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View Full Version : Jessica McClintock Stores are RUDE!!!



daymonswifetobe
05-07-2003, 09:32 PM
I recently went to two Jessica McClintock stores, one in Montclair, CA (it was a Jessica Outlet) and a boutique in Costa Mesa. They were horrible experiences and I don't reccommend either of these places to anyone! Which is a shame because because I love Jessica's style and her dresses are so afforable. My MOH in Portland also received horrible "service" and rude, rude treatment! I just don't uderstand how these people get away with their non-customer behavior. I got attitude for interrupting an obvious gossip fest, and I thought well, maybe that is just outlet behavior. But at the boutique too? Give me a break!! I will be shopping elsewhere!

felesseta
05-11-2003, 08:47 PM
I feel your pain. I just went to the store in Tampa, Fl and had a horrible experience. I'm a bride who went through the process of selecting the perfect bridemaid dresses for my maids, keeping in mind their sizes, body styles, heights, etc. so I would pick something flattering for everyone. So, I knew what I should expect from a decent bridesmaid shop when my best friend asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding.

I live in Orlando and the nearest store and the one my friend happened to be registered in was the Tampa store. It was roughly a 2 hour drive, but since I happened to be in town that day for her first wedding shower (yes, her first of many I'm invited to, but that's a seperate issue) another bridemaid (from Titusville - about 2 1/2 hours away) and I decided to take advantage of the day and drop by the store.

I was greeted with blank looks after I announced who I was and what bridal party I was in. Finally, someone checked a book and found her name and what dress I was supposed to try on. Then, even though it plainly written on the form she wanted the dress in yellow, I was asked a dozen times what color I wanted to try the dress on. I kept saying, "yellow." At last, they give me the dress to try on in yellow. The fact that it was the only color they had the dress in must have escaped them, but anyway...

So, I try the dress on. It's horrible. Period. I look like Chesty LaRue or a porno queen from the 1970's. You get the idea. Strapless, very low cut, and this buttery shade of yellow which completely washes me (and the other bridesmaid) out. But, the newly arrived bride proclaims me fabulous and tells me to start pulling out my credit card. Meanwhile, I'm trying to keep a smile plastered on my face.

Okay, now the nightmare REALLY begins. I tell them I need to order the gown. More blank stares. Order??? Well, we need a manager to do that b/c we don't know how. It's Saturday at 11:00 and our manager just ran to the food court to grab lunch. The shower starts at 12:00 and who knows when she'll be back. But, we could come back later that day when she would return. Well, that wouldn't work since I had a dinner engagement that I couldn't miss in Orlando early that evening, meaning I had to leave for Orlando right after the shower. And I wasn't going to drive all the way back to Tampa to do this. Neither was the other bridesmaid. Finally, after paging the manager, she comes rushing back all grumpy WE interrupted her lunch.

All they had was a size six in the dress (but hey ALL their dress samples were a size six as they told me). All??? Yep, so they said. They explained that this was just like any other high end bridal establishment. They only had samples so I could get an idea of what it looked like on. As they're saying this to me, they have racks of various dresses in multiple sizes right behind me. Alright then... Anyway, I'm somewhere between an 8 and a 10. I asked them to measure me like all the "high end" establishments do in Orlando. Sorry. No tape measure. But here's our lovely tattered size chart for you to guess at.

Okay, just gimme the 8. But can I buy it in Orlando instead of in Tampa? I'm sorry but the only other stores in Florida are in Jacksonville and Miami. But, we'll order the 8 and ship it to your house. For $15. And if it doesn't fit? Well, ma'am, you'll need to drive back here to Tampa to return it. Can I mail it back? No. Okay, so if I drive back here to return it, will you get me the other size? Certainly, but to mail the replacement out is another $15. You pay for all shipping costs. Great. Wonderful time to be unemployed. (And the bride is whispering in my ear that I'll have to buy an additional burgundy shawl b/c she doesn't want the lemon/buttery one to be worn.) Next question, how long will it take to arrive? Four to six weeks unless we have it in another store. But you said you only had size sixes as samples? Why would another store be different? Oh, WE only carry sixes. Perhaps the other stores would have in an 8. Oh, goody, they do!! But if its an existing on-the-rack dress, how will you match the dye lots? Don't worry about that; it will be fine. (Famous last words, right girls?)

By the way, the dress is non-returnable, non-refundable, and can only be cancelled 3 days from time of purchase (not time of receipt). I can only exchange the sizes (with the $15 charge). Okay, they have a 10 in Chicago. Great, I'll be there for Memorial Day in a couple of weeks. Can I just exchange it there if the 8 doesn't fit? No, they're independently operated. I cannot exchange between stores. They can only tell me if my size is available in their system there.

Well, I'm smiling so hard I think I'm going to crack my teeth, sign the credit receipt b/c the bride is telling me I'm making a big deal out of everything and besides a third bridesmaid already bought the dress (and looks fantastic in it) so she's stuck with it. What can the bride do now? Can I wear a similar style in the same color? NO! So, as me and the other disgruntled bridesmaid leave, we're told that this week we'll be told where to buy our shoes and what style, and what alterationist we should use if we need to. As we're walking away, the other bridesmaid's fiance' (who saw me in the dress) turns to me and say, "Hey, don't feel bad. I'm sure your fiance' will love it." wink, wink, nudge, nudge "Besides, there's always Ebay."

Bottom line. The store clerks were obtuse and completely lacked all knowledge of their store's policies. The manager acted like we were inconveniencing HER. Their policies are ridiculous, but perhaps typical of the great ripoff that is the bridesmaid dress industry. Here's hoping it works out. After all, it's her money for the photographer....