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Abercrombie & Fitch Informative - To all the people who have been reviewing this company...
I am an employee of a&f and a lot of these complaints are unwarranted. People are claiming to "know" our policies and trying to make us seem bad for adhering to our policies. One person wrote a review how a store refused to remove the security senor because the customer didn't have a receipt. That IS our policy. They stated that there should have been an exception made because it was only one $50 polo and it was obvious it hadn't been stolen. That is not obvious. Many people steal single items, even as cheap as $6.90. Also, it would be blatant discrimination to remove sensors for one customer because they seem to be okay, and choose to not remove another customer's sensor because the person looks suspicious. A policy is a policy no matter what and exceptions are not made for people who "look" okay. So for a company that has already gotten in a lot of trouble for discrimination should not be expected to turn around chose to adhere to or reject policies based on what the customer looks like. The same goes for when people claim they are a "good" customer and spent over $300 last time (oh wow). You are not given special privileges, there are no "good" or "bad" customers based on how much you spend. Our policies are the same for everyone.
Secondly, it was mentioned as a "known" fact we have an electronic system that tracks every item sold. This is not true. Even if we did, it wouldn't help. Which is why there is no such thing. Let's say you have a particular red t-shirt in a size small. Every single red t-shirt of that style in size small is going to have the same SKU number. Each item does not have a different identification number so that would not even help.
Another person mentioned how a cologne was left out of the bag and we should pay to ship it to them. Mistakes happen. Even at a grocery store, someone can leave your lunchmeat out of the bag but they're not going to send it to your home. We don't have any means of shipping anything out. We can ship our merchandise out to other stores and receive shipment, but only at certain times. There is no way we can send anything out, unless an associate wants to make a trip to the post office while not punched in and pay however much it costs to send someone a cologne. No one is going to want to do that and they can't be blamed for that. Mistakes happen.
Oh and someone else mentioned the associates cannot hear the customers over the music. This isn't true... we can hear everything, and that is why we talk to you and respond to what you're saying with perfect ease.
Another person mentioned how they yelled at an associate and the associate should have just taken it since the customer had the right to be upset. Maybe they did have a right to be upset but that gives no one the excuse to yell at someone else. I have been in that position before and it is not okay to yell at someone and call them names. Maybe they are having a bad day and are less than friendly, so be the bigger person and ignore it. How would you like your son or daughter to be attacked by a random stranger while working at their job? Everyone has their days, and trust me, yelling does not get you what you want, it gets everyone to think you are crazy. Being treated poorly by strangers every day gets old and tiring and frustrating. Next time you are angry, remember you are one of many angry people in the world and we as associates do not want to be the brunt of it.
We cannot look up credit card numbers or do over the phone orders, for security reasons. Most of the associates who work there are 17-20 and not interested in having a real job. Would you really trust them with your credit card information?
As for damaged merchandise, worn or not, if it is a manufacturer's defect such as broken zipper or ripped along the seem, the manager should return it no matter what. Honestly it does depend on the manager and some are just not nice people, but if you reason with them it may help. If you have the receipt and it is obviously a defect it should be exchanged as long as we have the merchandise still in stores. If it's a very old item, we really can't do anything about it unless you still have the receipt.
The customer is NOT always right. In fact, they usually are not and should quit trying to act like they know everything. It's a store that sells clothing. Quit getting so worked up about everything.
Secondly, it was mentioned as a "known" fact we have an electronic system that tracks every item sold. This is not true. Even if we did, it wouldn't help. Which is why there is no such thing. Let's say you have a particular red t-shirt in a size small. Every single red t-shirt of that style in size small is going to have the same SKU number. Each item does not have a different identification number so that would not even help.
Another person mentioned how a cologne was left out of the bag and we should pay to ship it to them. Mistakes happen. Even at a grocery store, someone can leave your lunchmeat out of the bag but they're not going to send it to your home. We don't have any means of shipping anything out. We can ship our merchandise out to other stores and receive shipment, but only at certain times. There is no way we can send anything out, unless an associate wants to make a trip to the post office while not punched in and pay however much it costs to send someone a cologne. No one is going to want to do that and they can't be blamed for that. Mistakes happen.
Oh and someone else mentioned the associates cannot hear the customers over the music. This isn't true... we can hear everything, and that is why we talk to you and respond to what you're saying with perfect ease.
Another person mentioned how they yelled at an associate and the associate should have just taken it since the customer had the right to be upset. Maybe they did have a right to be upset but that gives no one the excuse to yell at someone else. I have been in that position before and it is not okay to yell at someone and call them names. Maybe they are having a bad day and are less than friendly, so be the bigger person and ignore it. How would you like your son or daughter to be attacked by a random stranger while working at their job? Everyone has their days, and trust me, yelling does not get you what you want, it gets everyone to think you are crazy. Being treated poorly by strangers every day gets old and tiring and frustrating. Next time you are angry, remember you are one of many angry people in the world and we as associates do not want to be the brunt of it.
We cannot look up credit card numbers or do over the phone orders, for security reasons. Most of the associates who work there are 17-20 and not interested in having a real job. Would you really trust them with your credit card information?
As for damaged merchandise, worn or not, if it is a manufacturer's defect such as broken zipper or ripped along the seem, the manager should return it no matter what. Honestly it does depend on the manager and some are just not nice people, but if you reason with them it may help. If you have the receipt and it is obviously a defect it should be exchanged as long as we have the merchandise still in stores. If it's a very old item, we really can't do anything about it unless you still have the receipt.
The customer is NOT always right. In fact, they usually are not and should quit trying to act like they know everything. It's a store that sells clothing. Quit getting so worked up about everything.
Comments:
Posted by jktshff1 on 2010-10-03:
Nope, not me.
Posted by ript on 2010-10-03:
Everyone's story should be heard once, after that, it becomes redundant.
Posted by little_yaya on 2010-10-03:
You are writing this review as if customers are stupid and at the same time wonder why they have an attitude at your store. Hmmmmm......
Posted by Nohandle on 2010-10-03:
I liked this review, thanks. Customers need to be reminded from the store's standpoint. Too many learned how to scam the system and have taken full advantage. Not just at your business but at most others.
Posted by tnchuck100 on 2010-10-03:
The only exception I have with your post is your position on "policy". You relate to it as an absolute, no room for common sense issue. Well, admittedly, far too many clerks and managers take that short-sighted view.
Policies are not laws. They are guidelines. They should be applied to the benefit to the customer and the business with fairness to each.
Policies are not laws. They are guidelines. They should be applied to the benefit to the customer and the business with fairness to each.
Posted by martham on 2010-10-03:
Policies are put in place so that all people are treated equally, regardless of your "stannding" with the company or how "nice" you look. Also a lot of policies when broken can risk someone their job. Better safe than sorry!
Posted by tnchuck100 on 2010-10-03:
Equally does not always mean fairly. Would you apply a policy even if fairness had to be sacrificed?
Posted by werelucky on 2010-10-03:
Everyone should work retail once in their life just to see how immature, petty, and immoral a lot of people really are. It makes your head spin. When I see people complain how "rude" they were treated it makes me wonder just how bad they acted. My favorite us when they claim about being "disrespected", if only we had video replay for this one. Good review!
Posted by Nohandle on 2010-10-03:
Agreed werelucky. Nice reminder. I've reached the point I don't think the customer is always right and to immediately give him the benefit of the doubt.
Posted by Skye on 2010-10-03:
I've never worked in retail, and I know it's not an easy job working with the public. I treat everyone just as I like to be treated. It works both ways. There are just as many retail employee horror stories as there are customer horror stories. You have to give respect to get it, no matter what profession you are in.
Posted by Disaster Worker on 2010-10-03:
Nohandle, the customer isn't always right, but there seems to be a "better-than-thou" attitude in some establishments.
Posted by JISCal1 on 2010-10-03:
Skye is right. Customers should remember that retail employees have the same thoughts, feelings, emotions that they do. Speak to the employees as you want to be spoken to and treat them as you want to be treated.
Posted by Ytropious on 2010-10-03:
"there are no "good" or "bad" customers based on how much you spend. Our policies are the same for everyone. "
I completely agree with this. When people use the "I spent X amount of money" excuse I want to say "so if you spend 5 dollars I shouldn't care about you?" Because that's essentially what they're saying. Everyone gets treated equally out of fairness. I don't think the OP said anything "holier then thou" or anything, I think they were pretty respectful. Calling customers out on the stuff they do that's considered "rude" to workers is fine by me.
I completely agree with this. When people use the "I spent X amount of money" excuse I want to say "so if you spend 5 dollars I shouldn't care about you?" Because that's essentially what they're saying. Everyone gets treated equally out of fairness. I don't think the OP said anything "holier then thou" or anything, I think they were pretty respectful. Calling customers out on the stuff they do that's considered "rude" to workers is fine by me.
Posted by martham on 2010-10-05:
Thanks for the agreement guys! It's totally true that you need to work in retail at least once in your life to see what people are really like. And yes, you always hear the customer's side but it never seems to matter how the customer acted in the first place. If you are treated rudely, what in the world makes you want to be nice to someone? Nothing!!! And the holier-than-thou comment.... completely a stereotype of the store. The customers spend a lot of money on our clothes, and in a way they have a holier-than-thou attitude upon entering our store. So in a way, maybe the associates' attitudes are a reflection of the customers we have to deal with! Being yelled at daily makes people less willing to help customers...trust me.
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