Lane Bryant Rant

[Kathy]

Hi gals, another PSA here, Lane Bryant's customer service is really bad ! I placed an order back in April for a couple pairs of Seven7 jeans which did not fit me. I followed the size chart (i've ordered online many times) and the jeans were way too big and I didn't like the cut. They were not lower rise at all, they were up past my belly button ! I don't think that would change much even if I got a smaller size. Anyways, in order to return goods to Lane Bryant you have to email them with your order number and what you want to return and they will email you a "return authorization number" that you need to put on the outside of the package as well as the returns address. Well, three weeks and three emails later I finally got my RA#'s. I was starting to panic because I had had the jeans for so long I was worried they wouldn't take them back anymore (they cost me $200 CAN for 2 prs). In my last email I said that if I didn't hear from them immediately I would contact my credit card company to investigate. I searched their website for a phone number and there isn't one ! There is no way to contact them other than email ! They didn't even offer an explanation for the delay and when I fianlly sent them back it took them three more weeks to refund my money (I used express shipping and the return address is in Ontario).

I really like some of the clothes on their website but I too afraid to order from them again !

BTW, like I said above, I wasn't impressed with the Seven7 jeans (which incidentally have no connction to "Seven for all Mankind jeans". I know because I email Seven for all Mankind and they got all snippy and said that those jeans were nothing to do with them and that they were "looking into it"). The cut/fit and fabrics were nothing special. I had much better luck with the BabyPhat jeans I ordered which fit my curves (big butt/small waist) like a glove. I've also had good luck with Torrid.com's jeans.

Kathy

[shea]

Hey Kathy!

Thanks for drawing attention to this matter! YES... Lane Bryant's customer service, web or otherwise can be found lacking!!! :-/

I made the mistake of getting one of their credit cards on my last shopping trip, I had a very small balance - $50 USD and by the time their credit card company got around to mailing me my monthly statement, it was already past due! They charge you $25 USD late fee for missing the due by date.... so even with my payment, I quickly more than doubled a $50 USD charge. The 2nd statement I received, though I paid my balance (so I thought), said I owed even more money due to late fees and interest - again this statement arrived 2 full days past the statement due date. Hello - we live in Canada not Antarctica!!!! It does not take more than 3 weeks to send a letter to Canada! To top it all off I had some condescending USA Collections agent call me and be really rude about the situation. I had to make another call back to their credit agency, and lodge a formal complaint - the kicker is they KNEW all along that there were transit time problems for their statement mailings to Canada AND the rude collector who called me previously, should have offered to refund those charges - which she did not. I demanded they cancel the card immediately and refund the late service charges - I ended up getting a refund cheque in the mail for one of the charges - still had to pay $25 USD for one of them.

We won't discuss the poor In-Store customer service I received after dropping over $400 USD in a few hours - the inexperienced clerk they had assist me at the register seemed "put out" that I was buying so many items, they had a sale and I had discount offers. Come on kid.... capitalism at it's finest - your store puts out these coupon/discount offers to draw up business.... I shouldn't be treated as an inconvenience because I decide (wrongly?) to spend money in your establishment. I'm not one of those prima-donna shopping princesses, I don't expect to be waited on hand & foot, just treated with some courtesy & respect. The clerk should have kept in mind that Consumers are the ones that pay her salary, keep her the store going and without women coming in & spending money in Lane Bryant, she would be out of a job. Where's the perspective!!! ???

Soooooooooooo with that said..... I am now looking to find a "better" place to take my business on my annual shopping trip to Seattle! Any suggestions ladies??? Where else in the States can you find youngish, hipish plus sized clothing that is still suitable for business casual office attire? I leave Friday 08/05/05 - Help please =)