptable.
]]>What I wonder is how the company determined they had been "worn" too much to return? Was she kneeling in garden, weeding and got some dirt or grass stains?
]]>@Corporate_guy: idk if i'm just a girly girl, but sometimes it takes a while to determine if something is going to be comfortable. though an hour seems like a long time, i wore a backpack out for an entire day before i returned it because it pinched my neck with all my books in it. i had tried it on at the store and it was great, it was only until a real test run that i found it wasn't for me, and it was only $85, not $184. i don't usually wear clothes an hour, but a few minutes around the house, bending over, crouching, etc. is pretty customary when i try out pants.
also, where the crap do you get $20 jeans that are of any real quality and fit for a woman? oh that's right, nowhere! old navy is $24, and that is the bottom of the barrel where i start considering quality, and those wear out relatively quickly. sometimes it's better to invest in quality. that said, i would never buy pants more expensive than $50, but at least i realize i have no right to judge someone for how they choose to spend thier money.
]]>I'm all for chargebacks when they are appropriate (When you didn't get what you paid for), but in this case it's totally unwarranted. Bad customer service doesn't entitle one to free merchandise.
]]>Regardless if you spent $30 or $200, that is unacceptable customer service. If they felt the OP did wear the jeans, simply stating the policy behind this would suffice. I realize that some people may have buyers remorse but at the same time, those types tend to want a refund for their free wear. Most of them are not going for the exchange, that makes me think that it was a legit customer who will NOT be coming back now. Way to go high end jeans company during a recession.
]]>Go to a normal store and buy jeans you can try on for 20 bucks.
]]>Sure, the rudeness wasn't appropriate, but does it take an hour(or more?) to know they don't fit?
]]>But yeah, if I paid 184 bucks for jeans and they were that rude to me you'd better believe they wouldn't hear the last of it until I had my money back. Regardless of the fact that I'm a fat pasty white guy with hairy legs. I can be stylish too!
]]>