I have shopped at the French Cuff Boutique since it opened in '09. It along with the Hem Line and Tootsies are my favorite boutiques. The prices are expensive but I felt they were worth it given the quality of the clothing and the overall taste of the boutique's buyer. However, where the quality of the merchandise hasn't declined in the least their Customer Service and Sales Departments have.
The last few times I've shopped there, which is once or twice a month, the sales staff has gotten quite aggressive. They used to recommend things that were similar to what I had picked out or things that are easily overlooked because only the sales staff would know if it looks good on as it doesn't necessarily look good on the hanger. The last time I shopped there each of the two sales staff brought me, the exact same new merchandise or slow moving merchandise and one shirt that they didn't even know what the front or the back was. I finally told them both times that those items weren't the style I was looking for. I can live with overly aggressive sales staff and uptalking for the convenience and the fashion.
What I can't live with is not only the return policy overly restrictive, but a staff that resists taking my name and number when I asked that the owner contact me. I bought an outfit that I decided against when I got home. I wasn't sure about in the store. The sales person told me that if I got it home and didn't like it, I could always return it. I asked about the return policy when I bought it. The sales person told me two days for cash and thirty days for store credit. Which as it happens isn't true. Apparently it is ten days for store credit.
I brought the outfit back 16 days after I bought it, but two days were Good Friday and Easter, which they were closed, and that is when I found out the return policy is different than I was told. I was just returning something for credit. I was returning the $225 outfit and buying a $210 top and a $185 costume ring. I understand she is a small business and indefinite credit memos are costly to her.
I understand the staff's reluctance to break the policy. When I asked for the owner to call me, all the two sales associates did was argue with me. Everyone in the store was looking at me. It was quite embarrassing. I finally told them I didn't ask them to argue with me. I asked them to have the owner to call me.
About a week later I got the merchandise back with note that said that someone had tried to call me twice, but that my voicemail was full. It also suggested that I gift or sell the outfit. If she could send note to return the merchandise and suggest sell it, she could have sent a note saying to call her. I would have not shopped there ever again, but I wouldn't have Yelped the French Cuff. It's her business, and she has the prerogative to have any return policy she chooses to. She also has the prerogative to have an argumentative and overly aggressive sales staff. In turn I have the option of not shopping at her establishment and giving her a negative review. read more
