Overall, I have had a negative experience attempting to deal with Indochino at Square One.
Some plusses first - the fabric variety is impressive, and the prices are reasonable. An associate taking measurements was very nice and knew her stuff.
Despite these benefits, they are very difficult to deal with.
I dealt, on two separate occasions, with a fedora-wearing gentleman who carried himself as the manager - perhaps better described as a benevolent dictator - honoring us all with his supply of menswear.
My first interaction with him he explained the "Indochino process" and explained how busy they were - I would be lucky to get an appointment to make an order in the next week. I mentioned I was wanting to order a pair of blazers, he told me (somewhat exasperated) that a new customer, like me, should really be ordering at least a suit or two and a few shirts. I reiterated that I was not unfamiliar with the process of ordering made-to-measure clothing, and had used several of his competitors in the past, but that I wanted to get a feel for Indochino before I ordered more than a blazer or two. As he huffed off to a potentially better customer, he barked for me to call for an appointment.
I was past the store a few weeks later and noticed that it seemed quite empty. I wandered in and began making notes on which fabrics I would choose in a blazer when I was set-upon by this same officious man. "I recall speaking to you a few weeks ago" he said "you need to book an appointment". I mentioned that I wanted to pre-select my fabrics so that the appointment was quick and efficient. Another employee wandered past and mentioned that they had time to take me shortly, if I wanted. I said that would be great.
The fedora man returned and said that I got lucky "there must have been a cancelation". He then proceeded to speak with others who had just walked in, rather than take my order. He then sat on a stool for a while, before he decided to grace me with his majesty again. "Had I picked what I wanted?" he asked now twenty minutes after I had indicated that I was ready to go. I showed him the two fabrics. He went away and returned to say that one was no longer available. I picked a replacement. Now, their system was down - he needed to call his support team. I waited ten minutes for his return. He would now take the order manually.
We went through the options, it worked somewhat efficiently, since I knew exactly what I wanted. Now the system was back up, he would need to enter the information in the system before proceeding. I wait five more minutes. Now measurements. He would get someone else to assist me . I suppose the tape measure he wielded was for show? I waited fifteen minutes. He sat on the stool.
Finally, a new employee arrived. She would take my measurements. It went quite smoothly. When she finished she announced that she needed to get the manager to "approve the measurements". I had been in the store for about seventy minutes at this point - ready to order for sixty.
Shockingly, the manager didn't approve the measurements, I needed to be measured for pants at this juncture too. Being measured for pants would involve changing into one or more model pants so that they could compare fits (just as they had done with jackets). I reiterated that I was only ordering blazers and was pressed for time, having spent far too long on this (mis)adventure already. The employee returned to the manager (who was on the stool, hearing everything, twenty feet away with nothing to do the entire time).
As she returned to the manager I gathered my things to follow her in order to finalize and pay. She informed me, now directly beside the manager, that he had refused the order without pants measurements.
At this, I am afraid, I had to cut my seventy-five minute losses, and thanked them for their time.
Overall, aside from a manager who does not at all understand his position in the service industry, I did not find the Indochino process at all efficient - it reminded me of boarding a cruise ship, or waiting in line at an amusement park - the process was designed to keep you needlessly busy since they are understaffed (or poorly staffed).
Needless to say I can't speak to the garments themselves, having not been successful in ordering any, but I must say my exposure to Indochino has not been a positive one. read more
