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Hollister Co Complaint - Bigotry in Fashion at Hollister Co, Alpharetta, GA - Retail merchandise
Retail merchandise - Complaint
ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA -- Two weeks ago, my 14 year old daughter purchased a blouse and a skirt with cash at Hollister Co store in North Point Mall, Alpharetta, GA. She shops at this store regularly. Last Wednesday, October 12, 2011, despite having her receipt and the unworn clothes that did not fit, store manager "Oscar" refused to give her back cash for the exchange difference because her returned clothing had no tags on them. "Oscar" implied that she could be trying to return fake Hollister clothes, which is why he would not give ehr back cash, but store credit instead. She explained to him that she didn't try the clothes on in the store because a medium usually fits her. When she got home, she removed the tags, then found out the medium was too narrow in the shoulders, and too big in the skirt.
"Oscar" claimed the clothing was not in "original condition." I told him she didn't know she wasn't to remove the tags, it DOES NOT SAY SO ON THE RECEIPT, and that I have never had this problem with any retailer I shop with. I politely asked to speak to his manager. He refused my request to speak to his manager. Meantime, his rag-tag bunch of store associates injected themselves into our conversation which did not concern them. They goaded him on, telling him to continue threatening me and to throw me out of the store when I insisted I wanted to speak with his manager.
Hollister clothes is branded merchandise AND there is no other Hollister Co store for many miles around. I mentioned this to "Oscar."
All this resulted in a very unpleasant experience for my daughter who loves to shop at Hollister. The customer service I received from this store was of the dumpster variety. Rock bottom. Disgraceful. I've turned this experience into a lesson for my daughter: Do not shop at stores that do not value you as a customer.
This is not the first time I've had a negative experience at this store. My daughter has reported being in line and having customers berate with snide remarks, black girls who come in to shop.
Hollister Co is owned by Abercrombie & Fitch, which is no stranger to lawsuits concerning bigotry on both sides of the counter and of unfair business practices; lawsuits that have cost them multimillions of dollars. I suppose my daughter's and my experience was more 'Business as usual' for a company dedicated to their "Look Policy" as it concerns customers.
It seems that bigotry is still in fashion at Hollister Co!
"Oscar" claimed the clothing was not in "original condition." I told him she didn't know she wasn't to remove the tags, it DOES NOT SAY SO ON THE RECEIPT, and that I have never had this problem with any retailer I shop with. I politely asked to speak to his manager. He refused my request to speak to his manager. Meantime, his rag-tag bunch of store associates injected themselves into our conversation which did not concern them. They goaded him on, telling him to continue threatening me and to throw me out of the store when I insisted I wanted to speak with his manager.
Hollister clothes is branded merchandise AND there is no other Hollister Co store for many miles around. I mentioned this to "Oscar."
All this resulted in a very unpleasant experience for my daughter who loves to shop at Hollister. The customer service I received from this store was of the dumpster variety. Rock bottom. Disgraceful. I've turned this experience into a lesson for my daughter: Do not shop at stores that do not value you as a customer.
This is not the first time I've had a negative experience at this store. My daughter has reported being in line and having customers berate with snide remarks, black girls who come in to shop.
Hollister Co is owned by Abercrombie & Fitch, which is no stranger to lawsuits concerning bigotry on both sides of the counter and of unfair business practices; lawsuits that have cost them multimillions of dollars. I suppose my daughter's and my experience was more 'Business as usual' for a company dedicated to their "Look Policy" as it concerns customers.
It seems that bigotry is still in fashion at Hollister Co!
Comments:
Posted by samanthasmom on 2011-10-20:
I don't see the problem here. Unless your returning a defective item, most stores require the original tags to be attached or at least accompanied by a receipt. The return policy is printed on your daughters receipt and it does state that the clothing needs to be in the original, unworn condition. Without the tags, there is no way to prove the clothing is unworn.
Posted by SuzeB on 2011-10-20:
This situation does not sound like bigotry to me. Unless Oscar specifically stated that your daughter was attempting to return fake merchandise I believe that this is a case that "original condition" means that the tags have not been removed.
Posted by NutterButter on 2011-10-20:
Please do not use this as a lesson for your daughter that throwing the race card may get you around company policies.
Posted by trmn8r on 2011-10-20:
I missed the bigotry, but you evidently did not. Could you please point out where it entered into the picture?
Sometimes a complaint abruptly goes from "there was this issue" to "the threats continued" and it isn't evident how this came to be. This is one of them. Don't know what that is about.
IN any event, this policy is actually very common at retailers. The reason is to cut down on fraud. One example (not saying you did this) is when someone wears an item to an event, and then tries to return it (the used item) to the store.
Sometimes a complaint abruptly goes from "there was this issue" to "the threats continued" and it isn't evident how this came to be. This is one of them. Don't know what that is about.
IN any event, this policy is actually very common at retailers. The reason is to cut down on fraud. One example (not saying you did this) is when someone wears an item to an event, and then tries to return it (the used item) to the store.
Posted by yoke on 2011-10-21:
Since Oscar was the store manager why would his manager (which would be a general manager) also be there?
Hollister is usually pretty good about returns, I have even returned items there without the tags on them without a problem.
There is more to this story.
Hollister is usually pretty good about returns, I have even returned items there without the tags on them without a problem.
There is more to this story.
Posted by Taylorh2 on 2011-10-21:
My son is 16 yrs old and from the time that he could dress himself, he was told not to remove tags until he tried everything on and he was sure that it fit right and it was really what he wanted.
It's not to late to teach this to your daughter.
It's not to late to teach this to your daughter.
Posted by Nohandle on 2011-10-21:
Taylorh2 is correct here and her lesson to her son should apply to everyone regardless of age. Try on the clothes at home BEFORE the tags are torn off. I knew someone who would purchase a half dozen pairs of jeans at the time for her son. Same style, fit, stock#, color and the whole ball of wax. He had to try on each pair she had purchased. Guess what? On occasion a pair was mislabeled.
I don't want to go into a store and purchase something that the original tag, I don't mean price tag, had been removed from. How do I know someone didn't "borrow" that garment for an occasion, wear once, and return free of charge?
I don't want to go into a store and purchase something that the original tag, I don't mean price tag, had been removed from. How do I know someone didn't "borrow" that garment for an occasion, wear once, and return free of charge?
Posted by Starlord on 2011-10-21:
I am 65, and my moother taught me at about ten years of age never to take the tags off clothing until we were sure they fit. Rather than teaching your daughter that she doesn't have to go by established policies, it should be a lesson ion being a responsible purchaser. Your daughter needs to try clothing on at the store, becasue there can be wide variances in fit from one item to another. The store did not show they did not value you as a customer, they require you to follow standard procedures. They do not need to put this on the receipt, because it is something you should know and have taught your daughter.
Posted by Hollister Has Poor Customer Service on 2012-12-15:
This evening, my son and I purchased four shirts from your Hollister store in Tallahassee, Florida. The long wait in line, and shirt ringing up at $34.50 when it was actually listed on sale for $20 was easily overlooked. However, it was quite disapointing and inconvenient to say the least when we drove 50 miles to our home in Georgia to learn that two of the shirts still had the security tag affixed to them. I had not planned on coming back into Florida for a while, yet my son was looking forward to wearing one of those new shirts for his birthday dinner tomorrow evening. Very disappointed. Additionally, when I called the store to advise Kelly, the manager, of the issue, she was apologetic about how she was unable to help me when "my problem." I understand that Abercrombie is a multi-million dollar industry, yet I'd hope that no matter how far removed the A and F Headquarters is from the customer, that satisfaction is always a priority. Manager, Kelly, referred me to a 1-866 number. When I finally got through to someone at that number, they referred me to e-mail hollisterco@hollisterco.com, which I have not received a response to. Hollister's customer service provides good reason to stay away from the store, or their partner store, A and F.
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