I concur completely with the reviewer from NY. And before anyone says anything stupid, my family has been in Vermont longer than this company has. Even though I live in Montana now, I grew up in the Green Mountains as an 8th generation Vermonter.
I was extremely disappointed with the way that my "return" was handled. While I was home visiting in September, I decided to buy some wool pants and a jacket for my wife. She wasn't along this trip, so I'd have to do my best to get her size and then fly them back to Montana for her to try on. The store staff was helpful, and while I was somewhat doubtful that the garments I picked up would actually fit my petite wife, the salesgirl I dealt with assured me that if they did not work, I could just send them back in the mail. Because of my $300+ purchase, I was given a complementary wool blanket! This is awesome! I left happy and proud to be spreading Vermont products around the world. I'd recommended JWM products to almost everyone I'd spent any time in the outdoors with here in Montana...
My wife tried the garments on the day after I got back, and they just didn't fit. Within a couple of days of deciding the clothes weren't going to work, I called the store in Johnson and asked to instructions on how to return them. A day or two later, I sent the clothes back via UPS at my own expense, along with a reason for the returns and the CC information for reimbursement. All good.
Flash forward to today when I get a voicemail from JWM saying that they would not reimburse the purchase because I was outside of the two week return period. They would give me a store credit for the pants, but were sending the non-fitting jacket back since it was purchased off the sale rack and was therefore not eligible for a return of any kind. I argued that I had spoken to the store within the two week period, and that it takes time for a package to move 2000 miles. She didn't care. Also, as I expected, she mentioned the blanket that I had not sent back. I like the blanket. On that matter, I asked that the value of the blanket be deducted from my refund, and that the rest be refunded to me. Fair enough, right? The JWM representative refused this option as well. I closed the conversation saying that if this how they do business, then I'll spend the credit that I have for the pants, and never buy anything from them again, nor encourage anyone else to do so. She said that was fine.
So, here is the sum of my experience. I made a point to drive up to Johnson to buy specifically from a Vermont company that I'd been proud of for a long time, bought $300 in merchandise and flew it across the country, informed the store within two weeks that they didn't fit and got instructions for the return, sent them back at my own expense and now, not only will I not be getting a refund, I'll be getting a $100 jacket that doesn't fit anyone. Are you guys serious?
Look, I know that the company has been around since 1842, but you shouldn't run your business like it still is the mid-19th century. In today's day and age, where people buy massive amounts on the internet, a successful apparel company needs to provide the leeway for people to try things on and get them back to you without a high level of risk. I'll never do business with JWM again because of this dumbfounding approach to customer service, and irritation that I feel related to this episode, but even if I'd not had this experience, I'd be unlikely to buy from a company that held such a draconian return policy. There is just too much risk in walking out of the store with any of their stuff if they are going to fight you tooth and nail to make you keep clothes that don't fit. It's absurd.
It breaks my heart as a Vermonter to say this, but do yourself a favor and go over to Woolrich, Filson or LLBean. They both have customer service apparatus designed to serve the customer and to get them into the gear that actually works for them. They even send a return shipping label to use in case there is any problem with your purchase. They each offer a guarantee on their products. JWM noticeably does not. read more