FYI …ordering from Talbots this holiday season

[jeaniefish]

Just wanted to share my current, not so positive experience with Talbots online shopping. I have ordered from Talbots many many times over the years and have never experienced such poor customer service. The items I ordered didn’t work for me. One of them wasn’t even as described( fleece is not the same as French terry!) . When I began to process my return ,the amount to be refunded was less than it should have been. So, I called Customer Service yesterday and waited ,and waited. Finally they automated system gave me a “ call back” option, since there were so many people already ahead of me. Fine with me. However, they never called me back.
I called again this morning and have gone through the same process. I’m ( again) waiting for a call back…will see what happens.
I’m guessing that Talbots doesn’t have enough staff to handle all the questions about existing orders and returns. Just be aware that this may be the case if you order something and then have to call customer service for help. You might be waiting a very long time!

 

[monarch64]

The world of retail has considerably changed just in the past several years. I have had similar experiences with customer service and have even received items that clearly had been returned after being used. I even ordered 2 custom furniture pieces from Anthropologie and they sent me what HAD to have been in a window display—sun damaged. It is so aggravating not to be able to get in touch with a human who isn’t in a call center. None of the customer service employees I speak to is ever able to do anything about issues the company itself is at fault for. It has to be escalated and that takes more of my time.

My background is in retail—management as well as buying. I know retail top to bottom, and things have shifted so far from what they used to be that it makes me never want to go shopping either in person OR online, unless I absolutely have to have something.

I’m unsure about the future of it all. Kids today don’t go to the mall. They don’t even want to learn how to drive. The landscape has changed so much that it’s totally unrecognizable from my childhood/adolescent years. Fast fashion is a major problem for our planet. On the other hand, people can’t afford to buy groceries, let alone clothes, anymore. I try to stay positive about these changes because I have a young daughter, but it gets harder and harder as I watch the world struggle with the basics in life (as I know it, in the United States, anyway.)

 

[Calliecake]

@jeaniefish, I sorry you are having to deal with this. It’s frustrating. Is there a Talbot’s store near you? The only reason I ask is I too have had issues trying to return things on line (not Talbots). When I took the item I wanted to returned to the store, it was a completely different experience. The in store people were extremely helpful. I was in and out in a matter of minutes. My experience was with Ann Taylor. I’m just wondering if Talbots may be the same way when working with in store sales assistants.

I know it defeats the purpose as we generally order on line due to convenience of not having to go to the store.

 

[jeaniefish]

Hi Calliecake,
Thanks for the suggestion.
I will probably go to a local Talbots to return, and try not to look at anything else while I’m there! I don’t need a thing. What really chaps my hide is that I had a $40 coupon from Talbots and that’s wasted now. Boo hoo, poor me!