Cheryl 2, Wicked LOFT manager, 0

Turns out there’s another happy ending to the whole LOFT return debacle. I got a letter in the mail today apologizing again for my inconvenience and thanking me for “giving us this opportunity to improve our service.” Wow. I think this is the first time anyone has ever thanked me for complaining! (Apparently, a six page fax really gets attention from the Customer Service department.) They also included a small gift card and said that “your experience will be shared with the appropriate District Manager and Regional Vice President for additional review and follow-up with the store team.” Ha!!! Take that, Wicked store manager! I think this part of the apology pleased me more than anything, because that store manager was putting her associates in a terrible position, having to quote and enforce a rule contrary to the company’s stated policy. I feel like I struck a blow not only for every customer who’s tried to return an online purchase to that location, but also for the poor associates who undoubtedly endured a lot of heat from unhappy customers. I think both customers and saleswomen will have a much happier holiday now.

Brand betrayal, service breakdown

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered three pieces from LOFT, the store that used to be my favorite shopping destination. Admittedly, when I’m looking for tops or sweaters, I’m better off going to the store, because sometimes their tops look amazing on me and sometimes they pull at the bust, and I’m never really sure what size I should get. But after being lured by a 30% off coupon, I decided to take a chance, secure in the knowledge that if the pieces didn’t work, I could return them to the store.

The clothes ended up being a total disappointment. The blue sweater had shoulder seams that inexplicably went an inch past my shoulders. The beet sweater had exposed seams that weren’t mentioned in the description; my honest-to-God first impression was that the sweater was inside out, and when that theory went bust, my next thought was that it must be defective. (Turns out it wasn’t. It just looks like it.) And the long-sleeve tee fit in the body, but strangely enough, not in the sleeves, which were so tight from the elbows down that they rippled.

In short, none of it looked right.

So Wednesday night, I took a detour to the LOFT on my way to choir rehearsal — easy enough to do since the store is in an exterior strip on the outskirts of Lakeside Mall. And that’s when things got worse.

The store clerk began checking the tags on each sweater and typing numbers into the computer — something that puzzled me since normally they scan the tickets and consult the receipt. “We can’t take this back,” she finally said, referring to the navy sweater. “It’s an online exclusive. You have to mail it back.”

I was shocked. I’ve shopped at LOFT, both in-store and online, for years. I’d always been able to do returns in-store. She said that it was a new policy and she was sorry. She processed the other two items and I left the store, still in possession of the blue sweater and feeling betrayed by a brand I trusted.

It gets worse.

When I got home Wednesday night, I immediately went to my computer to review my order confirmation, wondering how I’d missed this new policy and kicking myself for not reading the fine print. The order confirmation had no specifics about policy, just a link to the Returns page on the website.

The website had no information about this new policy. None. At all.

Feeling vindicated, I typed out an email to Customer Service and explained the situation. How could they expect me to pay return shipping based on a policy that wasn’t disclosed before my purchase?

Friday afternoon, I got a response: the exact verbiage from the website, pasted into an email. The same information I had specifically told them I’d already consulted. The same information that completely failed to address “online exclusive” merchandise.

I was furious. Clearly, they hadn’t even read my question — just looked at the subject and pasted in the standard response. I immediately shot back a simple, blunt reply: “You have NOT addressed the issue I raised. Did you even READ my question?”

Then I printed out both emails, the return policy, and a request for a legitimate answer, and faxed the whole thing to LOFT customer service.

Within twenty minutes I had a new email stating that the policy hadn’t changed and I should take the item back to the store — an answer which agrees with the website but not the store associate or the printed receipt that was delivered with the clothes. I sent yet another email, asking for further confirmation and quoting the receipt. I had two contradictory statements in writing, I told them; which is right?

I’m still waiting to hear back. I don’t know what they’ll say, or if I’ll like the answer. But I do know that LOFT has bungled this transaction to an incredible degree, not only inconveniencing me but making me feel like they just don’t care about me as a customer. They don’t care if I’m happy; they just want to close out this transaction using the least amount of energy possible. I have more clothes by LOFT than any other brand; ironically, I’m wearing LOFT from head to toe as I write this post. I’m a walking, talking advertisement for their store; I’m their target demographic and their ideal customer. They had me at Hello.

And they still just don’t care.

UPDATE, Saturday 12/4: Customer service says again that store associate was confused and should have made the return. I’m going to try again tomorrow and see what happens. (Thanks to Heather H. in Customer Service for making me feel like they do actually care, at least a little bit.)

UPDATE, Sunday 12/5: Went back to the store, armed with my emails. When I said I had a return, they started to give me the same spiel and I told them I’d spoken to Customer Service, who confirmed that the stores take back everything but swimwear & maternity. They immediately changed their tune and did the return with no fuss. It sounds like the store manager is trying to set her own policy, which I consider VERY bad business — and an excellent reason not to visit that location (Lakeside Mall, Metairie, LA) in future.

File this one under “venting”…

Ugh.

After a run of not-so-stellar months, I finally felt like things were mostly getting on track (choir issues aside — I’ll leave that discussion for another day). I’m feeling better and getting caught up with work after weeks of just scraping by. I should have known that things were going too well, right?

Sigh.

Ironically, I almost feel like I jinxed myself. Yesterday, a favorite blogger of mine was discussing the things she was purging from her possession in advance of a cross-country move. I left a comment on the discussion and included the statement, “Next time I move, I’m definitely getting rid of [geeky collectible that shall go unnamed here].” I really, really should have known not to put a statement like that out to the universe.

So this morning, when I learned that our landlord wants to move back into her house next spring, it seemed like a total cosmic joke. Of course she does! I only spent the last 2 Christmases moving from apartment to crappy house and then from crappy house to wonderful lovely house that I really really like. And moving is my favorite pastime, right?

In truth, moving makes me want to slit my wrists. The packing goes fine at first, but by the time I get to the day-to-day essentials — silverware, cookware, dishes, odds and ends — I truly want to just leave it all behind and buy new ones. Honestly. And don’t even talk to me about the first two weeks, when you can’t find ANYTHING you need. Add in the fact that I work from home and you might as well pass me the cyanide capsules right now.

My only bright spot in all this gloom is that at least we have plenty of notice — which means I have plenty of time to purge, purge, purge. Between now and February, my goal is to get rid of every unnecessary item I can — old client files, books I’ll never read, clothes I’ll never wear, and any useless pack-rat hoards of Mom’s that I think I can toss without being caught. (One of us needs to do it, and I know it won’t be her.)

And at least we won’t be moving on December 23rd… Merry Christmas to us.

Addendum, Nov. 9: She found my clothing discard bag and pulled out at least 3 things for herself. I’m never going to get rid of anything. 🙁

Dangerous deductibles

This is a public-service warning sort of post. I don’t want anyone else to make the same mistake I did.

A few years ago, I switched from my nice co-pay insurance plan to a high deductible plan — one that only pays for my meds and doctor visits once I’ve spent more than my deductible. This move was purely economic; I was turning 35 and the insurance company was going to increase my premiums by an absurd amount. I figured it was cheaper to pay out of pocket for the odd doctor’s visit and prescriptions rather than pay $80 more each month for the insurance. I’d say that’s been a good decision, but there was one drawback I only recently discovered.

Typically, the insurance company negotiates discounts with doctors — so their patients get a reduction on the cost of any visits or procedures. What I didn’t realize was that the doctor’s offices weren’t considering that discount when they told me what I owed them. Foolishly, I figured they knew what they were doing when they told me how much to pay.

A few months ago, I visited my sinus doctor and when I checked out, the assistant looked at my papers and said, “Hmm… I guess I’ll charge you $50 today.” I thought that seemed too low (a sad commentary on how quickly I got used to high charges for office visits!), so I was paying attention when I got my statement from the insurance company. I was shocked to look at the statement and see that, not only didn’t I owe them more, I had overpaid by $11.25.

Not knowing how the credit-issuing process worked, I called the office and explained what had happened. The receptionist said she would have accounting send me a check for my credit, and I was pleased.

Then I got the check — and it was almost 4 times the $11.25 I was expecting. After being initially flummoxed, I did some research and realized what had happened: they had overcharged me for two earlier visits as well. I had credits on their books going back over 3 years. If I hadn’t called, I’d have never gotten my money.

Spurred by the discovery, I did some more research and found one other doctor who had overcharged me. I sent a letter to their office with documentation and got back a check for $36.

So I got back nearly $80 of my money that my doctors had. Imagine if I went to the doctor more often!

Let this serve as a warning to others. Those statements the insurance company sends you really ought to be reviewed — and no one’s going to return your money unless you ask.